the last show

well, that's it--end of an era for sure--certainly the end of any feeling of responsibility for me to chronicle the musical adventures of oldham court--gone the days of seeing every show--of course nothing is really ending (don't believe in endings) but just shifting downtown--made the switch from the shack to the shop on my myspace top friends--but this shall be my last shack blog, i suppose this spot will just gather dust and take up space somewhere out there in the blogosphere--ah but what a capper--very funny 1 man folk piece, so representative of all the 1 piece folk story tellers of the road--oh i should say jack's magic october in full effect, almost painful how breath takingly beautiful, fall crisp and get lost in blue skies, the whole show in the backyard--there our folk boy, andrew gardner (where did he come from?wasn't on the bill) played amongst musicians, sunbeams, children and fresh fall breezes--very nice--then the power ska rock and roll vibes of our very own Iron Mikes and this party is really started--Spooky Q.'s, plagued by some technical difficulties, played through like champs, by now the parking lot is completely full, we've got a real crowd here, ardia (hope that is close to how she spells her name) passing out fliers for new shows at the shop--life goes on with maybe a hint of hope for the future--by now it is dark (no fire we are still in a burn ban) darn and laurn scrambling at the last minute to get light out on the stage, i'm on perimeter security, and of course with a fully amped show like this one you can every note from the front--joy bombs are so straight from the heart, so unpretentious and real, you can't help but smile--and of course wrapping up the shack experience, house faves the Seedy Seeds, the crowd pulls close, a man and a woman, a banjo, an acoustic guitar and a beat machine, like an appalachian postal service, so much fun, people are dancing, even the ultra hip vegan straight edge crowd, honky tonk disco dancing with the rest of us fools--world class music in the backyard baby--you really can't beat it--Seeds close their set with a brand new mini song (actually 2nd to last song) Shreiking Shack this is your last show sing along--at the end Lauren takes the mike and thanks not only the Seeds (we were all really moved by their set) but all the players in the success of the shack--the fans, the bands, hell she even thanked myself and jon weaver--said something about how we were all connected now by something much deeper than all of us--and then it was over--the shack is dead, long live the shack-

beloved binge and the highway drifters

this was an awesome show--i'm going to try to squeeze in a little blog about it, just to be caught up--going for a record 3 blogs in 1 sitting--only 2 bands tonight, really we were still recovering from the thunderstorm experience (and those comfort creatures really know how to party) in fact this show almost didn't happen everyone is feeling so lazy and relaxed in the backyard, but i'm glad it did because these were 2 bands right up my musical tastes--the Drifters were such a tight 3 piece, all instrumental, really fun--to me they sounded kind of like the allman brothers, big heroic power chords over fast almost bluesy beats--but without all the over kill guitar solo stuff you'd expect from the "jam band" scene--these kids had tight well crafted songs, almost a pop sensibility, like i said really fun and great to juggle to--and the Binge, how much talent can you squeeze into a 2 piece--he plays guitar, she sings, plays keyboards, and plays the drum kit--catchy songs that stick in your head for days--now they are a pop band--but with that cool indie garage ethic--i don't like people but i'm trying--and my favorite the anthemic set closer--i want to be at peace and war with everything--just goes to show--go on with the show-you never know

