I thought it was cruel when Pitchfork divided two of the artists I gave a crap about into different days, so when I initially caught wind of this Bottom Lounge show on Cheap Time's MySpace I was pretty excited. There was also some fear that it would somehow suck since I was so stoked, but it in no way sucked. Tim and I got there early and found regular customer Shaun at the bar and hung out with him 'til doors. I lingered around until it looked necessary to grab a spot at the front of the stage and I somehow managed to maintain it the whole evening. The Duchess and the Duke were pleasant enough and didn't incite the crowd to riot. A/V Murder were tough as shit. I will absolutely make sure I see them again. Cheap Time started out with the slow building then exploding all over your face "Trip to the Zoo" and kept right on going. The crowd was an odd mix of dudes who had been at P4k all day drinking and other folks who knew that was the best thing going on all weekend, and the collision in the "mosh pit" of the two was pretty silly. While I may be a little rusty in the "mosh" department I will say it would have taken like 10 of those kids at once to even budge me. I did get a few hard earned bruises. Oh yeah back to Cheap Time... so good! I could barely contain my pogo during "People Talk". Buy their album! Then there was Jay Reatard! Seeing him live is a whole 'nother story from listening to his records, because they play the songs so damn fast and hard that you barely realize what song it was before they start the next. I know he yells them out to the band but you kinda can't understand that either. Asian Paul flanked Melissa and I up front, which was nice to have someone sing and swoon along with. (Melissa may try and deny this, but I think she was swoony a bit.) While it seems crazy to think anyone could follow up The Jay Reatard Experience, sho nuff King Khan and his Shrines did so! It was their first US tour, and I don't know if this country is yet ready for them. The show was everything I hoped for, though it seems a bit silly that "moshing" continued during their horn-drenched stomping go-go soul, but so it went. There was also the girl kneeling on stage in between the monitors that was a "huh?" Oh well, I was scouring the room for my ass afterwards because I danced it right off. BEST SHOW EVER, and too drained for the Fest on Sunday. Crappy photos here.
Sorry dear readers, I did not disappear after my vacation as my lack of posting would indicate. My energy has been sapped by these dog days of summer, which means one thing: It is hot enough to listen to rock music in a park! As per tradition, I will avoid Lollapalooza and will probably only be in Union Park on Sunday. There are some super terrific OTHER shows this weekend if hanging out with hot sweaty people and eating meat on a stick is not your thing. Friday Night's Victim of Time Snooze Fest lineup at Beat Kitchen should be rad and weird. After work Saturday I am heading over to Bottom Lounge, of course, for what should be the SHOW! OF! THE! CENTURY!!!! with King Khan and the Shrines, Jay Reatard, Cheap Time, & A/V Murder (I so hope this doesn't suck. It can't suck, right?). If Sunday's weather doesn't suck I'll hang in the park a bit, but what about the metal at the Bottle that night? Boris, Torche, & Nachmystium! F Yeah! Drink lots of water and don't go too nuts on the Sparks!
So imagine my surprise when I get back from jukeboxing it up at the Gingerman and there's Rhett Miller at my table. How did I know it was Rhett? Well, the guy says, as I sit myself down "Hey Samorama, I'm Rhett." Paul really made this one the most FUN yet as we got out of the cab and Ken immediately starts yakkin' away, but somehow thinks he's talking to a guy named, uh, Daniel. Paul is of course too nice to correct him. Somehow Rhett got me right though. Oh, the show? Tons of fun, the new songs sounded good (I am holding out for the vinyl, for reals!) and the classics (Barrier Reef! Er... Rollerskate Skinny, um, help me out here)... anyhoot, so far the most FUN I have had this week (Jamie still holds best in show). Wow, three more nights left!
Tuesday: The show at Martyrs was a sit-down-spectacular good time. The first openers were good, Jeff Parker trio was fantastic, and Nels Cline Singers made a lot of really great noise. Sadly, I didn't try to get a picture. It would have been all blurry. They even played something off my favorite Nels album which isn't a Singers albums: the Inkling. 
Saturday: Started out at "Do Division" with Meg and Bob, mostly heard and sort of saw Mucca Pazza. Meg is fortunate enough to live in the middle of the fest, so we saved a lot of dough on beer. Bob and I made our way over to Metro, with a brief pitstop at the Gingerman, and got in right as the Breeders were starting, and we mainly heard them. They played the hits, the new weird stuff, it all sounded good. One more brief pitstop at Gingerman and then I made my way to Quenchers to catch the tail end of the Boogie Band, aka Baby Alright. Adam, LeRoy, myself and Wassup! magazine and who knows who else all crammed in the photobooth for posterity. 
Wow. Just wow. The DVD of Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! Season One was released this week. I don't know why their random, creepy, inappropriate "comedy" resonates so highly with me, but it does. Many are repulsed by this show, I eat it up with a spoon. The DVD is great, and the commentary (particularly David Liebe Hart's discussion of his alien abduction) is a must for any fan.
Okay wait. It did get better. Somehow I got called on stage for a dance contest! They invited up people in Rats Off To Ya shirts, but I was wearing the Hats Off To Ya shirt ("That's a rarity!")and got to dance to James Quall's Beach Blast. By popular vote, I won SECOND PLACE~!!! I got a copy of their CD (which I had bought upon getting in there, but hey, great gift!) and recognition from many nice people afterwards. Oh, and DJ Dougg Pound's way too brief opening set was super great as well! (Didn't I used to see that guy at Heaven Gallery or somewhere?)
(Not an actual scene from the show, but where quality time was spent before and after the show, over at the L & L. Classy restrooms!) This is the only mid-sized theatre show I have EVER been to where the ladies line was no waiting, yet the men's went on and on. Why don't ladies like Malkmus? He is certainly handsome, but his music is very dudical, despite the presence of Janet Weiss and Joanna Bolme. The show was very heavy rock, and they covered pretty much the whole new album. While it sounded great, I feel like the show may have benefitted from a Pink Floyd Layzer show or something.
It was so packed at the Liam Finn show that is as close as I could get. Dang, though, what a dynamic performer that kid is! (I can call him a kid, I am severely older than him). He is going to be a powerhouse, if he's not ruling the world in like ten years with his charisma and talent and presence and ability to drink then I no longer want to be a part of that world. It's like all pretty pop song, la la then total guitar flaily freakout! Drum freak out! Underneath all the freak out there is still a really great song though. I think perhaps he should have been the headliner, call me crazy.
