Ghoulies R Go!!!
Dollyrots/Unlovables/Helper Monkeys/Groovie Ghoulies//Tap Bar//11/11/05
Since seeing the Ghoulies open for the Muffs @ Tramps in 1997, I've only missed 2 shows. And since I saw the Ghoulies open for the Muffs, the Ghoulies have been returning the favor by introducing me to my new favorite bands, like the Donnas, who opened for them @ Coney Island High in '98--and when the Donnas and Ghoulies played Tramps in '99 for the Digital Club Network festival I looked at my ticket and thought: I hope this Mooney Suzuki is good because I'm seeing them tomorrow w/the Donnas @ Maxwell's--and Epoxies, who opened for them @ CBGB in 2003. First time I missed 'em was when they played Maxwell's and I'd already gotten a ticket for the Donnas at the Bowery Ballroom before I knew about the Maxwell's show. (Gahd, whatta has-been namedropper.) Most recently was when they played the same day as The Spunk Lads' grand finale on 7/9. Which sucked all around because 1st the Lads were supposed to call it a day in the beginning of May, and then I heard that the Ghoulies were supposed to play the 8th. At first I was relieved because the Ghoulies' van broke down in Philly, they got there late, and only played 20 mins. So when I heard that I was like Phew, I didn't miss anything and then I thought, It's the Ghoulies and whatever happens, happens and I missed them.
Modrocket played that night @ Arlene's & I was set to go cuz they're on @ 7 but the Ghoulies show starts @ 11 and it's all that running around--do I bring my bag to work? Run back after Modrocket and drop it off and pick up the wings (it's a H-ween party--hell, every Ghoulies show is a H'ween party), run back before Modrocket and back in?--and it's Hell Week. But Modrocket fell out of the equation due to Hell Week becoming Bloody Hell Week. Yup, nothing like standing thru a ton of shows and starting your period. I was feeling sick Friday morning and my head was killing me, like a cassette tape stuck on FF and that screeching sound it makes and you're afraid the tape deck is gonna eat it? Yup, that was my head. Which is how it feels from time to time but it was like that all day Friday.
As I wait for the 1, I notice all the trackwork signs on the 2/3 platform: No Bronxbound 2 trains at this platform. Well, DUH. This is the Downtown track, to lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. There are NEVER any Bronxbound trains at this platform. Of course, I figure that such signs mean that there are signs on the Uptown side saying that the Uptown trains are stopping on the Downtown platform due to this weekend's "every train but the M is facing rerouting." I get down to Franklin and the same "No Uptown 2 here" signs are posted in that station. See, those posters and signs for Propostion 2 that was on the ballot made it sound positive: Vote yes for fewer delays and a seat on the subway--and the $ for all the improvements will come out of your pockets. The 2nd Ave. subway? They can't even create a coherent reroute poster for all the lines already in existence. What, they want to create another line that'll always be rerouted?
The Dollyrots were nice but it was really hard to hear all the lyrics. What's with all these bass players who insist on cranking everything through their monitor, and really loud at that? The lyrics ended up sounding muffled. Or maybe it's because I'm a little hard of hearing (the ringing in my ears after all those shows at Coney Island High and Tramps used to keep me up at nite and I was relieved when that stopped because it meant that I was finally adjusting. Then I found it that meant I was going deaf) and wear earplugs. I'm sure describing them as pop-punk is redundant and repetitive considering the show we're talking about here.
During the set change I was talking to Rob and I was crowded out for the Unlovables. Not like I minded so much, but I was staking out a spot. And crowding hurts my back, and my left arm socket was hurting from wearing the bat wings. So I had to step back, but I did so knowing that people would clear out again for Helper Monkeys and I could return to my post. Which is exactly what happened.
I knew there was someone from the Ghoulies in the Helper Monkeys, harder-hitting than the usual pop, either that or it was someone from the Helper Monkeys in the Ghoulies. I was staring at them for the longest trying to unravel the mystery when I realized that it was Jaz, their singer, who used to drum for the Ghoulies. It's not senility; how many drummers--and years--ago was Jaz? Back in the Coney era.
When Rob came back for the Ghoulies and stood to my right, I was in front of Roach. The problem is this--and probably would only make sense to the poor souls who see bands/play the Tap Bar. The layout used to be a narrow strip with the stage straight ahead. To the right of that room was the Alterknit Theatre. Now the Alterknit is gone, but they moved the stage over to the right, cattycorner to the room. Of course it probably would've made sense to expand the stage horizontally across the room but this is the Knitting Factory, where the doors to the Tap Bar are marked Push and No Push, inside it says No, not this one. So the stage forms a right triangle with the drummer in the right angle. Obviously, Pythagorus was not a punk rocker. Since the Groovie Ghoulies are a trio Kepi was all the way down at the narrow angle of the triangle, in the dark and far away from me. So it was hard for me to connect. Not to mention that they couldn't find a drummer that would last beyond each tour and it was around Travels With My Amp and their split from Lookout! Records that I stopped getting every album. It's just that I'm broke. I mean, I love the Ghoulies to pieces, but it feels like something changed in their whole gestalt and it's hard getting back into them. Or maybe I changed. Still, I wrecked my back and screamed along to classics like The Beast With 5 Hands, Island Of Pogo Pogo, Vampire Girl, Hair Of Gold and Skin Of Blue, Graveyard Girlfriend and 'Til Death Do We Party.
With all the rerouting going on, I decided to ask before schlepping down the corridor to 8th Ave. in Times Square. So I ask a maintanence worker in the orange vest if the E was being rerouted in these parts. He said he didn't know. Lovely.
