07/6/06 - Lauren Hoffman / Thao Nguyen / Aliccia
BB / Southerly
05/19/06 - Pale Beneath The Blue / Shrug
02/17/06 - The Fenians
08/14-17/03 - Irish Fest 2003
03/26/03 - Carbon Leaf / Jump Little Children / Red
Wanting Blue
03/01/03 - Maery Lanahan / Tod Weidner / Lift
01/25/03 - The Bang Tale / Murder Your Darlings /
Real Mother
01/24/03 - Shrug / The Stowaways
11/23/02 - Messerly & Ewing / Shrug / Anonymous
Bosch
3/3/00 - Red Hot Chili Peppers / The Foo Fighters
/ Muse
3/22/00 - Korn / Staind / Mindless Self Indulgence
1/21/00 - The Frantic Flattops / The Mulchmen
12/4/98 - Reverend Horton Heat / The Amazing Crowns
/ Flat Duo Jets
12/19/98 - The Will / The Dopes / Unlesseldomhas
/ Burnt Toast
12/17/98 - Chamberlain
12/16/98 - Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
12/13/98 - Buck-O-Nine / Voo Doo Glow Skulls / Link
80
11/20/98 - Goo Goo Dolls / Buffalo Tom
10/27/98 - Cherry Poppin' Daddies / The Pietasters
/ Spring Heeled Jack
10/24/98 - E.Y.E. / The Screaming Mutants
10/20/98 - Mike Watt / Caustic Resin / ?
10/10/98 - Knapsack / At the Drive-In / I Have Mass
9/30/98 - Candlebox / Brother Cane / Second Coming
9/18/98 - Bob Mould / Varnaline
9/16/98 - The Sub-Humans / SS-20 / Raw Power
9/10/98 - Walley Pleasant
Lauren Hoffman / Thao Nguyen / Aliccia BB / Southerly
Tour to support the Kill Rock Stars Release The Sound The Hare
Heard
Southgate House - Newport, KY (Thursday, July 6th)
Prologue: In some alternate reality Lauren Hoffman and I share
flats in Paris & Milan and spend our time writing music, making art and
enjoying the historic culture of our surroundings between setting off on
low-key tours of the world. But in this reality I'm sitting at the Southgate
House in Newport, KY with two friends waiting to see Lauren Hoffman
live for the first time.
I haven't been to Southgate in years and I've never been in the "Parlour". The show was very low key and the room really matched the vibe of Lauren's music. I had a chance to talk to Lauren before her set and I was entranced. I've conversed with her online at various times over the past seven years, but speaking to her in person caught me off guard. She has such a timeless beauty and grace about herself that I was left feeling like a pathetic fanboy.
She excused herself so that she could write a last minute set list, which is another thing I always love to see. It makes things feel so much more organic when the band decides on their set right before the show to match the mood of the day. It was great to hear her songs with just a guitar and voice. She played several songs off her latest release, Choreography, and even threw in a song from her first disc, Megiddo, which she said was just for me. The backdrop suited her style of elegant goth-folk and I had a hard time taking my eyes off her the entire set. Lauren has such a great live presence and natural feel about herself that the whole room was at her command.
After a short break Southerly took the stage. In contrast to Lauren he looked small and unsure, but once he started he showed his inner voice. He was full of working class agnst and classic folk grit. Several of his songs were about factories and the latest rounds of corporate layoffs. Nothing really new, but it's always good to hear somebody keeping the flame alive.
The third set featured Aliccia BB who sat and played guitar. Her songs were ok, but her voice was excellent. The highlight of her set was when she went to the piano and sang a heartfelt song of two star crossed lovers ending in tragedy. Not quite Romeo & Juliet, but very captivating nonetheless.
The night ended with the three piece led by Thao Nguyen. They were an entertaining mixture of folk, alternative, alt-country and good time college rock. They had a traditional guitar, bass & drums set up, but managed to tweek things just enough to throw their sound into the unusual and exciting spectrum that is sorely lacking in music. I loved Thao's innoccent banter between songs mixed with her delightful singing voice. The drummer was fun to watch as he seemed to constantly be picking up some toy to play for a few bars while still keeping the beat with his brushes and bass drum. Th bassist was pretty straightforward playing, but he kept things together and looked cool doing it.
Over all it was a great show and I was more impressed with Lauren then
before.
-- Grog Mutant (2006)
Pale Beneath The Blue / Shrug
Canal Street Tavern - Dayton, OH (Friday, May 19th)
I met up with fellow Mutant Mite & Simi plus their friend Kevin to head
downtown for an night of music. The first thing we did was head off to "Urban
Nights", a local celebration of art and music downtown. While there
we ran into Maggie who is helping out with the upcoming Sideshow
(PDF) art extravaganza. If you're in town on Saturday, June 24th make sure
that you're there. After taking in some culture we headed off to the Southern
Belle for some drinks and a couple games of pool.
Soon it was time to head next door and enjoy the show. First up was Shrug doing an all acoustic set. Two acoustic guitars, an upright bass and stripped down drum kit backed up by the very talented guys of Shrug. I've never seen them play acoustic and it really was a treat.
Shrug played a great set full of their latest tunes and laced with several crowd favorites including mine "Favorite Ghost". All the songs sounded excellent done acoustically and it brought some of them a new depth. One highlight was when Eric broke out the banjo to play a newer tune. It was a great addition and made me really want to hear the latest release.
Next up was the headliner Pale Beneath The Blue doing their ABBA set up, with both Rhonda and Patrice bringing along their spouses to fill out the band. This worked out nice for us since I haven't seen them as a full band for quite some time. One of the most interesting aspects was the drummer who had never played these songs before. He transcribed them onto a laptop before the show and used it as a crib so he could play along during their set. It worked amazingly well and only had a couple of minor problems. This was supposed to be their CD release party, however due to problems with the mastering the disc was delayed.
Rhonda sounded as good as ever on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Patrice just keeps getting better on her cello and background vocals, plus she slipped into keyboardist on a few songs when Rhonda switched to guitar. James filled out the low end on bass nicely and the drummer did an amazing job.
I think this was the best show I've seen Pale Beneath The Blue play and
was very intrigued by a few of the newer songs. Always a great band to listen
to and even better to see live.
-- Grog Mutant (2006)
The Fenians
Canal Street Tavern - Dayton, OH (Friday, February 17th)
The is first show review in almost three years and once again it features
Irish rock. I guess I have become quite a fan of this genre because this
was a great show. I wasn't expecting much since neither Cindy or I had heard
of this band, but we had a clue to their sound when a live CD of theirs
arrived two days before the show.
So, we headed on downtown to find our names not on the list and a very empty Canal Street. We choose a good place to sit and watched the band take the stage. Three of the members appeared to be in the early 40's with two other in their 20's. The kicked off with a few great upbeat irish tunes and a story of their sad saga. It seems their tour van died before the start of the tour and they drove a rental van 27 straight hours just to get to this show. I really felt bad for them, especially since Canal had only 25 people to great them. But even though they were sleep deprived they put on a great 2 1/2 hour show without ever letting the audience down.