September 11th

this is the one we've been waiting for--the kids biking all the way from LA to arrive in Lexvegas on this our day of national mourning--obviously with so many bands canceling--the road is a fickle mistress--we were a little worried these guys would make it, so when they pulled up on their very loaded down mountain bikes and trailer at about 2 in the afternoon, we breathed a sigh of relief--in fact Funderstorm pulled in just ahead of the thunderstorm--so it seems all cosmic and shit--but first the Comfort Creatures--wait i do want to mention, hanging out on the perch with Funderstorm, not only talking bikes and the road (plus being a cyclist in LA, critical mass, alley cats, bike snobs etc) we got in our mandatory Sept. 11th conspiracy theory theorizing, an integral part of the, uh, holiday is the wrong word--but you don't forget and we won't forget either--but Comfort Creatures--these guys were on fire, when they played at the music festival this summer they were a really good folksy, old timey melodies band--but that didn't prepare me for the rock and roll vibe they brought to the shack tonight--still pretty, but now with soaring guitar solos, trance inducing tidal surges of rock--time enough to shoe gaze, i have to step outside it is so intense--and that portishead cover, wow, it's all over too soon--though the set does have this timeless, like it could last forever feel--admittedly the Straight A's have a hard place in the line up, between the Creature's who everybody loves and Funderstorm that everybody is intrigued by--but they perform admirably--straight and hard punk, a little hesitant at first but quickly finding their feet as they play through the set, eventually opening up and finding a tight groove to settle into--then it's time for the storm--not so much a band really as a performance art interactive group experience--mark-coast on the beat machine thing, cranking the crunky beats while B-rad is on the mike--and of course they play up the bicycle thing--the beat machine starts and B-rad shouts "are you ready for the first song, we have biked over 3,500 miles to play you this song are you ready"--then he grabs all these inflatable toys, starts throwing them around the room , throwing his tarp over people's heads--eventually he's writhing around on the floor (i guess he was trying to do the worm, kinda hard to tell)--they call their genre bike hike funk punk chant rant electronic hardcore dance music--and they lead us in these, let's call them bicycle chanties--BAMBI your mom was shot by a hunter, BAMBI your best friend is thumper, you got white spots on your butt, your tail is always up, so what--you get the idea, kind of stupid, but these guys, through their sheer enthusiasm and heart pull it off--at one point they have everyone put their hands together in a huddle like your soccer team may have done to yell go team or whatever, but we make a heartbeat--up and down up and down--and we chant slowly--at heart beat tempo--everyone has got to stop doing cocaine--and who could forget their self proclaimed break out single--monster truck--they did bike all the way from LA--i can almost hear them now in my mind's ear riding through all those huge hurricane winds and rain yesterday somewhere in ohio--Bambi, your mom was shot by a hunter--one less touring van--may the foos be with you brothers

aura and tree

sounds like a cool line up, doesn't it? and it was--have to admit, a little like the first time joe came over and i missed his set narrowly avoiding setting the backyard on fire, i almost missed this, the debut of his new hard core band--no excuses, i was just really tired--went into my room (where you can easily hear the entire show--in a house so small there is no avoiding the muse) just to lay down for a second, and,well, as Tree starts their set and the overpowering wall of hard core sound surrounds my thoughts and i lay back contentedly--i guess i fell asleep, what woke me up was the absence of sound--but before, as i'm settling into sleep, i admire not only the very punk wall of sound thing, but how Joe's voice still comes through all that guitar amp, orienting the songs around meaning so many hardcore bands lack--punk anthems--this is going to be big--next time i will be ready (and not red eyed)for the Tree--and Aura, i know i'm overusing the concept of psychedelic metal (seems like we have had a wave of psychmetal) so let me elaborate--classic metal 2 piece, a drummer and a shredding lead guitar--but with another element, the sampler, who lay in all the extra low rumblings, weird pitched bells and buzzes, snippets of conversation etc. to give Aura a kind of psychic tvish experimental, well aura--but definitely balls to the wall metal as fast as that drummer can go--i call it psychedelic metal--but whatever, it was fun.

Burbis, Star Clusters, and lotsa lotsa beer

This show actually started on time, an unheard of for our shows, and i actually missed the first band (the truly talented, i saw them at the music festival and i was really stoked to see them again) The Comfort Creatures--alas, but i'm suer we will cross paths again--the Comforts fans though, really turned out and brought the biggest party vibe to the shack then we have seen in quite a while--i don't know how much beer was bought, brought, and popped--but it was a lot--meanwhile back to the music--furthering my philosophy that you can tell at least what a bands intentions are by their name, Star Clusters completely matches their band name--short bursts of punk experimental noise--honestly i thought almost unlistenable--i mean as far as putting in their cd and chilling while you make dinner--the live show was very interesting--prompting almost involuntary little rock spasms--but darin snatches up the disk--this is going on killing the week buddy--beauty is subjective, that's what i always say--but more in line with my rock intrests, Burbis--powerhouse jam metal--complete with a diy light show, flooding the little house in white light and metal rifts, long hair waving in head banging bliss--drum kit set in front of the band--powerhouse rock anthems but with space enough for a little shoe gazing--no words, just solid composed metal masterpieces-once again i feel truly thankful to be in the right spot at the right time (for once) to catch these kids as they roll through town.

