Demonios In The Rough
The Mercury Seed/Somos Demonios//Pussycat Lounge//10/20/05
So. Since (Roger) Paz, (Scott MX) Turner, and (Dave) Benjoya have played host to The Spunk Lads' freeloading Nick Knickers, Bloody Dick, and Yid Vicious, respectively, lo these past 4 years, they've decided to join forces and start their own band.
Oh, bullshit. The former are the latter and vice versa. I don't know if I should even bother reviewing Somos Demonios because it's the post-Spunk Lads rebound band--I mean, they haven't even solidified a lineup and they (hopefully) might not even keep the name. But in order to solve their lack-of-drummer problem the other nite, "as with the MTA's weekend rerouting of trains"--the guitarist was the drummer and the bass player was the guitarist, a new guy on bass, "alas, our singer is still singing." Maybe that'll do the trick.
Still, I left at about 10 to 10 to get down to Rector St. by 11 even though I knew Somos Demonios weren't going on at 11 and what's more, it's not like I was gonna have to face a crowd when I got there. Every column in the subway station is plastered with notices that the G isn't running in these parts over the weekend. What else is new? someone wrote. It never runs. I got to The Pussycat at 10:30--jumped on the express to 14th for the 1 even though I was tempted to go locally. It's not like I had to rush but going local thru Queens when I have a show to get to (I almost just left it as "when I have a gig") makes me nervous. The Pussycat Lounge is great because it's right on top of the subway exit but sucks because the booking, on the whole, is crapular.
I get in a little after 10:30 to see the 10:00 band first soundchecking and flop down on the nearest couch. To my left is their mailing list and then I realized my mistake: there's no escaping this. Like I said, booking for The Pussycat is crapular--as is The Mercury Seed. They're non-confrontational, unchallenging bar rock that wishes it was grunge. The lead singer keeps both hands either on the mic or the stand the whole time. Or he picks the whole stand up and holds it across himself. I lean my head back and roll my eyes. Damn, this space is ugly. Damn, this band sucks. The whole problem is that I can see The Deli or SONYC giving them neutral-to-good reviews solely because they're a NYC band and the goal of those publications is to "support" the NYC music scene. It's just that their brand of hand-holding "journalism" sounds all the same, much like the LES/W'burg scene they cover.
I look up to the balcony and see Scott and I can't look at him because I'll start laughing about the band right in front of them. Since they're still on their 1st song and I'm sitting right in front of them I can't go upstairs because it'll look too obvious that I'm trying to get away from Mercury Seed. Besides, we'll end up being like those 2 cranky guys in the box seats on the Muppets (I forgot their names) and I can just picture the conversation: These guys suck. What? I said, these guys suck. What? What? No, what did you say? THESE GUYS SUCK--and by which point even the band would've heard us. (It's happened before. This is why we all need to know sign language. Besides, we're all going deaf from shows anyway.) I wait a bit and then make a break for it to the upstairs lounge, where there's a sign on the door designating this as the place to check clothing/accessories. On the toilet tank is a card for a band whose website is, I am not making this up, TheGreatestBand. TENEbRAE (that's really how they write it), a "theatrical doom metal band." "Performing at the CBGB Lounge in NY City. Doors will be open at 6:30." Uh. The flipside is even better: they're looking for a bass player is who is able to play their instrument and is between the The ages 20-27. "We are a band that is not into drug use if you are willing to make it in a band and have no ego...." And no use for punctuation. "Until again by the blood of the rose." And I thought Somos Demonios had problems? On my way back downstairs I say hi to Scott and his friend.
"We were just discussing what makes music great--"
"It's not this--"
"--and it's not this."
Back downstairs, Roger has arrived and asks me, "So, how're these guys?"
"You're listening to them."
"They've been like this?" he asks incredulously.