One of the interesting things about the band was that while they are celtic influenced they had no fiddle or bagpipe, but in it's place a saxophone and a flute...along with a gaggle penny whistles of course. They played a mixture of traditional Irish tunes done their way and bunch of original songs. They genuinely seem to enjoy what they do and after meeting them I have to say they're all great guys. While all of them took turns singing I'd say the best tunes were by Terry the lead vocalist on most of their fun Irish tinged rock songs and Rob the vocalist on the more heartfelt traditional Irish, you can't beat us down, songs. The only part I didn't like is when the drummer came out front and sang "Danny Boy" in a cheesy Vegas Elvis way. I've heard several people say they like this version, but it made me cringe the whole time.
Overall, I would call them a great live band that is irresistible and worthy
of your time. They blend together a lot of rock, with plenty of Celtic influence
and a dose of blues, worldbeat, folk and bluegrass. If you are a fan of
Great Big Sea or Carbon Leaf you should give these guys a
listen or better yet, see them live.
-- Grog Mutant (2006)
Irish Fest 2003
Henry W. Maier Festival Park - Milwaukee, WI (Thursday, August
14th - Sunday, August 17th)
Cindy and I ventured up to the cheese state to hear Carbon Leaf and
a bunch of great Irish bands. We didn't know fully what to expect except
we had heard of a few of the bands and other people had recommended several
more. If you're unfamiliar with the festival it is one of the largest of
its type in the US. The site had five large stages and at least seven smaller
stages, plus shops, activities and Irish dancing. Admission was only $10
and it's right on Lake Michigan.
We only had a few days to spare so we headed up on the 15th and stayed until the morning of the 17th. I'm usually not a big fan of festivals (I like smaller venues) so I went with the intention of not expecting much. I very surprised by the way it was laid out and the overall feel of the park.
We arrived Friday just before Carbon Leaf's set which was on the "rock" stage facing Lake Michigan. The amphitheater probably seated about 1500 and they had a decent crowd of over 500. They played a great set on the large stage and made many new fans that night. After their set Cindy talked to few people who were fans for a while and we also spoke to the band.
We walked around checking out a few other stages until it was time for the next act at the "rock" stage who I really wanted to see, Slainte Mhath (Gaelic for "good health to you"). They are an excellent group from Nova Scotia who play updated traditional Irish Folk music. They include four members who play: bodhran, fiddle, octave mandolin, guitars, percussion, keyboards, drums, Highland bagpipes, Scottish reel pipes and Irish flute to form a modern sounding Irish folk band. They mentioned a few times that they didn't understand why they were on the "rock" stage, but I felt that they did that style justice and brought in a large amount of new fans. I thought they had an incredible sound but I was totally taken with their fiddle player who at times did step dancing. Cindy was also in agreement as to her talent, (assumed) sweetness and beauty. Together the band pulled off a great high energy set which left the crowd wanting more and pleased to have been able to experience the band.
I know we saw bits of a few other bands, Including The Clumsey Lovers and Tommy Makem, but being tired from the long drive we felt it best to head off to our hotel. On Saturday we swore to make it in fairly early and partake in more great music.
We ended up getting a later start than we wanted and arrived right before Carbon Leaf went on at 4PM. This time the crowd was much larger and we decided to sit further back. When they went on we noticed a fiddle player off in the shadows and went about guessing who he might be. By the third song he was formerly introduced s Bob from Gaelic Storm and joined in playing their songs fully. Bob added quite a bit to most of Carbon Leaf's songs and showed his ability by fitting right in without practicing with the band. That night the crowd response was amazing and they even asked for an encore.
We left and decided to explore other stages before seeing two performers who would be on different stages at the same time Altan and Seamus Kennedy. So we watched a bit of Flook, who quite frankly I forget. Finally, we made our way back to Seamus and enjoyed part of his great, humorous one man set of drinking songs and comedy. He is a great folk storyteller who peppers his songs with great wit and stage banter. A true showman and musician he was surely a highlight of the night. Halfway through his set we went off to listen to Altan who we didn't find nearly as fun. We also came across another band which was recommended to us called The Barra MacNeils. They are also a fine band and worth a watch. By this time we knew that the Afro Celts (who we both like) would be on soon, but it conflicted with Leahy who we were interested in seeing. However, the stage area was overcrowded and by 15 minutes after they still hadn't arrived on stage. So we set off again across the park.
We soon were back at the "rock" stage and the Afro Celts were in full swing. The place was standing room only and everybody was loving the band. The Afro Celts played an amazing set of their special world beat blend of Celtic, African and electronica which had bodies moving the whole set. Every member of the band was amazing it was impossible not to feel energized.
Finally, after the great Afro Celt set we set off to the see Gaelic Storm who many people seemed to be raving about. We found a decent place among the crowd of thousands and watched a very talented group of musicians burst through an excellent set of music. By the time they were done, we needed to head back to rest.
Overall it was an excellent festival and my favorite big show ever. The
people were great, the bands excellent and the park amazing. After this
experience I have learned a few things, I love Irish music, It feels great
to be at a festival and be in the lower age range, most female fiddle players
are hot.
-- Grog Mutant (2003)
Carbon Leaf / Jump Little Children / Red Wanting
Blue
First Run - Oxford, OH (Wednesday, March 26th)
I was very excited to see Carbon Leaf since Cindy has told me about
them since the day we met. It also helped that she loaned me a few of their
CD's and I took an instant liking to them. I didn't know much about the
other two bands or the venue, but it seemed like a great time so off to
Oxford we journeyed along with Mite and Simi.
Once inside Mite and I commented that it looks like a mini Borgart's and most likely held about 500 people max. Since Oxford is home of the mighty WOXY there was evidence that this club was a landing ground for bands featured on 97X. The place was set up pretty well with a good sized stage and a large sunken floor before heading up to the bar area.
Carbon Leaf took the stage to much cheering and adoring fans. They played a fairly short set of about 45 minutes with a mixture of songs from their last few releases along with some newer tunes which hadn't been recorded yet. In case you're curious Carbon Leaf is a Celtic rock band out of Richmond, VA and a great band to see as well as hear. My focus, of course, was on the bassist who was incredible. He played perfectly to the over benefit of the song always mixing in interesting lines to help draw out the vocals and carry the song along. The highlight in my eyes was his opening to "An American Tale" which he played on an upright. I would have to say that he played it with as much passion as only Mike Watt could match. All of the songs which they played were close to their studio versions but with enough variation for you to tell that they were live. Part of what makes this band so good other than the excellent song writing and musicianship is the instruments which are not seen in most bands. The singer breaks out a tin whistle on several songs and the have a mandolin player who occasionally plays guitar. In addition they have a standard guitar, bass and drums setup, plus they can all sing very well which was evident in their acapella version of "Glory Town". On a final note they really showed their passion by encouraging people to copy their releases and to tape their live shows.
