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