Now then. I'm not too thrilled with the current Somos Demonios lineup and I don't think they are, either. I know that's not the final lineup; I just say that so there will be at least one thing here that we can all agree on. I can't imagine that Scott likes being stuck behind the drums for this band because he just shines on guitar. It's also weird hearing songs that used to be done in a faux-Brit accent but it's like having that focus and discipline made them, as individuals, more focused and disciplined as a band. I was just standing there, thinking, Now, why'd'ja have to go break up a near-perfect (and since no band is perfect because while there's always room to improve there's also a chance of pissing me off so near-perfect is as good as it gets) band to do this? It just comes off as some good songs in search of a worthy band. I almost wish they wouldn't play gigs as a band until they figure out who's in the band and get their acts together. Take what was good about The Spunk Lads--the songwriting and the fun they all had onstage together--and build up from there. While they're lucky to have such a built-in crowd, they've gotta reach beyond that. Because it was also coming off as a band playing to their friends and therefore what more do we need? I mean, I guess The Spunk Lads were as well, but this time it just feels different. You're not The Spunk Lads anymore, fine, then stop alluding to the fact that you used to be TSL. Because if I were to get all Deli on them, the only thing I'd say is, Imagine if The Spunk Lads weren't British and you'd have Somos Demonios. You need the mindset that your band has to win over the people who happen to be at the club for a night of rock, not convince all of your friends that this is The New Spunk Lads. (And I'm not even going to jokingly suggest that as the new band name, it's just that I'd be remiss for not pointing that out.) As I'm sitting here writing this I'm looking at an old Lads' list and while there are 5 songs the same the SD list is 3 songs shorter, it always seemed that the Lads did more songs. Spunk Lads sets just seemed to fly right by because time flies when you're having fun at a show. I'm also not too thrilled with bands that have their own theme song. Maybe it's just that I see too many bands whose signature songs have become their theme songs. But like last week when I saw The Prince Hal Show--they had an opening and closing theme song and it put me in a different mindset right off the bat--like I was watching a sitcom and who takes a sitcom that seriously, anyway? Not to mention the band name: The Prince Hal Show. You're already going in thinking you're going to be entertained. Which, when you think about it, is what happens at a show--Here I am now, entertain me--but that's never what I get out of shows. I don't walk into a venue, tell them who I'm going to see as I pay my cover, and then expect entertainment. If I wanted to be entertained I'd buy the Family Guy DVDs or something and stay home. And I can veer off on a whole massive tangent and get all philosophical now but this isn't one of those deep-thoughts posts, it's a Somos Demonios review. Which is the point I was trying to make about the band in the first place. Well, what the fuck do I know about anything? I've been wrong before and perhaps I'm wrong now. I guess that remains to be seen. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm not qualified to comment because I've seen The Spunk Lads way too many times and that makes me predjudiced.
So anyway, when I got up to 14th Street there were workers on the tracks even though there weren't any signs about reroutes and I thought, This can't be a good thing. I was sitting there for a good 10 mins. before I barely heard some announcement about going down to W4. It was already late so I didn't wait around to try to hear it again. Somos Demonios jinxed the subway. I went back down to W4 for the E. Which took about 20 mins to show up. At least I wasn't so tired that I didn't realize that the Uptown E isn't right upstairs; it's upstairs and to the left. Right upstairs is the Downtown E. I don't even want to tell you what time I got in yesterday morning. Then I go to work and can't sleep on the subway. Some announcement that the E & F are rerouted over the R and there's no V. Like we're missing anything with no V. Debris on the track, they say. How much debris is on every track from Queens Plaza to W4 in order to have that much rerouting? What, is there a horde of elephants in the tunnels? Then it was "due to an earlier incident." Turns out it was that big fire @ W4.
Until again by the blood of the rose.
So. Since (Roger) Paz, (Scott MX) Turner, and (Dave) Benjoya have played host to The Spunk Lads' freeloading Nick Knickers, Bloody Dick, and Yid Vicious, respectively, lo these past 4 years, they've decided to join forces and start their own band.
Oh, bullshit. The former are the latter and vice versa. I don't know if I should even bother reviewing Somos Demonios because it's the post-Spunk Lads rebound band--I mean, they haven't even solidified a lineup and they (hopefully) might not even keep the name. But in order to solve their lack-of-drummer problem the other nite, "as with the MTA's weekend rerouting of trains"--the guitarist was the drummer and the bass player was the guitarist, a new guy on bass, "alas, our singer is still singing." Maybe that'll do the trick.
Still, I left at about 10 to 10 to get down to Rector St. by 11 even though I knew Somos Demonios weren't going on at 11 and what's more, it's not like I was gonna have to face a crowd when I got there. Every column in the subway station is plastered with notices that the G isn't running in these parts over the weekend. What else is new? someone wrote. It never runs. I got to The Pussycat at 10:30--jumped on the express to 14th for the 1 even though I was tempted to go locally. It's not like I had to rush but going local thru Queens when I have a show to get to (I almost just left it as "when I have a gig") makes me nervous. The Pussycat Lounge is great because it's right on top of the subway exit but sucks because the booking, on the whole, is crapular.
I get in a little after 10:30 to see the 10:00 band first soundchecking and flop down on the nearest couch. To my left is their mailing list and then I realized my mistake: there's no escaping this. Like I said, booking for The Pussycat is crapular--as is The Mercury Seed. They're non-confrontational, unchallenging bar rock that wishes it was grunge. The lead singer keeps both hands either on the mic or the stand the whole time. Or he picks the whole stand up and holds it across himself. I lean my head back and roll my eyes. Damn, this space is ugly. Damn, this band sucks. The whole problem is that I can see The Deli or SONYC giving them neutral-to-good reviews solely because they're a NYC band and the goal of those publications is to "support" the NYC music scene. It's just that their brand of hand-holding "journalism" sounds all the same, much like the LES/W'burg scene they cover.