Second up after a break was Jump Little Children who I knew nothing about. The first thing I noticed was that their bassist had hair and clothing like an 1890's gentleman and that he only had an upright bass. When they started one guy pulled out an accordion and away they went. I had a hard time trying to determine their sound, so I just lumped it into a college rock sound. Then things go really interesting when one guitarist pulled out a cello and they broke into a long, very emotional song which I later learned is called "Mother's Eyes". When I heard that song I fell for the band and became a fan. Something about the sound and feeling was something that I haven't felt since first hearing Disintegration by the Cure. Once they had finished their 45 minute set I was a fan and had to get their latest. Luckily their label sent me a copy of Vertigo two days later and now I am happy.
We had originally intended to watch Red Wanting Blue, but we decided
to make the long drive back to Dayton instead since Cindy and I had each
heard a live recording by them and while they seemed good, it wasn't that
impressive. By what I could tell I would say that they were like an unpolished
Collective Soul. Overall it was an excellent show and made me a true
fan of two great bands, plus Cindy and I drew closer into each others lives.
-- Grog Mutant (2003)
Maery Lanahan / Tod Weidner / Lift
Canal Street Tavern - Dayton, OH (Saturday, March 1st)
This started out and turned into a very important night for me. Not only
was it a great show, but it was my first real date with Cindy. We arrived
right near the end of Lift's set. They seemed to be a young punk-pop
band. They were good, but seemed like they hadn't been together all that
long. Still they were interesting and the couple of songs I heard sounded
really good.
Next up after a short break was Tod Weidner from Shrug playing a solo set. Tod had his familiar acoustic guitar out and played a great selection of Shrug songs. Some he played very similarly to the full band versions others were slightly rearranged due to his solo status and he broke out his harmonica on more than one occasion. One of my favorite parts of his set was his duet with Maery. I can't recall what cover song they played, but it was excellent and I was amazed at how well the two of them worked off each other. Later on I found out that Tod played bass on one of Maery's earlier recordings.
After another break and some time getting to know Cindy a bit better Maery took the stage with her band. I've only seen Maery a few times before, and this time I was a bit more focused on her music. I was really struck by the beauty of her voice and by the expansive emotion which flowed from the songs. All three of them (Maery, Alessando and Brian) play with great skill and seem to find the perfect note for every beat. I felt that one of the highlights was when Maery sang "Ava Maria" before they launched into their song by the same title. Another great moment is when Tod joined them onstage to sing another duet with Maery. I think the two of them work perfectly together and I'd love to her some recordings of a collaboration.
Between the set and Cindy I was flush with emotion and started on a rush
which has not diminished since. Since this time Maery Lanahan has
released a live CD, which is reviewed on this site under the 2003 releases.
I suggest that you search out the disc and see them on one of their many
dates throughout the midwest and east coast.
-- Grog Mutant (2003)
The Bang Tale / Murder Your Darlings / Real Mother
Elbo's - Dayton, OH (Saturday, January 25th)
Mite, Simi and I have never been to Elbo's so we figured that this would
be the perfect night. Jeff from Mondolux sent out an email talking
about two new bands featuring members of several Dayton and Columbus bands
so it seemed like it would be a good show. Elbo's is a decent sized place
and has a good look, however with the high ceilings it really doesn't work
well for loud punk and rock bands. The place was packed and it was like
a who's who of the local scene from the past ten years. After getting some
drinks we finally found a spot to stand where we could actually see the
band.
First up was The Bang Tale which included members of Mondolux, The Ignitors, Sedation Generation and Only a Ninja. They were loud and very rock oriented, in the vein of the Dead Boys, however they didn't seem like they've gelled yet and most of their songs sounded very similar. I like the bands they came from, but I think they need a bit more time before they hit their mark.
After a short break, Murder Your Darlings started to get ready on stage. While I was at the bar getting yet another Rolling Rock a fight broke out somewhere in the crowd. Fights are rare at these shows, so it didn't last long and from what I heard the offender was quickly thrown outside by patrons MYD took a while to get set, so Scott Bodine tried telling some jokes to pass the time. Some were good, but many were lame. These guys are made up of members of the Igniters, Lucky Machine, and the Vincents and once they got through their second song I could see they were living up to the hype I heard. Their songs were interesting and tight, plus they were interesting to watch onstage. I've seen all the members in various bands over the years and Murder Your Darlings can be the equal of any of them. I think there will be some great things going in their future.
We decided to leave early, so we never got to see Real Mother. However,
I was able to make fool out of myself right before we left by asking out
a really cute girl, who happens to have a boyfriend. At least she didn't
laugh in my face...so I guess it didn't go too bad.
-- Grog Mutant (2003)
Shrug / The Stowaways
Canal Street Tavern - Dayton, OH (Friday, January 24th)
Well, we got to Canal Street late and missed The Stowaways, so this
review is all about Shrug. The first thing I noticed when I stepped
inside was how packed the place was even though the weather was so cold.
It's always great to see so many people go out and see a local band regardless
of weather.
Shrug came on stage fairly soon after we arrived and you could tell
the crowd was looking forward to the show. This was the first time I had
seen them with their second guitarist, Eric and their new bass player Bryan,
other than their short set at Bogarts a few months ago. Like most of their
shows a fair amount of people were on the dance floor getting into the songs
and many more crowded the tables and bleacher seats. They tended to focus
on their latest release which I wasn't too familial with, until now since
Tod gave me a copy. However, most of the crowd sang along with every tune
and seemed to know the songs as well as the band. I really like the added
elements that Eric brings to the live shows. He fills out their sound and
is a good contrast to Tod's style. Shrug happens to be one of those
bands who captivate me with their lyrics and seem to speak to those inner
thoughts and feelings which we all have but don't always express. The songs
are not really happy or cheerful, but they always make me feel better and
leave a smile on my face if for no other reason than knowing that my thoughts
and observations are shared by others. The night ended well with Shrug
playing the best show I've seen from them yet. It was one of those nights
were there wasn't much else I'd like to have done other than go to the show.
To make it better we hit Denny's for a true after show meal.
-- Grog Mutant (2003)
97Xposure Finals 2002 Messerly & Ewing / Shrug
/ Anonymous Bosch
Bogart's Cincinnati, OH (Saturday, November 23rd, 2002)
This was the first show I've been to for quite a while, so not only was
I ready to see show, but I also love two of the three bands. This was the
final three bands from the annual 97X local band competition. So
Mite and I decided to hit the show, support some bands...and get buzzed.
Neither of us had heard Anonymous Bosch, except for the one song
they play on 97X so we were curious to see what they were about.
As we bought our tickets we heard a couple outside that was kind of upset
that they were going on last, but decided to hear what the competition sounded
like.
First up was Messerly & Ewing with a full band. They kicked off their set in a spirited way and had the crowd going instantly. Their happy, quirky songs got everybody in a good mood and you could tell the band was having a blast too. When they played their most noticeable song "Digging" you could see almost everybody in the crowd singing along. It was great to see them on a big stage and they filled it up nicely. If you've never seen or heard Messerly & Ewing then you're missing out. They have a great indie rock / folk sound that combines elements of They Might Be Giants, R.E.M., Dan Bern with various others, while incorporating a fiddle and mandolin into several songs. When you first meet them you'd almost expect them to be a comedy duo like Abbot & Costello or Penn & Teller, but instead they are gifted songwriters and musicians. Overall they put on an excellent show and really got the crowd going during their forty minute set.
