Tuesday, 10-12: The Red Elvises @ Little Brothers. Fuck yeah! I've wanted to see these guys for a long time. So if anyone needs a good red rocking, you know where to go! Only $7 at the door.
Wednesday, 10-13: Since there is no real need for a break (that's tonight), I think I need to catch a set from Tony Monaco at his new weekly Ravari Room gig, because Lord knows it's been too long.
Thursday, 10-14: Illogic, Envelope, Bru Lei @ the Blues Station. Four bones for three solid acts of local hip-hop. Come see off Illogic for his huge tour with Eyedea & Abilities.
FRIDAY, FRIDAY, FRIDAY, 10-15!!!!!!: Bob Log III @ Club 202. Wow, it's only been a year since his last blockbuster of a set here in town, but it seems like much longer. I think there's a burlesque show and some other bands opening up, but I don't know how any of that can open for Mr. Log. Of course, fate has conspired to mess with the personal schedule of myself and others I knew to be interested in this show. As of now, I'm going alone. Don't let this tragedy transpire, friend. You know you want it.
Saturday, 10-16: Interpol, Secret Machines, etc @ Newport??? This is still a possibility, now that the schedule mess mentioned above has occurred. Will it happen? Wait and see!
Sunday, 10-17: Decemberists, Apollo Sunshine @ Little Brothers. This will be my fifth Apollo Sunshine show this year, but I really don't want the magic to end. And I want to know if I actually like the Decemberists, as I have been unable to decide so far. Help me find out, won't you?
Wow, this Rocktober is getting to be a mess....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Last night (Sunday) was an example of the mental toughness necessary to make Rocktober, well, Rocktober. I had two free passes to the Lucky Boys Confusion show at the Newport, so Andy and I had nothing better to do and we went over around 7:15. We were there for the first band to open its dumb yap (the band was called The Academy Is, but who fuckin cares?), and decided we had made a grave error. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth, yet no rocking. With the prospects of two or three more sets of such pain spooking us into action, we got the hell out of there. I had read earlier about this interesting band from Austin called The Octopus Project (pictured above) that was playing @ the High Five, and had also discovered that The Unpossibles were among the openers. Andy had read somewhere that the Unpossibles went on at 8, so we headed for the rock. Of course, this was silly, as the place was empty and was to remain so until 10. But their new burger was good. Around 10, we were treated to the first band of the evening, Eritrean Party Tours, who were playing together for the first time. Of course, I thought their name was Aerotrane Party Tours all night, but I was yelling loud enough that it probably didn't matter. Their soundcheck was the "Saved by the Bell" theme, so we knew it was time to get down. Their sound was all over the place, but rough all over. It was a fun set, including a cover of "You Can't Hurry Love" dedicated to the lead singer's dad for Father's Day. Right. I think they're my new favorite band, and I'm just glad I was there for the beginning. No bandwagoneer here! The next band, Mr. Tiger, was playing together for the second time, but their surf-punk-hard rock was also enjoyable. Columbus appears to be bursting at the seams with rocktastic new bands. Third up, the veritable veterans of the Unpossibles came on to rock faces into oblivion. Keith tore up the bass as usual, and Don kept rocking right through the two punk guys who decided at the end of the set to moon the bar from the plate-glass windows in front. Wow. Between sets, the DJ turned the place into a drunken punk singalong with all sorts of rowdy favorites including "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles. Wow, it doesn't get much more special than that. Finally, the Octopus Project hit the stage. They are an instrumental electronic-rock band, and quite an awesome one at that. There was a drummer who also played guitar, two guys on guitars/basses and effects, and a woman on keyboards, various samplers and effects, and.....A THEREMIN!!!!!
It was awesome. That was the first time I had ever seen a theremin played live, and she definitely appeared to know what she was doing. Wow. Their songs would blip and cruise along, then crazy drum patterns or actual drums or heavy guitars would veer at you and cause seizures. That is a live show to be witnessed, friends.
Friday night was another mammoth night of rock. Akron's Black Keys came to rock the Newport with the help of The Cuts and Columbus' own Blueprint. Though I was rollin' dolo on the streets, I did get a chance to chat with Wes and Blueprint during the Cuts' set, which was educational while also ruining any slight chance of the Cuts' weak set winning me over. Meandering Ocasek-esque vocals over 60s sunshine pop-rock. Meh. Then Blueprint came on and put his hip-hop on some rock 'n roll faces. I think he was starting to win the crowd over by the end, but to properly do that would have taken hours, they're pretty serious about their rock. The Keys came on and rocked shit hardcore for about an hour. Most every bluesy song just makes me start moving, or bobbing my head, or just look generally ridiculous. Great stuff. There was an afterparty at Bento Go Go next door, involving very cheap drinks, some very drunk people, and chillin with DJ Goldfinger of KBUX fame. Good times indeed.
Thursday night, Andy and I went to Oldfields for some rawk after other rawk fell through. Hugger is some sort of hard rock hootenanny, and I mean that in the best way possible. I'll have to focus harder the next time. The Lab Rats were also on the bill, which we were excited about, but before we could make it there, some awful metal band from Lancaster (Dark Vein) came on and threatened to tread upon our very existence(s). Oooffff. Sorry Lab Rats.
Wednesday night was a serious rock adventure, as Dave and I went to Athens for what I thought would be a triple bill of quality. Of course, before we could rock, we had to stop at the main reason for the trip...TACO JOHN'S!!!!!!!!! MMMMMMM!!!!!!
Though it was much too quiet. Anyhoo, it was off to The Union for cheap beer and cheap rock. Obviously, openers The Heroes of History killed shit dead. The boys even played "Your Mom" without me having to ask for it, dedicating it to me. Awwwww. It was touching. People, you NEED to see this band. Then the out-of-staters, San Antonio's Boxcar Satan, took the stage. I was ready to be rocked, but instead got the evil, less musical twin of Reverend Horton Heat. The lead singer had a creepy, screechy voice, and insisted on making chicken scratch noises on his guitar during every song. And many songs had little flow, which also pissed me off. As I realized I wasn't a big fan, I also realized it was 12:30 and we had an hour and a half drive in front of us. So we took off, shakily making it home. Good times, though I wish Athens' We March had gone second instead of Boxcar Satan, which would have rocked.
Tuesday, of course, I caught the Addison Groove Project show by myself at Little Brothers. The boys jammed for an hour and a half. Since there weren't many people there and the people weren't pumped up, the set was pretty mellow, with no huge funky covers or anything, but it was still enjoyable.
Beautiful Scarlet, Rocktober's really gonna hurt you. If you're still reading this, be the first person to post the word gimme and you win a prize. ROCK in the USA!!!
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