I look up to the balcony and see Scott and I can't look at him because I'll start laughing about the band right in front of them. Since they're still on their 1st song and I'm sitting right in front of them I can't go upstairs because it'll look too obvious that I'm trying to get away from Mercury Seed. Besides, we'll end up being like those 2 cranky guys in the box seats on the Muppets (I forgot their names) and I can just picture the conversation: These guys suck. What? I said, these guys suck. What? What? No, what did you say? THESE GUYS SUCK--and by which point even the band would've heard us. (It's happened before. This is why we all need to know sign language. Besides, we're all going deaf from shows anyway.) I wait a bit and then make a break for it to the upstairs lounge, where there's a sign on the door designating this as the place to check clothing/accessories. On the toilet tank is a card for a band whose website is, I am not making this up, TheGreatestBand. TENEbRAE (that's really how they write it), a "theatrical doom metal band." "Performing at the CBGB Lounge in NY City. Doors will be open at 6:30." Uh. The flipside is even better: they're looking for a bass player is who is able to play their instrument and is between the The ages 20-27. "We are a band that is not into drug use if you are willing to make it in a band and have no ego...." And no use for punctuation. "Until again by the blood of the rose." And I thought Somos Demonios had problems? On my way back downstairs I say hi to Scott and his friend.
"We were just discussing what makes music great--"
"It's not this--"
"--and it's not this."
Back downstairs, Roger has arrived and asks me, "So, how're these guys?"
"You're listening to them."
"They've been like this?" he asks incredulously.
Now then. I'm not too thrilled with the current Somos Demonios lineup and I don't think they are, either. I know that's not the final lineup; I just say that so there will be at least one thing here that we can all agree on. I can't imagine that Scott likes being stuck behind the drums for this band because he just shines on guitar. It's also weird hearing songs that used to be done in a faux-Brit accent but it's like having that focus and discipline made them, as individuals, more focused and disciplined as a band. I was just standing there, thinking, Now, why'd'ja have to go break up a near-perfect (and since no band is perfect because while there's always room to improve there's also a chance of pissing me off so near-perfect is as good as it gets) band to do this? It just comes off as some good songs in search of a worthy band. I almost wish they wouldn't play gigs as a band until they figure out who's in the band and get their acts together. Take what was good about The Spunk Lads--the songwriting and the fun they all had onstage together--and build up from there. While they're lucky to have such a built-in crowd, they've gotta reach beyond that. Because it was also coming off as a band playing to their friends and therefore what more do we need? I mean, I guess The Spunk Lads were as well, but this time it just feels different. You're not The Spunk Lads anymore, fine, then stop alluding to the fact that you used to be TSL. Because if I were to get all Deli on them, the only thing I'd say is, Imagine if The Spunk Lads weren't British and you'd have Somos Demonios. You need the mindset that your band has to win over the people who happen to be at the club for a night of rock, not convince all of your friends that this is The New Spunk Lads. (And I'm not even going to jokingly suggest that as the new band name, it's just that I'd be remiss for not pointing that out.) As I'm sitting here writing this I'm looking at an old Lads' list and while there are 5 songs the same the SD list is 3 songs shorter, it always seemed that the Lads did more songs. Spunk Lads sets just seemed to fly right by because time flies when you're having fun at a show. I'm also not too thrilled with bands that have their own theme song. Maybe it's just that I see too many bands whose signature songs have become their theme songs. But like last week when I saw The Prince Hal Show--they had an opening and closing theme song and it put me in a different mindset right off the bat--like I was watching a sitcom and who takes a sitcom that seriously, anyway? Not to mention the band name: The Prince Hal Show. You're already going in thinking you're going to be entertained. Which, when you think about it, is what happens at a show--Here I am now, entertain me--but that's never what I get out of shows. I don't walk into a venue, tell them who I'm going to see as I pay my cover, and then expect entertainment. If I wanted to be entertained I'd buy the Family Guy DVDs or something and stay home. And I can veer off on a whole massive tangent and get all philosophical now but this isn't one of those deep-thoughts posts, it's a Somos Demonios review. Which is the point I was trying to make about the band in the first place. Well, what the fuck do I know about anything? I've been wrong before and perhaps I'm wrong now. I guess that remains to be seen. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm not qualified to comment because I've seen The Spunk Lads way too many times and that makes me predjudiced.
So anyway, when I got up to 14th Street there were workers on the tracks even though there weren't any signs about reroutes and I thought, This can't be a good thing. I was sitting there for a good 10 mins. before I barely heard some announcement about going down to W4. It was already late so I didn't wait around to try to hear it again. Somos Demonios jinxed the subway. I went back down to W4 for the E. Which took about 20 mins to show up. At least I wasn't so tired that I didn't realize that the Uptown E isn't right upstairs; it's upstairs and to the left. Right upstairs is the Downtown E. I don't even want to tell you what time I got in yesterday morning. Then I go to work and can't sleep on the subway. Some announcement that the E & F are rerouted over the R and there's no V. Like we're missing anything with no V. Debris on the track, they say. How much debris is on every track from Queens Plaza to W4 in order to have that much rerouting? What, is there a horde of elephants in the tunnels? Then it was "due to an earlier incident." Turns out it was that big fire @ W4.
Until again by the blood of the rose.
posted by heather @ 5:39 PM
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