Next up was the mighty Shrug, who happen to be one of my favorite bands...and my favorite Dayton band that is still active. I haven't seen Shrug for about a year and since then they have replaced their bassist and gained a second guitarist. The first thing I noticed was how much the second guitarist filled out the sound, much like it is on their CD's. Mite and I both noticed that while all four members were great, only Todd and Dan stood out and had a good stage presence. Of course this could be due to the fact that they've been doing this for years. Most of the songs they played were from their latest release, which I'm too familiar with so I really didn't know the songs. However, I feel that Todd has progressed yet again as a songwriter and that this was their strongest material to date. I've seen Shrug many times, but never on such a big stage...and it looked like they really belonged there. Hopefully things keep working out their way and they will be playing Bogart's sized places on a regular basis.
Finally after another twenty minute break Anonymous Bosch hit the stage. The first thing I noticed were the two huge inflatable Frankenstiens on either side of the stage. I wondered how these related to the band and what purpose they served...evidently nobody knew the answer. Their first song was the one that I'd heard on 97X and it sounded great. However, it just went downhill from there, since their other songs were lacking. The bassist and keyboardist seemed to be having fun, but the singer looked like he was trying too hard to be cool and I have no clue what the drummer was doing. I did like the keyboardist, and not just because she was cute, but because she had a great stage presence and brought some excitement to their set. They weren't a bad band, they just lacked that something special to hold a persons interest. We noticed quite a few people, ourselves included, wander from the stage area back to the bar. Most of their songs just seemed to blend into nothing and it wasn't just because I was on my sixth beer.
Anyway, after another break it was time for them to announce the winner
who was selected by six local "music authorities". (Hey, why wasn't Mite
or I selected to be a judge? We got street cred!) When it was all said and
done Messerly & Ewing came out on top and there was much rejoicing,
I though Shrug should have won...but it was close in my mind at least.
Still, I was very happy with the results and had a great time. To learn
more about the bands please visit their websites and check out 97X
online while you're at it.
-- Grog Mutant (2002)
Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Foo Fighters &
Muse
The Nutter Center, Dayton, OH (March 3rd, 2000)
Mite and I went to the Nutter Center earlier to interview Muse
and hooked up with some girls from 97X for the interview. (Look for this
in the next issue.) However, we left right afterwards so that we could meet
up with Gail. By the time we got back to the show Muse
had already played. So, unfortunately we didn't get to see them. After talking
to many people it seemed to me that they were fairly well received. Over
half the people I talked to said that Muse rocked or something
to that effect. Others either didn't like them, or had no opinion. So, for
playing a big show where almost nobody had heard of them I think they came
off rather well.
Right after we stepped into the hall The Foo Fighters took the stage and broke into their first song. It actually took a while to figure out what song it was due to the Nutter Center not being the most acoustic venue around. Also this was the first indoor show over 2,000 people that I had attended in many years. Overall I though Dave Groul and Company put on a good show, but I still think it would have been better in a smaller venue. They were highly energetic and got the crowd really pumped up, by playing tracks from all of their releases.
Finally, The Red Hot Chili Peppers came on. They sounded much better than the Foo's, but I found their song selection lacking. I was really wanting to hear some of their older songs and I think the furthest back they went was off of "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic". However, the songs that they did play went over really well and I was happy to see that they were as full of energy as always.
Overall it was a good show, but I don't think I'll be heading back to many
large shows in the future.
-- Grog Mutant (2000)
Korn, Staind & Mindless Self Indulgence
The Nutter Center, Dayton, OH (March 22nd, 2000)
Walking into the Nutter Center you could feel the rhythm of the base drum
pounding the surface unrelentingly. I found the Nutter Center to be packed
with young teens who appeared to have little experience with concert going.
They focused heavily on the bands every move waiting for something dramatic
to occur and had become confused at one point when the band unexpectedly
left the stage. As the stage lights darkened the crowd became very quit
and shocked thinking that was the end of the show. Then Korn
antagonized the crowd to beg and scream for them to return. Some of the
goers in front of me become upset when they felt everyone was not enthusiastic
as they could be and thought the band would not return.
The energy level and sound was not impressive. I waited for the band to go into an encore of heavy surge sessions, but this did not occur. Also, it could have been my seating in the upper level of row 222 or the reputation of the Nutter Center not being a worthy concert stage. But the level of sound appeared better outside then it did inside. It did look like for the lucky few who made it to the floor level to have adequate sound for moshing and body surfing.
The spectacular part of the show become the special effects of open flames
surrounding the stage in rhythm of the music at the closing. I enjoyed the
concert, but did expect more from a band that had been built to have the
biggest and loudest show since mid February.
-- Alan Wade (2000)
The Frantic Flattops & The Mulchmen
Canal Street Tavern - Dayton, OH (Friday, January 21st, 2000)
This was a very weird and sad day. Gail was planning on interviewing and
seeing The Frantic Flattops with Mite and having a good
time. Unfortunately our friend Gregg Spence (The Mulchmen, Cage, Mean Melissa,
The Killjoys, The Jumpy Fellows, The U-Dogs...) passed away that afternoon
in Hospice. So the show basically turned into a wake. Most of Gregg' s friends
turned out at Canal Street to think and talk. This made it pretty hard for
The Frantic Flattops to change the mood.
However, they took the stage and took of with a rockabilly rampage. Early in the set the singer, Frank, said something along the lines of "I heard about your loss and while we didn't know Gregg we are sorry. But we believe in the healing powers of rock and roll." From there on out they had most of the crowd and the overall mood lightened up with each passing song. Many people got on their feet and actually started to enjoy the night. This had to be one of the most difficult crowds to play for and The Frantic Flattops did a great job.
Gail had planned on interviewing them, but due to the circumstances she just couldn't. So I decided to ask them a few questions. Since I was unprepared and a bit off it didn't really work out. However, I did talk to them for a while and got to know them a bit. Too Tall Paul gave me some of his Gin and we all ended up talking about music, our punk pasts and whatever else came to mind.
When I left the band room The Mulchmen were playing their most passionate set ever all in honor of their ex-drummer and good friend Gregg Spence. This was the last performance of The Mulchmen and a fitting tribute to a great person. Gregg, we love ya man...you are missed.
REVEREND HORTON HEAT - THE AMAZING CROWNS
- FLAT DUO JETS
The Newport - Columbus, OH (Dec. 4th, 1998)
I've wanted to see the Amazing Crowns ever since I first heard them this
Summer. They didn't play the portion of the Warped tour I went to and I
missed the Rev since I was doing interviews. Luckily Kathy (who has one
of the sweetest phone voices I have ever heard) was able to get me two passes
so off I headed with Superchunk Steve. We made it up to Columbus with time
to spare and stepped into a fairly empty Newport.