National Rifle and Gas Station Chicken

honestly I don't know how many more of these no show shows I can take--Darin says not to worry about each individual show--just make sure the bands are fed and who is meant to show up will--but when the band is going house to house through the neighborhood asking total strangers to come to the show and I know we know tons of people who would love this music--well, it doesn't sit well with me--but I digress--Gas Station Chicken, 2 piece folk/metal by the fireside sounded fantastic, sounds that match the striking beauty of the afternoon, it's good to be outside--oh and this is sort of interesting, we had a walk up performer between the 2 acts, who was actually quite good (though rather strange)--but National Rifle from Philly (friends of Big Attack)with their sociopolitical punk rock, these guys are an unstopable force of nature--punk for sure but not above breaking it down into funk, into blues, a little bit of everything really, but with that punk insistence, you can't help but forget everything (even if just for 20 minutes) and fall into the fun--really go to myspace and check these guys out--I don't know if they will ever be back, this was truly not to be missed--but they never are--oh well, at least they were fed

psychedelic dojo show

not really a shack show, but close enough--got out of the city (you don't have to go far to be gone), out to Josh and Jamie and Melissa's place for their first show booked by Darin--a great side note to the evening was I got Maggie and Ethan what the word pschedelic means--how water and fire can put you in a trance--the three of us camped out in my trusty tent--huge bonfire, trails through the woods, spread of food, not to mention fire spinning, hoola hooping, this was a mini festival all in one night--Symbience was our local act, a stripped down version of the band from when I had seen them before, playing a solid bit of groove rock--The Invisible Hand from Virginia, truly kicking psychedelic punk rock--not many punk rockers have songs about waiting for your third eye to open, also amazing punk versions of the Beatles I'm Only Sleeping and Victoria (by I don't know) these guys bravely seek to fill the gap between us aging hipsters and the new sounds of hardcore, really appreciate the work guys--lastly (just 3 bands, keep it simple for the first dojo show) Sonic Astrionics performed their down tempo electronica (instantly putting the kids to sleep, thanks)late into the night, slowly building beats--until finally, the oblgatory late night fire side jam (always a highlight at this sort of thing)--can't wait for my next trip to the dojo

sad, bitter, and jaded

the depression continues (maybe I'm stewing but this is my world) but so does the healing--this acoustic show featured our brave return to the backyard (damn the mosquitoes) and our first fireside show in many a moon (at least 2)--again songs of love, loss, and regret make me feel right at home (well, I am home but that's not the point)--like I said before, sometimes it is just enough to know that everybody hurts--Devil's Hollow Band (really just 1 dude but you know how these punk folkster types are) starts off with solidly written songs--storytelling songs--that may have been the theme of the night--I think that is one of the reasons I like the acoustic stuff so much, I find myself feeling more for music when I can understand the words--when I know what the songs are about--and all night this was true--D.H.B. had this amazingly funny and yet sad song about a kid who tried to get into a private school, didn't make the cut, and had to repeat the 4th grade, "the work is pretty easy but I miss kids my age" as well as song about that path not taken, the big regret that he keeps reliving over and over as he goes to sleep every night--sounds like a real bummer but brother, I can totally relate--next is Joe Magnum, maybe the most punk rock ukelali player I know--this kid is a veritable well of creativity--I'm not sure I've seen him play a show where he didn't have another new song--and they all rock--songs about high school, about seeing his best friend while on a walk, and my personal favorite a song about how he's not going to worry about the future because he plans on living a life that is right by him--no exaggeration (what me exaggerate) but I am becoming a big Joe Magnum fan (and we can say we knew him back when he was still in high school)--but my favorite of the night was Mr. Matt K.--I've been rocking his split, Childhood Friends, ever since the show--this dude is one jaded M.F.er (this is a PG13 blog sorry)--takes one to know one right--very simple percussion (truly a one man band) and a powerful sad but strong, vaguely celtic voice, and anthemic guitar chords--a great song about creativity called originality, where he admits and discusses how nothing is new--we are our influences, maybe it's impossible to achieve but he bravely insists on trying to be an original--but the break out single of the night for me personally was his The Worst Song, which I literally can't get out of my head, sung it a million times riding my bike around trying to feel better--"oh Rosara I just wanted you to know that I wrote this shitty song because I never want to talk to you again-because I still hate myself for loving you-and there is nothing you can do to make amends-and I don't want to sing this song again-but I probably will-and I don't want to see your face again-but I know that I might" moved me so much I was actually kind of glad there weren't many people at the show so they didn't see me absolutely wallowing in bitterness--but sometimes that is how we get better, by taking a second to wallow--oh, and we all got to draw on Matt's guitar, his talisman of the road--then Them Damn Kids--the first Damn Kid did a fantastic set on top of the kids play slide, he had his buddies do the part of his electronic repeating parrot (what are friends for) and he had a sort of Jonathon Richman light heartedness about him--a welcome comedic relief on a night featuring so many bitter love songs--one song in particular that I think is going to be a sleeper hit--he started with this Hindi folk chant, tried to learn Hindi, failed, and made up his own english version of the chant--about (of all things) rotating crops, you have to change to grow, you know--then the other 2 Damn Kids played their set, by now the sun has set, it is dark so we move around the fire--so pretty--like a celtic Cat Stevens--sad I suppose (or maybe thats just me), but too beautiful to be sad, the great sadness that is the world--I step back from the fire circle and lay in the shade of the tree, watching the stars move beyond the branches and think of all the beautiful people that I have known, each suffering in their own way--this kind of music that faces this great grief straight on--I never want it to end, but of course it does, the world moves on

