If you read my previous blog entry, then you might recall I said that, that show was a bit eclectic. While it was, it has nothing on the show that went down at Tomcats West this night.
Yeah, I made a VERY rare trip over to Fort Worth. Nothing against the city, but living north of Dallas means that logistically it’s just not convenient to get to. An exception was made for this show, though, which featured two of my favorite area acts.
The first act of the night was an acoustic duo by the name, Myrick. I believe that was the last name of the singer of the group, who played an acoustic guitar and was accompanied by another acoustic guitarist (or maybe it was a bassist. Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention.)
With incredible subpar vocals, I quickly lost interest. Their set at least seemed to go by quickly, but by far the worst part of it was the end when he did a parody of Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”. Obviously, it was set to the same tune, though he called his parody, “Don’t Cum In My Eye”. Evidently I’m still juvenile enough to find a bit of humor in that (and by “bit”, I mean a VERY minuscule amount), but no amount of humor could save it. It only lasted about a minute, before he abruptly stopped and said, “That’s it…”, then walked off stage. Oh, wait, I think I get why he only needed a minute to do the song now…
Meridian was the first actual band of the night, though they, or specifically vocalist, Tim Ziegler, looked a little different. He was without his long hair and beard, and was almost unrecognizable at first glance, looking more like he did when I first met him nearly seven years ago, when he fronted the band Darby.
“Re-digress” kicked off their 38-minute long set. Somehow, I didn’t notice right away when it happened, and then all of sudden I realized guitarists, Mark Sims and Shannon Nedved, drummer, Joe Maurer, and Tim were the only guys on stage. They handled it well, and didn’t act like they were down a band mate, finishing the song strong, and then Tim asked what was up with Chris Gentry. Apparently, he had broken the main string on his bass, which was what left him incapacitated for most of that song, and even a few minutes after. That meant Tim had to make some small talk, and he first mentioned they had played here a several months before and that they’d like to get back a little more often. That was about all the topics he had prepared. “…Chris, hurry up. This is getting uncomfortable for me…” he said, succeeding at being funny and sounding nervous. Chris finally rejoined them, having borrowed a bass from one of the other bands. They were then able to move on, and began one of their most rocking numbers, “All Hands”. They followed it with one of their newest songs, and afterwards took a momentary pause where Tim killed some time. “Listen, I don’t want anyone here tagging me in any shit…” he said. He proceeded to say that he was technically at work, and had taking time off to perform this show, meaning he couldn’t be drinking, and he didn’t want any photos to make it look otherwise. So, once that was cleared up, they tore into “Nights Like This”, which was pretty flawless, except toward the end, when Chris again had to leave with some bass issues. “…We lost our bassist again…” Tim said when the song was over. Mark said something, to which Tim responded, “Oh yeah, we don’t need him for the first part of this next song.” The current four piece then started “Starts and Ends”. “You told them all just what they can do. You got the shortest part of the straw you drew… I draw the curtain back and you take a bow. Did I catch you off guard or get it right somehow?…” sang Tim on the first verse. This was the first time I’ve seen them since getting their new EP, meaning this was the first time I really knew that song since they rewrote it over a year ago. I had missed singing along to that one more than I had realized, and it still stands out as my favorite Meridian song. Chris once again got back on stage pretty early on in that one, and stuck around for another newer song, “Lazy Eye”, which has a more dominant rhythm section. Tim couldn’t go without poking fun of the situation, and told Chris he might be getting a pink slip the next day, then said they might be in the market for a new bass player. Chris didn’t have a verbal retort to that, though he did act like he was about knee Tim right in the crotch. “Train” brought things down a few notches and perfectly showcases the bands softer side, as it is a beauty of a tune, but is still something you can easily rock out to. Tim announced they had one last song, a Mark played the first notes of “Hey Lover”, before Joe busted in on the drums, really getting it underway.
It was far from a perfect show, but Chris deserves some major props for doing the best he could in an unlikely situation. When he was on stage, he gave it his all as usual. It was just an unfortunate circumstance, and really, how many times have you seen a bass player break a string? I’ve seen nearly five hundred concerts over the years, and I can only recall one band who suffered from a broken bass string while performing.
Plus, Shannon and Mark put on a thoroughly entertaining show by themselves, so they were able to draw attention away from everything, and Tim is still one of the best singers and performers I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. Point is, in the end it worked out alright.
Give their debut, self-titled EP a listen, and if you like it, then buy it in ITUNES. And while they don’t have anything scheduled right now, keep an eye on their REVERBNATION PAGE, because they’ll most likely be doing a show sometime within the next couple of months.
A band by the name of Silhouette was next up, and they brought the people, which I took as a positive sign. I mean, if a band can pull fifty plus people, they have to be good, right? The answer is yes… But not to everybody.
I don’t know what the whole deal was, but this was billed as their “comeback show”, and from hearing them talk, it seemed like the band had been almost completely reformed since they last played. I don’t know what they were like before, but now, they were a very hardcore metal act. My interest was lost immediately, especially because their first song was lyrically rapped, in the vein of Linkin Park. If that’s what works for them, okay, but I felt it seemed like they were stuck in a time warp. I mean, that’s been done, many times over at that. Luckily, all their music didn’t sound like that, but with all the screaming, I couldn’t even pretend to like them.
Their set dragged on, and I was relieved when they finally finished.
I mentioned this was an odd billing of bands, and here is where it got really interesting. There are a couple of genres that could pull off playing after a hardcore metal band, like a hardrock outfit, or maybe even a rock group, but Paco Estrada and his band are neither of those. In fact, they’re the polar opposite.
Paco’s backing band looked mostly the same as the last time I had seen him, with Scotty Isaacs manning the keyboard/piano, and there was still a drummer, Irish, whose drum kit was fairly small, consisting mainly of a few toms and a snare. But then you had Joel Bailey, who has been added as the bassist. Along with Pacos’ acoustic guitar, it makes for some lovely music, but a type that quickly pushed all the metal heads out the door.
A lot of Paco’s newer stuff is making it into his sets these days, like the opener, “American Girls”. Over the last decade or so, Paco has written some real gems in all the various bands he’s played with, but that one is by far one of the best. There’s a certain amount of nostalgia the song conveys, while it bears more of a folk sound. I believe they followed it with another new song, though Paco has been known to play some covers too, so it could go either way. Next, I know for sure they did a cover song, doing a more minimalist rendition of The Cars, “Who’s Gonna Drive You Home Tonight?”. They do a mean cover of it, and put a pretty unique spin on a classic song. They ran through a couple more, with the first of those two really sticking out to me. I don’t think it was a cover, though it sounded like it could pass as one. I mean that as a compliment, because if it wasn’t, then it sounded authentic enough that it could have been written by one of the greats. As usual, some of Paco’s fan favorites had been saved for last, and he began to pluck away at the strings on his guitar, leading into “Breaking Down”. “You grab your shovel and your digging axe, ‘cause you have to be the first in line to bury the past. You put a smile on and try to believe it, but I know how much it hurts you to leave it…” he crooned. This is also one he’s known for adding portions of cover songs to, one of the best of which I’ve always thought was a Peter Gabriel song he used to tack on, but tonight, I think I found a new favorite. After one of the later choruses from his original, Paco belted out the chorus of U2’s “One”, “…You say, one love, one life when it’s one need in the night. One love, we get to share it, leaves you baby if you don’t care for it…” There’s always a deep passion in Pacos’ voice when he sings, but it seemed magnified on this song. It bleed out onto his voice, especially on the line, “…You say love is a temple, love a higher law. Love is a temple, love the higher law. You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl. And I can’t be holding’ on to what you got, when all you got is hurt…” as well as the chorus that followed. I was awestruck. That was one of the most amazing cover songs I have ever heard, and I know this may sound like sacrilege, but while I have never seen U2 live, I can’t imagine Bono could make his own song connect with and touch the audience the way Paco did this night. It didn’t seem like they had been up there anytime, but already they had arrived at the final song of their 38-minute long set, “Haunting Me”, which featured pieces of another cover song, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston.
