DIY or Die - Help Keep Charm City Art Space going

Hey All-

In a time when we are seeing more and more DIY spaces, and smaller venues close, Charm City Art Space keeps going. It's really important to Baltimore's music scene that they continue providing performance space for bands to play in, and people to see them.
For those who are unfamiliar, CCAS is an all ages, DIY venue that has operated in Baltimore for the last 12 years. They are drug free, alcohol free, and volunteer run. Making money was never the goal - just to keep it going for as long as possible.
Well, things are tight, and CCAS has their winter heating bill that is looming. So they started a GoFundMe campaign to try and bridge the financial gap they are staring at. The good news is that they have already made their goal. Other good news is that the donations came from all over the country, showing the impact that they and other DIY spaces have on local scenes and musicians. However, let's throw some more money at them to keep them going for as long as possible.

You can donate here: CCAS GoFundMe

Thanks guys. Every little bit helps.

Till next time, see you in the pit.

pete The List......

Get Hurt - The Gaslight Anthem at the 9:30 club

So, I once again got the opportunity to shoot the Gaslight Anthem as they opened up the tour for their new album "Get Hurt" here in Washington, DC. This is a band that has never failed to put on a great show whenever I see them.
I got to the show a bit later than I had hoped, because of parental duties (I have a kid, and she's rad). I got to the 9:30 too late to photograph Against Me!, but I was able to see most of their set. If you're wondering why I could see them but not photograph them - well, when bands get to a certain size (or on a a major label) there is usually a restriction on photographing the band. 1 - you need a photo pass and 2 - you only get to shoot the 1st three songs. In any case, I did get to at least see them and they  were fantastic. I have to say Atom Willard's work on the drums, in particular,  was pretty fun to watch. After the show, I ended up meetingLaura Jane Grace , who was really very nice. Which prompted me to do something I never do, ask her to autograph the copy of their most recent record "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" that I had just picked up at the show. It is difficult for anyone who is dealing with transgender issues, and I've known a couple of people who went through it. However, it's another level when you are a public figure/performer, and the whole world watched you do it. Especially in an industry that can be a bit "bro" heavy at times. I really admire Laura Jane's courage.
Gaslight hit the stage with "Stay Vicious" from the new album, and killed it with a solid set that spanned their whole catalog. They sounded very good, especially for a band that was playing first show of the tour. It's always fun to see what or who Benny has on his kick drum as well. Last time it was the manager from "Major League" - this time it was a 70's era Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (though possibly "Airplane!" era).
Anyway, they ended their set (well, encore) with a fantastic rendition of "Baba O'Riley" by The Who. The last song was a small tribute to a friend who was having a really tough day - which was pretty sweet.
The only bummer to the whole night was one particular couple, who were just about everything I hate in humanity. Totally self involved, drunk and drugged up beyond any reason - you know, the kind that makes you worry about humanity. The woman was trying to do whatever she could to get at Alex and had to be backed up from the stage by security. I saw her trying to talk her way backstage after the show, and security was having none of it. The guy was popping pills in front of me and washing it down with a mixed drink of some sort. Then he spilled his drink on me and another guy - apologized, and then offered to share his drink (No thanks. I'm good) - and that went on for a while. Not enough to ruin the show for me, but annoying.

You can see the pics here

.

Till next time, see you in the pit.

pete The List......

Baltimore's heart aches today

UPDATE: There has been a Go Fund Me site set up to help with the costs associated with Tom's funeral, and related expenses. Go here to Donate.

UPDATE #2: A man has been formally charged with Tom's murder, and the assault of the other Ottobar employee. Read the article here.

UPDATE #3: There has been a donation system set up through Mission Tix which you can access here. Also, there will be a Tom Malenski Family Fundraiser at the Ottobar on October 11th. Proceeds from the show will go to help out Tom's family directly. They have set up a Facebook event page here & it is listed on their homepage. 

Just a quick note with a heartbreaking bit of bad news. Tom Malenski, a beloved staffer of The Ottobar in Baltimore was stabbed last night after helping remove an unruly patron from the bar after the GBH show.
Tom was not working last night, but was there as a fan of GBH. He later helped break up a fight in the bar after the show. After helping another employee remove the patron from the venue, another man, presumably a friend of the man being removed, attacked Tom and the other Ottobar employee (who has not been identified). Both victims were taken to a local hospital where Tom was pronounced dead - he was 35. The other victim was treated and released.
Mike Bowen of the Ottobar said that the police have been very helpful, and that the Baltimore Homicide department has asked that anyone with information or tips call 410-396-2100.
I did not know Tom, but several friends did, and they, like the entire Ottobar family, are devastated. By all accounts he was a really great guy, and long standing member and fan of the Baltimore music scene.