excuses,excuses,excuses

i'm not sure where the battle was waged--where i lost my way--but i lost my war against depression, the tide has pulled me underneath--and i haven't felt like blogging or even being at the shows--i listen but the passion is gone--everything has turned from right to wrong--and i felt like i was doing so good--finally being patient for once--but some times wasted time is the greatest offense--and i'm so, so tired of being alone--that being said, last night's sad electric folk night with Doby and Joey--was right up my alley--not that it was depressing but rather a serene sadness--sometimes it is enough to know we are not alone--until the tides shift (and in your heart of hearts, you know that they will), until the next great healing epiphany, until the next show, i say goodnight

the Order of the Phoenix

DID YOU READ THE DISCLAIMER AT THE BEGINING OF THE LAST BLOG SAYING TO READ THE BLOG BEFORE THAT (read enough disclaimers to scare you away yet)--this was supposed to be an early show, but plans fall apart right--everyone ran late, i myself didn't get home from erranding until almost 6:30 (show is supposed to start at 5:30) and there were only 2 people and no bands-but eventually things pick up speed--eventually we start with the Black Birds, from Canada, who had a short and very intense set (except for 1 broken string which stretched things out a bit) very hard, very loud, very fast--which juxtaposed very strangely with Lexington's laid back folkrock rockers Rain Junkies, who had a great set, very mellow--the surprise hit of the night (expect the unexpected at the shack) B.B. Salmon, who dress in costume--2 girl singers singing in harmony over garage rock beats, reminds me of His Name Is Alive--definitely check these kids out, they're from New England, but i have a feeling they will be back--then we were lucky enough to see the combination of B.B. and Nuclear Power Pants into a super group known as the Order of the Phoenix--more costumes--giant day glo shark heads, rapping co-joined twin MC's--larger than life electro punk--disco black lights--these kids pull out the stops--so much music so little time--tragically, due to the late start of the show (and the early start of my days, 5:23 comes impossibly early) i had to miss the Goat Bell, who i believe were the ones who contacted Darin about having a show in the first place--alas--still, i had a blast--we are sitting on the best kept secret in town--rocking it out on the underground--we invite you to come around--never know what be going down--until then--keep rocking

michigan wednesdays part 2

DISCLAIMER:BEFORE READING THIS BLOG, PLEASE READ THE PRECEDING BLOG ENTITLED TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS INSPIRATIONAL NIGHT GETS SUCH A CRAPPY BLOG--The acoustic fun continued a week ago last night with the 2nd part of Michigan Wednesdays--thematically Zephanias once again leads off the night with his ever expanding repertoire of folk--this time he started the show with a capella version of Be Your Husband that was like a folk blessing, also new to the set was funk beat boxing accompaniment--honestly (hope this doesn't sound patronizing), i think Z. sounds a little bit better, a little more sure of himself, every time he plays--anyway after Z., we deviated from the acoustic theme of the night (really it was more of a folk night than acoustic) and we went inside to see Goodnight and Goodmorning who were also adding to their repertoire with the addition of (recently changed name) A.P. Swearinger (formerly Parsen) on 2nd guitar--so that rounds out GNAGM's ambient folk vibe--also they've got a video projector playing really cool old 8mm films loosely associated with the subject matter of the song--winter scenes during the song about winter and what not--very serene, almost classically appealing--and then A.P.'s solid solo set made a dream bubble in the living room, i think i was lost in my own thoughts for a minute--then it's back outside for a rip roaring run through of Jack and Ondine's set--admittedly they were a bit drunk but they played straight through it--started to tap my toes and the whole crowd sings along--it'll be a worldwide early retirement--ain't that great--and onto the Michigan portion of the Wednesday--Misty and the Big Beautiful, from Ann Arbor Michigan--straight country set up, but with obvious rock and roll leanings, they may be my favorite band that has played at the Shack yet, so pretty and yet so rocking at the same time--the night cooled considerably--almost just as impressive, Matt Jones comes off the drum kit for an amazing duet set with fiddler Carol--ironically very similar musical setup to Jack and Ondine--Carol picking at the fiddle to make little beats while Matt strums over and they sing in 2 part harmonies--picture perfect setting on the front porch Matt tells us the story of how a whole music scene formed in Ann Arbor around a house similar to our house where they had shows--and hope is restored for a little while--in the front yard