Since seeing the Ghoulies open for the Muffs @ Tramps in 1997, I've only missed 2 shows. And since I saw the Ghoulies open for the Muffs, the Ghoulies have been returning the favor by introducing me to my new favorite bands, like the Donnas, who opened for them @ Coney Island High in '98--and when the Donnas and Ghoulies played Tramps in '99 for the Digital Club Network festival I looked at my ticket and thought: I hope this Mooney Suzuki is good because I'm seeing them tomorrow w/the Donnas @ Maxwell's--and Epoxies, who opened for them @ CBGB in 2003. First time I missed 'em was when they played Maxwell's and I'd already gotten a ticket for the Donnas at the Bowery Ballroom before I knew about the Maxwell's show. (Gahd, whatta has-been namedropper.) Most recently was when they played the same day as The Spunk Lads' grand finale on 7/9. Which sucked all around because 1st the Lads were supposed to call it a day in the beginning of May, and then I heard that the Ghoulies were supposed to play the 8th. At first I was relieved because the Ghoulies' van broke down in Philly, they got there late, and only played 20 mins. So when I heard that I was like Phew, I didn't miss anything and then I thought, It's the Ghoulies and whatever happens, happens and I missed them.Modrocket played that night @ Arlene's & I was set to go cuz they're on @ 7 but the Ghoulies show starts @ 11 and it's all that running around--do I bring my bag to work? Run back after Modrocket and drop it off and pick up the wings (it's a H-ween party--hell, every Ghoulies show is a H'ween party), run back before Modrocket and back in?--and it's Hell Week. But Modrocket fell out of the equation due to Hell Week becoming Bloody Hell Week. Yup, nothing like standing thru a ton of shows and starting your period. I was feeling sick Friday morning and my head was killing me, like a cassette tape stuck on FF and that screeching sound it makes and you're afraid the tape deck is gonna eat it? Yup, that was my head. Which is how it feels from time to time but it was like that all day Friday.As I wait for the 1, I notice all the trackwork signs on the 2/3 platform: No Bronxbound 2 trains at this platform. Well, DUH. This is the Downtown track, to lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. There are NEVER any Bronxbound trains at this platform. Of course, I figure that such signs mean that there are signs on the Uptown side saying that the Uptown trains are stopping on the Downtown platform due to this weekend's "every train but the M is facing rerouting." I get down to Franklin and the same "No Uptown 2 here" signs are posted in that station. See, those posters and signs for Propostion 2 that was on the ballot made it sound positive: Vote yes for fewer delays and a seat on the subway--and the $ for all the improvements will come out of your pockets. The 2nd Ave. subway? They can't even create a coherent reroute poster for all the lines already in existence. What, they want to create another line that'll always be rerouted? The Dollyrots were nice but it was really hard to hear all the lyrics. What's with all these bass players who insist on cranking everything through their monitor, and really loud at that? The lyrics ended up sounding muffled. Or maybe it's because I'm a little hard of hearing (the ringing in my ears after all those shows at Coney Island High and Tramps used to keep me up at nite and I was relieved when that stopped because it meant that I was finally adjusting. Then I found it that meant I was going deaf) and wear earplugs. I'm sure describing them as pop-punk is redundant and repetitive considering the show we're talking about here.
During the set change I was talking to Rob and I was crowded out for the Unlovables. Not like I minded so much, but I was staking out a spot. And crowding hurts my back, and my left arm socket was hurting from wearing the bat wings. So I had to step back, but I did so knowing that people would clear out again for Helper Monkeys and I could return to my post. Which is exactly what happened.
I knew there was someone from the Ghoulies in the Helper Monkeys, harder-hitting than the usual pop, either that or it was someone from the Helper Monkeys in the Ghoulies. I was staring at them for the longest trying to unravel the mystery when I realized that it was Jaz, their singer, who used to drum for the Ghoulies. It's not senility; how many drummers--and years--ago was Jaz? Back in the Coney era. When Rob came back for the Ghoulies and stood to my right, I was in front of Roach. The problem is this--and probably would only make sense to the poor souls who see bands/play the Tap Bar. The layout used to be a narrow strip with the stage straight ahead. To the right of that room was the Alterknit Theatre. Now the Alterknit is gone, but they moved the stage over to the right, cattycorner to the room. Of course it probably would've made sense to expand the stage horizontally across the room but this is the Knitting Factory, where the doors to the Tap Bar are marked Push and No Push, inside it says No, not this one. So the stage forms a right triangle with the drummer in the right angle. Obviously, Pythagorus was not a punk rocker. Since the Groovie Ghoulies are a trio Kepi was all the way down at the narrow angle of the triangle, in the dark and far away from me. So it was hard for me to connect. Not to mention that they couldn't find a drummer that would last beyond each tour and it was around Travels With My Amp and their split from Lookout! Records that I stopped getting every album. It's just that I'm broke. I mean, I love the Ghoulies to pieces, but it feels like something changed in their whole gestalt and it's hard getting back into them. Or maybe I changed. Still, I wrecked my back and screamed along to classics like The Beast With 5 Hands, Island Of Pogo Pogo, Vampire Girl, Hair Of Gold and Skin Of Blue, Graveyard Girlfriend and 'Til Death Do We Party.With all the rerouting going on, I decided to ask before schlepping down the corridor to 8th Ave. in Times Square. So I ask a maintanence worker in the orange vest if the E was being rerouted in these parts. He said he didn't know. Lovely.
posted by heather @ 11:23 PM
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