Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Richmond VA at CHURCH OF CRYSTAL LIGHT Sept.15


Wake up in Asheville, NC. After collecting ourselves in the morning we get up and hit a nice greasy spoon diner just a block from Ted’s place. Eggs and pancakes and all that good stuff. It’s a long drive this day to Richmond for the last show of our 3-band touring. This time I ride with Brian and Emo in Wendy’s car and she rides in the van. Again, really scenic coming down out of the mountains of North Carolina.

The Richmond show is at this new space which Narwhalz and the Adult Moan boys are renting. It’s a really nice space, plenty of room for shows, first floor storefront in a really great location, and they have the second floor for living space. There’s some cool art up on the walls and the front window has the name of the space: The Church of Crystal Light. Of course, there are some drawbacks, like the lack of any working shower and the condition of the existing bathroom. But still, for a living/show space, it’s a great spot.

We roll in a little before 8 and the Pom Kiki crew is all there. The Head Molt kids even came up for the show! Load stuff in and chat, then we all head out to try and find food, which kind of turns into a big confusing debacle involving much hungry frustration. In the end I do manage to get some pizza, and finally everyone is back at the space and it’s starting to fill up. Of course, this big food quest took us all about an hour and a half or so, so it’s getting kind of late, especially for a Monday show. The first band takes a little while getting set up too, so things get off to a pretty late start.

First band is pretty fun, 2 guys who do a dissonant noisy song, then almost a straight up pop-punk song, then a more noisy song and they’re done. RADIO SHOCK’s on next and I set up as fast as possible. The place is really full and it’s a pretty awesome scene. There seem to be lots of college kid types who have never seen anything like these bands before. As I set up, Davey tells me that there are cops hanging around outside, so maybe I want to wait to start being loud. So I give it a couple minutes, then start.


More photos from the show here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/acemcmanagan/sets/72157607968713302/show/

My show goes really well but in the middle of the last song Brian Narwhalz says into my ear “You have to stop right now. The cops are here.” So I make everyone start clapping along and then cut out the music, leaving them clapping to end the song. Then Brian Narwhalz and Jonathan from Adult Moan get on the mike and tell everyone to go home right now, sorry, but the show has to stop. The cops were cool, no tickets, but I guess it was too loud outside the place, or it was too late, or the neighbors complained, or some combination of the above.

After selling a couple of CDs and getting some email addresses I step away to phone home and return to the place to find a small group of people hanging around and I’m told that Adult Moan are going to do a performance for us! The best! Adult Moan are one of my favorite bands, and I can’t really do justice to their performance with a description, but I can tell you that it’s a little more like performance art than most musical bands and it’s sort of “infantile.” In fact, this show involved both band members stuffing themselves into a pink furry sac while shouting “Mommy!” “Go back in!” Ended with them both drenched in beer from head to toe and having smashed many of the keys off of one Casio SK-1 keyboard. All for the 10 friends watching. Truly an honor. We were also treated to a performance of Brian Narwhalz’s comedy act, “Just Kidding.” I’ve said it before: Stand-up comedy is the new noise.

Then we pull the mattresses, which have been serving as sound insulation, out of the front windows to sleep on and everyone claims a spot. Some people also order another pizza, which takes an hour to arrive. We hear stories of ghost sightings within the space, the second place we’ve stayed which we’ve been told is haunted. No ghosts appear however.

The next morning I take off to a nearby coffee shop to get online (and some coffee) and I also make a quick stop in the comic book shop on the same block. I get a call telling me that everyone is getting ready to go, and return shortly to the van being mostly packed up. Say goodbyes to the Pom Kiki Crew and score a new Narwhalz T-shirt, and it’s time to head home. Philadelphia for everyone else, and on to Brooklyn for me. Traffic is only a little bit crazy and after returning everyone to their residences, Brian gives me a lift to 30th St. Station and I catch the SEPTA train out of Philly around 9:45 or so. I’m back at my apartment by 1AM.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Asheville, NC - Sunday, Sept.14

So I’ll try to finish up this batch of tour stories. Sunday, September 14, it’s time to break down the tents and re-load the van. Do some last minute CD trades and say goodbyes to the Birmingham crew and Justin and others. Before leaving town we make one more visit to the Farmer’s Market for some food and a few more supplies.

We now have one more person and one dog (and another car, thankfully) in our crew because Wendy met us in Atlanta. Oh, I forgot to mention her performance at Freedumb as SUICIDE MAGNETS, which was really cool. It involved a couple of TV monitors showing her videos while she unraveled this long red fabric cloak, which everyone in the small room spread out over our heads. It felt like being in a tent with Wendy as the central pillar standing over a video podium. Like a surreal noise tent revival.

