Odds and Ends. Catching Up.

Twin Peaks at Wonder Bar

Quiet But Busy

I'm starting to sound like a broken record here, but I've really had a hard time sitting down and focusing on writing for the blog lately. The last 12 months have been stressful, to say the least; and I'm sure anyone who's been dealing with some heavy issues in their life can relate to the exhaustion and loss of focus that can come with just getting through every day. That said, I have maintained a pretty rigorous show-going schedule. I've been taking pictures and trying to keep the CoolDad Music Instagram account active. One of the things that I used to pride myself on here at CoolDad Music, though, was sharing the details of my live music experiences. With that in mind, here are some of the highlights from the past week or so.

Thursday, 9/27. Alvvays, Snail Mail, Hatchie at Warsaw

No camera for Alvvays, so phone pics will have to do.

It feels like I had tickets to this one for months. Turns out that was a good idea because Alvvays sold out three consecutive nights at Warsaw in Brooklyn. Thursday was their second night at the venue headlining an absolutely amazing bill that also featured Snail Mail and Australia's Hatchie.

A few weeks ago, it became clear that CoolMom wasn't gonna make this one, so I reached out to my fellow Alvvays fans, the Bornemanns, to see if anyone wanted to join me. Emily already had plans to see one of the shows, so Justin and I made the trip up to Brooklyn together. This was the second time that I wasn't able to obtain photo credentials to shoot Alvvays in Brooklyn; so it was just enjoy the show with my buddy, which is always cool. Oh, also, pierogies.

Opener Hatchie, whose Sugar & Spice EP came out this past spring, opened with her ethereal and accessible dream pop. I heard a lot of 80s alternative pop influence in her sound -- at one point turning to Justin and mentioning that I was getting a John Hughes movie vibe. I also kept thinking of The Sundays.

Hatchie

Snail Mail have been relentless road dogs since the release of Lush back in June. I felt like they changed up the tempo on a couple of the songs like "Heat Wave" and "Pristine" from the recorded versions, slowing things down just a bit. Even so, the set flew by and I was surprised and slightly bummed when it ended. Always leave 'em wanting more isn't a bad thing, though. There was a healthy portion of the sold-out crowd that was there specifically to see Lindsey Jordan and company, and they ate it up.

Snail Mail

A couple of random notes from Snail Mail's set: Drummer Ray Brown carried his snare on stage in a case adorned with a RockNRoll HiFives sticker. Lindsey Jordan's referring to Alvvays as a "no mistakes core" band was spot on.

Alvvays blew me away. As Jordan pointed out, they were amazingly tight and on-point. Molly Rankin's vocals were so perfect that I had to look and listen closely a couple of times just to see whether or not the band were playing to tracks. They weren't. The set was everything I, as a big fan of the band, could have wanted. It featured my favorite songs ("In Undertow," "Lollipop," "Plimsoll Punks," "Adult Diversion," "Next of Kin," and stone classic "Archie, Marry Me," among others) from both of Alvvays's stunning albums. Understandably, the set was heavier on the band's sophomore record, Antisocialites; but that was fine by me.

This ranks as one of the best bills / shows, top-to-bottom, that I've seen.

Saturday, 9/29. Twin Peaks, Lowlight at Wonder Bar for Sea. Hear. Now Late Show

Twin Peaks

I didn't make it to any of the Sea. Hear. Now festival this weekend in Asbury Park. From what I saw on Instagram and Facebook, it looked absolutely packed. When Chris Dickman and I got to Asbury Park on Saturday night for this show, the place was hopping.

The cooldaughters had their first swim meet of the season this weekend, and heading out to an all-day festival for two days just wasn't in the cards for me. When Lowlight announced they'd be opening this after-show for Twin Peaks, though. I immediately made plans to attend.

As I waited on the ID line to get into the venue, multiple groups of festival-goers in front of me opted to leave rather than pay the $23 cover at the door. I guess I understand that given that they'd already paid for a two-day festival pass and would be able to catch Twin Peaks on the Park Stage the following night. But I can just about guarantee that seeing the band on the big festival stage was nothing compared to seeing them in what ended up being a rowdy, sweaty, and packed-out Wonder Bar.

