A Few Short Reviews
Ok, so as much as I've been trying to relax this week, I've been burning the proverbial candle at both ends. Seems as though I haven't slept more than 5 hours a night all week, which means I'm about to fall asleep in class right now. But instead of falling asleep I've decided I'd just act like I'm taking notes and type out this entry. Thanks USF for providing wireless interweb in class. So let's get to it...
Tues. night I ended up going to both Annie's Social Club and The Mezzanine. I started off by going to Annie's to meet up with the Tiltwheel guys and Josh Mosh. Hung out there and said hellos to them and had a few beers. Watched Off With Their Heads (Minneapolis) who were really good. I'd heard their stuff before and enjoyed them, but hadn't sat down with anything or was super familiar with them. They put on a great show and it showed as everyone yelled for them to play longer than their 20 min. set they wanted to play. I decided to walk up to the Mezzanine to try and see if I could catch Young Love, but when I got there it seemed that everyone else had showed up at that time too, since the line went from the venue and down the alley almost to 5th St. However, upon further inspection, it seems that doors had been delayed from 9 till 10pm and also posted were no ins and outs signs. Seeing as I wanted to see Tiltwheel and that doors hadn't even opened, it just wasn't in the cards for me to catch the Young Love set, especially because it meant I would have to sit through Mickey Avalon, who apparently was horrible. So I headed back down to Annie's and caught then end of Vena Cava's set, shotgunned beers by the Tiltwheel band and hung out with people. Finally Tiltwheel played. They are so much fun and I'm really happy that they are finally releasing new stuff and going to be touring somewhat more consistently. They are super nice guys and deserve to get some success. So after I watched them, Gav and I headed to the Mezzanine to meet up with Mike who had an extra ticket for Gav since his girlfriend opted to skip the show on account that doors didn't open till 10 and she had to work early. We got there after midnight and still waited about a half hour for Lady Sovereign to come out. Once she did it looked as though it might be a long trouble ridden set. Throughout the first two songs she couldn't hear herself, as the amp for the monitors had apparenlty blown up. She was getting really fed up and I think started to cry at one point. However, after taking a short break sitting in front of the drums, she got up, and decided she'd just try her best. And the best it was. The show was great, minus the fact that the crowd was one of the lamest crowds I'd ever been a part of. You could definitely tell that half the people were there only because she might be the next big thing or that they had only heard Love Me Or Hate Me. I actually had one girl turn to me and try to get me to move over because her friend was claustrophobic, which I promptly told her, "I don't mean to sound like an ass, but tell her to go to the back of the club." But she played a great set minus the crowd. Although I'm not a huge fan of her Sex Pistols Cover, it sounded good live. I'm just glad that I caught the San Francisco show and not the show in LA the next night, as apparently she broke down and didn't even get past the first two songs.
Wednesday night was Tiltwheel/Vena Cava/Off With Their Heads round 2. However, this night was spent partying much more and also trying to convince Davey to get on stage and play a set. Everything worked out and a good time was had. I have to note that the Balazo Gallery is one of the strangest venues I've ever been to. It's very DIY, which is cool, but at the same time needs a little help. Cool thing is that they have a bar in a strange back room, which seemed like it was straight out of a movie. Balazo could be cool, but is lacking at this point in time.
Last night I volunteered for Music For America. They put on a show at Cafe Du Nord in which Division Day and Dredg played. Volunteering meant me sitting behind a merch table and selling one book. It was cool. I think their other events might be more organized and a little bit better. It seems like a good foundation/program and the people were very friendly. If you haven't, I encourage you to give it a go and volunteer for them. (You will at least get a free show out of the experience). The show itself was good. Division Day was the real reason I wanted to go. They are from LA and play a cool piano and rock mix. These guys will definitely be doing something here in the near future. Dredg was really good. I haven't seen them in a couple years probably and although I didn't really enjoy their last CD, this show was really fun. They played a shorter set and were goofing around the whole time. I guess the lead singer actually works at Music For America, so I'm guessing that's why they played. As I said before, this show was at Cafe Du Nord, which I hadn't been to before. It's a decent venue. I wasn't blown away by it, but I also didn't realize how small it was. I now know that when a show I want to see comes there, I better get tix in advance, as it was sold out last night, but definitely wasn't packed. Good sound in the venue, decor and stuff was kinda weird and faux uppity, bottles of PBR were 3.50, which is steep, so overall I would give the venue a B-. Not horrible, but nothing to write home about. I have to admit it would be a B+ or A- had the beer been a dollar cheaper.
Tonite I might make it out to Bottom Of The Hill to catch Irving and +/- and try to get ahold of a Faint ticket. Tomorrow I might try to catch Maria Taylor at Hotel Utah, but it's an early show and I'm supposed to have plans so we'll see. And depending on how my final goes this weekend I might try to go early and pick up a ticket to see Straylight Run and Matt Pond PA on Sunday at BOTH. Ok, I guess I'll pay attention in class now...
