“This residency marks the end of an era for the HCP. We will be taking some time off after these shows to regroup, reevaluate, and catch up on some much needed sleep. We want to thank everyone who has helped us out over the past ten years: all the bands, all the folks at the shows, all the people who have shared their floor space. You are all Henry Clay People. We feel extremely lucky that we got to turn our little rock and roll hobby into a full-time thing. It was a complete accident but a very happy accident and we remain eternally grateful for the adventure.”
Kickin’ it CGT Old School with a collected thoughts post! There were numerous items this week that deserve their own posts. Alas, I cannot give it them. This will have to suffice. The spice must flow.
Longtime readers of Classical Geek Theatre know what’s up. I haven’t been this excited for a show, since, well, I don’t know when. We do this all the time… we do this all the time… we do this all the time… we do this…
It makes me happy that The Satellite has booked Manhattan Murder Mystery for their December residency. I always thought my favorite post-punk in the garage rock band would forever be relegated to art galleries, house parties, and midnight sets for headliners in the know. Their following is strong. The Movies had a December residency once.
In case you’ve forgotten: Mondays, at the Satellite, are free. I recommend Manhattan Murder Mystery because their music makes me feel more alive, and their fans are wonderful and devoted. Always a fun live show.
My friends at Thrillhouse Productions have been working on a video for the MMM track “Owen Hart”. I love the guitar hook in that song. Preview clip for the video after the jump.
In the past three years, my interest in “discovering new music” has taken a dramatic plunge. Once a local music cheerleader obsessive and self-proclaimed “music geek,” I’ve become very content to reconsider proven artists I’d previously dismissed with youthful brashness (The Cure, Tom Waits), wallow in a cesspool of easy favorites (Superchunk, Pavement), and rediscover uncool bands that I’ve been attached to since I was eleven years old. (R.E.M. and, yes, Counting Crows. Back off, man!)
But this week two Los Angeles-based tastemakers with stronger faith than I have launched very different music clubs.
Zach and Hank at We Listen For You have launched the WLFY Vinyl Club. I have absolutely no use for vinyl records whatsoever. If it can’t go on a pocket drive, it’s useless material stuff, to me. But Zach and Hank are deeply passionate, lovable luddites and their response to the shuttering of brick-and-mortar record stores is to create a “purchasing block” of buyers that can immediately impact the sales of records. That’s a wicked concept.
Rawkblog Dave’s Mercury Music Digital Record Club is more my speed. For $2.99 a month, every week he’ll select a new record and an old record for you to check out on Spotify. He’s basically running a consulting service for people who don’t have time to check out new music. I love innovative, forward-thinking ways of monetizing digital services for content, and I strongly commend this effort. I’m not gonna sign-up because I don’t share Rawkbro’s taste. (And no Dave, it’s not because I’m sexist. I just like my music to have a little teeth. Embracing one’s inner-masculinity is not rejecting one’s inner-femininity!) But I invite you to check it out. He’s doing A Good Thing.
Tomorrow (Friday, August 19th) will be the last Le Switch show. The jig is up at The Satellite, $8 at the door. (Missed opportunity: Should have been billed as The Switch @ Spaceland!)
I always liked Le Switch. I didn’t blog about them often because the rootsier, bluesier rock music they’re derived from is something I just don’t know a whole lot about. Not that lack of expertise has ever stopped me before, but I always felt insecure trying to quantify Le Switch in my own words. I suppose that speaks to the quality of their music, or it’s effect on me, at least.
The bill also features the always fantastic World Record, The Mallard (SF band fronted by Rademacher’s former virtuoso bassist Greer McGettrick), and The Mid Cities, a new band with old faces. My buddy Travis will be spinning between sets. I’m sure he’ll play some goddamned Lou Reed.
Aaron Kyle, the frontman for Le Switch, is a thoughtful guy. I love his sense of humor. A couple times I’ve seen him give a complete emotional performance, really riveting stuff. This show will be worth your time, I think. DETAILS HERE.
So, Coachella decided to facsimile its fest, promising identical lineups for two consecutive weeks in April 2012. As a seven year vet, I have some thoughts about that. Projectile brain-vomit after the jump.
Note the rare appearance at the The Satellite by Manhattan Murder Mystery on Saturday. It’s worth the price of admission alone to have a chance to buy their record. And of course, Shadow Shadow Shade, who play both nights, are formidable.
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