When the Flat Duo Jets came on stage we were confused since there were three of them. We thought it had to be another band but evidently on some songs they have three members. They played some decent rockabilly but didn't really seem to be getting into it. The bass player just stood there and for the most part they were just boring. When the bass player left on two songs things picked up and I liked them better as a duo. Overall they were ok, but I think it would have been about the same if they just pumped their disc through the sound system.
So, Steve and I stood around, drank more beer, looked at all the rockabilly freaks and got ready for the Amazing Crowns. They used to be called the Amazing Royal Crowns until Warner Brothers sued Velvel (Amazing Crowns label) since they said the name was too similar to the Royal Crown Review. Soon the Amazing Crowns hit the stage and took over. They were blasting full of rockabilly energy. They sound a lot like the Cramps except the singer has more of a rockabilly style than Lux. After about four songs we finished our beer and hit the floor. Some people started a rockabilly pit, so I took this as a cue to sneak way up front. The Crowns were full of energy and played about everything off their Velvel debut. The singer made mention of the lawsuit and said that just for the record "We ain't no swing band, this is rock and roll baby". Then they left the crowd tired, sweaty but wanting more.
Finally after watching four roadies try to look busy for half an hour the Rev took the stage to deliver his sermon. As soon as they launched into their first song he had the crowd captured until the very end. The Rev and Jimbo both pulled, plucked and made the rockabilly sermon come alive. Just about everybody in the crowd was jumping around to the nonstop rockabilly sounds. The Rev was all over the place: standing on Jimbo's bass, leering at the girls in tight shirts at the front of the stage, making love to his guitar and just covering the stage. He told a great story during "Psychobilly Freakout" and had great introductions for each member of the band. Also, Jimbo is the only stand up bass player I've ever seen who can throw his bass up in the air and catch it, very impressive. Even stranger is that I read he used to be in an industrial band that I love called Sister Machine Gun, from Chicago.
It was a great night for rockabilly and I think just about everybody loved
the show. It made me want a stand up bass even more...
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
THE WILL - THE DOPES - UNLESSSELDOMHAS
- BURNT TOAST
Metropolis - Flint, MI (Dec. 19th, 1998)
Yes, I drove to Flint to see a show, but only because it was
the Will. The Will is a band that my band used to play with until they broke
up several years ago. I kept in touch with a couple of members but suddenly
Jim emailed me and told me about the show. I knew I had to go and since
Fen had just returned from LA we decided to make it a total reunion (ex
husband and wife seeing ex band mates).
I decided to rent a car knowing that my Geo just wouldn' t make the trip considering how hard of a time it has just getting to Cincy. So we set of in a nice car with plenty of CD's and much to talk about. When we finally got to Flint, two "nice" guys offered to "watch" our car in exchange for a few dollars. (Welcome to Flint) We said we were broke and proceeded inside. I felt bad but be told the bouncers about our "car protectors" and I assume they cleared them out. Once inside we headed upstairs and meet our old friends. We soon decided the time was right to drink. We bought a beer and a mixed drink and were surprised to hear it cost less than $5. The bartender was very cool and I thought she was cute. We ended up tipping her quite a bit during the rest of the night since she deserved it.
We looked around and noticed that the place is really cool, with an alternative dance club and a few pool tables downstairs and a big place for bands to play upstairs. Burnt Toast was first up and played to about 30 people. They were a really good punk-pop band that's been together for several years. I think if they were in any other city they would have at least 150 people at their shows. They put on a great energetic show.
Next up was either unlessseldomhas or the dopes. All I know is that I survived about two songs by each band before I headed downstairs to play pool. I noticed that within 15 minutes most of the crowd had joined me downstairs. After I was downstairs the sets were way better...they had cool music playing downstairs and I played a few games of "slop" pool. I actually made a few good shots, thanks in part to my "pool coach" (I totally forget her name, but I thought she was kinda cute).
After that horrid mess the Will took the stage without a hint of bloodshed. All four took turns singing as they burned up the stage with their unique Flint fueled punked out roots rock. Every time I hear them I think about: beer, Harleys, beer, fights, beer, sweat and rock. They remain one of my favorite Midwest bands who died way to soon.
Afterwards in true Flint tradition they took us out to eat, to a party
at Jim of Rats of Unusual Sizes fame, then Matt (The Will's bassist) let
us crash at his and Lisa's (his girlfriend) place. Another great trip to
Flint and well worth the drive. Flint has some of the coolest people I have
ever met. I love the city, but I'd never move there...
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
CHAMBERLAIN
Canal Street Tavern - Dayton, OH (Dec. 17th, 1998)
I was supposed to review this show with Gail. However, being the nice guy
I am I changed plans the day before the show and went to pick up Fen and
Grant at the Columbus airport. Of course the flight was delayed and due
to this I missed Chamberlain since the played first, even though they were
headlining. So here is a snippet of what Gail and Johnny Death thought of
the Indiana boys.
Johnny Death and I saw these Bloomington boys at Canal Street Tavern this
Winter and they are an energetic and emotional band. Johnny said that the
lead singer sounded like Bruce Springsteen. "The Moon My Saddle"
is an introspective record of the young man growing up. The songs are very
strong lyrically. There are many great lines like " I haven't smiled
in a long time, but I've learned to look impressed, learned to lose my dreams
I had when I was at my best." .
-- Gail (1998)
JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION
Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH (Dec. 16th, 1998)
It's 1973. You're standing in a magnificent, huge, pink velvet room in Graceland.
It's a party. Iggy and Bowie are sitting off by themselves on an enormous
pink couch in a corner of the room making fun of Lou Reed's boots. You've
heard that John Lee Hooker is here, but he and Joey Ramone disappeared into
a brass-plated bathroom with a lot of mirrors about an hour ago. A huge
movie screen is showing "Plan 9 From Outer Space" on the wall
behind the band.
That band is The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
You are actually standing in Bogarts, and it is December 16, 1998. There's a very skinny man, clad in silver pants, a disco-ball of a shirt, and white patent leather grandpa shoes, standing atop the P.A., screaming something about his "Babayah". On the other side of the stage is a dark man, looking none to friendly, standing on top of his vintage Fender amp, doing something inhumane to his guitar. In between the two of them is an enormous shock of hair, slumped over an impossibly tiny drum kit that is doing it's best not to shatter into a thousand tiny pieces.
Antique radio-wave synthesizers scream, as you stand helpless in the church
of the Blues Explosion. If you missed it may God have mercy on your rock-n-roll
soul.
-- superschunk sTEve (1998)
BUCK-O-NINE - VOO DOO GLOW SKULLS - LINK
80
Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH (Dec. 13th, 1998)
I knew I was in for trouble when I walked in the door. They checked my ID
and said "Wow we have a drinker!". I went in and noticed that
I was one of the few people inside old enough to drink. I had never heard
of the first band so I hung way back on the floor. About halfway through
their set I made my way up front and pogoed around to their great ska-core
sound. They played really good energetic ska, but nothing that really stood
out above and beyond the fourth wave. I liked them and they seemed to be
having a blast. After their set I meet their guitarist and he gave me a
CD to review.