technical difficulties

well this blog is all setbacks and apologies--this is the 2nd day in a row i've come to my magic blogging spot (the public library) and I can't get the computer to play music for more than 5 seconds at a time--separate computers, separate days--you can't write about music while not listening to music--impossible--so now, i'm getting further and further behind--can't let a 3rd show pass without an entry, i'm already getting the last 2 shows muddled in my mind, and they were wildly different shows--of course our true diehard fans (who don't technically exist right now but we keep believing) know that it's always wildly different at the shack--well, time keeps on slipping but the show must go on--just grit and get through it and we will hope for better blogging conditions in the not so distant future--so without further ado, 2 musicless blogs--written in the sand of memory against the rising tide of time and new experiences--the blogger strikes back

Michigan Wednesdays (part 1)

this was a very special show to me (all reviews are subjective, i said it before i'll say it again)--poised on the new moon it turns out this was a pivotal night in the life of Trey--not to get too bogged down (hate for the blog to become bogged) in my own personal stuff, i do want to mention i am involved in a constant struggle to maintain my own mental equilibrium--and it is a struggle--and all these shows but especially this one on the new moon--they heal me--or allow space for me to heal myself--praise Lady Jah--but to the heart of the matter--Zephinias (who's name i can never quite remember how to spell) started off with a short but incredibly beautiful set--if you haven't checked this cat out you really can't believe how talented he is--sometimes when he plays i swear the world stops and spins in the other direction--well at this show Z. was helped out on the, was it last 2 or just last song, by a buddy (of Sound and Vision) on steel drum--i think that's what the instrument is called--looks like a giant steel bowl but the interior is flattened to produce various notes--it sounds both tropical and otherworldly at the same time--it fit in perfectly with Z.'s usual style--you just can't be immersed in sound that pretty and not stand to benefit--even if just by osmosis--next Mr. Cody Swanson rocked our faces off with a eclectic electric set complete with looping and playing over himself--one piece in particular reminded me very much of funkadelic's maggot brain (and in my scene you don't get any higher praise than that)--then came the kids from Michigan--last wednesday and next feature (from what i hear) brilliant solo artists from Michigan--Hezikiah Jones, who has a very straight forward folk delivery, kinda like your cool uncle whispering a funny joke during church--like he was speaking directly into your ear--and such funny, poignant, and self effacing songs--everyone is in a band (might be more than i can stand), i'm making cupcakes for the army--1 more point about Mr. Jones' work (ok 2--how about 2 acoustic, very talented musicians play our house in 1 night, 1 named Zephinias, the other Hezikiah--I'm not sure what it means just that it gives spell check hell) as great as his performance was, his CD demonstrates this is just the tip of the iceberg--that CD (wish i could remember the name) is unbelievable--of course now as usual, the library clock runs down--the headliner Chris Bathgate, who said a tad chagrinly at the start of his set that this was the first gig they had done where someone else had done looping--tore it up--creating a rhythm and then layers of rhythms--songs of lament bathed in almost white notes--like a ghost whispering on a beach--but it makes me happy--the world is ours to hate or appreciate--want to end this blog with a big thank you to all our friends and supporters, the house itself but especially the traveling musicians (talking to you guys is the next best thing to being on the road)--until we are all one even when we are all alone--keep rocking

