Golden Threads
Threads/Pank Shovel/Diamonds Under Fire//Sin-e//8/15/05
Threads has members from LES Stitches so that's where I was going on that Monday. And the writeup for Pank Shovel sounded good. They called their sound Riot Rap. Diamonds Under Fire also sounded like they could be promising.
Nobody was there when they let me in. I was glad they did when they did--after making sure soundcheck was over--because I really had to use the bathroom but when I got out I just had this feeling that I shouldn't be there. Most of the audience was actually in the band and I think the others there were friends of the band. For now. Lead singer Mick Stitch kinda reminded me a little of Some Action's lead singer, only a more grown-up version. Mick rocks where Ian flails. Watching Ian is sometimes like watching someone have a breakdown (which can be both good and bad, depending on the mood and vibe and everything) and that distracts you from the band but Mick was clearly having a good time and comfortable in his own skin. He had a presence instead of faking it and letting his attitude do the talking. And the band worked and played together like they actually like each other and belong together and they seemed like nice guys. Yeah it was the opening slot on a Monday night but they didn't care. I've seen many a band know they were going over like a lead balloon and taking it out on the audience who are there for someone else instead of rolling with the punches and saying you can't win 'em all. With their punk-tinged rock & roll, I'm sure they'll be on a bill with Dougie Needles and F-Units soon. I hope.
The only problem was that the lighting was terrible. The few lights on in the house were dim and yellow and the ones on stage weren't that strong, either. The guitar player was totally in the dark. So I don't know if my pix will come out. I tried backlighting but I don't like that because it takes forever for the shutter to release and it's not good for action. Plus, I only had 2 rolls of Kodak film on me and one Fuji (a 4-pack of 800 film on sale for $5, man. I didn't want to do it but I had no choice) and Fuji film comes out like a colorblindness test so I was trying to conserve the Kodak and make it last for all the bands playing in the dark.
Pank Shovel is unique, all right. Dual female vocals and their bass player and guitar player are incredible but were also standing in the dark of the stage. They did rap in some places--and do push-ups. Their group participation aerobicizing song. I rocked out as much as I could, so no aerobicizing for me. After their set, what little of the audience there was left with them.
Diamonds Under Fire and Radio Vago were the co-headliners, if you could call it that. Their "Get Some Tour," as the flier said, actually had sponsors and they were the only 2 bands listed. As the flier said. They were the only ones who brought a lot of merch with them. The amps were upholstered--if that's the right word for it. It took a bit to set up and the drums said Radio Vago. But I wanted to see Diamonds Under Fire. They weren't that good. So now I'd have to sit through this till 11:15 or later to see Diamonds. But then the chick singer/guitar player said that they were Diamonds Under Fire from LA. Funny, but they sounded LES. But after two bands that pushed the envelope, generic indie rock wasn't cutting it for me. I wanted to stay, believe me I did. After all, they had pins and stickers. I left a little after 10:30. Maybe I'm getting older. No, I'm getting smarter. Besides, I still have a lot of shows coming up. And trains to wait for.
Oh, and get this. As I was walking down E. Houston to the F train, there was a Fox 5 News truck parked outside the American Apparel and a guy was holding a video camera. Great. I'll be on TV again. Or maybe not--the guy was walking toward the truck and there was no light on the camera. Turns out it was for their "Shopping in NYC past 10pm" segment that was on tonite. By the time my brain registered that it was what I saw them taping last night the exterior shot, which only lasted seconds, was over and they were showing the inside of the store.
Threads has members from LES Stitches so that's where I was going on that Monday. And the writeup for Pank Shovel sounded good. They called their sound Riot Rap. Diamonds Under Fire also sounded like they could be promising.
Nobody was there when they let me in. I was glad they did when they did--after making sure soundcheck was over--because I really had to use the bathroom but when I got out I just had this feeling that I shouldn't be there. Most of the audience was actually in the band and I think the others there were friends of the band. For now. Lead singer Mick Stitch kinda reminded me a little of Some Action's lead singer, only a more grown-up version. Mick rocks where Ian flails. Watching Ian is sometimes like watching someone have a breakdown (which can be both good and bad, depending on the mood and vibe and everything) and that distracts you from the band but Mick was clearly having a good time and comfortable in his own skin. He had a presence instead of faking it and letting his attitude do the talking. And the band worked and played together like they actually like each other and belong together and they seemed like nice guys. Yeah it was the opening slot on a Monday night but they didn't care. I've seen many a band know they were going over like a lead balloon and taking it out on the audience who are there for someone else instead of rolling with the punches and saying you can't win 'em all. With their punk-tinged rock & roll, I'm sure they'll be on a bill with Dougie Needles and F-Units soon. I hope.
The only problem was that the lighting was terrible. The few lights on in the house were dim and yellow and the ones on stage weren't that strong, either. The guitar player was totally in the dark. So I don't know if my pix will come out. I tried backlighting but I don't like that because it takes forever for the shutter to release and it's not good for action. Plus, I only had 2 rolls of Kodak film on me and one Fuji (a 4-pack of 800 film on sale for $5, man. I didn't want to do it but I had no choice) and Fuji film comes out like a colorblindness test so I was trying to conserve the Kodak and make it last for all the bands playing in the dark.
Pank Shovel is unique, all right. Dual female vocals and their bass player and guitar player are incredible but were also standing in the dark of the stage. They did rap in some places--and do push-ups. Their group participation aerobicizing song. I rocked out as much as I could, so no aerobicizing for me. After their set, what little of the audience there was left with them.
Diamonds Under Fire and Radio Vago were the co-headliners, if you could call it that. Their "Get Some Tour," as the flier said, actually had sponsors and they were the only 2 bands listed. As the flier said. They were the only ones who brought a lot of merch with them. The amps were upholstered--if that's the right word for it. It took a bit to set up and the drums said Radio Vago. But I wanted to see Diamonds Under Fire. They weren't that good. So now I'd have to sit through this till 11:15 or later to see Diamonds. But then the chick singer/guitar player said that they were Diamonds Under Fire from LA. Funny, but they sounded LES. But after two bands that pushed the envelope, generic indie rock wasn't cutting it for me. I wanted to stay, believe me I did. After all, they had pins and stickers. I left a little after 10:30. Maybe I'm getting older. No, I'm getting smarter. Besides, I still have a lot of shows coming up. And trains to wait for.
Oh, and get this. As I was walking down E. Houston to the F train, there was a Fox 5 News truck parked outside the American Apparel and a guy was holding a video camera. Great. I'll be on TV again. Or maybe not--the guy was walking toward the truck and there was no light on the camera. Turns out it was for their "Shopping in NYC past 10pm" segment that was on tonite. By the time my brain registered that it was what I saw them taping last night the exterior shot, which only lasted seconds, was over and they were showing the inside of the store.
posted by heather @ 10:27 PM
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