Paco’s music has gone through a lot of changes over the years, from playing with rock bands, to spending some time as a solo artist, but hopefully this latest band of his will stick around for a little while. Together they make what is probably the most unique sounding band Paco has had since One Love, and it’s different than most any other type of music out there. It’s gorgeous, and will most likely take your breath away.
Paco has a ton of records from his past, most of which can be bought via BANDCAMP. As for shows, I know he has one coming up on Saturday, March 2nd, where he will play at his old Dallas stomping grounds, The Curtain Club.
After a strange musical combination like that, going from a metal band to a very chill mostly acoustic act, it only made sense to wrap up the night with one final rock band, which was Awake in Theory.
Terry Kimmel began the band show with some hypnotic chords on his guitar, while he walked around the stage. After a minute, Eric Hawkens, who was out of sight, started singing, and eventually made his way on stage from stage left. Soon after was when their first song, “Barely Breathing”, really took off, as drummer, Raymond Chambers, bassist Adam Garcia, and the rhythm guitarist, Brad McCain, joined in. The song is fantastic and one of my favorites of theirs. It also works as a great opener, easing you into it with its slower start, and before you know it, they’ve hooked you. They proceeded to reel everyone in with songs like “Let Go” and “Playing the Victim”, but unfortunately, “everyone” wasn’t as many people as they deserved to have watching them. Like I said, the metal heads had left during the previous act, and now it looked like the only people who were still there were ones who were already Awake in Theory fans. Eric pointed out that, that wasn’t a problem with them, though. “…We’re just happy to play music…” he said, “…Especially when we get to play after Paco Estrada…” he added. They got back to the show with “Dangerous”, a song that saw Brad tear off into a killer guitar solo. Raymond pounded out a brief drum solo before their next song, “Innocence for the Innocent”, followed by their anthem of sorts for anyone serving in the military, “Hero You Hate”. Before starting it, Eric asked everyone to thank anyone they knew who was in the service, and then he mentioned something else. “…For anyone whose seen an Awake in Theory show recently, you know my brother was deployed.” He said. “Well, he’s home now…” You could tell he was excited and relieved by that, and for good reason. That tune is another highlight of their shows in my opinion, and once it was done, they cut loose a bit. Eric mentioned that they come from all over the area, like Frisco. “…He’s from Bowie…” he said, pointing at one of his band mates, quickly following it with something to the effect of, “I’m sorry, it’s not nice to say anyone’s from Bowie.” That got a laugh from all of their fans who had stuck around. Topic of conversation then switched to Raymond, who drives down to all of their shows from Lawton, Oklahoma, and Eric jokingly said he was the one they needed to work on and get to move here. I believe it was this next and final song that they said they would be recording soon, with work on an actually record to follow shortly after. It was “Daddy’s Little Girl”, which will serve as their lead single, and it capped off their 36-minute long set.
It was a great set, and personally, I thought they were better this night than a couple weeks before when I saw them in Dallas. They didn’t let the lack of a crowd affect them, instead putting on a show like they were playing in front of forty to fifty people, like any professional band should.
They were fun and lively, with everybody carrying their own weight. Adam really brought it this night, and owned it on the bass, while Terry and Brad also often stepped up to the forefront of the stage, taking over the spotlight and shredding on their guitars. It was just very well balanced, and also, they know how to work the audience and get everyone excited.
Their next show is going to be at Trees on Sunday, March 24th, where they will open for Adrenaline Mob and Nothing More. It will probably be at least one of the biggest shows they’ve done to date, and I’ll be willing to bet they’ll be even more intense than usually at that one.
They offered a great way to end the night, and despite me not really caring for a couple of the acts on the bill, this show was still well worth the drive to Fort Worth.
Note for next year: Keep track of all the albums I get throughout the year AS I get them. Don’t wait until the end of the year to a list of all of them and then go through the list to figure out a “Top 10”.
Ha. Lesson learned, I guess.
Anyway, here’s my rundown of the best stuff from 2012. I’ll start with the albums of 2012, and if you don’t know, I split this list in two sections; LP’s and EP’s.
I’ll begin with the former, and after my top ten picks, I’ll have every single other record I bought mentioned, too. After all, the whole reason I do this blog in the first place is to spread the word about great, independent music, and that can’t be done effectively if I only promote ten of albums I purchased during the last twelve months.
I was able to narrow my picks down to a “Sweet 16”, and having to cut out six stellar records proved to be harder than I thought. But in the end, this is what I came up with…
TOP 10 LP’s of 2012
1.) Artist: Toadies
Album: Play.Rock.Music.
Must Listen Song: “We Burned the City Down”
Purchase on iTunes
2.) Artist: Delta Spirit
Album: Delta Spirit
Must Listen Song: “Empty House”
Purchase on iTunes
3.) Artist: Somebody’s Darling
Album: Jank City Shakedown
Must Listen Song: “Weight of the Fear”
Purchase on iTunes
4.) Artist: The Opium Symphony
Album: Blame It On the Radio
Must Listen Song: “Jukebox Junkie”
Purchase on iTunes
5.) Artist: Dovetail
Album: Mount Karma
Must Listen Song: “Julie”
Purchase on iTunes
6.) Artist: of Verona
Album: The White Apple
Must Listen Song: “Unique In its Madness”
Purchase on iTunes
7.) Artist: The Virgin Wolves
Album: Pretty Evil Thing
Must Listen Song: “End of the Line”
Purchase at a live show
8.) Artist: Milo Greene
Album: Milo Greene
Must Listen Song: “Cutty Love”
Purchase on iTunes
9.) Artist: Ronnie Fauss
Album: I Am The Man You Know I’m Not
Must Listen Song: “A Pretty Nice Night for Houston”
Purchase on iTunes
10.) Artist: The Phuss
Album: The Phuss
Must Listen Song: “The Romantic”
Purchase on iTunes
Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order)
Artist: 12 Gauge Warning
Album: What Have I Done?
Must Listen Song: “Subside”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: A Silent Film
Album: Sand & Snow
Must Listen Song: “Harbour Lights”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Aerosmith
Album: Music From Another Dimension!
Must Listen Song: “Lover Alot”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Ambassadors
Album: Litost
Must Listen Song: “Falls”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Anthony Green
Album: Beautiful Things
Must Listen Song: “Right Outside” (On Deluxe Version ONLY)
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Arkells
Album: Michigan Left
Must Listen Song: “Michigan Left”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Band of Skulls
Album: Sweet Sour
Must Listen Song: “Wanderluster”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Barcelona
Album: Not Quite Yours
Must Listen Song: “Slipping Away”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Ben Kweller
Album: Go Fly a Kite
Must Listen Song: “Jealous Girl”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Best Coast
Album: The Only Place
Must Listen Song: “Better Girl”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Black Taxi
Album: We Don’t Know Any Better
Must Listen Song: “Tightrope”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Breakfast Machine
Album: A Pitch to the Wind
Must Listen Song: “Mayoween”
Purchase on Bandcamp
Artist: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Album: Wrecking Ball
Must Listen Song: “Death to My Hometown”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Burning Slow
Album: Diversity
Must Listen Song: “Walls of Glass”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Butterfly Boucher
Album: Butterfly Boucher
Must Listen Song: “Not Fooling Around”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Chloes
Album: Vanish
Must Listen Song: “Put it Away”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Circa Survive
Album: Violent Waves
Must Listen Song: “Sharp Practice”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Classic Crime
Album: Phoenix
Must Listen Song: “Young Again”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Clepto
Album: Kebab: Live off the Grill
Must Listen Song: “Cry Me a River”
Purchase at a live show
Artist: Clint Niosi
Album: For Pleasure and Spite
Must Listen Song: “Shark In Your Water”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Dead Sara
Album: Dead Sara
Must Listen Song: “Timed Blues”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Deadbeat Darling
Album: The Angel’s Share
Must Listen Song: “Insomnia Salvation”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Diesel & Dixie
Album: Short Wave Rodeo
Must Listen Song: “Iron Herd”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Delta Rae
Album: Carry the Fire
Must Listen Song: “Bottom of the River”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Driver Friendly
Album: Bury A Dream
Must Listen Song: “Messidona”
Artist: Eleven Hundred Springs
Album: Midway
Must Listen Song: “Hard Working Just Ain’t Working Anymore”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Evans Blue
Album: Graveyard of Empires
Must Listen Song: “Crawl Inside”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Gaslight Anthem
Album: Handwritten
Must Listen Song: “Mulholland Drive”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Ghost Hotel
Album: Do You Feel It?