every genre under the stars

this show was all over the place, literally from 1 end of the musical universe to the boundaries of the next--Sharks With Knives showed up on the front porch the day before the show, his place to stay in Cincy had fallen through and he needed a place to stay--side point, in his economic hatchback and strapped on camp box, Sharks (1 man folk band) may be the most efficient traveller we've had at the shack--so we got the pleasure of the Sharks company (his real name is Chris) for 24 hours and i am happy to say that his set sounded just like i imagined it would based on his porch presence--thoughtful, uplifting, at least 1 song where he had the entire room singing along lah di dah--he even has an upbeat song about hanging out on the porch and smoking cigarettes--if you ever have been to the shack, you know that's close to our hearts--but he also has songs about struggle about justice but like all great artists he takes the pain of life and makes it a little more bearable by juxtaposing what's hard with a happy little melody--well if Sharks With Knives was a little misleading in the naming of his project (i mean don't you picture some dark tough punk not his disarmingly happy folk) Cryptorchid Chipmunk more than lived up to it's name--almost too weird to describe--start off with the sound check keyboards, guitar, seemingly normal set up but as soon as they start to play, just a little tease of base and board fast and funky and only about 30 seconds i'm already dancing--"thank you and good night" but reading between the lines you know they are coming back what are they doing? costume changes--easily the most colorful band to play at the Shack--gods i wish i had gotten a good picture, superhero chic, as insane as the music--an ever shifting hodgepodge of ska, hardcore, electro, hip hop, and sheer stage presence most of their songs end in in crazy cacophonic chaos--couldn't make out too many of the lyrics--they had a song called Sexy Lexy (you're such a hoe you give everyone everything) and one equating love and drugs (girl you're my ketamine) just as fast and hard as they can go, abrupt stops, 15 seconds of really good ska, chaos, obviously freestyled rhymes, repeat, actually no repeats each room a new plane of weird--but rocking--any band calls themselves Cryptorchid Chipmunk are obviously on the next level and they clearly are (plus their drummer gave me a beer--cheers to the kindness of strangers)--how could anybody play after that--Vietnam Werewolves did an admirable job though--their classic punk anthems got more adventurous, more epic as they placed--songs about the suburbs--hard hitting power chords--crap there goes the egg timer, time to wrap this bad boy up--the Werewolves (i wonder if they know about Lexington's American Werewolves, what a great double bill) really did rock and brought on the real falling of night--wrapping up was our own Noisy Crane--great ending to the show--very laid back, even though it was electronic we kept the door open (breaking our own rules) and let the music out into the night--violin, soft guitars and voices nothing over powers--pretty much in direct contrast to Chipmunk, that's what i meant about the show being all over the place, which i quite enjoy, let's throw every genre at 'em and see what sticks--well i'm out of time here so you know--keep rocking--oh and see you at the Honey Town festival this weekend (if you have to ask you'll never know)

acoustic night

it was a beautiful saturday afternoon, the rain had broken and the oppressive heat of the preceding days lifted--perfect weather for chilling outside and listening to the acoustic boys (no lady musicians tonight) on the porch--now i struggled with whether to tell the story of how Matt Ward saved me from burning the neighborhood down--but in the spirit of moving along (plus this story makes me seem like a complete idiot) i will just say that i missed Joe Magnum because i was busy in the backyard--hard to give up the back to the skeeters but yes i surrender--Pocket Full of Rain sounded especially good, the front porch is fine, songs of trying not to be bitter, sometimes sadness is ok and i for one really felt Pocket's tales of love and loss--1 song about the shows themselves, self depreciating 3 chords, and whats that song--wagon wheel by old crow medicine show--very nice--and Joe Harbison who I can't help but compare to a young Jack White, who tore through his set, nailing all those high notes but still sounding tough, most memorably a brilliant song set on death row where our doomed protagonist takes a pregnant pause to appreciate the church that sent him a fruit cake--this shit is deep--Records Night, named after nights of record sharing with pop and sis, really fun and disarming, sad songs funny songs, 1 a love song set in 1986, they used to call him fat willie, you know--all to set up Doc Dailey--authentic honkey tonk ballads, complete with Alabamian flags--stranger, stranger, i don't know you but i want to love you--or the story of the woman who's husband didn't pick her up from the airport, she takes a cab back home, catches her man with another lady in his pickup truck, so she tells the cabbie to take her straight to the bar where she has a divorce party--my favorite line--i'm just a pinball in this pool hall fueled by honkey tonk and alcohol--by the end of the show, we had the porch lights up, very rock and roll against the coming night--very peaceful, very satisfying--and isn't that how an acoustic night should make you feel--until tomorrow night--keep on rocking

