Coverless Continental Crapshoot!
The Stags @ Continental, 11/3/05
There were 10 bands listed, 2 I wanted to check out, and there was no cover. Not only do I credit The Spunk Lads for making me take The Continental listings more seriously (Continental does book acts with names that scare you off right off the bat and since they're sometimes on the no cover night, I never used to go there), I credit the Let's Have Some God Damn Fun compilation from Rapid Pulse Records featuring 16 great or potentially great, mostly NYC bands (WW9 is on there and they encouraged us to steal the comp at the show) for including The Stags. I say "potentially great" because I haven't had the chance to listen to the CD yet though I have seen 6 of those bands (DotDash, post-garage rock, NYC punk-n-haircut stuff) and of the 16 bands involved, 8 start with the word "The" (9 if you count Andy G And The Roller Kings, which has "the" in the name and I have seen 'em and know they're good) and all have great, snappy, easy-to-remember names. It don't take much to make me happy, peoples.
Funnily enough, the WW9 blurb starts off: "I had seen the name WW9 around town a bit, but never paid any attention. To be honest, I assumed that with a name like that, they must suck." Their blurb on The Stags says that they're 3 chix backing up a male lead singer and describes them as "a pub rockin' quartet" who "pump out the mid-tempo rockers in fine style." Well, that's why this is known as a Coverless Continental Crapshoot--I had no idea what I was getting into but it doesn't really matter since it's free but I had a feeling that if they were on this comp they have to be good and besides, I can usually tell these things. Some people have a knack for guessing which horsies are gonna win the race, I can guess which bands are gonna rock. Of course the other band I was interested in fell off the bill and 2 bands after The Stags was a band called Saloonatics which is always worth sticking around for on a free not to mention no cover nite if you're already there.
When I get to Continental, the guy at the door asks me if I'm there for the benefit. "What benefit?!" I say as confusion takes over. I'm there for The Stags. I don't have a lot of money on me and the ad did say No Cover. Now what? As he checks my ID he points to the sign on the door that says there's a Red Cross donation box at the bar. Now, how is this a benefit if there's no cover? I don't have a lot of money in general and if there was a $5 or $10 cover, fine. Was the benefit even advertized or promoted? Donate what you can but no cover. Why even bother putting out the donation box? I was kinda tempted not to just because, but I'm not going to take my feelings out on the Red Cross. Not like my paltry contribution (cuz that's all I have) would've made a difference, but still. That would be wrong.
As the ladies in The Stags checked mics, their singer mocked their female voices and repeated others' warnings that he shouldn't have gotten involved with this. His mic was cutting out during the 1st song, "Rock Hotel," and he asked the sound guy if he was screwing with their sound on purpose. Pub rockers? Mid-tempo rockers? Hell no. Imagine turnning the tables on Ramones with a female band fronted by a very sarcastic lead singer. The sound guy was playing "Catholic Boy" as they set up and their singer does have a bit of Jim Carroll's delivery. They're not so much "pub rockers" as they are club rockers. I was ready to pogo and picturing the place filled up and singing along. I have to book a show. All NYC bands. I know who I'd book. Oh my God.
The problem, of course, is that the set was way too short. I asked about CDs, they said they didn't have, didn't have a mailing list. Their singer, Jim, introduced himself and gave me paper to write down my email address, because they usually don't have a mailing list. Wow, a band more bass-ackwards than The Spunk Lads. "And don't give me a fake one, I know how you women are."
"Now, why would I give you a fake email address? I want to keep finding out about your shows."
Jim tells me that he does all the macho stuff, like carrying the ladies' gear. "No," he clarifies, "they're all strong."
"Well, they'd have to be in order to put up with you."
"Oh, that's good. I'm gonna tell them you said that."
We trade barbs for a bit and I feel like I'm playing Ping-Pong with someone who has ADHD. "So, do you think the money's going to the Katrina victims or the Florida victims?"