First things first, though. I did my usual thing (which is, admittedly, getting kind of old) of getting inside and walking up front to stake out a spot to shoot the photo-pitless show. [Aside: Yes, the "three songs and out" rule in the photo pit is arbitrary and annoying; but give me a photo pit and its forced limitations over fighting the crowd every day of the week.] Twin Peaks' fans seem pretty dedicated, and the crowd was already filling in an hour or more before the band was set to take the stage. I was pretty much stuck with one vantage point for the entire show, but that's life.

Lowlight

Lowlight kicked things off and really connected with the Twin Peaks crowd. Lowlight's synth-soaked, expansive sound may not seem like an obvious pairing with Twin Peaks' garage rock leanings; but everyone around me up front was pretty much going nuts for them. That's a testament right there to the fact that good songs always win out. This was another case where the opening set was just a little too short for me, but something tells me I'll catch Lowlight again.

Twin Peaks fans

By the time Twin Peaks hit the stage, Wonder Bar was either sold out or damn close to it. The Chicago band put on a great live show, and their fans love them. I stuck it out up front to get a few shots, but I started to feel like I should let some of these people get up close to their heroes and bailed after a few songs. I kept watching from different points in the venue, and the guys had the crowd going apeshit. Again, if you opted to wait until you saw this band on the big stage outside (where I'm sure they were great, but still...), you done blew it.

Sunday, 9/30. The RockNRoll HiFives at Hoboken Fall Arts & Music Festival

The RockNRoll HiFives

The Centenos have relocated their base of operations to North Carolina, but yesterday they returned to New Jersey to play an afternoon set at the Hoboken Fall Arts & Music Festival. They played the big stage; and, at one point, Joe commented on how cool it was to be playing that stage in Hoboken after all the years he and Gloree had spent walking up and down Washington Street together.

I made the trip up to my early-90s home to catch and catch-up with my friends. They had a good crowd of supporters as well as, I'm sure, people seeing them for the first time. It was a beautiful day; and, as always, The RockNRoll HiFives gave it everything they had in a high-energy, ultra-positive set. Joe flew threw the air. Eilee wildly tossed her hair. Gloree and Evren held everything together with precision.

Not all heroes wear capes, but some do.

When they were done, it was hugs and a little bit of chit-chat before I headed back home for dinner with the CoolFamily. It was a quick hit, but totally worth it.
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So that's that. I'm really going to make a concerted effort to get some reviews and stuff posted on the site this week, especially with the North Jersey Indie Rock Festival -- which I'm co-sponsoring again -- coming up this Saturday at White Eagle Hall. No promises, but you can always stay up to date with my comings and goings by keeping an eye on the Flickr galleries and Instagram.

New Video from The RockNRoll HiFives

Honey, you make the SAME. MIS. TAKES. I. DO.

"Same Mistakes"

Life can really pile some shit on you, you know? A very dear friend of mine just said to me, "What a rollercoaster year it's been." Damn if that ain't the truth. I've experienced some of the lowest lows over the last twelve months -- as I'm sure many people have. But I have also had some of my most joyous experiences.

Today, in the midst of more of that shit that life can pile on, I got a beautiful reminder of some of those highest highs in the form of the latest video from The RockNRoll HiFives. "Same Mistakes" is a standout track on the exuberant Re-Introducing The RockNRoll HiFives. It's a crowd favorite from the boardwalks of Asbury Park to the rock clubs of Tokyo and Osaka.

The band combed through video footage -- live footage shot by fan and dual-smartphone rig operator Tsuyoshi Hashimoto, Facebook Live videos, various and sundry clips shot by all of us as we toured Japan together -- and photos to assemble an amazing document of the time we all spent bringing New Jersey rock to gracious and adoring crowds in Japan.

I think the clip gives a real sense of the warm and loving welcome The RockNRoll HiFives received at every stop. That was thanks in no small part to the efforts of Custard Core, the band's Japanese label.

Check the video out below, and watch as I mouth the words "octopus balls."

The RockNRoll HiFives will be playing the Hoboken Fall Arts & Music Festival on September 30th. Go give the band a like on Facebook while you're thinking about them. Re-Introducing The RockNRoll HiFives is out now via our friends at Little Dickman Records.

As for me, I've got a lot of stuff piling up around here that I just haven't had the energy to get around to telling you about. I think this might have been the little kick I needed.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives Japan Tour, Night 2: NOON+CAFE with Piggies, Foodie, and The exkilll, 4/9/18

Osaka

On Sunday 4/9, The RockNRoll Hi-Fives played their second show in Japan, this time at Osaka's NOON+CAFE. Joining them for this show were The exkilll, Foodie, and Piggies. NOON is a restaurant / coffee shop with a large music venue and a large disco ball in the back. It's near a busy shopping district in Osaka, and we did some exploring after soundcheck.