Must Listen Song: “Simple Fiction”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Goodnight Ned
Album: Smoke From the Sails
Must Listen Song: “Papa Jack’s Bag”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: J. Charles and the Trainrobbers
Album: Upon Leaving
Must Listen Song: “Something Wrong”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Jana Kramer
Album: Jana Kramer
Must Listen Song: “I Hope it Rains”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Jason Eady
Album: AM Country Heaven
Must Listen Song: “A.M. Country Heaven”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: JJAMZ
Album: Suicide Pact
Must Listen Song: “Suicide Pact”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Katie Carroll
Album: Desperada
Must Listen Song: Tie between “If I’m Still Falling” and “Dreams” (Stevie Nicks cover)
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Koniac Net
Album: One Last Monsoon
Must Listen Song: “This Time Around”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Lauren Mann And The Fairly Odd Folk
Album: Over Land And Sea
Must Listen Song: “Love, I Lost”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Lindby
Album: Erikson
Must Listen Song: “Here We Are Now”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Long Sword Spectacular
Album: Long Sword Spectacular
Must Listen Song: “Firewalk”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Madisons
Album: Desgraciados
Must Listen Song: “El Paso”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Midnight Empire
Album: Everything And Nothing
Must Listen Song: “Misery”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Minus the Bear
Album: Infinity Overhead
Must Listen Song: “Lies and Eyes”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Missy Higgins
Album: The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle
Must Listen Song: “Tricks”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Mon Julien
Album: Mon Julien
Must Listen Song: “Punchline”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Moonlight Social
Album: Heading South
Must Listen Song: “Neither Are You”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Mothership
Album: Mothership
Must Listen Song: “City Nights”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Neckties
Album: Chop And Change
Must Listen Song: “Lies”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Neon Trees
Album: Picture Show
Must Listen Song: “Hooray for Hollywood”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Nervous Curtains
Album: Fake Infinity
Must Listen Song: “Cats In the Dark”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Night Gallery
Album: Loud As The Sun
Must Listen Song: “Separation Anxiety”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Parabelle
Album: Your Starry Eyes Will Never Make Us Even
Must Listen Song: “Whisper”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Pebaluna
Album: Carny Life
Must Listen Song: “Honey”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Public Love Affair
Album: Soul Shaker
Must Listen Song: “Won’t Ever Be Defeated”
Purchase on Bandcamp
Artist: Riverboat Gamblers
Album: The Wolf You Feed
Must Listen Song: “Bite My Tongue”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Riversyde
Album: See Us Now
Must Listen Song: “What’s Love About”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Roomsounds
Album: We’re #1
Must Listen Song: “Kinks”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Royality
Album: Lovers
Must Listen Song: “Mr. Hyde”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: RTB2
Album: 2
Must Listen Song: “Wire to the Walls”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Said Kelley
Album: Cupcake
Must Listen Song: “Make Me Up”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sara Radle
Album: Same Sun Shines
Must Listen Song: “The Pins”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sarah Jaffe
Album: The Body Wins
Must Listen Song: “Glorfied High”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Silvergun & Spleen
Album: Semi Truck
Must Listen Song: “An Eye for an Eye”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sleeper Agent
Album: Calebrasion
Must Listen Song: “Be My Monster”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sleigh Bells
Album: Reign of Terror
Must Listen Song: “Demons”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Smile Empty Soul
Album: 3’s
Must Listen Song: “Warning”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Smile Smile
Album: Marry A Stranger
Must Listen Song: “Fatal Flaw”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sonar Lights
Album: Here We Are
Must Listen Song: “Oversaturated”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Spook Easy
Album: Faux Show
Must Listen Song: “Arrive Alive”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Stars
Album: The North
Must Listen Song: “Backlines”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Steven Graves
Album: Matter of Time
Must Listen Song: “Right From My Heart”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sucre
Album: A Minor Bird
Must Listen Song: “When We Were Young”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Sword
Album: Apocryphon
Must Listen Song: “The Veil of Isis”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Taylor Marie
Album: Breaking Points & Sleepless Nights
Must Listen Song: “Imprint”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Trebuchet
Album: Said A to B
Must Listen Song: “Sing of the Times”
Purchase at a live show
Artist: Turnpike Troubadours
Album: Goodbye Normal Street
Must Listen Song: “Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Vespers
Album: The Fourth Wall
Must Listen Song: “Footprints in the Snow”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Wedding
Album: No Direction
Must Listen Song: “Kill Any Excuse”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Will Johnson
Album: Scorpion
Must Listen Song: “Winter Screen Four”
Purchase on iTunes
TOP 10 EPs of 2012
1.) Artist: Always The Alibi
Album: We Are Waiting
Must Listen Song: “We Are Waiting”
Purchase on iTunes
2.) Artist: SpaceCamp
Album: The Daydreamers Guide to: Wasting Time
Must Listen Song: “Before You Die”
Purchase on iTunes
3.) Artist: Admiral Grey
Album: Long Road
Must Listen Song: “Pulling Strings”
Purchase on their online merch store
4.) Artist: The Soldier Thread
Album: The Bull EP
Must Listen Song: “Pretty Bones”
Purchase on iTunes
5.) Artist: April Kry
Album: Music Speaks
Must Listen Song: “Symphony of Misery”
Purchase on iTunes
6.) Artist: Meridian
Album: Meridian
Must Listen Song: “Nights Like This”
Purchase on iTunes
7.) Artist: Serosia
Album: Variables
Must Listen Song: “Superposition”
Purchase on iTunes
8.) Artist: We the Ghost
Album: My Mixtape Summer
Must Listen Song: “Swallow the Key”
Purchase on iTunes
9.) Artist: Ifs and Buts
Album: Ifs and Buts
Must Listen Song: “Little Bit”
Listen to it on Soundcloud
10.) Artist: People On Vacation
Album: The Summer and The Fall (NOTE: This is technically an LP, though some of the songs are from their debut EP. Hence, why I’m putting it in the EP category.)