Our hearts and thoughts go out to his friends, family, The Ottobar family and all those who are hurting from from this. R.I.P.


I'll update this as details come forward.


pete

The List......

OFF! at the Rock & Roll Hotel

OFF! played Rock & Roll Hotel this past Thursday night, and as usual, the performance was blistering. OFF!’s drummer, Mario Rubalcaba, had scheduling conflicts for this leg of their 2014 touring, so they turned to Dale Crover of none other than the freakin' Melvins to fill in. I can’t say that I noticed much of a difference, as blistering is… well... blistering. Unfortunately, I missed openers Gay Kiss and Bad Antics, as I was running a bit late, and the club was running on time. Some homework: buy their recently released 2nd (or 3rd, depending on how you count things) studio full-length, Wasted Years, and go see them next time they come around. See some pictures and a video clip at the following links...

Flickr Picture Set here.

Video of a Song (audio is a bit hot).

Till next time, see you in the pit.

-Chris

The List......

Help save the Fort Reno Summer Concert Series.

UPDATE #2- Fort Reno is back on for the summer! Shows start on July 7th. Amanda had a meeting this morning with The National Park Service, which includes the Park Police, and they came to an understanding about requirements, costs, provisions, and what is needed going forward for both sides so that this concert series is allowed to continue in the future.  See what happens when adults sit down and talk like...adults?

see you on the field!

Hey all-

Just a quick "Call to Arms" today. As many of you who follow the DC music scene have probably already heard, for the first time since its inception in 1968, the Fort Reno Summer Concert Series is not going to happen. For a full explanation as to why, you can read Amanda's letter over at fortreno.com .

The crux of the matter is that the National Park Service and the United States Park Police are insisting the organizers of the summer concert series (Amanda, Casey and their all volunteer group) pay to have a police officer at every concert that is scheduled. Something that would have to be paid for, in advance, which means no refund for a rain-out. This would double the cost against an already small budget. That said, it's not about the money - it's about the fact that the NPS and USPP are pushing the need for an officer and are withholding the permit until it is paid for. All this despite the fact that it has never been required before, and no one from either the NPS or USPP can provide a reason as to "why now?" The concert series has always been policed, successfully by all the volunteers and by the concert-goers (myself included), as well. In my 20+ years of going, the worst offenses I have ever seen are some kids smoking weed or lighting off firecrackers. Which, it's worth mentioning, always happened on the upper part of the field, which is NOT under the jurisdiction of the NPS and USPP, but under DC parks and recreation. So, it doesn't fall under the purview of the permit. It's also worth noting, that in the past, when it was known that a band would draw a big crowd (Fugazi, Dismemberment Plan, Bob Mould, Q and Not U, etc.), then the organizers WOULD arrange for an officer to be there. That just makes good sense.

On a personal note, I grew up going to the Fort Reno concert series, and it was where I first started taking photos of bands. I now take my daughter, and it's one of the things she looks forward to most every summer. I finally had a chance to perform there last summer with my band, The Mauls, and it was (corny as it may sound) a bit of a dream come true. To have performed on the same stage that so many bands I loved also did is very big check off my bucket list.

As you might imagine, this caught fire pretty quickly yesterday when the news broke. The Washington Post ran several articles, including this one in this morning's Style section. The City Paper ran articles as well, including one with a list of the bands that were believed to be this year's line up. Also Dischord records posted this on their website.

So, what can you do? Well, a few things - One you can sign the petition started on Change.org here. You can also call the numbers on the list provided by Dischord and make it known you want this series to keep happening as it has for the previous 45 years.

Fort Reno is a fantastic tradition, and one that is really unique and special to DC. I can't tell you how many out-of-town bands tell me how cool a thing it is, and how many local bands love playing there. Let's make sure it keeps going.

UPDATE: WAMU 88.5's Bandwith is reporting that Amanda will be meeting with several folks, including representatives of The NPS and USPP on Monday. Let's hope this is a step in the right direction. Read the article here.

pete The List......

Cast Away - J Robbins and Brooks Harlan at the Metro Gallery

Hey all. Super quick post today, in what has evidently become the J Robbins show.

