Tralala, La La La La
Face Tomorrow/Blow Up Hollywood/Looker/Tralala/The Teeth//Ace Of Clubs//9/17/05
I actually had 2 choices for last nite. My first choice was Tralala but I was thinking about The Living Things. Tralala was on at "11" and Living Things at "10" at Scenic. I was flipping thru Spin once when I was bored and it was there, the coverline was "The Best Punk Band You Never Heard" and although I had a few guesses and suggestions, it wasn't The Living Things. I'd intended to catch them twice this year, once in June @ The Delancey but they told me the band cancelled at the last minute and then they were @ Cakeshop but I ended up hurting my toe 2 days prior and couldn't going anywhere. Tralala are getting mad buzz and they were at Cakeshop 8/31, the same day I went to see Shellshocked and the only reason I went to see Shellshocked was because I'd already decided to catch Tralala during CMJ. I was thinking The Scenic bill would've had less bands that I haven't heard of to wait through. And not that I could've stayed for the 1AM band, Towers Of London, but I was a little curious. Metal Edge was pretty much planning to go over there and suck their dicks and that was really making me decide to stick with Tralala. I was afraid they--and/or Living Things--would turn out to be the emporer's new favorite band. I've never seen Tralala but I already felt like I was giving my friends the slip in order to try to get in with the popular kids. Besides, there were no cover charges given and I figured there was a greater chance of a lesser cover at Ace Of Clubs, even though I was curious about the burgers and fries @ Scenic. And I already changed my mind once at the last minute when I went to see Shellshag. Maybe I should stick with my first choice and see what happens.
There was one other thing that also had me questioning my choice. After I'd decided on Ace Of Clubs, I checked the updated CMJ listings and printed 'em all out for each day like a good reporter and Spicy Rizzacks were on at 7:30. Ugh. So I had to be late enough to to miss them and early enough to get a good spot. 10 freakin dollars @ Ace Of Clubs! I got there at 9 and there was a band onstage and nobody there. Did I make the wrong choice? They were soundchecking with a foreign accent and I worried for a sec that it really was the Spicy Rizzacks going on 2 hrs. late.
But, no, it was Face Tomorrow from Holland, here for their 1st American gig. The lead singer gripped the mic stand in both hands and the guitar players had their hair in their eyes and either white or studded belts. Technically they were good, but I just found myself thinking Northsix through the whole set. They just didn't do anything for me. And the singer also has vocals that you expect to hear on KROCK, to the point that I also started hearing a DJ come on and give the call letters.
Blow Up Hollywood was not what I was expecting from a name like that. Maybe that's why they never gave their name when they got onstage. 7 band members—a cellist, acoustic guitar, 2 electric guitars, a bass, violin, and organ. (Which reminds me, "Magickally Celloriffic" is Rasputina's own slogan. I didn't want anyone to think I came up with that myself.) And they played in the dark. Who the fuck do they think they are? Also there taking pix was this guy I always see at garage rock shows. He was complaining loudly about how much they sucked and it was hard to hear him over the band and I had my earplugs in so I tried not to talk to him in case the band could hear but he kept up his running commentary. Ever since the Arcade Fire, he said, bands have too many members. Yeah, who do they think they are, an Irish punk band? "C'mon, I have 9 other bands to do tonight! I'm falling asleep," he complained. "Take my spot," he offered. "Take my spot, I dare you." So I step forward jokingly, just to get away from his yakking. He was heading to Towers Of London after. "That's the show of the week. Their only local appearance. Don't miss it." Yeah, but I have to get up early Sunday. Blow Up Hollywood are so melancholy and I noticed a guy in the audience singing every word. His mouth was turned down like those hobo clown pictures and he was depressing the hell out of me. At one point he came up front, dropped to one knee, reached his hands to the sky, and yelled "Blow Up Hollywood!" Yeesh. After their set the band played the singer/acoustic guitarist offstage. Who the fuck do they think they are?
By now the place was pretty full. Looker had cards on the merch table with their gigs and pull quotes on the back--"would've been right at home with Salem 66 in the mid-80s" (TONY [and since when did Chuck Eddy write for TONY?]), "reminiscent of Blondie at their best. Seriously!" (You're So Old Street UK), "effortlessly fresh and arresting--more addictive than nose candy!" (the guy who books Pianos). Really now? Well, that answers my standard rhetorical question when faced with such adoration: Who the fuck writes these things? Okay. Musically, they were good--although the bass player couldn't hear herself in the monitor even though she was cranked up to 10 and kept asking the sound guy for more and I'm like, maybe you should turn something down? There's 3 chix and a guy on drums and at least they didn't dress 80s on purpose. One of the guitar players, I didn't care for her vocals but the other girl and the bass player I liked. They had some good songs but didn't remind me of Blondie. Seriously. They sounded like an update of Girl Group sounds, a little Go Go's. A guy had an aside with the bass player and she turned a knob on her amp and that seemed to do the trick and I'm thinking, if even I can figure this shit out then I've been going to too many shows.