Must Listen Song: “Because Of The Sun”
Purchase on iTunes
Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order)
Artist: Abacu5
Album: Sandwich Squad
Must Listen Song: “Say What You Want”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Alyssa Sease
Album: Lay Rest Your Soul
Must Listen Song: “Lay Rest Your Soul”
Free download on Noisetrade.com
Artist: The American Tragedy
Album: The Flame
Must Listen Song: “Blood On the Stage”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Anydoll
Album: Anydoll
Must Listen Song: “You Are Amazing”
Artist: Aprilemade
Album: Bright
Must Listen Song: “Come On”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Beat Dolls
Album: Death of the Party
Must Listen Song: “We’ll See”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Beta Wolf
Album: Just Before Morning
Must Listen Song: “Just Before Morning”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Bethan
Album: Chapter 1:
Must Listen Song: “Pyewacket”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Bravo Delta
Album: Sunset Wasteland
Must Listen Song: “Loose Cannon”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Cozy Hawks
Album: No Blues
Must Listen Song: “Water Wings”
Purchase on Bandcamp
Artist: Daylight Industries
Album: Future of an Illusion
Must Listen Song: “Something’s Wrong”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Eisley
Album: Deep Space
Must Listen Song: “Lights Out”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Flatworld
Album: Contradictions
Must Listen Song: “Dark”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Kelsey Schneider
Album: Brother
Must Listen Song: “Something’s Got to Give”
Purchase on Bandcamp
Artist: Loyal Sally
Album: Things From Thoughts
Must Listen Song: “Stereo”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Loyal Sally
Album: Pleased to Meet You!
Must Listen Song: “The Ride”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Merriment
Album: Through the Rough
Must Listen Song: “Rewind”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Nikki Jensen
Album: Under The Rain Tree:
Must Listen Song: “Hypotheticals”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Oddlot
Album: Oddlot
Must Listen Song: “Howl”
Free download on Reverbnation
Artist: Pistol Whippin’ Ike
Album: Dying The Dream
Must Listen Song: “Last Cigarette”
Purchase at live shows
Artist: Red Angel Theory
Album: When the Dust Settles
Must Listen Song: “Inception”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Roses & Revolutions
Album: Earth & Everything
Must Listen Song: “Fall Away”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Signs of Reason
Album: One Bullet Away
Must Listen Song: “Where Rockstars Go to Die”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: The Soldier Thread
Album: Matador - Single
Must Listen Song: “Anybody”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Steven Graves
Album: Let it Ride
Must Listen Song: “Take a Stand”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Sunward
Album: A Magical Display of Lights and Rays
Must Listen Song: “Wooden Birds”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Urizen
Album: Boxmakers
Must Listen Song: “Boxmakers”
Purchase on Bandcamp
Artist: Waking Alice
Album: Retribution - Single
Must Listen Song: “Treason”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: We the Ghost
Album: White Noise
Must Listen Song: “Wash These Sins Away”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: Windsor Drive
Album: Wanderlust
Must Listen Song: “Wide Eyed at Midnight”
Purchase on iTunes
Artist: You vs. Me
Album: The Book Of…
Must Listen Song: “Break”
Purchase on Bandcamp
Artist: Zoe Ann
Album: Zoe Ann - Single
Must Listen Song: “Better Than Revenge”
Purchase on iTunes
When it comes to shows, I had a much more difficult time at picking out a top ten list. Out of nearly 130 shows I attended this past year, I narrowed the list of potentials down to about 40. Cutting nearly 30 out took a lot of thought, but I did it. This is the result…
1.) The FEDS (Reunion show) at Dan’s Silverleaf on June 28*
3.) Toadies with Quiet Company at Billy Bob’s Texas on October 13
4.) Blue October with A Silent Film & Barcelona at House of Blues on November 23
5.) Delta Spirit at House of Blues on November 4
6.) Bravo, Max! at Club Dada with Somebody’s Darling & Goodnight Ned on October 6
7.) Missy Higgins at Granada Theater with Katie Herzig & Butterfly Boucher on September 12
8.) Milo Greene at LaGrange with The Southern Renaissance on October 10
9.) Night Gallery at Curtain Club with Dark Horse Darling, Meridian & Daylight Industries on June 30
10.) Opium Symphony at Curtain Club with The Orange & The Breakfast Machine on June 8
(After three years since there farewell performance, it feels DAMN good to be able to again include The FEDS on this list… Even if it is a possible one-time only thing.)
Oddly enough, half of that list is national touring acts, and it was almost painful to leave out some astounding local shows. That’s why (unlike some other blogs) I don’t do some random “Top 59” lists or something like that, because top ten ones make it more of a challenge. I would however like to throw out a couple honorable mentions to two of the festivals I attended this year which barely missed the cut. One was Dia De Los Toadies, while the other was the Homegrown Music & Arts Festival.
2012 was an interesting year, in both positive and negative aspects.
On the good side, in December I marked my one year anniversary of podcasting, and there’s no denying I’ve come along way on that front. (There’s still PLENTY of room for improvement, mind you, but I’ve gotten much more comfortable and confident behind a mic.)
Speaking of that, my WhiskeyBoy Radio family put on a benefit concert in August where we raised $1,00 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. That was definitely a highlight of the year for me, knowing we were helping out a worthy cause.
On that note, Matt (of WhiskeyBoy Radio), another party and I formed RYA Entertainment and put on a few concerts. It was fun, though there were some, shall we say, circumstances, that resulted in a lot of grief. Still, it was fun times.
I think those are the highlights, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t add becoming closer friends with some musicians I already knew, and getting acquainted with some badass ones I did not previously know.
Oh, and of course I need to shout out the Granada Theater (specifically Tim and Gavin), both of whom have been kind enough to get me into some killer shows at the venue this past year. Go check out the place, as it is my second favorite venue in Dallas!
Those far out way the bad things of 2012 (at least in terms of music), like the debacle that was (and is) the band, Rains. That was, and will always be, the worst show I’ve ever seen, and I still regret the fact that money was spent to get into that one.
The only other thing I can think to add to this negative list is something I’ve been quite about since it happened, except for a brief reference on one of my podcasts. I feel compelled to get it out now, though.
Back in mid-October I went to see a show at the City Tavern in Dallas, and of course had to show my ID to gain entry to the venue. The door guy then looked at my driver’s license, held it up to the light from a street lamp and bent it every which way. He asked me what year I graduated high school, and when I answered him, told me that wasn’t right. He then told me, “…I can’t let you in with this…”, and when I responded with, “That’s funny, because it’s gotten me in practically every single club in Dallas, Denton and Fort Worth.” He responded with the ultimate asshole answer. “Doesn’t matter, it’s not getting you in this one.”
What incensed me the most about that incident wasn’t even the fact that I missed out on seeing a concert I had been anticipating for a couple months. It was the fact that Mr. Incompetent effectively called into question my entire character by accusing me of having a fake ID, and that is one thing I will never tolerate from anyone. My records spotless, in any and all aspects, and for the legitimacy of my state issued driver’s license, which plainly states that I am twenty-three, to be questioned made me irate.
I only mention this now as a cautionary tale to anyone who owns any type of establishment. Make sure you know the people you hire are competent enough to treat people with respect. In this case, make sure whoever you have working your door has a black light to use on all IDs so they can determine the real ones from the fakes. Better yet, make sure their intelligence level is high enough to tell the two apart. Because for better or worse, how an employ treats a (potential) customer reflects back on the company that hired them, and when you are treated the way I was, then you have absolutely no desire to ever even think about returning to the venue/restaurant/store/etc.
Oh, I forgot the kicker. Before trying to get in there I had left a show that was twenty-one and up only show that was sponsored by Jack Daniel’s which I got into no problem. And I had to pay $10 to park in a parking garage here, which meant I basically paid a guy $10 to park my car, then immediately go get it for me.
I guess that covers the big stuff of 2012. I hope you enjoyed this list, and I really encourage you to check out some of those bands you may not be familiar with when you have a chance to, as they will not disappoint.
So cheers, and here’s to a rockin’ 2013!
Nearly three years in to their career, The Virgin Wolves have accomplished more than most bands do, or even can in that time frame.