This is from a show back in October at the Metro Gallery in Baltimore where J played one of his solo shows. He was accompanied, as usual, by the man of many talents Brooks Harlan. Besides being a multi instrumentalist, Brooks runs a fantastic guitar and amp repair shop - with his partner in crime Shawna Potter - in Baltimore called Big Crunch. I highly recommend them, and I have sent and will continue to send all of my gear to them.

Anyway, J and Brooks performed a really nice set covering much of J's catalog including Jawbox, Channels and Office of Future Plans. J played acoustic guitar and sang while Brooks supported him with backing vocals, keyboards and baritone guitar. You never know how acoustic versions of songs will sound, especially when you are so familiar with the much louder, full-band versions. J did a really nice job of not overworking the arrangements and seemed to take more of stripped-down approach to the songs, just letting them stand on their own. Having seen J perform this way a few times now, I can say that I would love to hear a few of these put to tape and released as an acoustic J record. "The Office of Jawbox Channels - brought to you by Burning Airlines" record, perhaps? Well, one can hope.

UPDATE: Right after I posted this, J informed me he was about to post an acoustic EP called "Abandoned Mansions" on band camp. It's really good and has both Brooks Harlan and Gordon Withers supporting him. You can find it here. A bargain at $5.

Here are the pics. Oh, and I managed to get some decent videos of 3 of the songs. I've put those at the bottom of the post.

Till next time - see you in the pit.

pete

The List......

Local Business - Titus Andronicus at the Black Cat

A little while back, I finally got a chance to see Titus Andronicus. I have been a fan for a number of years - but missed several earlier chances to see them. So, I jumped when the opportunity presented itself this time. And the Black Cat is a perfect venue for them.

I won't go on too much about them, as there is plenty that has been written, and with more skill than I have to offer. But I will say that they were really good. Like wow good. The energy was amazing, and they blazed through their set, making it feel a lot shorter than the hour plus that it was, hitting songs from all the previous albums and some new material as well. Frontman Patrick Stickles is a force of nature. I was floored with his ability to play guitar while singing some of the densest lyrics out there. THEN he notices that his guitar is slightly out of tune, and he tunes it without stopping. I'm pretty sure he's operating on another level. If you get a chance, check out his interview on WTF with Marc Maron, which you can get free on iTunes for now.

My only complaint about the show at all was a certain number of folks in the crowd. Before Titus started, Patrick made a mini speech asking people to treat each other with respect and not mow anyone over. He even quoted (and credited) Ian MacKaye from his Fugazi days, saying "We are not a soundtrack for violence." Well, some folks didn't listen, and I fended off more than a few meat heads from bowling me and others over. I got pretty tired of it, and I eventually moved back so I could enjoy the rest of the set with out catching an elbow.

The only other curve ball for me was that I tried to shoot with a new camera with mixed results. The camera is great, and I think it could work for certain bands, but not something as high energy as Titus.  But that's why I tried it out, and now I know.

You can see the pics here.

Till next time, see you in the pit.

pete

The List......

Drum on the Clocks, and Strum on the wires - Channels, BELLS≥, and Soccer Team at Rock 'n Roll Hotel

So, for those who don't know, Channels was a band that formed after the break up of Burning Airlines. Some of the reasons for the break up were J. Robbin's desire to record/produce more, tour less, and spend more time with his lovely wife, Janet. But one who's life revolves around music, both producing others and writing his own, can't simply stop. Thus was born Channels, made up of J, Janet and drummer extraordinaire, Darren "I can make all the rock faces" Zentek. It was a wonderful mix of personalities and talents that produced an EP on DeSoto - and a full length on Dischord. During this time, Channels played a handful of mostly East Coast shows, and J and Janet had a wonderful kid named Cal. Shortly before Cal's 1st birthday, he was diagnosed with type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and life understandably changed for J and Janet. I won't go into detail here, but needless to say, the band took a backseat to Cal's care. You can read more about Cal and SMA here. There is also a link on the right to donate to help out with the very expensive care the Cal requires.

So, fast forward to 2014 and the Channels records are being put out on vinyl for the first time by Arctic Rodeo records. In celebration, Channels got together to play two shows - one in Baltimore and one in DC. By all accounts the shows went well. I can't speak for the Baltimore show, as I missed it, but the DC show was really fun, and they sounded great. J even said to me about a week later that they were really fun to play, and it made him "want to do it again". So who knows, but it would be fun.

The pics are here and here.

