chattanooga> most other midsized cities

so today kicked off the 5th Do You Hear We? Punk Fest in Chattanooga. I am in Puerto Rico though for two weeks which is rad in its own way but FUCK! I wanted to see Big Kitty and you know, every other amazing band (except for the Real Drag mysteriously). GEEEEEEZZZZ!

THURS JUNE 2nd
JJ's BOHEMIA

730- BIG KITTY
815- FAST BOYS
900-TRIGGER MORTIS
945- CARSICK
1030- ROWDY DOWNSTAIRS
1115- BOBBY JOE EBOLA AND THE CHILDREN MACNUGGITS
1200- FUTURE VIRGINS
1245- SCUM OF THE EARTH

FRI JUNE 3rd
JJs BOHEMIA

715- BASTARD KIND
800- VERY VERY SNEAKY
845- FLIES AROUND IT
930- SUNSHINE SS
1015- AYE NAKO
1100- GHETTOBIRD
1145- SHOTWELL
1230- HONKY HORN AND BAD MOUTH
115- ZIPPERS TO NOWHERE

SAT JUNE 4th
SLUGGO's NORTH

545- DEAD DOG
630- COPING METHODS
715- DARK RIDES
800- SNARLAS
845- HOMEOWNERS
930- WITCHES
1015- LANDLORD
1100- ONION FLAVORED RINGS
1145- POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
1230- YE OLDE BUTTFUCK
115- ADD/C

SUN JUNE 5th
TBA
100-400 POTLUCK PICNIC / MERCH SALE

SUN JUNE 5th
SLUGGOs NORTH

645- 40 oz FOLKLORE
730- KINFEY SPOONY
815- TWAT SAUCE
900- ALLIGATOR
945- STREET LEGAL
1030- RAG RAGE
1115- RVIVR
1200- HIDDEN SPOTS
1245- SHELLSHAG !!!!

Dark Rides/Hidden Spots/ Future Virgins @ Sluggos 5/ 20/11

I don't remember much of this show. Admittedly was in the parking lot for 75%. Drinking some delicious peach moonshine c/o Casey, whiskey c/o Adam Foster, and smoking cigarettes. I should have paid better attention. I mean, Dark Rides is a Chattanooga supergroup, made up of members of some of the best bands around here (Sexy, Future Virgins, Hidden Spots, Jack Palance Band) and Hidden Spots are a total institution in these parts. I am an idiot sometimes. And sometimes broing out takes precedence over the all-mighty rock out. Rarely, but it does happen.

I did, however, watch the Future Virgins who were releasing their new LP "Western Problems". Of course they were good. And the record is good (and was included with the $10 cover, $3 if you are a miser and didn't get the record). But I was kinda loaded and gleeful and talking to cute boys so how the fuck would I even know?

Chattanooga's music scene is kind of amazing. Thanks Chattanooga for giving me what Daytona and Orlando never could.

I fucking love you man.

Real Drag/ Fast Boys/ Trigger Mortis. April 28, 2011

(Note I did not take this pic and it was actually from the show at Sluggos. but whatever it's still Trigger Mortis)

So I am a totally bias fan of all these bands. I think the Fast Boys are a really fun band and better live than the Greenhornes (odd comparison? my reasoning previously stated here)/ The Real Drag is fronted by one of my best friends Casey Collis (they also have kind of a foxy drummer) and this was my first show seeing them as a three-piece. As for Trigger Mortis, I have made no secret about the fact that they are my favorite Chattanooga band, subject to change now that Big Kitty, another project featuring Trigger Mortis's Amanda Cagle, is playing shows again.

Totally bias.

I was kind of surprised and delighted to see this sweet lineup at Ziggy's, a venue I haven't went to for a few years now. It's not that I don't like Ziggy's, quite the opposite. They just never have any bands I really like anymore.

First up, the Real Drag. I certainly miss the old days of Bathtub Gin but I don't feel like Casey's new project lacks anything. In fact, I am pleasantly surprised that he is allowing GASP! a third member. (Yeah, I have heard tales of Bathtub Gin being a three-piece but I have actually seen this supposed third member as much as the mythical Chupacabra) This was the first show with new member Jimmy on bass and I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. Actually, I am a huge fan of the shows where Casey played drums, guitar, harmonica and sang. It seemed more distinctive and more awesome. Even when, ESPECIALLY WHEN, he went into a room of "I don't care who's playing in the room 10 ft from me" rude-ass hipsters at Discoteca (RIP) and talked absolute shit while still playing! I took a couple shows to adjust to Eric playing drums. It was good and all, just a totally different sound than when Casey did it. Now with a bass player, the sound somehow feels more filled out. And I dig it. it's just different. DIFFERENT IS OK.