Tues. night I ended up going to both Annie's Social Club and The Mezzanine. I started off by going to Annie's to meet up with the Tiltwheel guys and Josh Mosh. Hung out there and said hellos to them and had a few beers. Watched Off With Their Heads (Minneapolis) who were really good. I'd heard their stuff before and enjoyed them, but hadn't sat down with anything or was super familiar with them. They put on a great show and it showed as everyone yelled for them to play longer than their 20 min. set they wanted to play. I decided to walk up to the Mezzanine to try and see if I could catch Young Love, but when I got there it seemed that everyone else had showed up at that time too, since the line went from the venue and down the alley almost to 5th St. However, upon further inspection, it seems that doors had been delayed from 9 till 10pm and also posted were no ins and outs signs. Seeing as I wanted to see Tiltwheel and that doors hadn't even opened, it just wasn't in the cards for me to catch the Young Love set, especially because it meant I would have to sit through Mickey Avalon, who apparently was horrible. So I headed back down to Annie's and caught then end of Vena Cava's set, shotgunned beers by the Tiltwheel band and hung out with people. Finally Tiltwheel played. They are so much fun and I'm really happy that they are finally releasing new stuff and going to be touring somewhat more consistently. They are super nice guys and deserve to get some success. So after I watched them, Gav and I headed to the Mezzanine to meet up with Mike who had an extra ticket for Gav since his girlfriend opted to skip the show on account that doors didn't open till 10 and she had to work early. We got there after midnight and still waited about a half hour for Lady Sovereign to come out. Once she did it looked as though it might be a long trouble ridden set. Throughout the first two songs she couldn't hear herself, as the amp for the monitors had apparenlty blown up. She was getting really fed up and I think started to cry at one point. However, after taking a short break sitting in front of the drums, she got up, and decided she'd just try her best. And the best it was. The show was great, minus the fact that the crowd was one of the lamest crowds I'd ever been a part of. You could definitely tell that half the people were there only because she might be the next big thing or that they had only heard Love Me Or Hate Me. I actually had one girl turn to me and try to get me to move over because her friend was claustrophobic, which I promptly told her, "I don't mean to sound like an ass, but tell her to go to the back of the club." But she played a great set minus the crowd. Although I'm not a huge fan of her Sex Pistols Cover, it sounded good live. I'm just glad that I caught the San Francisco show and not the show in LA the next night, as apparently she broke down and didn't even get past the first two songs.
Wednesday night was Tiltwheel/Vena Cava/Off With Their Heads round 2. However, this night was spent partying much more and also trying to convince Davey to get on stage and play a set. Everything worked out and a good time was had. I have to note that the Balazo Gallery is one of the strangest venues I've ever been to. It's very DIY, which is cool, but at the same time needs a little help. Cool thing is that they have a bar in a strange back room, which seemed like it was straight out of a movie. Balazo could be cool, but is lacking at this point in time.
Last night I volunteered for Music For America. They put on a show at Cafe Du Nord in which Division Day and Dredg played. Volunteering meant me sitting behind a merch table and selling one book. It was cool. I think their other events might be more organized and a little bit better. It seems like a good foundation/program and the people were very friendly. If you haven't, I encourage you to give it a go and volunteer for them. (You will at least get a free show out of the experience). The show itself was good. Division Day was the real reason I wanted to go. They are from LA and play a cool piano and rock mix. These guys will definitely be doing something here in the near future. Dredg was really good. I haven't seen them in a couple years probably and although I didn't really enjoy their last CD, this show was really fun. They played a shorter set and were goofing around the whole time. I guess the lead singer actually works at Music For America, so I'm guessing that's why they played. As I said before, this show was at Cafe Du Nord, which I hadn't been to before. It's a decent venue. I wasn't blown away by it, but I also didn't realize how small it was. I now know that when a show I want to see comes there, I better get tix in advance, as it was sold out last night, but definitely wasn't packed. Good sound in the venue, decor and stuff was kinda weird and faux uppity, bottles of PBR were 3.50, which is steep, so overall I would give the venue a B-. Not horrible, but nothing to write home about. I have to admit it would be a B+ or A- had the beer been a dollar cheaper.
Tonite I might make it out to Bottom Of The Hill to catch Irving and +/- and try to get ahold of a Faint ticket. Tomorrow I might try to catch Maria Taylor at Hotel Utah, but it's an early show and I'm supposed to have plans so we'll see. And depending on how my final goes this weekend I might try to go early and pick up a ticket to see Straylight Run and Matt Pond PA on Sunday at BOTH. Ok, I guess I'll pay attention in class now...
posted by Mason at 12:59 PM
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