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