I have to admit that for part of the Fast Boys set I was drinking moonshine in the parking lot so I didn't see all of it. That shit sneaks up on you. The Fast Boys don't do anything especially different or difficult, but there is something just something about em. I guess it's just the plain, simple, not annoying punk rockness of it all. They are just fun. Plus, Justin is amusing. He is kind of awesomely unpredictable: either super nice or drunkenly belligerent.

Oh Trigger Mortis! Always good. Amanda Cagle is a magic combination of Talented/Cute/Funny. Rare. Bob is a great drummer who adds radness to a plethora of Chattanooga bands, not to mention the unassuming zombie that is Old Dead Steve. This show was not unlike the rest of their shows I have seen. They were fun and fucking fantastic. I did think the sound could be better. At first, I could hear no vocals. Also, I want more jokes. I really luv the jokes. But I can still say that they are my favorite band in town. MORE MORE MORE.

Ziggy's has kind of a shitty beer selection but I kinda like that they obviously don't give a shit. ZIGGYS FTW

*UPDATE: The Real Drag bass player has left the band, so if you are interested in playing bass in a really great band (for 6 weeks tops, my guess) inquire about that shit.

Heavy Cream/ Shannon and the Clams/ Hunx and his Punx/ and JEFF the Brotherhood.

My biggest regret about SxSW was the insane amount of times I managed to miss Hunx and his Punx play for what would have been my first time. This is why I was so happy to get the chance to see Hunx play with Shannon and the Clams (Shannon is in The Punx) and Nashville's favorite sons, JEFF the Brotherhood as well as locals Heavy Cream at The End in Nashville on Record Store Day. I kind of would have liked to go to Mess Around in ATL which featured Hunx, Shannon and the Oblivians (just to name my faves) but you cant be everywhere at once. Afterall, I had to be in Chattanooga Friday night to be UTTERLY UNDERWHELMED by the Greenhornes. Sigh.

If I had went to Atlanta though, I would have missed the radness that is Heavy Cream. There were some definite technical issues but nothing I would say ruined the show. I willadmit I was a skeptic after my companion remarked that they were "all cute". Not knowing what that means, I assumed they weren't that good. Wrong. They were awesome. And yeah the girls were cute.

Shannon and the Clams were fun and sounded perfect. Yeah it's kinda kitschy but who cares!? The music is shangri-las mixed with a John Waters movie in the best possible way.

Hunx and his Punx? I am not sure how to say it except that hairdresser/singer Seth Bogart (Formally of Gravy Train!) is probably the best frontman around and I wish he wasn't SO GAY because I am in love with him. When I went to buy merch from him I was a level of retarded normally reserved exclusively for Jenny Lewis and Lou Barlow.

THEN CAME JEFF the B-Hood. When I initially asked who was headlining the show (I assumed either Hunx or Shannon) I was told point blank by a Nashvillian "Definitely Jeff, ever since last year, I mean duh were in Nashville" Huh? Did I miss something. When they finally started playing and the jam packed club of under 21ers went absolutely fucking nuts, I felt similar to the confusion of seeing Odd Future at SxSW. Everybody went ape shit. But for good reason. Holy shit they are good. Dont know how to explain their sound. Rock. Good. Listen.

ALL KILLER, NO FILLER! Jerry Lee Lewis, STILL ALIVE!

(Photo by the ultra rad Steve Cross for Nashville Scene)

So this show was supposed to celebrate Record Store Day, be in the very small and intimate Third Man venue in Nashville and only have I think 300 people. I was fortunate enough that someone I know got tickets and magically wanted me by their side. YAY!

Then, as they tend to, things changed. The venue was changed to the parking lot in front of Third Man (WTF?) and they released another couple hundred batch of tickets. So less intimate, outside and lots more people. BOO! Then due to the fact that it was FREEZING on Record Store Day, they moved the show to the next day. Good, because for a second, I was convinced that Jack White was trying to kill the KILLER.

So the show went down on Sunday at 1pm, perfect weather in Nashville. Those Third Man employees all decked out in their terribly fitted yellow and black suits and dresses. Jack Lawrence (of course, he's everywhere) was there, as he was playing bass for Mr. Lewis. Jack White was there too, taller than I expected and making faces at small children. Old softy.