I wondered around for a bit and handed out MRZ buttons. Then Buck-o-nine came on and I headed right to the front and got caught in the front reaches of the skank-pit. Soon I noticed the guy from Link 80 up front with me. I've only heard two songs by Buck-O-Nine and they played both. However, I liked their other songs even better. They were one of the best ska-core bands I have ever seen. They went crazy on stage and just tore the place apart with sound and energy. "My town" is their best known song, but it seemed like most of the audience know almost all their songs. Some songs just totally raged into all out hardcore fury. Great.
Finally it was time for the almighty VGS. This tour marks their 10 year anniversary and you can tell by how tight they are. The played their unique brand of Mexican flavored ska-core, and sang occasionally in Espanol. VGS was one of the first ska-core band I ever heard and has remained one of my favorites throughout the years. Once again I was on the front fringes of the pit. I spent my time pogoing, slaming and skanking through their great set. They played around a lot and seemed to play songs from most of their releases. Members from other bands joined them onstage to skank and it just turned into a big party.
This was a great show and a real ska experience. I highly recommend all
three of these bands, especially live.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
GOO GOO DOLLS - BUFFALO TOM
The Newport - Columbus, OH (Nov. 20th, 1998)
This was a show I had been anticipating for weeks. Gail and I headed up
since she loves the Goo Goo Dolls as much as me. We arrived late due to
traffic and parking since the next day was a football game. So we only saw
the last song of Buffalo Tom's set. I really liked it, but since it was
only one song I can't say much about them.
Gail and I scanned the crowd and realized (or assumed) that most of the crowd has probably only heard their three big hits: "Name", "Iris" and "Slide". If they hit Cincy on the next leg of the tour maybe we'll interview people about their knowledge of GGD. Yes, we are so cool since we' ve known about the Goo Goo Dolls for years...
After a couple of pictures the Goo Goo Dolls hit the stage. They started the set with "Dizzy" and by the next song we were both about 30 feet from the stage finishing up our beer. When they played "Slide" the crowd went crazy as we expected. After slide Gail maneuvered her way up from and I followed along. They played a good variety of songs from: Jed, Hold Me Up, Superstar Car Wash, A Boy Named Goo and Dizzy Up the Girl. They never did play "We are the Normal" which bummed Gail out since that is "her" GGD song. But nonetheless it was a great mix from most of their albums.
At one point I started throwing Mutant Renegade Zine buttons on the stage near Johnny. He finally picked one up and read it into the mic. Pretty cool, at least he didn't whip it into the crowd. However, he was being a "rockstar" and coercing girls to lift their shirts. Several threw their bras onstage, which is one thing I've never really understood. But Johnny seemed to enjoy his power trip. They played around a bit onstage and mockingly introduced "Name" as the song they thought would end their careers. Overall the showed that they are still one of the best rock bands around. They have fun, play songs they like and don't take themselves too seriously.
A great show that I'm glad I went to. But I still don't understand that
girl who was humping my leg from behind while her boyfriends arm was around
her waist...
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES - THE PIETASTERS
- SPRING HEELED JACK
Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH (Oct. 27th, 1998)
I've been looking forward to this show since it was first announced since
I like all three bands and I missed Cherry Poppin' Daddies at the Warped
tour because I wimped out and left early. Luckily this time the roads were
clear and me and Kim made it to Cincy on time. I went to the ticket window
and not only did they actually have my tickets, but I also got a back-stage
pass. (Mucho Gracias Scott)
We got inside right after Spring Heeled Jack started playing. They were playing their great power ska and had almost half the crowd pogoing. I liked them a lot better live then on CD. Seeing them live captured that "something" which was missing on their record for me. I meet one member of the band later while he was selling t-shirts and he was really cool. They seem like a great bunch of guys.
When the lights came on we looked around at the crowd. It was a pretty diverse bunch: some swing-heads, some punks, some skins, some ska boys & girls, some rockers and a bunch of other people. Everybody just seemed to be having a great time and enjoying the show.
Soon the Pietasters came on and played a great set of their smooth traditional ska. I have to rate them as equals to the Specials, truly one of the best ska bands around. Quite a few people were skanking and once I finished my beer I headed off for the front. Up front almost everybody was skanking and pogoing. It was a blast and the Pietasters were just incredible. I recognized most of their songs from "Willis" but the played some new songs as well. After their set I finally made my way back to Kim. Then I tried to get backstage but was denied. Evidently a pass at Bogarts is meaningless. However I knew the guy running the backdoor from a band years ago and he let me run out to my car to get some copies of the zine to pass out. Then I ran into the Pietasters guitarist and we talked for a bit.
Then with zines in hand I wandered through the crowd, I put some near the backdoor (for the bands) some on the T-shirt table and put the rest at the front door. By this time the Cherry Poppin' Daddies had taken the stage so I bought my last beer and joined Kim. We stood pretty far back and watched some great swing dancers nearby. I started dancing to the music and noticed that only about five of us were dancing solo while watching the two couples dance. I soon finished my beer and once again escaped up front. Up front it was great, not many couples swing dancing (no room) but most everybody was moving their bodies. The Daddies played most of the swing songs off their latest, plus they played several of their ska songs. This seemed to confuse quite a bit of the crowd who thought CPD was just a swing band. (People really should pick up their older releases where they play many styles.) Anyway, the played a great set and they sounded terrific. I know all the people In was near were totally into the music and moving their bodies about. Well, except for several guys who stood with their arms crossed then got pissed off when their girlfriends started dancing with me. Note: If you go to a show and don't dance but your date does, don't be surprised if they turn their attention to someone who is dancing.
At any rate I had a blast at this show and loved all three bands, plus
I meet some great people and passed out quite a few zines. So we said goodbye
to Cincy and made the boring ride back to Dayton. As a bonus we got stuck
in a traffic jam for almost half an hour at one in the morning.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
E.Y.E. - THE SCREAMING MUTANTS
Rileys Bar - Brookville, OH (Oct. 24th, 1998)
This was a Mutant Renegade outing. Mite, Gail and I journeyed
to Brookville (small rural town) to see E.Y.E. play. It turned out to be
an odd little bar where they have karaoke, and seemed to be the main hangout
in town. E.Y.E. had signed up for this "special" deal where these
people from Tennessee would videotape two of his songs and make sure they
got played on TV. (We were voting whether it was a scam or not). So after
a few really bad country covers, E.Y.E. took the stage and performed two
originals. Several people in the crowd liked him, some danced and others
were just confused. All to soon E.Y.E. was done and he sat with us. Then
came more country covers, the next two people were both very scarred looking,
petite, blonde girls with big hair and blue jean skirts (my old friend Big
John told me never to trust a girl in a blue Jean skirt). Each sang some
country song with a half smile, warbley voice and a "deer caught in
the headlights" stare straight at the camera...or should I say camcorder.