I go in the car with Wendy and her dog, Emo. It’s a bit of a drive, but not too bad, getting to Asheville, NC. Very scenic, up through the mountains. So the last time I played in Asheville it was weird but totally awesome. It was in a friendly coffee house and somehow it filled up with college kids (mostly, I think) who didn’t really break out and dance but were one of the most vocal and enthusiastic crowds I’ve ever played for. I also played with EAR PWR, who are a dance-power duo. So this time we also played with EAR PWR but everything else was totally different.

The show is at a place called the New French Bar, and when it was booked we were told up front that it’s a weird place but it’s the only place to play. And it is kind of weird and maybe kind of inappropriate for our bands. It feels like a “classy” bar, with a room full of art in the back and windows all the way around in front. Strangely, we’re playing in the front room. The place is definitely filled (well, one quarter filled maybe) with locals. Like, biker-rock-looking dudes and women in tube tops and make-up.

I think some others in the crew are a little weirded out and/or bummed out by the scene, but I’m into it. This is the kind of show I’m more used to playing, for a bunch of unsuspecting and possibly antagonistic people in an inappropriate setting. I like a challenge. So we decide that I will play last of our touring group since RADIO SHOCK can kind of bridge the gap between the noisier stuff and EAR PWR’s poppy stuff. HYLAND HOLOGRAM plays first, and it seems like there is no one there who wants to hear it. And it’s LOUD and sounds HARSH. It actually sounds great, but I’m ready for the regulars to revolt or evacuate to the back room. Instead they show astounding determination to stay right at the bar and completely ignore the deafening sound.

One serious Harley Davidson looking dude with long dreadlocks takes to heckling, shouting “turn it up!” and “rock and roll!” between songs. While DRUMS LIKE MACHINE GUNS are setting up he’s shouting “This better rock!” And DLMG is even louder. All the locals stay put. There appear to be a few people there for the show now, but they’re mostly lurking. As DLMG are packing up, Dreadlocks is going “Hey long-hair, hey long-hair!” Without paying attention to who is talking Brian announces “Call me long-hair one more time… I’ll make you bleed your own blood!” and before he can finish this statement of course: “Hey long-hair!” from Dreadlocks. Everyone looks a little nervous about this situation, but Brian goes over to the guy and pals around with him a bit, smooths it over. Dreadlocks is just a loud drunk, no real threat, probably…

I’m ready to do the RADIO SHOCK show and the guy is at it again: “This had better rock!” So I’m accustomed to hecklers, first thing I say is “Okay, here’s what were going to do! After every song I want Captain Dreadlocks to tell me if it rocked, on a scale of one to ten!” No response from Dreadlocks so I play the first song and as soon as I’m done I point right at him. Nothing. He’s just looking at his beer. Everyone who’s watching me looks a little nervous. Someone says “seven point five” (or something like that) so I play the next song. After that one I point to the guy again. Again, just silence. He looks like he’s not even paying attention so I say “Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have accomplished something which I’ll bet no other band ever has. I have left Captain Dreadlocks speechless.” Nothing. Nervous looks. “In fact, you all owe me a fee for this service.” He’s still just staring at his beer and at this point I take a moment to wonder if I’ve misjudged the situation and now he’s actually really mad. Play the next song, finish the set. It sounded pretty good I thought. A couple of people started dancing a bit.

When I’m done, Dreadlocks is gone, so I figure he probably just finally got drunk enough to make him happy and went home. EAR PWR go on next and suddenly the place transforms. Several people who I mistook for bar regulars jump up and start dancing and cheering. In fact, these 2 guys who I seriously thought were Lynyrd-Skynyrd-listening locals suddenly become the most enthusiastic, openly gay, bumping and grinding EAR PWR fans. There’s some guy who appears to be a real, professional breakdancer busting out real moves. Very weird. EAR PWR never fails to turn a place into a dance party.

After the show we actually get paid rather well, which is a cool surprise, and Asheville noise-guy Ted says he can put us up at his house, all of us and Emo the dog even. Once at the house, Ted tells us about a 24-hour coffee house nearby which is inhabited by nerds and gamers at all hours. The Hyland Holograms and I have to check it out so we walk off into the misty Asheville night and do in fact find the place. They’ve got a collection of old video game systems and role-playing type board games too. Davey and Lance are checking out some kind of Star Wars board game I think? I get a cappuccino. We all agree that we should have tried to play there.

Back at the house everyone else is watching old videos of AC/DC on Youtube, which are kind of amazing. Ted’s got some Yamaha keyboards which are different model versions of the one I use, so I have to check those out. Then it’s sleeping time. It’s pretty late. Just floor space, but I sleep pretty well regardless.