Now for the music. I wasn't exactly expecting the Killer of old, jumping around playing the piano full of fire. More like a feeble elderly man, half-assly belting out a few singles. Where as he did mostly stick to his most famous songs, and there was no piano pumping, there was also nothing lackluster about it. No opener, tight band, it was kinda short but oh so sweet. He even adorable made a request for some Sprite "The only thing I drink these days" in that lovely Louisiana drawl that somehow made me smile from ear to ear. Some highlights for me were "Sweet Little Sixteen" and a great, though tamer version of "Whole Lotta Shakin" (Yeah there wasn't that much shaking actually going on, but this was an annoyingly hipster crowd of course). I had no doubt that he would play "Great Balls of Fire", though I did have doubts he could pull it off in the way a classic like that deserves. But I was so wrong! When Third Man releases the vinyl of this live performance in the next few weeks, listen to that track and tell me that it doesn't sound like it could have been recorded at the height of his career.

Stoked.

Local Punk Bands > The Greenhornes.

Let me start off by saying that I saw Jack Lawrence Friday, Saturday and Sunday somehow. He was ever present and always super awkward. SO SO SO awkward.
I didn't go to mess around in Atlanta because I wanted to see the Greenhornes play in Chattanooga with my friend, who was a huge fan and had never seen them. I had seen them once last year at Max's in Hoboken, NJ and it was sorta boring but I chalked that up to being exhausted and overstimulated from the Lou Barlow show that I had seen earlier that day. Made my friend buy tickets in advance. Thought it would be awesome...

Meanwhile, I met up with my friend at Sluggos for the tribute show to Joey Ramone on the anniversary of his death. Sluggos is one of my favorite places in Chattanooga. Yeah they only have beer and their food is a bit on the overly healthy side, but thats actually a nice change sometimes. Great beer specials, great taste in music. And free Ramones buttons! I was just starting to enjoy the bands at around 10:30pm when I find out the Greenhornes are about to start so we haul ass over to JJ's Bohemia.

JJ's was naturally packed. Tried to buy a Greenhornes lighter (not a zippo but a plain lighter with the Greenhornes logo printed) but gasped at the $5 price tag. SAY WHAT? No thanks. I did however procure some AMAZING Ray's Homemade jerky on the back porch. Man, the show was so BORING. Even my friend, who has praised the Greenhornes incessantly for years was bored.Finally, we said "Fuck this, I'm bailing" before they even completely finished. I hardly even saw anyone I knew there accept a couple of old drunks Im not even fond of. BOO!

So we arrived back at Sluggos, thank God, in time to see the Fast Boys. The Fast Boys are local and not especially extraordinary, but somehow they were perfect! Basic Punk Rawk: simple, conscise, sloppy, and fast. It was exactly what I wanted to hear. I am a fan. The night ended ok afterall. I looked around at everyone in their sweet leather jackets and DIY patches and thought of NYC in the 70's. I thought of the difference between those punk bands back then and all the overblown other shit that was happening. Shitty Disco. And all the hyped shit that may have been epic on record but was padded with overpriced t-shirts and egos live. All the shows I had paid for and been disappointed. Weezer back in 2001. The Cure in 2004. The White Stripes at Sloss Furnace in 2007. The Strokes at SXSW this year. These less than stellar shows effectively ended my great love of these bands, not that I ever loved the Greenhornes like that, but my friend sure did. Yes those bands are still great and hold some place in my heart, but the countless t-shirts I have just remind me of how much I once loved them and saddens me to know how much I just don't anymore. Like childhood posters of Gavin Rossdale, I can't identify with the person who felt so strongly. How can a love so pure and true and big just end so quickly with one bad music experience? The higher the pedestal, the harder the fall I guess.

I Luv Record Store Day

So last weekend was my beloved Record Store Day. Normally a day of general joy for vinylphiles like myself, in Nashville it is nothing short of a frenzy, with Grimey's Records leading the charge of shows and screenings and lines around the block.
Third Man was naturally also insane due to inclimate weather forcing the rescheduling of Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as the fact that they are pretty much a porn store for completist record collectors. But I was cold and tired and not really into dealing with all that mess. I, being the resourceful and lucky charmer that I am, got a young man to pick up my desirables, the (limited to 1000 copies) mono version of The International Submarine Band and a Velvet Underground 7". Subpop released a sweet compilation I got, as did many other smaller companies. There were free shows from some of my favorites including Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and Hunx and his Punx. Hell I can only imagine who was at Amoeba in LA. I have to say, this has become one of my favorite holidays. The idea of a day specifically to celebrate the dying greatness that is your local record store is amazing and long overdue. Yes, you can download pretty much everything, including the rarities specifically released on Record Store Day. But what can compare to the actual feel of a new record in your hand? To colored or marbled and numbered vinyl? A gorgeous picture disc? A shitty quality MP3? Hell no. And the sound of a record, even a scratched record with it's crackling and popping, is just...more special I guess? Regardless, it's the sound for me.