the rest of the story

ok, maybe the rest of the show gets the short shift after all--it was my magic jack (keroauc) who stole and twisted hippocrates' aphorism life is short art is long around and into art is short and life is long--meaning that life pulls us away form the blog, away from the show--but the intrepid chronicler fights back--even if it is short shift--just to get the thing done--so where did we leave off--dazed and confused, enlightened, and moved by the brothers of Sound and Vision--where are we to go from here--not far, we rise and sort of stumble from the living room and right out onto the front porch for the acoustic portion of the evening--Zephania plays first--this kid is so talented, he's also from here, so look for him playing at the house again--his music so fits the lazy summer dusk, the kind of thing where people walking by on the street stop for a minute, listen and smile--the porch fills up pretty quick and we take it to the back for Soft Summer Persons--1 quick (yet sad) side point about the back yard (truly an oasis of nature in the middle of the city)--after talking it over with the housemates we are afraid our window for backyard shows may be gone until the fall--in the heat of the summer the backyard belongs to the skeeters--but don't worry, that's what front porches are for--but anyhoo--Soft rocks the discordant yet somehow still pretty 1 man folk, sometimes seems like he can barely muster the energy for 1 more line--oh mamma where have you been--what's it like to be dead--bread in the toaster again--meanwhile, while Soft was baring his discordant death defying soul, the Eye, the Ear, and the Arm were setting up back in the living room--and boy it took them some time to set up--3 piece with a dude on drum kit and 2 ladies who (i think) both had guitars, both had keyboards, both had beat machines--the end result being 1 of the fullest sounding 3 pieces i have EVER heard--really once they started to lay down layer after layer of sound, but instead of building a wall of sound they create junkyard dance music, i start to think, these guys are going to blow up into the next Vampire Weekend--they seem like they would be just as at home in Ireland or the UK as here at irey uk--i know you can't judge all music by how it is to juggle along with (all reviews are subjective, my job is to chronicle not review) but these kids were 2nd only to Big Fresh for extreme jugglability--that's heap um big praise for me--truly it is rare to find something so pop, so danceable, but still remain human and sincere--1 last thing about the Eye--these are the kids who contacted us through an old fashioned hand written letter (you know snail mail)--they arranged their whole tour that way--so you can't catch them on the internet (honestly even their CD which i eagerly snatched up isn't nearly as good as their live performance) so all you can do is hope they come back this way someday, and of course, kick yourself for missing this show--but let he who is without sin cast the first stone--i missed the last band because life came knocking on the door and offered me a cheeseburger (true story but that's another blog)--you know, art is short and life is long--see everyone Saturday night for another acoustic show--I won't miss it for a plate full of cheeseburgers--til then let's keep rocking

electro folk fusion

First off are the hometown heroes of Sound and Vision. I first became aware of these kids at Lexington's Freeky Fest, back at the end of May. They were that 4 piece xylophone outfit playing the second stage right as I got to the festival--missed Big Fresh because I had to nap, but that is another story--Sound and Vision with their tight ethereal beats for me created an imaginary boundary of sound, transforming the parking lot into an exotic market outside of regular space and time. But I digress, the point here is that they just blew me away in May and I couldn't wait to see what they did at the shack. Sorry, I didn't catch any names but I'll just call them guys 1, 2, and 3. First we had 3 very separate and distinct solo performances. Right away you these kids are very serious about what they do--all 3 played pre-composed pieces but I believe only Guy 1 played an original piece. Interestingly, he was the only one who actually read sheet music going line by line word for word beat for beat. That first piece was quite frantic--quick finger movements over a not very big drum--some sort of sounded vaguely african chanting--a little pid-pack-a-dop-(guttural)sheeeshack--building and breaking out into english, each syllable a beat--"and he was bleeding from his wounds"--I believe the subject was a motorcycle wreck, I couldn't really be sure, but something of deadly intensity, a long sigh of relieve as the crowd in the living room comes back from this place of sheer passion and violence--and you thought avant garde drumming was going to be dull--next up is a cover originally composed by our very own Jordan Munsen of Karate Jones Duo fame--Guy 2 is a master of the slide across the drum head that sounds like whale songs--then as he lulls us into these deep waters he introduces faster fish--intricate finger slaps--the name of the piece is Those Who I Fight I Do Not Hate--and you can sense both the antagonism and the deep sense of perspective behind the conflict--really a very moving piece--Guy 3 used an entire kit, though he had mounted an assortment of strange doodads over his set--he played with 2 sticks in both hands and did strange little syncopations--bad-a-bip-bap--sometimes almost spinning around to lightly slap a drum at an opposite angle--now it's almost dusk and I start to feel like he is teasing the night from the dusk--like laughter from a tickle--something shifts--they play 1 more all 3 together--all 3 playing their everything including the kitchen sink kits--pots, bells, weird little obviously sculpted for sounds--this last piece sounds the most like traditional drum beats--they play off each other and step into the now--and it rocks.
This wasn't the end of the night for the Shack, far from it, the evening was just begun--but I'm realizing that in order not to give the other band short shift, I will stop the blog here for today and write about the rest of the show after a little rest for me--quantum blog bits--a little patience and we'll get through this together--'til then keep rocking.

