When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Go To A Show
Malkovich/Demander/Shellshag//Lit//9/14/05
One of the problem with CMJ this year, aside from why are good bands not playing and crappy ones flourishing, is that I also found out what that Devendra Banhart dude looks like. Yeesh. I thought I had it pretty much figured out what shows I was going to but at the last minute decided to go to Lit instead of the Continental because I go to the Continental a lot as it is and one of the bands I wanted to see, I couldn't tell if they were still on the bill. I went by the CMJ guide, not the venue listings or website. And besides, there were no cover charges listed and last year a CMJ show @ Continental was $10 and the show @ Lit was $7. Also, in addition to not having a trendy DKNY cord for my CMJ placard and map, I also didn't get a MySpace canvas tote. MySpace—A place for music. And what's Hollow Sidewalks, a place for investment bankers?
I was thinking (and hoping) that naming the band Malkovich was some kinda Being John Malkovich reference. Turns out, everybody in the band has the last name of Malkovich. But is it a reference to the movie? Uh, they're from Holland and playing their first gig ever in the US. So either their last names really are Malkovich or something's getting lost in translation. Their bio said they had a Guns N’ Roses twist which, on paper, is a good thing but when your lead singer has shoulder-length hair, a bandana, and a fondness for swaying back and forth a la Axl Rose, it’s a problem. I’d say they’re a garage band except “garage band” usually implies a certain genre other than the screamy metal that is Malkovich. Basement band. Rec room band, or wherever kids go to rehearse and plan to take over the music world.
I usually skip Demander because the chick from the Hissyfits is in this one and that's the reason I almost skipped the show last night. I didn't want to stand around through them until Shellshag came on but I wanted to make it an early night, anyway, and was set to suffer through them. I only saw them once because I had to (they were on some bill, can't remember who) and I didn't care for them but the band I saw last night was nothing like I remember. The Demander I saw last night was a female-fronted/shredding bass player pop rock trio. They were better than I remember and I turned around to look behind me and the place looked packed. Where the hell did all these people come from? How did they hear of Demander? I was thinking the place wouldn't be that packed but it seemed pretty full. And they all left after Demander, probably on to the next show.
Shellshag is a male/female duo--and that's about as easy as describing them gets. Yeah, this is probably why I need a digital camera or shouldn't be doing this until I have money for film developing but I'm still getting started. Guitarist/vocalist Shellhead has a cool polkadotted guitar and a fondness for standing atop amps whilst playing, even pushing a few together to walk on. Percussionist Jen Shag comes out wearing a belt of bells (I've gots'ta get me one of those), bells around her ankles, and drags three cymbals strung together on the floor in front of the stage. Back onstage, she stands behind 3 drums and bashes away. They sound like a minimalist, spastic Aa. Jen was having problems with her vocals and at some points when Shellhead was singing, her sound effects made her look like a fish gasping for water. By the time things were fixed their set was almost done and I wanted them to start over so I could hear everything the right way. The vocals were fixed in time for the haunting song that goes "Everybody is a magnet sometimes" and then changes to "everybody was a magnet/everybody needs a magnet." The set climaxed with Shellhead in the audience playing guitar and carrying Jen off at the end.
I wanted to stay for Chinese Stars, who I saw opening for Mission of Burma in January and were pretty good, but it was getting late and there was another band on next before them. Plus, I could feel the humidity creeping in. If there was A/C, it was on low. There were fans scattered about (and I don't mean music fans) but it wasn't enough. I was starting to feel clammy myself and didn't want to push it and left.
Uh, yeah. I did quit blogging. But if I was so desperate to salvage my "lost post" because losing it entirely meant I'd wasted my time writing it, then quitting the blog means I wasted my time for the past month setting this up. Can't guarantee I won't quit again, but I'll stick with it for now.
One of the problem with CMJ this year, aside from why are good bands not playing and crappy ones flourishing, is that I also found out what that Devendra Banhart dude looks like. Yeesh. I thought I had it pretty much figured out what shows I was going to but at the last minute decided to go to Lit instead of the Continental because I go to the Continental a lot as it is and one of the bands I wanted to see, I couldn't tell if they were still on the bill. I went by the CMJ guide, not the venue listings or website. And besides, there were no cover charges listed and last year a CMJ show @ Continental was $10 and the show @ Lit was $7. Also, in addition to not having a trendy DKNY cord for my CMJ placard and map, I also didn't get a MySpace canvas tote. MySpace—A place for music. And what's Hollow Sidewalks, a place for investment bankers?
I was thinking (and hoping) that naming the band Malkovich was some kinda Being John Malkovich reference. Turns out, everybody in the band has the last name of Malkovich. But is it a reference to the movie? Uh, they're from Holland and playing their first gig ever in the US. So either their last names really are Malkovich or something's getting lost in translation. Their bio said they had a Guns N’ Roses twist which, on paper, is a good thing but when your lead singer has shoulder-length hair, a bandana, and a fondness for swaying back and forth a la Axl Rose, it’s a problem. I’d say they’re a garage band except “garage band” usually implies a certain genre other than the screamy metal that is Malkovich. Basement band. Rec room band, or wherever kids go to rehearse and plan to take over the music world.
I usually skip Demander because the chick from the Hissyfits is in this one and that's the reason I almost skipped the show last night. I didn't want to stand around through them until Shellshag came on but I wanted to make it an early night, anyway, and was set to suffer through them. I only saw them once because I had to (they were on some bill, can't remember who) and I didn't care for them but the band I saw last night was nothing like I remember. The Demander I saw last night was a female-fronted/shredding bass player pop rock trio. They were better than I remember and I turned around to look behind me and the place looked packed. Where the hell did all these people come from? How did they hear of Demander? I was thinking the place wouldn't be that packed but it seemed pretty full. And they all left after Demander, probably on to the next show.
Shellshag is a male/female duo--and that's about as easy as describing them gets. Yeah, this is probably why I need a digital camera or shouldn't be doing this until I have money for film developing but I'm still getting started. Guitarist/vocalist Shellhead has a cool polkadotted guitar and a fondness for standing atop amps whilst playing, even pushing a few together to walk on. Percussionist Jen Shag comes out wearing a belt of bells (I've gots'ta get me one of those), bells around her ankles, and drags three cymbals strung together on the floor in front of the stage. Back onstage, she stands behind 3 drums and bashes away. They sound like a minimalist, spastic Aa. Jen was having problems with her vocals and at some points when Shellhead was singing, her sound effects made her look like a fish gasping for water. By the time things were fixed their set was almost done and I wanted them to start over so I could hear everything the right way. The vocals were fixed in time for the haunting song that goes "Everybody is a magnet sometimes" and then changes to "everybody was a magnet/everybody needs a magnet." The set climaxed with Shellhead in the audience playing guitar and carrying Jen off at the end.
I wanted to stay for Chinese Stars, who I saw opening for Mission of Burma in January and were pretty good, but it was getting late and there was another band on next before them. Plus, I could feel the humidity creeping in. If there was A/C, it was on low. There were fans scattered about (and I don't mean music fans) but it wasn't enough. I was starting to feel clammy myself and didn't want to push it and left.
Uh, yeah. I did quit blogging. But if I was so desperate to salvage my "lost post" because losing it entirely meant I'd wasted my time writing it, then quitting the blog means I wasted my time for the past month setting this up. Can't guarantee I won't quit again, but I'll stick with it for now.
posted by heather @ 10:14 AM
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