The exkilll were playing their second show ever. The entire band wore matching prints and played with an infectious energy. A Walter White action figure stood sentry at the end of the keyboardist's microphone. Covers of Bikini Kill ("Rebel Girl") and The Ramones ("Sheena Is a Punk Rocker") got the crowd singing and bouncing along.

The exkilll

Foodie are one of the bands that feature our host, Maki (bass, vocals, guitar) of Custard Core. She's joined by her husband, Harurou (guitar, vocals, beats), and drummer / bass player, Happy. Foodie play a unique brand of pop full of interesting loops and beats. They really brought home to me one of the things that's been great about the trip so far: seeing brand new (to me) bands every show who are doing interesting things.

Foodie

Piggies are a trio from Kōbe who had a solid and enthusiastic base of fans at the show. I could see why. They played super-catchy garage / punk highlighted by some stage heroics by guitarist, Tetsu. I loved this set.

Piggies

The reception for The RockNRoll Hi-Fives has been amazing so far. Once again, the crowd already knew several songs and sang along. Covers of "We Got the Beat," "Do You Wanna Dance?" and "Surrender" went over big as well. Tetsu was right up front toasting Joe. Maki led the charge for "Livin' the Lost Boy Life," while Eilee bashed a tambourine gifted by The exkilll.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

About halfway through the set, I ran across the stage and up the stairs behind the band to get some shots from the green room overhead. Joe told the crowd to "Welcome Papa to the stage!" which is a story for later. Check one of the band's recently archived Facebook livestreams if you want the background on that.

Following the set, The RockNRoll Hi-Fives signed tons of CDs and took pictures with fans and all of the other bands. Everyone here has been incredibly welcoming, and we've all been having a blast at the shows together.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, Maki, The exkilll

After two off-days of exploring and logging — literally — about 20 miles on foot all around Ōsaka, we've pulled up stakes and are driving to Tokyo for a pair of shows. We're all pretty excited to see the city and all the bands. It's been the experience of a lifetime so far, and it's only getting better.

It's Almost Here! Japan with The Rock N Roll Hi-Fives!

Going On Tour

It's easy to get discouraged here sometimes. I'm grateful for every, single moment that anyone ever chooses to spend here; and, if I really stop and think, I do love going to shows and taking pictures and all that. That's why I do this. But, sometimes, when my feet are killing me in Austin or when I'm at another show alone away from the CoolFamily or when I spend hours putting together a post that only a few people ever see, I find myself asking, "Why?"

But... but... I have made some of my very best and dearest friends through this website. Through my work here, I can honestly say, I've become friends with some of the people making and putting out my favorite music right now. I never imagined that just throwing my thoughts up on the Internet would result in some of the most fulfilling friendships I've had in my whole life.

I never imagined that my little vanity project would introduce me to people like Joe, Gloree, Eilee, and Evren Centeno. They are The Rock N Roll Hi-Fives, the world's rockingest and most inspiring family band. They've become great friends of the CoolFamily, and they've been there for me through some of my happiest as well as some of my most trying times.





When they told me that they were going on tour to Japan, I thought it was amazing. They mentioned wanting someone to document their travels, and I half-jokingly said, "Hey. I'm home all the time. I could probably do it." Well, they ran with the idea and -- amazingly -- invited me to join them on their very special family trip to Japan. We leave on Wednesday, and I guarantee you that we and Japan will never be the same.

Make sure you follow @rnrhifives and @cooldadmusic on Instagram to keep up with all of our adventures in real time. I'm sure the band will be doing several Facebook Live sessions. And, if you know anyone in Japan, tell them to come out for a show.

The good folks at Custard Core in Japan booked the whole tour. Here's the schedule:

I, honestly, can't believe this is even happening!

Lowlight, The RockNRoll HiFives, and Coach N' Commando Played Old Franklin Schoolhouse and It Was Beautiful, 1/27/18

The RockNRoll HiFives

Back to School

On Saturday night, CoolMom and I drove to Metuchen to see Lowlight, The RockNRoll HiFives, and Coach N' Commando play a show at the borough's historic Old Franklin Schoolhouse. The building is a one-room schoolhouse constructed around 1807 as Metuchen's first school. It's maintained by the Metuchen Borough Improvement League and hosts events throughout the year.