psychobilly saturday night

this was truly a rocking good time, I'm chagrin that it has taken until Tuesday to do the write up of the show--but alas busy holiday weekend and all; hopefully better late than never serves us here--opening the show was Lexington's own (I think they are from Versailles really, but it's all Lexvegas to me) The Yes people, playing in one of their first couple of shows out--and we're left wondering where have these guys been and when can we see them again--this mop topped trio power punk popped their way right into our hearts--at first listen they are almost straight punk, tight catchy simple songs, but as they warm up we realize they are much more adventurous than that--these boys aren't afraid to let their simple songs build and they take the time to let it happen--suddenly they will slow tempo and make a sonic slide from 1 peak to the next--I kept thinking of a skater push, push, pushing, catching air for just a minute before they continue hellbent down the sidewalk--so much fun--and speaking of fun, how about the goddamn gallows--real life psychobilly--what we used to call in the day cowpunk--country twang and power cords--another 3 piece, this time with stand up base, a much lower drum kit than I am used to seeing, and the cat who sings on lead guitar--these guys have amazing interpersonal energy and they play (as Stan Ridgeway would say) like men on fire--punk rock stand up base, what more can you want--and at times almost soulful, real country lament, makes you think of the gunslinger and the lonely road--one more point about these seriosly tatooed obviously well traveled rockers from the great state of Michigan--they hung out after the show and they really couldn't of been nicer guys--proof you can stay on the road and keep your soul--lastly closing the show the man the myth the legend--the Mosquito Bandito--the 1 man band--he plays the guitar and sings all by his lonesome on that stage--raw jaw dropping talent--make sure you put all 3 of these bands in the must see column--which brings me to the 1 bummer of the evening--we had these national level fantastic acts and Lexington did not come out to support at all--not to be a lecturer, this is how it is, we can't keep having these shows if noone comes--so please fight inertia, fight pattern energy-start a new habit--the shreiking shack eagerly awaits you--that's all for now--let's keep rocking

quick introduction

well, on many levels, it has taken me far too long to reach this point-a small scale example, just now, it took me almost 45 minutes to get to the blog spot, I had to call Hunter and ask him to come over help, so since I can feel this amazing Sunday afternoon slowly passing me by I will be brief here, in an attempt to, as Hunter says, get the ball rolling--this blog was birthed of a conversation with Darin a couple of days ago-we were going over the lineup to the summer solstace festival (which of course is going to be great-3 days-I don't know off the top of my head probally 30 bands) and he was trying to explain to me which band was which and we were trying to remember who played with who at a show back in November and even with the two of us working in tandem (so much for community in action) we couldn't remember the show-so I thought it would be a good idea to keep a historical journal of the shows, who played, where they were coming from, what the show is like-I'm not going to attempt to critically analyze the musicianship (or bother with punctuation or run-on sentences evidently) I just want to record the event and of course a show is an extremely subjective universe--but to back up and introduce ourselves--we are a intentional community minded collective house (you could say commune, you could just say a family) consiting of Darin and Lauren, whom I'm sure you probably have met, the shows are pretty much their baby (siblings of 3 actual kids of course), and let's face it you (hypothetical reader) probably linked to this blog from their myspace page, then there's me the fly on the wall, and our good friend John--Darin's older daughters are with us about half the time, my kids on the weekends, and all the time Danali who just celebrated his 3rd birthday, and this kid is a rocker I kid you not--so it's a family affair--we believe in the power of music to be the center point of a social event--we are trying to save rock and roll from the bar scene--our shows start early, we try to always be done well before our local noise ordinance goes into effect by 11--we usually have at least 1 touring band and 1 local act, the local act (who are the true heroes of the scene) play for free and the door goes to the touring musicians to keep them afloat and (hopefully) to the next gig, as somebody pointed out really all of the money goes to oil executives in the end, but ain't that america--so that's it for now, stay tuned and I'll tell you about last night's psychobilly show, and of course we have our all acoustic folk by the firepit show tonight--so come on by and let's keep rocking.

Upcoming show

    On Saturday May 24th the Shreiking Shack presents a three band event featuring Mosquito Bandito, The Goddamn Gallows and The Yes People.  The cost for the show is $5 at the door.  Mark this one on your calender folks its going to rock.  Check Mosquito Bandito's My Space page here.  And The Goddamn Gallows here. The Yes People's page is here. Trey will be online blogging after the show is complete and providing his perspective based upon 33 years following the local music scene.