* added correction: I meant the 14th.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

the rest of FREEDUMB FEST

Going back in time now to recap some Freedumb Fest memories. I’m sure I won’t be able to put it all in the correct order, but at least I can recount some of the moments. Friday morning I get up pretty early I think, 10:30 maybe, and Justin is already up and getting ready to cook some breakfast. It’s surprising enough that I ask him if he’s slept at all, but he has. Eggs and toast for all the campers and crashers. Lots of good, friendly company.

After organizing some stuff, emailing and exercising, a batch of us organize an outing to the Farmer’s Market, a popular attraction out in Stone Mountain. It’s not so much like a farmer’s market like I’ve seen anywhere else, as much as it’s like a big, cheap, fresh food grocery store. They also have a pay-by-the-pound buffet which is a great deal and has some great food. Everyone has some and then stocks up on some groceries. Except Brian, he went to the skatepark earlier and kindly took my disposable camera of photos to drop off at the drugstore.

On top of all this food, dinner was made too, both Friday and Saturday night, though the 2 nights are blending together now in my mind. I do know that one of the highlights of Friday night was Mincemeat or Tenspeed vs. This Is My Condition, the wordiest team-up of the year. It sounded amazing at every second, even when Davey and Craig seemed totally perplexed by each others’ actions. Kohvicoobah (probably misspelled) was a nice surprise, psychedelia which turned into sludgy grindcore which turned into a trombone duel and a few more changes. They might have been Saturday night though.

Oh yeah, there was also this really annoying dude there who was pissing off every person in his vicinity. Basically acting like he gets to be a part of every performance that’s going on, including picking up someone’s guitar without asking and singing an entire song while that band is about to play. Sitting just about on top of Mugu Guymen while they were playing and doing some kind of thing where he pretends to nurse a stuffed animal? Dude, you are not in the band! So later Brian had to actually kick this moron out of my tent! He was just sitting in there playing the bongos and acted surprised and insulted when Brian explained that if he didn’t know me and I didn’t say it was okay then he can’t be there.

He didn’t mess with anything or get violent, but he’s got some kind of severe problem understanding boundaries. The next day Justin explained that this guy has been there previous years and was once chased down the road screaming by someone for laying down with that person’s sleeping girlfriend. I know Freedumb looks like a big hippie/anarchy fest, but every other freak, weirdo, and punk there seems to have no trouble being cool. Annoying guy wasn’t enough to spoil the fun, but seriously, what’s wrong with that guy?

Friday night I also went to sleep while others seemed determined to keep the party raging but woke up to many people already awake and active, washing dishes and cooking. There are even pancakes this time. Saturday morning I took advantage of the time to do some exercising and meditating by the little lake. After that, Lisa led a small group of us in something called Chi Gong (kind of like Tai Chi) and then some official Tai Chi. A good antidote to all the cramped van time on the way down.

After some more activities which I can’t recall now, a much bigger fire is being built, more dinner is being cooked, and Chinese Frankenstein is setting up outside. Because Chinese Frankenstein set up some bright lights as part of her little stage set and it’s getting dark, a huge spider decides to build a gigantic web in front of her performance area. That keeps several of us entranced for a good while. In fact, the spider completes its entire web before Chinese Frankenstein is ready to perform.

After some delays, things kick off and go fast. Adrien Barbobott gets the crowd worked up with some good chunky noise. Chinese Frankenstein eventually performs a quiet, kinda-sorta-cryptic kabuki performance about circumcising a plastic and paper baby-thing. Them Natives (was that Friday) really get to feeling it and take things into deep space. Graham and Rat Bastard’s performance as “Everything Is Erotic” is great and turns into a sloppy mosh pit.

Day 3 of Freedumb and I think everyone is starting to feel a little weary, even with the restful daytime activities. When the Radio Shock show starts I’m a little concerned that no one has any energy left, but somehow things escalate to an “off the hook” point. Toilet paper gets thrown around, followed by a large amount of salt, followed by a tin of coffee (espresso grind!). Suddenly everything feels disgusting but smells very delicious! Somehow I manage to take every knob off of my guitar amp during the last song, but afterwards I find them all on the floor.

Hyland Hologram plays right after me so I only catch their last song but people are into it. Even the punk girls who showed up have found something they can rock out to. This is My Condition and Dan Kozak play again, rocking out hard but for some exhausted people. They even do the Star-Spangled Banner while wrapped in an American flag. Drums Like Machine Guns close things out in a suitably chaotic manner, ending with chants of Free!Dumb!Free!Dumb!

Things are winding down, people are watching the last of the fire or star-gazing. I retire to my tent, fall asleep to the sounds of drunken shouting.