This was my second time attending a show at the spot; and, once again, the vibe was family-friendly, neighborly, and really just all-around beautiful. There were tables set up around the room, and a stew was cooking in the kitchen.

CoolMom and I walked in as Coach N' Commando were beginning their set; and we, along with the rest of the room, were absolutely floored. The duo of M. Witte (guitar / vocals) and Swayne (drums) delivered a mind-blowing set of finger-picked, rootsy, bluesy rock that had people hooting after every song. After their set, the guys packed up and headed down to Asbury for another show that evening at Asbury Park Yacht Club.

Coach N' Commando

 [Note: Guitarist M. Witte released a solo album, Ol' Boy, earlier this year that is a must-listen. It's dark and real and worth every minute of your time. I've had Ol' Boy for a while, and it was our primary reason for arriving at the schoolhouse so early.]

Our friends Lowlight and The RockNRoll HiFives both have big things happening. Lowlight are gearing up to head out on the road with Pretenders, and The RockNRoll HiFives are packing up to tour Japan. On Saturday, though, we had them to ourselves. Lowlight's set felt extra-special in front of the hometown crowd, and The RockNRoll HiFives sent everyone home sweat- and confetti-covered.

Lowlight

Lowlight

Kids danced.

Grown-ups sang along.

The RockNRoll HiFives

The whole evening had a community feel that's missing from a lot of shows.

We would've stayed all night, but we had to get home to the cooldaughters. We'll be back to the schoolhouse again, though. I hope we see you next time.

Make sure you check out M. Witte's Ol' Boy. Grab your tickets for Pretenders and Lowlight at Count Basie Theatre on March 30th. Look for updates from The RockNRoll HiFives as they get closer to their April tour of Japan.

Pics from Saturday are all in the Flickr galleries and on the Facebook page.

The Top 5 RV Parks on The RockNRoll HiFives' 2017 Tourcations

Evren Centeno

Get the Hook-Up

By Evren Centeno (Intro by CoolDad)

Above everything else, the people I've met while running CoolDad Music are what have made doing this so rewarding. The RockNRoll HiFives are not only the rockingest family BAND in all the land, they're also just the greatest family you'll ever meet. We've had a great year together, CoolDad Music and The RockNRoll HiFives. The band played our 5th anniversary party back in March, and they've become great friends of the site and to me personally.

I say this all the time, but the RockNRoll HiFives inspire me. The Centenos love music, and they make it together. They share the joy that comes from that by sharing their music with the world through records and live shows.

They play lots of live shows; and, during school breaks, The RockNRoll HiFives hit the road in their trusty RV. On these family "tourcations," the band stay in lots of RV parks which makes them kind of experts on the best place to hook up for the night.

HiFives' drummer, Evren Centeno, is here to tell us about the Top 5 RV parks that The RockNRoll HiFives enjoyed during their tourcations of 2017. The band have big plans for touring in 2018, so look for that big RV rolling down the highway and make sure you catch them when they come to your town.

1. Lazy Days RV Park, Tampa, Florida

This is, no doubt, the best RV park ever (I mean, unless someone knows another place). This RV park was located about a 15-minute drive away from downtown Tampa. They had a pool, jacuzzi, basketball and tennis courts, and even a newspaper delivery service.

All this for $29.99!

Plus, it's next door to an RV superstore and service center. Super convenient. This was like a structured community. Also, the RV park had a restaurant in it. It was RV-themed, and it was pretty good. The fried shrimp were amazing. Lastly, we met probably the best musician ever... Bobby Buffet. If any of you watch our Facebook Lives you will get the joke. Bobby Buffet is the cousin of American songwriter Jimmy Buffet. People argue that Jimmy is the better of the family, but we all know that Bobby takes the cake.

2. Anastasia State Park, St. Augustine, Florida

Ever wanted to go the beach in Florida, and then you realize, "I'm too lazy to go the beach?" Well, Anastasia State Park is the place for you. Anastasia State Park is located in St. Augustine, Florida. It's right by the Alligator Farm (which I'm pretty sure Jim told us to go to) and downtown St. Augustine. The whole park looks like a jungle. There are vines and leaves hanging everywhere. But the best part is that, a 10 minute walk away, there is a beach located in this State Park. And it's free because it is a state park. How amazing is that? A great park and a great city.