Tralala used to be a band called Tight Fit, who I actually did see once at Southpaw. I was thinking it was with the Muffs but now I'm thinking it was with the 5.6.7.8.s. I didn't care for them--Tight Fit, I mean. They were another go go a-go-go band and had coordinating getups and choreographed hipshakes, turns, and struts and I was thinking, Do we really need another band with this sound? It came off as stilted, not to mention acted--and that's coming from someone who's seen Les Sans Culottes and Gaijin A Go Go. If you already have 2 bands that do the sound and look so well, another one (and another one in Brooklyn) feels unnecessary. And a go-go band named Tight Fit? Or any band named Tight Fit? Also on the bill was Wide Right, who I also didn't care for but Christgau does and as usual all crits in the Voice follow Papa Xgau's lead in their praise which makes me think I missed something. Or was tired at the show. But if the delivery was all the same, it doesn't matter what the lyrics are.
So when I started seeing Tralala listed and read that they used to be Tight Fit, I thought, Well, a name like that works for Pit Er Pat. And, I love it when bands read my mind and adjust their act accordingly. I'm glad I passed on their Cakeshop show because that place is terrible to see a show in (but good for a double chocolate brownie, go fig). Tralala is an exuberant, energetic, 7-piece band and too big (memberswise) for Cakeshop. 4 gals shaking hips and tambourines, drummer, guitarer, bassist. Though their first song was "Fired Up" and seemed to set the tone for what to expect, it kinda dissolved (or devolved) into "We're hot young drunk chix on stage, playing CMJ, and our band is the shit" attitudes. Throwing beer cans, waving fistfulls of money (which they claimed they got that night), begging for drinks all night. It was like Les Sans Culottes only younger (and a little immature), better dressed, and non-French.
Since I was so focused on Tralala for that night for the longest and only checked to make sure they were still on the bill for Saturday, I didn't notice there was another band after, at midnight. When they said The Teeth were next, I couldn't believe it. Another band that could be cool. And I'm already there. See, this is what I don't understand about CMJ. There's a few bills where you'd think you know who the headliner is and then there's another band after them. Maybe in the interest of booking as many bands as they could over 4 days, they make it up as they go along and it doesn't matter who goes on after the big-name band because that next one would have no audience. The Teeth are a rock band from Philly and play what I assume is "the Philly sound." Like how there seems to be an LES style or sound. Well, it's like that but from Philly. I assume. I don't know much about the Philly rock scene. And it's the "6th borough." Go fig, indeed.
5 bands for $10. Now that's a different story.
I actually had 2 choices for last nite. My first choice was Tralala but I was thinking about The Living Things. Tralala was on at "11" and Living Things at "10" at Scenic. I was flipping thru Spin once when I was bored and it was there, the coverline was "The Best Punk Band You Never Heard" and although I had a few guesses and suggestions, it wasn't The Living Things. I'd intended to catch them twice this year, once in June @ The Delancey but they told me the band cancelled at the last minute and then they were @ Cakeshop but I ended up hurting my toe 2 days prior and couldn't going anywhere. Tralala are getting mad buzz and they were at Cakeshop 8/31, the same day I went to see Shellshocked and the only reason I went to see Shellshocked was because I'd already decided to catch Tralala during CMJ. I was thinking The Scenic bill would've had less bands that I haven't heard of to wait through. And not that I could've stayed for the 1AM band, Towers Of London, but I was a little curious. Metal Edge was pretty much planning to go over there and suck their dicks and that was really making me decide to stick with Tralala. I was afraid they--and/or Living Things--would turn out to be the emporer's new favorite band. I've never seen Tralala but I already felt like I was giving my friends the slip in order to try to get in with the popular kids. Besides, there were no cover charges given and I figured there was a greater chance of a lesser cover at Ace Of Clubs, even though I was curious about the burgers and fries @ Scenic. And I already changed my mind once at the last minute when I went to see Shellshag. Maybe I should stick with my first choice and see what happens.
There was one other thing that also had me questioning my choice. After I'd decided on Ace Of Clubs, I checked the updated CMJ listings and printed 'em all out for each day like a good reporter and Spicy Rizzacks were on at 7:30. Ugh. So I had to be late enough to to miss them and early enough to get a good spot. 10 freakin dollars @ Ace Of Clubs! I got there at 9 and there was a band onstage and nobody there. Did I make the wrong choice? They were soundchecking with a foreign accent and I worried for a sec that it really was the Spicy Rizzacks going on 2 hrs. late.
But, no, it was Face Tomorrow from Holland, here for their 1st American gig. The lead singer gripped the mic stand in both hands and the guitar players had their hair in their eyes and either white or studded belts. Technically they were good, but I just found myself thinking Northsix through the whole set. They just didn't do anything for me. And the singer also has vocals that you expect to hear on KROCK, to the point that I also started hearing a DJ come on and give the call letters.