"The Red Cross, and they're gonna distribute the money," is my guess, but, "I can see Bush giving all the money to Florida and that's the next scandal." Which is why they're making such a big deal over the bird flu, to distract us from his latest failings. He should've asked for 7.1B for Katrina victims, not the bird flu which may or may not happen in 5 years.
"Who are you here for?"
"Uh, you guys."
Jim tells me he has drink tickets that he has to give the ladies. "You have no idea what I go through. They all menstruate at the same time."
"Then you should give them the drink tix to lessen the effects of PMS. Or better yet, keep 'em so you can deal with it."
"Yeah, this way it won't hurt when they punch me."
I ask him if their site is TheStagsDotCom, then think that if that's not it, they've probably got band, NYC, or rock in the name.
Jim defers to the women. "We don't have a website." Wow, The Lads had them beat. Well, at least I know they won't be asking for pix. And then he turns to leave, leaving me thinking, It was nice to meet you, too, Jim. Next gig, then.
While we were talking, the next band has set up. Jesus Speed. Tempting as it is to think they're one'a those dragstrip, gearhead garage bands, the singer has a shirt that says Pro Christo and something else I can't make out. Latin? Is this actually a Chrisitan rock band? The guitar player has shaggy hair and a long beard like that guy who was standing across from the McDonald's near my office, holding a big sign that said It's not about all this, it's about Jesus. It's not about all what? Anyway, the lead singer has a bunch'a tattoos and someone heckles that they're Blink 182. I think it was one of their friends ragging on them. The singer has a bizarre voice when checking and he cannot sing for shit. Maybe he had a sore throat or a sinus problem, but yeesh. Then some blonde stick in tight jeans and brown, knee-high leather boots with the pantlegs tucked in runs up front, cheering and waving her arms. You can tell a lot about a band by the crowd they attract. I decide to leave because I'm not standing around through this, and Jones Crusher, just to catch Saloonatics. This is what makes it a crapshoot. That's like spending an extra hour 45 at the place, on top of a 45 minute ride home. Good thing I left when I did, because I had a 20 minute wait for the R.
There were 10 bands listed, 2 I wanted to check out, and there was no cover. Not only do I credit The Spunk Lads for making me take The Continental listings more seriously (Continental does book acts with names that scare you off right off the bat and since they're sometimes on the no cover night, I never used to go there), I credit the Let's Have Some God Damn Fun compilation from Rapid Pulse Records featuring 16 great or potentially great, mostly NYC bands (WW9 is on there and they encouraged us to steal the comp at the show) for including The Stags. I say "potentially great" because I haven't had the chance to listen to the CD yet though I have seen 6 of those bands (DotDash, post-garage rock, NYC punk-n-haircut stuff) and of the 16 bands involved, 8 start with the word "The" (9 if you count Andy G And The Roller Kings, which has "the" in the name and I have seen 'em and know they're good) and all have great, snappy, easy-to-remember names. It don't take much to make me happy, peoples.
Funnily enough, the WW9 blurb starts off: "I had seen the name WW9 around town a bit, but never paid any attention. To be honest, I assumed that with a name like that, they must suck." Their blurb on The Stags says that they're 3 chix backing up a male lead singer and describes them as "a pub rockin' quartet" who "pump out the mid-tempo rockers in fine style." Well, that's why this is known as a Coverless Continental Crapshoot--I had no idea what I was getting into but it doesn't really matter since it's free but I had a feeling that if they were on this comp they have to be good and besides, I can usually tell these things. Some people have a knack for guessing which horsies are gonna win the race, I can guess which bands are gonna rock. Of course the other band I was interested in fell off the bill and 2 bands after The Stags was a band called Saloonatics which is always worth sticking around for on a free not to mention no cover nite if you're already there.