Open the night's show was a band from Brooklyn known as BELLS≥. And no, that is not a typo. It is spelled - in all caps followed by the "greater than or equal to" sign. I have done it enough now to know how to type the ≥ symbol without looking it up (OPT/ALT - period key on a Mac, you're welcome). BELLS≥   features the former back beat of Jawbox, Zach Barocas, Chris Ernst and Stephen Shodin on guitar, and Tom Broucksou on bass. I am not normally a fan of instrumental bands, but there have been a few lately that have gotten my attention, and BELLS≥ is most certainly one of them (Black Clouds would be the other one currently). They have and undeniable energy that is driven by Zach's drums - and accented beautifully by Chris's and Stephen's guitar work. The bass work was handled admirably by Tom in what was to be his second-to-last show (nothing ugly - he and his wife are moving to the West Coast - tough commute back to Brooklyn). Also joining them on stage was DC's noted rock cellist Gordon Withers - notably of J's other band Office of Future Plans - and also featured on BELLS≥ last record "Solutions, Silence and Affirmations".

The pics are here.

Wrapping up the night nicely was Soccer Team. While they had the tough job of following Channels set, they handled it well and provided the crowd with a nice set that featured quite a few new songs. Despite Ryan's complaint that he couldn't see the "dots on his guitar," they sounded great - and provided a nice ending to the night. They have been playing more lately, and now we know they have been writing new material, so here's to hoping there's a new recording in the near future.

See the pics here and here.

Ok, I have a few more quick posts to put up shortly - one old one new.

till next time, see you in the pit.

pete The List......

Say Yes to Love - Perfect Pussy, Green Dreams at DC9

So, Chris and I had ended up at two shows together again. The first was a fantastic show featuring Syracuse's own Perfect Pussy, and Rochester's Green Dreams at DC9. The second was Slint at the Ottobar. Slint did not allow any "pro"cameras, so no shots of that to be had. I didn't really mind, except for the fact that I had to leave my camera in my car. Leaving anything of value in your car in Baltimore is always a gamble. It worked out for me, and the show was fantastic.

Ok, back to the show where we were allowed to take pictures.

First up was a "femme fronted psychedelic punk rock band out of Rochester, NY" called Green Dreams. They were very good - and a really good match with Perfect Pussy on their tour. After drummer Trevor Smith figured out a minor technical difficulty with the guitar amp, front-woman Jesse Ames handled guitar and vocals with ease, as the band ripped through a very high energy set. They barely skipped a beat when bassist Benny "Beyond" Kruger's cord crapped out. He simply swapped it out, and boom, they were off again. I am looking forward to getting my hands on their new 7" from Cherish Records at the end of May.

You can see the pics here.

Shortly afterwards, Chris joined me by the stage to enjoy the dulcet tones and low key energy of Syracuse's Perfect Pussy. (editor's note - that's sarcasm. Perfect Pussy are high energy as f*$k) - I will admit a soft spot for anything coming out of Syracuse, as I spent my college years up there as a student at Syracuse University (and going to hardcore shows during the height of Earth Crisis - good times and thank you McKaig). It also helped that the bassist was sporting an Alto Cinco sticker on his guitar, which just happens to be one of a handful of restaurants I dearly miss. Anyway, they brought it, and the crowd was into everything they brought. The energy was great and the set was tight and a way that left you asking "Really? It's over already?" The sold-out crowd put a serious stress test on the floor at DC9, bouncing and dancing to every song, and singing along. Fortunately, we did not end up on top of the bar downstairs, so we had that going for us...which was nice.  Really fantastic, and I am looking forward to catching them again in the future. BTW, their album "Say Yes to Love" is very good, and I recommend you all get your hands on it.

You can see my pics here.
And Chris's here.

Also, since this show, the bands' van that they were sharing was broken into, and Green Dreams got hit hard. Perfect Pussy set up an Indie Go Go page to help Green Dreams replace some of the things they lost. If you can throw a couple bucks their way, they would greatly appreciate it. You can read more and donate the site here - Help Green Dreams. The List......

Certain Kinds of Trash - Chain and the Gang, Puff Pieces and Nic Fits at DC9

Pretend like I posted this a month and a half ago… DC9’s 10^th anniversary celebration continued with Nics Fits, Puff Pieces, and Chain and the Gang. 

Nic Fits had some trouble getting the night started due to amp issues, but upon borrowing the headliner’s setup started an excited, half-dozen song set. Nic Fits truly seem to have a great time while playing, and it is infectious. Fun to witness, it was (why am I talking like Yoda?). See the pics here.