3. Smoky Mountain Premier RV Park, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

I mean it's in the Smoky Mountains, how can it not be cool? The park is right in the Smoky Mountains. It has a very nice pool, a huge convenience store, hiking trails, and some very nice people. It offers ATV rides up the mountain (which come at a hefty cost), and it is close to great white-water rafting places. Also, if you ever wanted incredible views of the Smokies, just come here. You will not be dissapointed.

4. Red Coconut RV Park, Ft. Myers Beach, Florida

Well... this one is more of a story.

Here we go.

Mom knows that we're going to be in Florida and wants to make the trip super fun, so she books us a night at this RV park. It was expensive for an RV park, but it was very cool. It was right on the water. And I mean right on the water. Well, I guess not physically right on the water, but extremely close to the Gulf. There wasn't much other than that, but what more could you ask for?

We got there at night, so no time to hit the beach. I wake up in the morning and it's raining, not so hard. About 5 minutes later, that changed. It rained bullets. It was so loud and we could do nothing. We had to unhook (electricity and water is connected to the RV through a pipe) because we couldn't leave if we didn't, and the water was rising all around us. Dad decided to get in his bathing suit to unhook. He came back and he was soaked. Drenched. We left immediately, and any of you hardcore Hi-Fivers will remember when we drove through water so deep it looked as if maybe our RV just rolled into the ocean. We got most of our money back (thanks Red Coconut), and we drove off. We will always wonder "What if?"

5. Any Super Walmart parking lot.  Free and fabulous.

Not the best, but it works. This totally explains Walmart. It's free. I mean what competes with free. Sleeping in the WalMart parking lot wasn't such a memorable experience for me because I got sick. Without any hook-ups in the hot South the RV was a hotbox to sleep in; but, again, it was free. I mean, you can't have a list like this and just leave out a free night's stay.

Last Weekend with The Jesus and Mary Chain, Freaksgiving, and BOYTOY, 11/16-11/19/17

The Jesus and Mary Chain

Freaky Weekend

I've wanted to summarize how amazing last weekend was for a few days now, but half days for the kids and a pretty nasty back problem have been distracting me. Here are some quick notes on the weekend that was before we head into the holiday.

Jim Reid of The Jesus and Mary Chain

On Thursday, I got to shoot The Jesus and Mary Chain at The Stone Pony; and it was awesome. I think, if you discount bands like The Beatles and The Beach Boys, The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Smiths are two of the bands who are responsible for most of the sounds I currently love. The wall-of-sound, reverb, and fuzz of The Jesus and Mary Chain are things in which I can always lose myself, and Thursday was no different. Being right up front, in the photo pit for "April Skies" and "Head On" has to be a 2017 highlight for me.

Mark Crozer and The Rels

Thursday's openers (JMC bassist) Mark Crozer and The Rels did a set of immensely enjoyable power pop. Guitarist Shawn Lynch took the time to say hi to me before their set and spoke briefly about how much The Rels were enjoying their weeklong run with The Jesus and Mary Chain.

On Saturday, the cooldaughters each had separate swim meets in separate parts of NJ. CoolMom and I had to do some juggling to make sure everyone was covered while giving me time to make it over to Asbury Park Brewery for our Freaksgiving: A Friendsgiving Fuzz Fest.

The RockNRoll HiFives

Dentist's Emily Bornemann and Yawn Mower. Do the robot.

The evening at the brewery was a beautiful experience with some of our best friends -- Dentist, The RockNRoll HiFives, and Yawn Mower -- doing great sets. For The RockNRoll HiFives, it was their 100th show. I've seen a good chunk of those; and it dawned on me later that The RockNRoll HiFives played the first show CoolDad Music ever presented back in 2014. All three bands are like family around here, and it was amazing to have everybody sharing the evening with us.

Winner of Miss Lady Luck

Outer Limits Beard Winner

The Garden State Beard and Mustache Society were the show's main organizers and held their 6th Annual Beard and 'Stache Competition between sets. Also presenting were the fine folks at Little Dickman Records who do so much to keep Asbury interesting. The evening was a benefit for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; and, thanks to everyone's efforts, we raised nearly $1000 to help fund the research and community building done by that organization. Not bad for a $5 show.