For starters, they expanded from a husband-and-wife duo of Chase and Jaimeson Robbins, to a well-rounded five-piece outfit that has the release of two EP’s under their belt. Both were crucial to capturing and subsequently growing their fan base, though the main draw to the band is probably what they are best known for; their fiery, brash live performance.
That has helped make them into an institution of the North Texas music scene, yet they’ve still lacked something that is key to any band, and that is a full-length record.
Well, they’re finally getting around to releasing one, and their debut full-length is titled, “Pretty Evil Thing”.
The record isn’t all brand spankin’ new material, nor is just the same old tracks from their previous EP’s added in as “filler”. Instead, they tweaked many older songs and peppered in some new offerings, too.
One song that has been tweaked is “Black Sheep”, which is not only the lead track on the record, but also the first single. A fury of drumbeats now begins the song, as some guitar feedback is laced over it and gradually swells, giving way to the series of chords that the fans should be all too familiar with. The big difference with them, though, is they bear a much slicker and more polished sound. Jaimeson’s voice also has more of a snarl to it and is loaded with attitude, which is more reflective of what the song has evolved into in the live setting. But one of the best revisions here is the instrumental bridge at around the 1:50 mark, which incorporates some more soulful notes, but done in a manner that only The Virgin Wolves can pull off.
“Crawl” is another song to receive a bit of a facelift, again beginning with some percussion, which is heavier on the bass drum now. The same can be said for it as the opening track, at least in the general sense that it, too, has been tightened up all the way around. But perhaps the best addition on this one is the layering of backing vocals, which are used at various points throughout and add a cool “echo” effect. That is at its best at the end of the second verse, on the line, “…Gave myself three cigarettes and whistled just like a bird.” It’s simply the way “bird” is enunciated, which sounds quite beautiful.
Your first glimpse (or rather, listen) of the bands new material comes with the next song, “End Of The Line”, which is intriguing to say the least. It’s a vast departure from the niche they’ve carved out for themselves, and, at times, has a certain Pop flare to it, which is something lacking in all of their other songs. There’s something to be said for a band that will push themselves and step out of their comfort zone a bit, though. The multiple vocals create an interesting dynamic that works surprisingly well, especially in the first half, which features a very simple guitar riff that will have you mesmerized. It’s also rather dark and moody, and occasionally makes the transition into an aggressive Rock that is sure to stick with you. All of that helps make it an exceptional song, and not just my personal favorite on this album, but any of the previous ones, too.
“What You Want To Hear” is another oldie that has undergone a drastic overhaul, and not just in the title change. The music bed is completely different and much slower on the verses, with more of a Classic Rock/Blues vibe to it. In contrast, the choruses are full of piss and vinegar, especially the way the lyrics, “No matter how hard I try, you see the guilty in my eye. And I tell you what you want to hear…”, are sung. It’s a beast of a song, and they managed to take something that was good and expand upon and transform it into something incredible.
Another completely new offering is “Same Familiar”. That’s an apt title in some ways, because it’s everything you have come to expect from the band. It’s unapologetic dirty, raw Rock ‘n’ Roll, which is no doubt what they specialize in, and is pulled off exceedingly well here. That’s all I’ve got on this one, because the song speaks for itself.
“Lies” has also gotten a few touch-ups, but nothing too major. The rhythm section isn’t quite as heavy on this new version (it’s certainly still there, though), but the most noticeable difference is the cleaner sound this one has. You can better hear the nuances of the bass and guitars, which does elevate the listening experience. Aside from that, it’s essentially the same song you already know, just with a more refined sound.
“Crooked Smile” is another new original, and is also the song where the album title comes from. It’s still gritty Rock, and on the surface it fits hand in hand with any of their other material. However, like the other new songs on the album, the bands growth is obvious upon close inspection. There’s just a subtle, more mature sound to it on every level. For example, take this line from the second verse, which, if I understand it correctly, is, “…Don’t break no lies, don’t fake no smiles, do only what you mean…”. It’s simple, yet unbelievably deep.
Another older song with a new sound and name is “Oh, Sugar”. The Blues sound has been poured on, even heavier than what it was, and what really jumped out at me are the guitars, which have a much crisper sound, and the stellar riffs are quite inspiring. There’s also a big difference on the vocals and how various parts are sung. It’s all for the better, as it complements the music much better now, and is another prime example of a decent song that they have turned into something that’s off the charts.
A lot of albums begin to lag around the ninth track or so, but not “Pretty Evil Thing”. At this point, you get to what is arguable their most powerful song live, “Virtue And Vice”. It’s also the one that benefits the most from being re-recorded, as they managed to perfectly capture the intensity and energy that you experience at a live performance. At two minutes and forty-five seconds, it is the shortest song on the record, but it’s also the most explosive. But what really makes this one is the edgy, in-your-face screaming, like on the chorus, “…But you better act real nice, I don’t want to tell you twice…”, which comes across more like a demand than anything, and one that you best heed.
The two remaining songs are also ones that have been revamped, one of which is “Vagabonds”. It’s very similar to the original version, but with a richer, fuller sound, and a little more incendiary, too.
“Bad” brings the record to a close, and it has a more well rounded sound this time around. There’s also a ton of ferocity in this version, and that brings this 39-minute long album to a sensational and powerful close.
I’m really astounded by “Pretty Evil Thing”, simply because it captures the bands spirit so well. For those who have yet to see the group, listening to this record will give you a spot on idea of what a show is like. And for those who have seen them, then you’ll finally have something to listen to that does the band justice.
I mean, really, how many albums have you listened to that you can say, “That captures that bands sound to the tee!” Personally, I’ve heard a small handful, but more often than not bands will use some “studio magic” here and there, which makes it where they can’t pull off a track live in the way their fans know it.
There’s nothing even remotely like that on this one, though. It’s simply The Virgin Wolves doing what they do best; rocking out.
Their more collected then before and even more mature sounding, which gives the impression that “Pretty Evil Thing” is the first real release from the band.
I think this has been of the more anticipated records of 2012, as far as the local music scene is concerned, and it lives up to both the hype and expectations. I can also see this album serving as a jumping off point for the band, (hopefully) taking them to a stage much larger than that of North Texas.
The Virgin Wolves is:
Chase Robbins - Lead guitar & backing vocals
Jaimeson Robbins - Lead Vocals
Kristin Leigh - Bass & backing vocals
Steve Phillips - Drums
Carson Coldiron - Guitar & backing vocals
Purchase the album on:
(I will update this when the album becomes available in digital format.)
Visit The Virgin Wolves’ websites:
Official Website / Facebook / Reverbnation / Twitter / Youtube
Current shows include:
December 31st they will be at Wit’s End (Formerly The Bone) in Dallas. / January 11th they will be at Club Dada in Dallas. / January 18th they will be at Andy’s Bar in Denton. / January 19th they will be at The Prophet Bar in Dallas. / For their full calendar of show dates, go HERE.
Photo credit: Will von Bolton
Perhaps one of the most iconic venues in North Texas (and maybe even the country) is Billy Bob’s Texas.
It’s a VERY large venue, also serving as a place to hang out in the day, with some pool tables and other such entertainment. The venue routinely hosts some of the best Country/Americana bands from all over the nation, and that is why I never figured I’d end up at this place in the historic stockyards of Downtown Fort Worth.
Granted, I am becoming more of a Country music fan, but not to any of the acts that would play here. But this particular night, there were no country bands gracing the stage at Billy Bob’s. Instead, the world’s largest honky-tonk was hosting what is perhaps the best band to come out of Fort Worth: The Toadies.
The band had enlisted two Austin based bands to pen this show, the first of whom was Boy + Kite.