Blow Up Hollywood was not what I was expecting from a name like that. Maybe that's why they never gave their name when they got onstage. 7 band members—a cellist, acoustic guitar, 2 electric guitars, a bass, violin, and organ. (Which reminds me, "Magickally Celloriffic" is Rasputina's own slogan. I didn't want anyone to think I came up with that myself.) And they played in the dark. Who the fuck do they think they are? Also there taking pix was this guy I always see at garage rock shows. He was complaining loudly about how much they sucked and it was hard to hear him over the band and I had my earplugs in so I tried not to talk to him in case the band could hear but he kept up his running commentary. Ever since the Arcade Fire, he said, bands have too many members. Yeah, who do they think they are, an Irish punk band? "C'mon, I have 9 other bands to do tonight! I'm falling asleep," he complained. "Take my spot," he offered. "Take my spot, I dare you." So I step forward jokingly, just to get away from his yakking. He was heading to Towers Of London after. "That's the show of the week. Their only local appearance. Don't miss it." Yeah, but I have to get up early Sunday. Blow Up Hollywood are so melancholy and I noticed a guy in the audience singing every word. His mouth was turned down like those hobo clown pictures and he was depressing the hell out of me. At one point he came up front, dropped to one knee, reached his hands to the sky, and yelled "Blow Up Hollywood!" Yeesh. After their set the band played the singer/acoustic guitarist offstage. Who the fuck do they think they are?
By now the place was pretty full. Looker had cards on the merch table with their gigs and pull quotes on the back--"would've been right at home with Salem 66 in the mid-80s" (TONY [and since when did Chuck Eddy write for TONY?]), "reminiscent of Blondie at their best. Seriously!" (You're So Old Street UK), "effortlessly fresh and arresting--more addictive than nose candy!" (the guy who books Pianos). Really now? Well, that answers my standard rhetorical question when faced with such adoration: Who the fuck writes these things? Okay. Musically, they were good--although the bass player couldn't hear herself in the monitor even though she was cranked up to 10 and kept asking the sound guy for more and I'm like, maybe you should turn something down? There's 3 chix and a guy on drums and at least they didn't dress 80s on purpose. One of the guitar players, I didn't care for her vocals but the other girl and the bass player I liked. They had some good songs but didn't remind me of Blondie. Seriously. They sounded like an update of Girl Group sounds, a little Go Go's. A guy had an aside with the bass player and she turned a knob on her amp and that seemed to do the trick and I'm thinking, if even I can figure this shit out then I've been going to too many shows.
Tralala used to be a band called Tight Fit, who I actually did see once at Southpaw. I was thinking it was with the Muffs but now I'm thinking it was with the 5.6.7.8.s. I didn't care for them--Tight Fit, I mean. They were another go go a-go-go band and had coordinating getups and choreographed hipshakes, turns, and struts and I was thinking, Do we really need another band with this sound? It came off as stilted, not to mention acted--and that's coming from someone who's seen Les Sans Culottes and Gaijin A Go Go. If you already have 2 bands that do the sound and look so well, another one (and another one in Brooklyn) feels unnecessary. And a go-go band named Tight Fit? Or any band named Tight Fit? Also on the bill was Wide Right, who I also didn't care for but Christgau does and as usual all crits in the Voice follow Papa Xgau's lead in their praise which makes me think I missed something. Or was tired at the show. But if the delivery was all the same, it doesn't matter what the lyrics are.
So when I started seeing Tralala listed and read that they used to be Tight Fit, I thought, Well, a name like that works for Pit Er Pat. And, I love it when bands read my mind and adjust their act accordingly. I'm glad I passed on their Cakeshop show because that place is terrible to see a show in (but good for a double chocolate brownie, go fig). Tralala is an exuberant, energetic, 7-piece band and too big (memberswise) for Cakeshop. 4 gals shaking hips and tambourines, drummer, guitarer, bassist. Though their first song was "Fired Up" and seemed to set the tone for what to expect, it kinda dissolved (or devolved) into "We're hot young drunk chix on stage, playing CMJ, and our band is the shit" attitudes. Throwing beer cans, waving fistfulls of money (which they claimed they got that night), begging for drinks all night. It was like Les Sans Culottes only younger (and a little immature), better dressed, and non-French.
Since I was so focused on Tralala for that night for the longest and only checked to make sure they were still on the bill for Saturday, I didn't notice there was another band after, at midnight. When they said The Teeth were next, I couldn't believe it. Another band that could be cool. And I'm already there. See, this is what I don't understand about CMJ. There's a few bills where you'd think you know who the headliner is and then there's another band after them. Maybe in the interest of booking as many bands as they could over 4 days, they make it up as they go along and it doesn't matter who goes on after the big-name band because that next one would have no audience. The Teeth are a rock band from Philly and play what I assume is "the Philly sound." Like how there seems to be an LES style or sound. Well, it's like that but from Philly. I assume. I don't know much about the Philly rock scene. And it's the "6th borough." Go fig, indeed.
5 bands for $10. Now that's a different story.
posted by heather @ 10:46 PM
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