BOYTOY with The Off White's Matty Beans

Von Mons

The Tide Bens w/ Colin Carhart jimmy-jangling

Speaking of Little Dickman Records and all they do, on Sunday night, the label threw a show at The Saint featuring The Off White, Von Mons, The Tide Bends, and BOYTOY. We had more swim meet stuff at home until the evening, so I walked in just after The Off White had finished. I love those guys, and they always bring it. Sad to have missed them. All of the other bands, though, were great. It had been a while since I'd seen the touring machine that is BOYTOY, and they have gotten even better. Some bands just have a charisma and a presence that can draw in a whole audience, and BOYTOY are one of those bands for sure.

It was a busy, tiring weekend for the books. I'm pretty sure all of the activity has something to do with my current back problems, but I'll take it. My back will get better, and I wouldn't have wanted to miss anything.

Pics from the whole weekend are up in the Flickr galleries and on the Facebook page.

One of Those Weekend Round Ups Featuring The Brixton Riot, Dentist, The RockNRoll HiFives, L.A. Witch, Honduras, Lyons, Pink Mexico, Waxahatchee, and Ought

Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield

Full Weekend

This past weekend will go down as one of the absolute best I've experienced show-wise in a long time. I got to spend lots of time hanging out with friends while seeing some great bands. I went and checked out New Jersey's newest concert venue. I took and edited a whole bunch of pictures, which is why I'm so late getting this recap posted today (well, that and the weird power brownout we had here for about 4 hours).

On Friday night, CoolDad Music sponsored the release show for The Brixton Riot's latest album, Close Counts at Asbury Park Yacht Club. We had our friends in Dentist and The RockNRoll HiFives on the bill, and all three bands delivered big time.

The confetti flew on Friday night.

The Brixton Riot

The RockNRoll HiFives kicked things off; and, even after a full day of work and school, their energy level was off the charts. The floor of APYC was a sea of confetti following their set. The Brixton Riot's Close Counts is song after song of expert power pop, and the band brought all of that great, tight songcraft to their set. Dentist shared some new material, and it sounds like some of their best so far. I'm really looking forward to hearing what they've been doing in the studio. Beyond just the music, though, the show felt like a real party; and it was fantastic to have CoolMom, the Dickmans, Mint 400, and all the bands there to celebrate.

Dentist

Saturday brought a show I'd been looking forward to for what felt like months. Little Dickman Records assembled a bill at The Saint that featured L.A. Witch, Honduras, Pink Mexico, and Lyons. Asbury turned out in force for the show, and the people who were there saw a good one. The sound at The Saint is top-notch, especially with Hinge at the board on Saturday nights. Pink Mexico took full advantage of it and shook all the dust from the ceiling during their set. Lyons played to an enthusiastic crowd of friends and brought out some new material of their own. Honduras are like some kind of psychedelic post-punk combo and BLEW. ME. AWAY. L.A. Witch closed things out in almost total darkness with reverb-heavy, psych rock vibes.

Pink Mexico

Lyons

Honduras

L.A. Witch

A quick stop over to Bond St. Bar to wish a happy birthday to Dentist's Emily Bornemann turned into a not-so-quick stop. It's okay, though, because we gained an hour; and I got home at a semi-reasonable time.

Come Sunday, I was pretty spent. Kind of a weird day in general with the whole reversion back to Eastern Standard Time thing. CoolFamily ate dinner at around 4:30 because we were going by the kitchen clock which nobody had bothered to adjust. That worked out because I had one more show to get to for the weekend, and it was all the way up in Jersey City. I'd be heading up to the brand new White Eagle Hall for Waxahatchee and Ought.

White Eagle Hall is a beautiful venue. Kind of a cross between something like Bowery Ballroom / Music Hall of Williamsburg and WARSAW. Lots of space. Good sound. Food. Access to the bars didn't seem too bad. It also had really nice stage lighting, which always makes me happy. Security were a little weird about wanting to maintain a "buffer zone" between the audience and the edge of the stage. Everybody was relatively laid back, though, so it wasn't really a problem. Looking forward to the next time I can make it up there.

I've been a fan of Katie Crutchfield's Waxahatchee project since its lo-fi, bedroom beginnings on American Weekend. The band has evolved quite a bit since then with the latest record, Out in the Storm, being the most polished and -- I think -- most consistent. I've seen Waxahatchee / Katie Crutchfield in various live incarnations over the years, but it's been a while. On Sunday, I saw a set honed by years of touring and performing. Crutchfield and her band have really taken things to another level performance-wise, and the set touched on most of Waxahatchee's back catalog as well as the new material. There were moments of all-out rock and moments when it was just Crutchfield, her amazing voice, and her guitar.