I wanted desperately to see this band again, after seeing them last year’s Dia De Los Toadies music festival, but the drive to Fort Worth is a long one, and by the time my dad and I got there and made it in, the band was practically done. I recognized a couple of their songs, while some others sounded new to me (though I haven’t listened to their music in awhile, so they could have been older tunes). The band seemed much tighter this time then what I remembered, and their stage show was definitely improved, with the three members at the forefront of the stage running about, shredding on their guitars or tearing it up on the bass.
What I saw I enjoyed, and hopefully the bands first ever show in the North Texas area will not be their last.
You can find their debut album, “Go Fly” in iTunes. And as of right now, their next show will be on November 9th at Fitzgeralds in Houston, Texas.
Second up was Quiet Company, and honestly, I’m not sure who I was more excited to see tonight. The Toadies, or these guys. That’s absolutely no joke, either.
The band walked on stage one minute after their scheduled 9:15 start time, and singer and rhythm guitarist, Taylor Muse, asked everyone how they were doing. That was answered with some applause and cheers, and he responded, “Yeah, me, too.” He was holding a drum stick which he then placed in his mouth and bit down on it, as he and the rest of the members cut loose on their instruments. The beginning to “Everything Louder Than Everything Else” gradually grew louder, before Taylor grabbed the drum stick from his mouth and proceeded to use it to play his guitar, then sang the opening line, “Long, long ago, back when the ocean was our home, we crawled out of the sea, so eager to breathe…”. I like all the levels this song takes you to, from that opening line, to reaching its pinnacle about halfway through, with, “…But when I go, there will probably be no angels singing, no harps ringing. No pearly gates, nor devil’s flames, just nothing…”, while it ended with bassist, Matt Parmenter, guitarist, Thomas Blank, and trombone player, Cody Ackors, all co-singing with Taylor on, “…Don’t let me go, I’m not prepared. I’m so damned scared that I’m almost there…”. The song takes you through some varying degrees of emotions, which is precisely what makes a good song to open with. As it came to an end, drummer, Jeff Weathers led them right into their next song, which was one of the bands singles, “You, Me, and the Boatman”. It was soon followed by another powerful song of the bands, “Preaching to the Choir Invisible: Part II (What Do You Think Happens When We Live?)”, which is always a highlight of the set. Usually for their next song, they have a sample track that kicks on about this time, segueing them right into it. However, they didn’t use it for this show. Instead, Matt moved over to the keyboard, and they all awaited his cue to start. “HEY!” he suddenly shouted, prompting Matt to begin pounding away on the keys, setting up the catch melody of “It’s Better to Spend Money Like There’s No Tomorrow Than Spend Tonight Like There’s No Money”. Taylor was able to get a little more animated on it, making gestures with his hands throughout it, since it doesn’t require him to play his guitar for the entire song. He made up for it on the next song, though, as he began wailing on his guitar soon after that song ended. This instrumental intro they have crafted perfectly captures a high-energy Rock spirit, and is probably the most intense the band gets, before it breaks into “We Went to the Renaissance Faire (…All Our Friends Were There)”. When it was over, Taylor started talking about Fort Worth. “…I’m sure there’s a lot of cross pollination here, but I think Fort Worth is far superior to Dallas…” he said, to which the crowd roared in agreeance. Not me, though, I knew it was just an attempt to make the people of Fort Worth feel better about where they live (That’s a joke people… Sort of.) It was also around this point where they mentioned that the band had entered into a whole new chapter. All five of them have now quit their jobs to make Quiet Company their main priority. “…So please, tell your friends about us and have them come see us…” Taylor urged the audience. “…I have a three year-old daughter and I’d really like to be able to feed her…”. From here on out they tackled one song right after the other, starting with “Preaching to the Choir Invisible: Part I (What do You Think Happens When We Die?)”. Cody sit his trombone down afterwards, and walked over to stage left, where the keyboard sit. They started an ominous instrumental lead in that instantly got me excited, because it could be nothing else but “The Easy Confidence (What I Would Say to You Now)”. Cody didn’t stay at the keys long, soon going back to the other side of the stage while Taylor started singing, “I was screaming out your name, I guess you never heard me. I was screaming it for years, and I think I deserve a reason for why you’ve remained so elusive…”. A little over a year ago when they released their latest album “We Are All Where We Belong”, that song popped out as being my personal favorite, and a year later it still is, making me look forward to the end of their set, just to hear that tune. Now along those lines, when you see a band enough, you come to know their setlist. Quiet Company somewhat tweaked theirs between the time I saw them back in April and then when they got back to Dallas in August, , though their final song remained the same, and that was the fourteenth track from their newest record. So obviously, I was anticipating that would be next… Luckily I wasn’t expecting it. Instead, the fiery end of “The Easy Confidence” came to a simmer, and then stopped all together as Jeff started some soft and steady drumming. It was a song I had never heard live, “On Modern Men”, coming from the record, “Everyone You Love Will Be Happy Soon”. Not only that, but I haven’t listened to the song much in the first place, so I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. “So lift your hands up from your sides, rinse them both off with your pride, and let the world see what we’re not. Because we have carved out our desires, and placed them in the hands of liars that will forget you when they want…” sang Taylor, who simultaneously slowly wrapped the microphone cord around his neck, making a noose of sorts. Sure, it threw me for a loop at first, but this was every bit as good of a note to end on as the other song has been. Maybe even more so.
In all their set was 44-minutes long, which was a pleasant surprise, since usually the opening acts get abbreviated sets. However that was just as much time as most of the other shows I’ve seen them do. There was one difference, though, and that was that they seemed even better this night than usual.
Their performance was spot-on, which is precisely what I’ve come to expect from these guys, yet they were even better than usual. I can’t pinpoint one specific thing, rather, it was the combination of the energy they all put forth, as well as how cohesive they are as a unit. And if they’ve gotten that much better in just a few months, imagine what awaits them, now that they are a full-time touring band.
Their show really was every bit as good as what The Toadies would soon do, but the only thing was Quiet Company didn’t have nearly the audience that they deserved. It wasn’t until they finished that a mass of people entered the venue, and I guarantee that if they had been there earlier, they would have been wowed, because I heard plenty of other people talking about how impressed they were by the band. Even when the night was done, I decided to splurge and finally buy one of the bands shirts, and their merch booth was still swamped at that time.
Obviously, the bands goal is to get out on the road more now, and currently have completed their second East Coast tour. So there’s a good chance the band will get to a city near you in the not too distant future. According to a post they made on their Facebook page, they will start doing about 200 shows a year, all over the United States, and hopefully beyond. They even have plans to release a new EP by year’s end with another full-length to come out sometime in 2013.
But in the meantime, you can find all their previous records in either iTUNES or BANDCAMP. You can even get a SIX SONG SAMPLER for FREE download if you just want to get a feel for the band’s music. And if you have the opportunity to see them live, by all means do. They are really one of the best bands I’ve ever seen or heard, easily making my top ten list. Quite possible even my top five.
Once everything was all set up and ready for the Toadies to take the stage, an interesting intro song started to play through the house system. It was by the Texas Country band, Eleven Hundred Springs, who coincidentally Mark Reznicek went on to play drums for after the Toadies 2001 breakup, and the song was “We’re From Texas.” As odd as a song choice as it seemed, it actually fit pretty well, and as the four members walked out on stage, Mark was even wearing an Eleven Hundred Springs shirt.
After taking the stage, frontman and guitarist, Vaden Todd Lewis, chatted with the crowd for just a moment, asking how everyone was doing, and then they got down to business. I thought I knew what was coming, since the bands set has been essentially the same the past few times I’ve seen them, but this night they threw a little bit of a curve-ball to their fans.