Puff Pieces were next up, and after seeing them at Comet just a few weeks ago, I was very excited to see them again. They did not disappoint. Over the years, I have lamented the short lifespan of Antelope (Mike's and Justin’s old band), and Puff Pieces are cut from a similar cloth. Lovitt Records will be releasing a four-song single from these folks, so look out for it.  Puff Pieces pics here.

Chain and the Gang headlined the night, and as expected, they put on a great show. I have missed Chain and the Gang at least a half-dozen times, so it was good to finally catch them live, and I was not disappointed. Ian Svenonius always brings his own special flair to anything he's involved in, and he lived up to it this night.  Chain and the Gang and the pics here.

till next time, see you in the pit,

chris

The List......

Reanimus Concert - Alarms & Controls and Soccer Team at the Black Cat

Yet another "catch up" posting. I should probably just stop calling them that and come to terms with the fact that my life, as it is, doesn't allow me to be timely with my posts. Ok? Sounds good. Consider it done.
Moving on.

This was a show back in December that served as a record release party for Alarms and Controls' new record "Clovis Points," which is now available on vinyl and CD over at Dischord. I highly recommend picking it up along with their debut 7" on Mud Memory Records. Seeing them in person is something to see as well. They have a level of precision that few bands can match. Arthur Noll recently replaced Michael Honch on bass, and this was the first time I got to see him. He honestly held his own, which is no small feat. You can't fake your way through a set with this band. You can see there pics here.

Opening for them was none other than Soccer Team. I have known about them for a long time, but this was (sadly) the first time I'd seen them perform. They are really fun. They have two records available - one on Dischord and one on Lovitt. Go get 'em. See the pics here.

Ok, quick hit this time.

till next time - see you in the pit.

pete

The List......

Bring the Heavy - Black Clouds

Hey All-

Another one from the "I still have a lot to catch up on"file. I'll be posting these up as I finish them.

This one is actually a combination of two shows from Black Clouds. The first was from their show at the 9:30 club, and the second was from when they played the Fillmore a little while back. While I had free reign to shoot at the 9:30 show, I was on a severe restriction at the Fillmore (S.O.P. there I'm afraid). So, I just threw them both together.
Anyway, Black Clouds has been really good every time I have seen them. I am not usually into instrumental bands, but they have proven to be one of two current instrumental bands that I really dig. For those of you wondering what the other band is, it's BELLS≥. Anyway, Black Clouds is super heavy - and brings it all to your eardrums with an understated ferocity. You think it's kinda mellow and then you find you've had your chest punched in from the wall of sound. Drummer Jimmy Rhodes hits his kit like he's an enforcer coming to collect on a mob debt. At the same time Bassist Ross Hurt coaxes more sounds out of his bass than I knew were possible, and Guitarist/keyboardist Justin Hornstein juggles a ton of gear and effects seamlessly. Especially impressive given that they are a 3 piece. They are also good showmen - providing their own light show that is synchronized with their songs. Not. Too. Shabby.
I would highly recommend that you pick up their full length LP "Everything is Not Going to Be OK" available directly from the band via their Bandcamp site . They still have a few copies of vinyl if you are a record head like me.

You can see my pics here.

Till next time - see you in the pit.

pete

The List......

It's our 101st posting - and it's going to be a BIG one

Hey all-

Well, I mentioned in the last post how Chris and I ended up at several shows together last week - this is the second of those shows.

But before I get to that, I stopped off on my way to that show, and caught War On Women playing at the Fillmore. If you have not seen War On Women, you are missing out. This was the first time, after several failed attempts in the past, I'd seen them - and they were great. It's always tough being the opening act, especially at a venue the size of the Fillmore, but I watched them take the stage and manage to turn more than a few heads. I suspect they gained a few more fans that night. They are a great combination of tight music coupled with a dynamic front person in Shawna Potter. Brooks, Nancy, Evan & Sue lay down a really solid punk foundation as Shawna plants a vocal boot in your ass. I highly recommend picking up their (very good) 10" record "Improvised Weapons", available from Exotic Fever Records. Rumor has it there is a new record in the works as well. My pics are here.

From there, I grabbed Brooks (from War On Women), and we drove down to DC9 where he was performing with J Robbins as part of the first night of DC9's 10th anniversary party. This was one fantastic line-up, featuring Title Tracks, Des Ark, J Robbins, & Regents.