Katie and Allison Crutchfield

Katie's sister, Allison, is part of the Waxahatchee touring band playing keys and guitar. The pair's voices play off of each other beautifully.

Post-punk band Ought opened the evening and turned in a pretty amazing set of their own. It reminded me how much I liked 2014's More Than Any Other Day, and I spent most of today listening to that. The band have another LP coming out early next year, and people in the audience already seemed pretty familiar with single "These 3 Things."

Ought

So, what is that? Nine bands over three days? Kinda crazy I guess, but I've been happily reliving it all by going through the pictures today. You can check those out in the Flickr galleries or on the Facebook page. I thought briefly about making it four nights in a row by heading out again tonight, but I am totally exhausted. Live to fight another day, I guess.

A Giant Dog Played Monty Hall with The RockNRoll HiFives and They Live!, 9/8/17

A Giant Dog

Do Whatcha Do Whatcha Do

So I went to the show last night. Fuck it. I'd been looking forward to this one for months, and I needed to spend some time with friends. The wonderful Chris and Amy Dickman handled the driving duties, as they often do, sparing me one of the great, ongoing stresses of my life: looking for parking. Justin from Dentist joined us as well, and it turned out that Alex from The Battery Electric / Hot Blood was also at the show. Nick and Lysa of Overlake were working the event. I ran into their bandmate, Tom, on the way out, after the show. I can't even tell you how wonderful it was to see them all.

When we walked into Monty Hall, Joe and Evren of The RockNRoll HiFives were in the front. Joe gave me a big hug, "Oh. You brought your camera?"

"I wasn't going to tonight, but it's what I do."

"It's what you do... ...yeah, man."

I got a high five from Evren, the youngest HiFive, and headed inside.

HiFives mom and bassist, Gloree, was in there. She gave me a hug and a big smile. In all the interactions we had last night, I could see what a strong and caring person she is. Not that I didn't know that already, but I really felt it last night. I thought about how lucky Eilee and Evren are to have Joe and Gloree as parents and what a great family the Centenos are.

They Live! came out for their set, and I felt a tap on my elbow. I turned around to see a smiling Eilee who hugged me hello. The band, decked out in sunglasses and shirts with messages like "Consume" and "Marry and Reproduce," delivered the message of the John Carpenter classic through tongue-in-cheek punk rock.

They Live!

They Live!

The RockNRoll HiFives opened by dedicating their set to my family and me. It touched me deeply that they would do that on a night that was so special for them as a family and a band. Then they went at it as hard as I've ever seen them go. They blew the room away, even with the night's prohibition on confetti cannons.

The RockNRoll HiFives

The RockNRoll HiFives

I've worked through all the pictures from the evening (all 800+ of them), and I was pleasantly surprised to see that many shots from The RockNRoll HiFives' set turned out ok. Tears blurred the viewfinder for much of the set, so I was kind of firing blind.

Anyway...

The one set I managed to catch from A Giant Dog this past March at SXSW in Austin remains one of the great, live, rock and roll experiences of my life. After last night's performance, I'm convinced that they may be the best rock band in America right now. I'd thought that maybe the energy of a hometown crowd made that Austin show particularly special, but being on the road made no difference as far as I could tell. Singer Sabrina Ellis is an unstoppable force, dancing wildly from the very first notes and belting out the band's catalog. Guitarist Andrew Cashen used Joe Centeno's Flying-V for the set, and the image fit A Giant Dog's glam rock vibe perfectly.

A Giant Dog

A Giant Dog

A Giant Dog

A bizarre cosmic moment happened when A Giant Dog lit into their cover of INXS's "Don't Change." Amy Dickman has been obsessed with INXS and that song in particular all week. We listened to it in the car just minutes before heading into the show. Wild.

When it was all done, I saw Sabrina Ellis talking with Eilee Centeno. I couldn't help myself from going over and personally thanking Ellis for the way she and the band helped me start to get through a tough time. She couldn't have been more wonderful, and I'll always remember her kindness.

Sabrina Ellis

It was a beautiful evening of rocking out and getting back to work doing what I do.

I've been having a lot of trouble uploading pics to Flickr lately, but I'll get all of the shots from the night up there at some point. I'll also post them to the Facebook page.