When I get to Continental, the guy at the door asks me if I'm there for the benefit. "What benefit?!" I say as confusion takes over. I'm there for The Stags. I don't have a lot of money on me and the ad did say No Cover. Now what? As he checks my ID he points to the sign on the door that says there's a Red Cross donation box at the bar. Now, how is this a benefit if there's no cover? I don't have a lot of money in general and if there was a $5 or $10 cover, fine. Was the benefit even advertized or promoted? Donate what you can but no cover. Why even bother putting out the donation box? I was kinda tempted not to just because, but I'm not going to take my feelings out on the Red Cross. Not like my paltry contribution (cuz that's all I have) would've made a difference, but still. That would be wrong.
As the ladies in The Stags checked mics, their singer mocked their female voices and repeated others' warnings that he shouldn't have gotten involved with this. His mic was cutting out during the 1st song, "Rock Hotel," and he asked the sound guy if he was screwing with their sound on purpose. Pub rockers? Mid-tempo rockers? Hell no. Imagine turnning the tables on Ramones with a female band fronted by a very sarcastic lead singer. The sound guy was playing "Catholic Boy" as they set up and their singer does have a bit of Jim Carroll's delivery. They're not so much "pub rockers" as they are club rockers. I was ready to pogo and picturing the place filled up and singing along. I have to book a show. All NYC bands. I know who I'd book. Oh my God.
The problem, of course, is that the set was way too short. I asked about CDs, they said they didn't have, didn't have a mailing list. Their singer, Jim, introduced himself and gave me paper to write down my email address, because they usually don't have a mailing list. Wow, a band more bass-ackwards than The Spunk Lads. "And don't give me a fake one, I know how you women are."
"Now, why would I give you a fake email address? I want to keep finding out about your shows."
Jim tells me that he does all the macho stuff, like carrying the ladies' gear. "No," he clarifies, "they're all strong."
"Well, they'd have to be in order to put up with you."
"Oh, that's good. I'm gonna tell them you said that."
We trade barbs for a bit and I feel like I'm playing Ping-Pong with someone who has ADHD. "So, do you think the money's going to the Katrina victims or the Florida victims?"
"The Red Cross, and they're gonna distribute the money," is my guess, but, "I can see Bush giving all the money to Florida and that's the next scandal." Which is why they're making such a big deal over the bird flu, to distract us from his latest failings. He should've asked for 7.1B for Katrina victims, not the bird flu which may or may not happen in 5 years.
"Who are you here for?"
"Uh, you guys."
Jim tells me he has drink tickets that he has to give the ladies. "You have no idea what I go through. They all menstruate at the same time."
"Then you should give them the drink tix to lessen the effects of PMS. Or better yet, keep 'em so you can deal with it."
"Yeah, this way it won't hurt when they punch me."
I ask him if their site is TheStagsDotCom, then think that if that's not it, they've probably got band, NYC, or rock in the name.
Jim defers to the women. "We don't have a website." Wow, The Lads had them beat. Well, at least I know they won't be asking for pix. And then he turns to leave, leaving me thinking, It was nice to meet you, too, Jim. Next gig, then.
While we were talking, the next band has set up. Jesus Speed. Tempting as it is to think they're one'a those dragstrip, gearhead garage bands, the singer has a shirt that says Pro Christo and something else I can't make out. Latin? Is this actually a Chrisitan rock band? The guitar player has shaggy hair and a long beard like that guy who was standing across from the McDonald's near my office, holding a big sign that said It's not about all this, it's about Jesus. It's not about all what? Anyway, the lead singer has a bunch'a tattoos and someone heckles that they're Blink 182. I think it was one of their friends ragging on them. The singer has a bizarre voice when checking and he cannot sing for shit. Maybe he had a sore throat or a sinus problem, but yeesh. Then some blonde stick in tight jeans and brown, knee-high leather boots with the pantlegs tucked in runs up front, cheering and waving her arms. You can tell a lot about a band by the crowd they attract. I decide to leave because I'm not standing around through this, and Jones Crusher, just to catch Saloonatics. This is what makes it a crapshoot. That's like spending an extra hour 45 at the place, on top of a 45 minute ride home. Good thing I left when I did, because I had a 20 minute wait for the R.
posted by heather @ 3:52 AM
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