Then right before two large men started playing a stripper appeared since it was some guys 40th birthday. She gave him a lap dance and show. Almost the whole bar watched, except us. She was a lousy stripper, a bad dancer and her body wasn't toned at all. Gail went by the camera (yes, they videotaped it) and did a dance in front of it until they yelled at her. Then right when she was on all fours and crawling to between his legs, Gail threw a zine and it landed right on his crotch. We thought it was great, but she got pissed. I was dared to yell "Hey, that's my wife" on a redneck voice. So, I did and a redneck turned around, shook my hand and said "Hey, buddy you're doing a hell of a lot better then the rest of us". Gail Then dared me to run through the crowd and announce that the stripper is really my transsexual brother. Since I didn't have a death wish I just yelled it from behind the crowd. Evidently I used too many syllables since they failed to react.
After hearing more lame singers we signed up for Karaoke. Gail and I were
going to do the Jefferson' s theme, but they kept skipping over us. So looking
deeper into the book she noticed "Surrender" by Cheap Trick. I
signed Gail, Mite and I up for it and gave it to the girl running the show.
After a while it seemed like we were once again being skipped. So I went
and asked the lady when we were on. She smiled and said "You can be
next honey, do a good job". They had no idea what was about to happen.
Me, Mite, Gail and E.Y.E. all grabbed microphones and set into the song.
Gail and I pogoed and E.Y.E. just stood behind us laughing. Once the lyrics
started I tried (and failed miserably) to impersonate Johnny Rotten, Gail
and Mite just screamed and E.Y.E. kept laughing. Halfway through the song
Mite and Gail had their mics taken away so I shared mine a bit Then ran
around the bar getting in peoples faces and rubbing guys on the head. I
knocked over a few chairs and was Then trapped by a waitress who was yelling
at me from behind and the blonde lady who glared at me and said to give
back the damned microphone (she wasn't all smiles towards me anymore). Then
the cut off the song and we decided to make a hasty exit before the turned
into a lynch mob. Mite and I headed to the door to chants of "You Suck,
You Suck". Once outside we noticed that Gail and E.Y.E. were still
inside. I went back in and the crowd had calmed down some, but I got a few
glares. Soon we all got out of there and made a promise to visit more karaoke
bars together. Watch for the Screaming Mutants karaoke bar tour coming soon.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
MIKE WATT - CAUSTIC RESIN - ?
Lil' Brothers - Columbus, OH (Oct. 20th, 1998)
Somehow I've missed Mike Watt for every time he's played locally over the
past 10 years no matter how much my friends have pleaded with me to go.
This time I made sure I would be there, especially since Nick said I had
to regardless of any excuses. We got to Lil' Brothers early and found out
it is where Stache' s moved to.
The first band (whose name I forget) came on and was, lame. Nick had an
interesting theory about them. He thinks they were five guitarists who got
kicked out of other bands. Then they drew straws to pick who'd play bass
and drums. The other three played guitar and not very well. The drummer
and bass player both looked uncomfortable with their instruments. Overall
we wished we had shown up late, or got caught in traffic.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
Caustic Resin came on next and were way better than the first band...but that's not hard to do. They were heavy and droning. We thought at first they were doing a shoddy imitation of Silverchair doing a shoddy imitation of Nirvana. Then they started a pattern of playing slow two chord songs, followed by fast two chord songs. This just wasn' t the best opening for Mike Watt. Mite reviewed their CD in #9 and the band he reviewed seems nothing like the band I saw. Either one of us is way out of wack or the band has changed since their last release.
Soon everybody gathered close to the stage to get ready for Mike Watt and the Black Gang. They had an interesting setup where all three of them were positioned close to the edge of the stage. They took the stage and broke into "The Punk Rock Opera" and played it the whole way through. I have listened to Mike in various bands for about 13 years and have always been in awe of his bass playing, seeing him live is mind-blowing. He attacks his bass like no other and gets the most amazing sounds out of it. He totally controls every aspect of his sound and can go from soft gentle strums to gut-busting thumps within a second. The guitarist was also amazing and made good use of several "toys". At one point he used a plastic ray gun to strum his guitar and when he'd fire it there were some great sounds coming through his pickups. He also used a spring and a wire whip at times. The drummer kept up with all of it, but since I don't know much about drums that's about all I can say.
Once the Punk Rock Opera was over they ended up coming out for two encores of four songs each. They played some older Mike Watt songs and a few covers from what Nick said, but I didn't recognize them. After the show Mike stood on stage and sold CD's and T-shirts which I don't know of any other band on a major label does. I spoke to him briefly and he is as nice as everybody else says he is and very true to himself and music. Also when I handed him a copy of the zine and said I publish it he said "Much Respect", which just made my week. Even if that is a standard phrase of his when he receives something it really made me feel great to have Mike say that to me. When all's said and done I'm happy to know there are people like Mike out there. If you want some great music buy any and all of the releases from any of Mike's bands: Mike Watt, fIREHOSE and the Minutemen.
KNAPSACK - AT THE DRIVE-IN - I HAVE MASS
Bernie's Distillery - Columbus, OH (Oct. 10th, 1998)
This was really cool since I got an offer to see the show from both Knapsack
(Maria @ Blue Ghost) & At the Drive-in (Michelle @ Fearless Records).
I like both bands so I knew it would be a good show. I headed up to Columbus
with Teri, Dayton Buzz website queen, since she was back from Virginia for
the week. We got up there pretty early and hung around High St. taking in
the sights, sounds and smells. It's so much more interesting than Dayton.
Anyway, we made our way up to Bernie's by 9:45 and found there wasn't a guest list yet since the bands hadn't arrived. We got in anyway and just watched people for a while and listened to their great jukebox. The crowd was pretty interesting and we soon noticed it was an all-ages show thanks to all the young teens milling about making me feel really old. Side note for music trivia geeks: I heard Bernie's is now owned by Tony of Pet UFO & Burnt Sienna Records fame.
First up was I Have Mass, who I assume is a Columbus band. They played a great short set of melodic punk / hardcore music that had most of the crowd on their feet and jumping around. They had one of the most powerful female drummers I've seen and the bassist and guitarist / singer held their own as well. I'm glad I got to see them and hopefully I'll hear a recording from them sometime.
On second was at the drive-in. My friend Sebby had told me they were great and she wasn't kidding. They took to the stage with reckless abandon and kept the crowd energized and transfixed the whole set. They had a great emo-core sound and would sound right at home on Dischord Records. Their great build-ups and mellow moody bridges really pumped up the energy in the whole place. A great band that never stopped moving the whole show.
Once they finished, Iggy and the Stooges "Raw Power" came through
the sound system. I haven't listened to that record for a while and it was
great hearing it between sets. Soon Knapsack was on stage. They started
off with a slow powerful number that had everybody in the crowd groovin'.
Next they burst into one of their faster songs and it just totally rocked.
Their singers voice is unique enough to keep it very interesting along with
the great melodic punk / hardcore / rock / alternative music that was mingling
about. The lyrics were very upfront and were full of meaning and emotion.
I recognized quite a few of their songs from their "This Conversation
is Over Starting Right Now" CD and they sounded even better live. A
truly great band that Mite did a lame review for.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
CANDLEBOX - BROTHER CANE - SECOND COMING
Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH (Sept. 30th, 1998)
Gail and I took of for Bogarts with plenty of time to see all three bands,
but thanks to three traffic jams the trip took an extra hour and a half.