They still opened with a classic, but this time lead guitarist, Clark Vogeler, started them into “Happy Face”. It was a nice little surprise, and I was glad that things had been revamped, at least to some extent. That one was also just as powerful of an opening song as the other one has been, but in a completely different way, and got them off on a solid start. No sooner had that song ended, then Vaden moved right into the next song, occasionally plucking the strings on his guitar as he sang the first line of “Push the Hand”, before bassist, Doni Blair, Mark and Clark joined in to round out the sound. Those first two songs came from the bands first two major releases, and they kept barreling on, doing the title track from album number three, “No Deliverance”. I’ve often found myself on the fence with this song. I like it better live then the recording, but even then I can take it or leave it at times. But tonight, it sounded absolutely phenomenal. The other mic that Vaden uses, which gives his voice a more gravelly texture, definitely helps make the song, but it was at its best on the softer line, “…And then I saw her, bathed in light. A host of angels knelt at her side. She said, “You have forsaken all you believe. Crossed earth and oceans to be with me…”. It had a rather eerie vibe to it, which was exactly what made it so enjoyable. They paused after it, making some small talk. I believe asking everyone to give it up for the opening acts and such. Then, Clark started wailing on his guitar, using the whammy bar to fire up “Away”. Throughout it all you could hear most of the crowd (which I think totaled something like 3300 people) singing right along to it, and at times the audience was even more audible than Vaden was. Afterwards, he set up the bands next song, which was the first single from their latest effort, “Play.Rock.Music.” Doni began plucking away at his bass strings, before Mark joined him on the rhythm section intro of “Summer of the Strange”. As the two played, Vaden made his way from back by the drum riser towards the front of the stage, somewhat dancing as he walked, getting to the mic just in time to deliver the first line, “Give me back control. Give me back control. Give me back…”. I still say that song is one of the most off-the-wall ones the band has done, but has weird a sound as it has, it still is similar enough to the rest of their material to fit in. The music had barely ceased when Vaden started casually rocking out the killer intro of “Sweetness”. A little over halfway through, he changed up one of the lines, singing something else besides, “…Cut right down to the soul, to the center of you. I found me a home for the sinner in me…”, then got back to repeating that line a few more times. I can’t remember what he said at this point, but I liked the subtle change, which added just something extra to it. They followed it by ripping right into a fan favorite, “I Come from the Water”. There’s something about that song that as soon as you hear it makes it so easy to lose yourself to it. As soon as I realized it was that song I got excited, and even though I had been sick for a few days before this, which had resulted in a weak voice and sore throat, I still found myself compelled to join the rest of the crowd in singing along to the chorus at the top of my lungs. It really is that incredible of a song, and I liked the placement of it in the middle of the set even more than when it has been the opener. Another breather came after that song, and this was where Vaden started a conversation with the crowd with, “I’ve never gotten political on stage before…”. Obviously that had me thinking he was about to endorse one of the two presidential candidates, or at least something equivalent on that spectrum. However, what he said ended up being along some completely different lines. “…Has anyone seen Looper?” he asked, adding, “Yeah, that’s a good flick.” The topic of conversation changed after that, as Vaden mentioned that Mark’s birthday was happening on this weekend. “No joke.” he said, as if to get rid of any doubt, while Mark stood up from his kit and made a few poses, while the crowd chanted, “U.S.A”, a few times. That made me realize that this is the third straight year that if seen the band at about this same time of year. Two years I caught a Denton show, which partially took place on his birthday, and then last year I believe it had just barely passed when they performed in Dallas. After things settled down, Mark led the band into their next song, “Waterfall”, which started another little onslaught of rock, as right after it was done they went into “Little Sin”, which was then followed by “Backslider”. Things then hit a slower spot with a song I was surprised didn’t make it into the setlist for this year’s Dia festival, “Song I Hate”, but at least they were playing it now. “I’m giving up on you. How could I ever call you mine? You’re too pretty, too simple, too easy. You’re just a waste of time…” Sang Vaden. That’s what makes that song so great, the lyrics are honest and raw, making it sound pretty authentic. They set up the next song as being the second single from their latest record. “…And I say second because hopefully there will be more…” said Vaden. A long guitar note rang out from Clarks’ guitar, starting them on the primal tune, “Animals”. It offers a good, realistic take on love, like with one of the lines from the first verse, “…You know love is a magic trick. Fools the eyes and drives the hips, but it’s crazy the shit it gets you through…”. The bands biggest hit, “Possum Kingdom”, came next, but after finishing it, it seemed like they still had a bit more to do. Why? Because Vaden stated, “Looks like this is going to be a three beer set.” One of their roadies brought out another beer for him. They were now in the homestretch, and started to wind things down with another new single and one of the bands best songs to date, “Rattler’s Revival”. Finally, to cap of their 61 minute-long set, they did one that is typically saved as an encore, “I Burn”.
The show had been incredible, and despite the more basic setlist (say, in comparison to the meaty show I had seen last month), this one was still every bit as good… Probably even more so. And they still had a little bit left in the tank for this night.
Now, throughout the show, security had taken several people out, thinking there were fights going on, when in fact some of the people were just moshing. As the main set came to an end, a few more incidents arose, leading the band, specifically Vaden, to plead with the security to leave the fans alone. “…They’re moshing, they’re not fighting. Moshing isn’t fighting. It’s still stupid as hell, but it’s not fighting…” he said, though it fell on deaf ears.
After a couple minutes of being gone, the band reappeared on stage to finish out the show, and got their 14 minute-long encore going with “Hell In High Water”. I didn’t get to fully enjoy this song, because during it was when a real altercation broke out next to me, with one guy grabbing anothers throat (where was the security when they were actually needed?). Luckily, it was resolved quickly, but for a minute or more that had my attention, as I, and numerous other people, just tried to stay out of the two guys way. The band wound that song perfectly into “Mister Love”, and after it came their final song, which was none other than “Tyler”.
In terms of performance, this really was one of, if not the, best show I’ve seen the Toadies do. They were so on point with everything, which made the entire night quite impressive and was something to really marvel at.
I’ll keep this short and sweet, if you haven’t seen the Toadies, you need to. They know precisely what they are doing on stage and how to keep the crowd entertained, so you will not be disappointed.
As of right now the band is on the final leg of a tour with Helmet, and have only a few dates left. You can find all of them HERE, and if they aren’t coming somewhere near you, then you can surely count on the band touring sometime in 2013. And if you’d like to purchase the band’s music, well, you can find all of their releases right HERE.
All in all, it was a very fun and memorable night in Cowtown. I’ll have to try to get back occasionally, too. ‘Cause really, the drive over this way isn’t too bad.
Lindby may well be the most interesting band in the Dallas/Fort Worth area music scene… Perhaps even beyond. When I first heard of them I came across a little bio on their online EPK where one of the lines from the bio was something to the effect of, “…Linby doesn’t believe in playing the same song over and over…”, rather, each song is an entirely new experience. Their music mines in such genres as Rock & Roll, Jazz, Electronic, Folk and even Classical, and that vast array of genres is readily displayed on their latest release, “Erikson”.
If you would like to know where the title, “Erikson”, came from, and want the full, in-depth story, then read THIS. However, the short answer would be that it began in high school when one of the band members (and a friend) wrote a song about a famous Erikson. More recently, Lindby dusted it off, improved upon it and then turned it into a song about a different well-known, historical Erikson. That song then became the lead track on the record.
Clocking in at nearly 90-seconds, “Erikson, Leif” is like most of the songs from this album: Short and to the point. Plus, even the band has admitted that these songs Erikson songs are just meant to be “goofy”, which is shown in this song by the few sentences that are repeated throughout. “…You sacked and sailed and drank. You loved your mother. O-oh my Erikson.” And while they keep the mood light for the song, they don’t let that impede their musicianship. Four out of the five band members, Nick Spurrier, Nick Goodrich, Kyle Claset and Ali Grant, all serve as vocalists, and this song sounds like it features all of them. Easily the best moment of the song is at the end when they all harmonize on the final line, their voices mixing to create a gorgeous sound.