Chris was already there, and I managed to get there in time to catch Title Tracks, who I've seen a bunch of times, and I will continue to see as often as  possible as they are great and they never disappoint. You can find both of their LPs at Ernest Jennings Records, and their debut 7" at Dischord. They're also playing a show at the Black Cat in March 17th, and I highly recommend you go see them. Chris's pics

- Pete's pics

Next up was Des Ark. This is one of those bands (well, it's Aimee Argote, in this case accompanied by Taylor Holenbeck) that I had heard a lot about - but had never seen. She/they were fantastic. Really great moody songs with great atmospheric guitar playing and effects. I never heard a Rickenbacker sound like that, and I really enjoyed it. I picked up her record "WXDU V.3" and have enjoyed that as well. You can find that over at Lovitt Records.
Chris's pics - Pete's pics

After that was the mighty J Robbins who was accompanied by the aforementioned Brooks Harlan. J is known for his work in Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels, and most recently Office of Future Plans. This time was one of those occasions where he plays an acoustic set in which he draws from his impressive catalog. Brooks played keys and baritone guitar while singing backing vocals for J, which provided the wonderful layering that J is known for. This was the first time Chris had seen this arrangement, but the second for me. Despite what J will say about himself, he is a top-notch performer, and he proved it again on this night.
Chris's pics  - Pete's pics

Last up for the evening was Regents, which provided a hard left turn from the fairly mellow sets provided by Des Ark and J. Regents is a high energy, full on assault of the aural senses. Plus, I am convinced that anytime you put Jason Hamacher behind the drum kit, you're gonna have a good time. This was the first DC show for Regents in over a year, and it seemed they wanted to make up for it as they wasted no time attacking their instruments and working up a sweat. Drew Ringo wowed the crowd with both his biting vocals and stellar calf muscles. Eric Jernigan and Dave NeSmith (despite battling a cold) both left it on the stage, while Hamacher attacked his drums like they had just punched his mom. So, yeah, they were good. You can pick up their record "Antietam After Party" over at Lovitt Records as well.
Chris's pics  - Pete's pics

Till next time - see you in the pit.

Pete & Chris The List......

Wetting our Pants - Pissed Jeans, Purling Hiss & Priests at the Black Cat

So this show ended up being a tag team effort for Chris and me. We were both at this show at the Black Cat (not the last show we both caught last weekend), so there are a bunch of images to look at.

First up was Priests. They're a DC-based quartet that typically lays waste to the stage, and this night was no exception. They had a tremendous set, and caught the attention of many folks who had come just to see Pissed Jeans, which was not surprising as they are hard to ignore once they start blazing through their set. This was my second time seeing them and it was just as enjoyable, if less unexpected, than the first time at Fort Reno this past summer. My only gripe is their insistence on tape only releases. I know this is the hip thing to do, and it is totally their prerogative to do so, but to me tapes went away for a reason. I love their stuff - and would love a vinyl copy or at least a download. At the moment it's tape or streaming only (click on their name above to link to the streaming player). A boy can dream. You can find the photos here:
Pete's pics
Chris's pics

Next up was Philly's Purling Hiss . I am not sure what I think about this band. They were good, but I think they were just not my taste. Or maybe it was tough to follow Priests, while people were waiting for Pissed Jeans. That said, you can't deny their commitment and energy in the show. They laid it out - and were quite the wall of sound for a 3-piece band. You can find the photos here:
Pete's pics
Chris's pics

Now, Pissed Jeans...what to say? Jesuschristonacrutch comes to mind. I must admit that while I'd heard a lot about them, I had never seen them live, so I didn't know what to expect.  Chris had seen them, I knew they were high energy, but I'm not sure it helped with the onslaught. Two other things probably helped boost their energy - they were taking video of the set, and Dave Grohl was at the club. Knowing you're being recorded, and that Grohl was there would certainly get my energy level up. But that is pure conjecture, as I have no reference point on them to draw from. From the get go, they let it fly, and the crowd responded. After about two-thirds of their set, and after being crushed into the stage too many times to count, I bailed from the front and enjoyed the rest of the show from a less violent perspective. Chris was braver than I, and stuck it out through the whole set, but did complain about being sore the next day. In any case, they were great and left me no doubt as to why I had heard so much about them. You can find those photos here:
Pete's pics
Chris's pics

Ok, we are hoping to have the second show up shortly. The snow may help make that happen sooner rather than later.

Till next time - see you in the pit.

pete & chris


The List......