We arrived at Bogarts at about 9:30 and Then they couldn't find our tickets.
After a few words they finally gave me two passes and we headed in to catch
the last four songs of Brother Cane.
We headed up close to the front and watched Brother Cane play some good solid rock. I was impressed and thought they put on a good show (Yet another example of why I trust Gail's taste in music). Gail and Johnny Death caught them a month or two ago up in Huber Heights and said it was a great show plus she interviewed them (look for it elsewhere in this issue).
After their set we moved back to the bar and watched the crowd. {I did this show sans alcohol due to a bad binge over the weekend} Looking at the crowd I remember why I stopped listening to and going to rock shows. They are idiots and most are pretty disgusting. I just kept shaking my head while I was in the crowd due to the stupidity of the majority of the crowd. Some examples: the idiot who was holding up his middle finger while the spotlight was on trying to make a silhouette on stage (not realizing the angle made that impossible), the dorks pumping their fists off beat to almost every song, the old guy next to me who tried to put on and off his hat in time to the bass drum beat, the guys who kept grabbing girls asses and getting slapped, the people holding up lighters for the encore while the road crew was tuning up the instruments...
Anyway Gail meet up with Greg right before Candlebox started playing. We went on the floor but got separated. After about 7 decent songs they played that new lame ballad of their so I went for a drink in the balcony where I meet up with Gail and Greg. Then I headed back to the floor and they did some pretty cool things. They played part of "Shout at the Devil" by Motley Crue, Then announced that their rhythm guitarist is Chrissie Hynes little brother. A bit later the played "the End" by the Doors. Candlebox's singer didn't sound good on it but part of the way through the singer from Second Coming took over and did a great job. They talked about how the old management at Bogarts sucked (very true) and the singer even did a political talk about Cincy and their back-ass ways at the end. Candlebox also played my favorite songs by them, which sounded great and threw in parts of a few other cover songs here and there including "Synchronicity" and "Go Your Own Way". After the show I meet Gail and Greg outside. Evidently they left early and checked out Juliana Hatfield who was playing at Sudsy's across the street.
Overall it was a good show, but due to the traffic I didn't really get
to see much of Brother Cane or any of Second Coming. Candlebox had it's
moments, but Brother Cane was more consistent with the few songs I saw.
This was a fun show to just listen to standard rock. Now if they could just
get rid of most of those fans...
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
BOB MOULD - VARNALINE
The Newport - Columbus, OH (Sept. 18th, 1998)
I headed up to Columbus with a few old friends to finally catch Bob. I've
missed so many chances to see him over the years that I was told to not
miss this one. Actually this is one of the few reviews I'd do after having
paid for a ticket. (Wah, Grog has to pay like everybody else.)
We arrived in Columbus after a scary trip in my car (I warned them that a Metro isn't the best vehicle, but would they listen...) and made it into the Newport. Varnaline was playing when we came in. They had a rock / alternative / country sound and I thought that they were really good. I spoke to their road manager and mentioned some of the bands that Gail's into (Whiskeytown, Todd Snider...) and he did say that Varnaline would fit into that category. So if you like that stuff, check out Varnaline.
After a bit Bob came on stage with his four piece band. I haven't heard his new album, but all previous bands of Bob's were three pieces, so I found it odd that he had a second guitarist. I think most of the songs were from the new album so I didn't really recognize many of them. They sounded similar to his early solo and Sugar songs, but a bit happier. I wish he had played more of his older songs, but I'm sure he's pretty sick of playing them after all these years.
All in all I thought it was a good show and I'm glad I finally saw Bob,
maybe next time I'll hear his record beforehand.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
THE SUB-HUMANS - SS-20 - RAW POWER
Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH (Sept. 16th, 1998)
Maria from Blue Ghost set me up with two tickets to see the Sub-Humans,
who I never got to see since they broke up so long ago. I've seen Citizen
Fish a few times, but now I was going to see Citizen Dick and Trotsky's
original band. So I got over to Gail's house and waited for her and Johnny
Death to both show up. The show was starting at 8 and we finally left Gail's
at 8 to head down to Cincinnati, knowing we would miss at least one band.
When we got down there we walked up and Bogarts actually had me on their list, years ago there were always problems with their guest lists. Outside there were tons of punkers hangin' out, so I figured it would be pretty packed. It was a pretty weird scene inside since it was all ages. There was a mixture of old punks and young punks who weren't even in first grade when the Sub-Humans broke up.
On stage SS-20 was playing, so we bought beers and stood on the floor. Their set of decent standard hardcore was soon over and we headed back to the bar area. Gail saw a few old friends and John saw a person who fucked him over (she shall remain nameless). Then we headed back on the floor for the Sub-Humans, since they had just started.
They broke into their great ska influenced punk songs and about half the crowd was skanking, pogoing or at least be-boppin' around. I finished my beer and headed off into the thick of the crowd. I spent the remainder of their set rotating between the pit and standing in the second row. The crowd was a lot of fun and it was great to be back in a real punk pit, with everybody helping each other out and watching out for the people not participating in the pit. There was a bit of crowd surfing, but they kept heading into the pit, which is a bad place to surf. I returned to John and Gail covered with sweat and when they did an encore I got John to join me in the pit. He left soon however since people kept pulling on his long hair.
I didn't really recognize many songs, since I haven't heard them for quite
a while, but you could definitely tell that this was where Citizen Fish
came from. After the show we got invited to the free show at Sudsy's. We
hung out for a while, Then some band started playing. I listen to one song
Then went for a walk outside. I ran into a few old friends and meet some
people, Then just enjoyed walking around the city at night. I love doing
that, it's so exhilarating (some people call it dangerous). Then I ambled
back into Sudsy's to find Gail and John bored and waiting for me, so we
headed back to Dayton.
-- Grog Mutant (1998)
WALLY PLEASANT
The Daily Grind - Dayton, OH ( Sept. 10th, 1998)
I found out about this show at the last minute. Actually Gail stopped by
my house and told me that she heard that Wally was playing at the Grind.
I called down there and found out that he was on stage. So I ditched my
plans to go to 1470 and headed off with Gail to see Wally.
The Grind was packed and Wally was on stage playing his great humorous acoustic songs. He's been compared to Jonathan Richman and Mojo Nixon which is a pretty good description to me, except that Wally's songs are a lot more in tune to gen-X people and apparently gen-Y judging from the crowd. He played songs from all five of his releases and the whole crowd loved him. His onstage banner was constantly entertaining, plus he conducted a Bingo game throughout his sets (we came late so we missed out on getting boards, dammit!!).
The whole show was recorded by Flyer radio (99.5 FM) who were also the ones responsible for bringing him to town. I got a chance to speak with Wally and found out that he truly is a great guy (he put up with me without wincing) plus he is as witty and intelligent as his songs make him appear.
One great show I'm glad I was able to catch, I don't even regret not dancin' the night away at 1470. I saved money and had a lot more fun.-- Grog Mutant (1998)