I find “Jing Ling Tam Blues” to be an interesting hybrid between Jazz, Blues and Rock. The keyboard part, which runs throughout the song, certainly gives a sound like those two former genres. Then the song explodes, and there’s no question that it becomes more of a Rock tune. It’s almost impossible not to get into this one, which sounds like it could easily be an anthem of the bands’, and you will most likely find yourself shouting right along with chorus, “JING LING TAM!”.
“King Of Condiments” is the longest song on this record (barely over four minutes) and, as the name might imply, it is an interesting song. There are three different distinctive parts to it, the first of which is light and fun, as well as being co-sung between one of the guys and Ali, lasting through the first chorus, “Hop on the gravy train, it goes only where the sun is shining…”. As the music fades out, some drumbeats count them into a much faster, more aggressive section of the song. The lyrics are spit out at such a rapid pace it’s hard to keep up, let alone even comprehend what is being said, as whomever is doing the singing alters their voice, I presume to imitate the “King of Condiments” character, who the second verse is written for. That then suddenly gives way to a more dreamy sounding verse, which Ali sings in a more classical manner, before returning to the same way it began. It’s a very unique mash-up of music, and despite how this might make it sound, they manage to give it a good flow so that it all fits together.
The next Erikson the band tackles is businessman, “Erikson, Sheldon”. It’s another short tune, which they made into a sultry Jazz number. The keys are definitely the backbone of this song, and while embodying the Jazz sound, they also give it a somewhat modernized Jazz sound. It is certainly unlike anything else heard thus far on the album, and is a definite standout.
“Piece Of Reese” is a fun little diddy that relies heavily on the synthesizer. It’s fun listening to simply to hear the various affects they use throughout it. At times the sound effects sound like they would have been perfect in an old school videogame (say, circa late 80’s to early 90’s), while at other parts it sounds more outer spacey. This one will definitely grow on you with each listen, and I started out thinking it was just so-so, but now, I really dig it.
“Across The Blue” begins with a stunning piano part, which sounds quite classical. The co-singing on this song is brilliant in the first place, but making it even more attention grabbing is the operatic voice that Ali taps into for a few fleeting moments. It gives the song a rather refined quality, as well as a certain level of elegance.
The previous song blends seamlessly into the next, “Erikson, Jon/Across The Blue (Reprise)”, a song that pays homage to a man who swam the English Channel eleven times. Some of the lyrics from the previous song carries over into this one, with the addition of a brass section (trumpets and a trombones) featured on this one. However, the song has a sound that is more reminiscent of Reggae, giving it a more tropical vibe. It’s just a happy, upbeat tune. And who knows, if you find yourself feeling a little blue, listening to this one just might make you feel a little better.
Possible the most original song on this entire album is “Gee! Sharp Diminished Over Bee”. It’s hauntingly beautiful, and the only instrument used is the piano. As pretty as the keys sound, I find a certain level of eeriness to them, too. The verses are sung in rounds, which I find extremely inventive, and adds a wonderful layer to the song. While the chorus’s are sung in sync, and are done in fantastic fashion.
“Deadlights” is an interesting song in the fact that I could hear it being performed as a Country song, and sounding very similar to what it does now. The opening line is, “Don’t cry for me, cause you’re gonna bring me down. Baby, please…”, and really, doesn’t that sound like an ideal opening line for a Country tune? I guess there are some subtle sounds where you can draw comparisons to the genre, but that’s as far is it gets. Also, the vocals for this song are often belted out with a deep fiery passion that is sure to reel you in.
The shortest track you will find on this record is about mix martial artist, “Erikson, Tom”. Lindby again achieves a sound that his fully unique to this song, by imitating an Oriental sound, and doing a great job of it at that. It’s very tranquil and the perfect harmonies, which are done more in a chanting manner, serve to make it only more relaxing.
Perhaps the most experimental song on this record is “The Shaman”. It utilizes a very electronic sound, on one hand sounding very futuristic, while on the other it sounds videogame-ish. It uses the same basic qualities as other Lindby songs (i.e. three-part singing/harmonizing), however, it strays so far from the style(s) of music I like, it’s the one song on the album I just don’t fully “get”. I’m not even saying it’s a bad song, because I don’t dislike listening to it, but it just doesn’t mesh with me like their other songs do. But if this is the only song I can say that about, out of fifteen, that’s not too bad.
With “Simple As That”, the bands style returns to some more Rock roots, similar to some songs you heard early on, on this concept album of sorts. There are some sweet guitar riffs that you can hear on this tune, which come across as walking that fine line between being both simplistic and fancy… And I mean that in a positive way. There are some solos that are very slick sounding, though it doesn’t come across, like, they wrote those parts to show off (Am I the only one who occasionally gets that feeling when hearing some guitar solos? As if the musician wrote it just to say, “Look what I can do!”). Instead, it just flows with the song, and gives it a lot of extra pizzazz.
As the album begins to draw to a close, there are a couple more “Erikson’s” to cover, such as “Erikson, J.S.”. Granted, it’s not based on a real person, nor is it a full body song, at least not in the sense that there are lyrics accompanying it, but it’s not some simple instrumental song, either. It’s a four-voice fugue they comprised, basing it upon the Erikson melody. It’s entertaining, and offers a good way to break up the other “true” songs that comprise this record. And that’s coming from the guy who usually dislikes instrumental songs with a passion, so you know it has to be worth listening to.
“Here We Are Now” offers a true end to the album, and is a fitting one at that. It’s a very up-tempo song, and despite what reading the lyrics would lead you to believe, it’s actually gives a pretty optimistic feeling. “My heart has no sense of tomorrow for you, but you’re calling and you’re singing the blues…” Ali sings, starting the first line. This is also another song that has a Classical vibe, and if you imagine it, you could easily hear this song being played inside some lounge circa the 1950’s. That aura is only personified by the piano part, which is the backbone of the song, and is also responsible for making this one of my most favorite tracks on the record
I said that previous song is the “true end” to the album, and I say that because the final song is what the band has admittingly said is them “…goofing around in the studio, having fun…”, and they aptly titled the minute and thirty-seven second long track, “Erikson, Jam”. That’s all it is, a jam of sorts, with the band just cutting loose and (quite obviously) having some laughs, which is what makes this a good fitting end to the record, because in the end, Lindby is a fun band.
“One-trick pony” is a phrase that can be applied to a lot of bands these days, when most bands seemed more concerned with trying to replicate what is “popular”, instead of expressing their own creativity. That is far from the case with Lindby, though.
Every song on “Erikson” has a sound that is truly all its own, and even with all the genres their music spans, it still manages to have a wonderful flow. It’s an album that’s all lighthearted and fun, but not to the point where it all comes across as if they aren’t being serious. Quite the contrary, these are five musicians who have some serious chops and know exactly what they’re doing.
I think we need more bands/songs/records like this. There’s nothing wrong with your typical Rock band (or any other genre for that matter) who makes music more along the traditional lines, with serious songs about broken hearts or whatever else. But it’s bands like Lindby, who weave these interesting tapestries of music, that break up the monotony of all those other bands out there. And sometimes, those are the best bands there are.
Lindby is:
Nick Spurrier - Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals
Nick Goodrich - Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals
Kyle Claset - Bass/Vocals
Ali Grant - Vocals/Synth/Organ
Tanner Brown - Drums
Purchase the album on:
iTunes / Bandcamp
Visit Lindby’s Websites:
Official Website / Facebook / Soundcloud / Twitter / Youtube
Current shows include: For the bands full show calendar, go HERE.
