Out of the Jungle and into the Fire - The Killers, Costa Rica, Gray Young, New World Highrise, Toon & The Real Laww, and Vienna Teng!

...Longest Blog post title ever? Well hold on to your hold-on-ables, as this is actually going to be a mostly pic-heavy post, to boot!

I felt a sense of obligation to explain to my faithfuls why there has been a huge black hole in my blog for the past few months, where Hopscotch should have been. Well, we all know I go through fits of depression and straight up laziness, which makes for inconsistent content. Alas, here i sit with time and energy and a steady internet connection, so here we go!

The Killers - August 12, Redhat Amphitheater

There are bands that on the neo-hipster scale that I absolutely adore that I'm sure most of my friends would agree are perhaps sellouts or too big for their britches, (U2 and Coldplay to name a couple obvious ) and I'm sure The Killers are in the non-in crowd as far as Indie cred goes... honestly, I couldn't give two shits. I LOVE them, always have, and used a small part of my well-deserved severance money (Oh, didn't you hear? I got laid off!) and bought the best tickets you could get for their show in Raleigh! My former bandmate and one of my all-time best friends, Jayseph, came along for the ride!

friends are friends forever!

It was well timed and staged perfection, and sounded SO GOOD as expected for a quasi-arena show for a megaband. I heard all my favorite songs, made friends with all the gay kids half my age in the pit and got generally overly emotional, as expected. 

Why so emotional? Well, good tunes with which I have unnaturally deep connections with, obviously ...(um, All These Things That I've Done?? Hello?) but also there was the whole "I gave away everything I owned and moved into the Jungle of Costa Rica to work on an Ecofarm, isolate myself and finish my Novel" thing.. which I did. Without going into too much public detail, (as it was a totally personally intense situation,) I didn't stay quite as long as I thought I would, but in the end, I didn't need to. Unfortunately all this self-reflection and Tao reading just happened to take place while Hopscotch rolled around, so I missed it. And the bluegrass festival...

Cut my hair off, stopped wearing a bra, and ran around in the jungle with a Machete for a few months... the only excuse I have for missing Herpskerch.

BUT! I came home just in time for:

The Last Gray Young show - Slim's - Oct 3

They say all great things must come to an end. But in this case, I am virtually inconsolable, as the VERY BEST THING has come to an end... for now, anyway... Gray Young has decided to take a little break. I am trying my best to come to grips with this now. Pre-show and about halfway through, I believe I was in a bit of denial... But as the entire Kitten Army was in attendance and once Dana and I hit the Bloody Mary's, it became all too clear that the end was neigh --- therefore the setlist was compromised and edited by your truly, I may have stagecrashed a little, and also forcibly broke the nearly 3 year vow of silence and all but attacked Chas on stage to thank him, basically for saving my life. I can't be completely sure, as the gods of convenient blackout drunkdom seems to have blocked out specific details, but its entirely possible i cried. like, a lot. It's what I do, man.

holy crap, i love you guys.

can't decide if this is my proudest ever moment or if should be mortified?

It was, for all intents and purposes, believe it or not, probably my favorite GY show I've seen, and I promise you, I've seen lots. Probably has something to do with the fact that do many of my favorite people were in attendance, that the last half of the show became a ridiculous dance party, and mostly because I was riding high on the surreal wave of my triumphant return from Costa Rica. 

I think I'm still in denial. They'll be back.

kinda hard to see, but I was handed a pen and was told to edit the set list, which I did.

The following sunday, after work, I found myself racing downtown once again to catch:

New World Highrise - Oct 6 - Slim's

The band that Jay was working so hard to make happen when we were tinkering around with the Clink - a mix of Jay's songs and the songs of others... a poprocks/80s indie postpunk - all good things - IT feels funny talking about them, because I feel like I'm bragging, as Jay called me up onstage to sing, as well. I had missed that, for sure!

I had actual face-pain from smiling so broadly with so much pride!

Toon & The Real Laww - King's - Oct 11

This show was a real "Should I or shouldn't I?" conundrum - I have seen these guys several times, but this was an EP release party, so I knew it would be a good one... I literally was indecisive until about 5 minutes before an awkward Landmark patio situation drove me into the arms of killer hip-hop!

I was glad I went. The crowd, every time I see them, knows more and more songs, gets denser and more excited... It's awesome seeing groups grow in the scene! Local music Pride!!!

photo taken specifically to taunt Sir Austin Parker

Professor Toon is a fan of House of Swank! YES!

I may have also incited a stagecrash at this show, as well. Which then erupted into one of the best post-show dance parties I have EVER seen!!!

I grabbed Laww and told him "IT'S TIME TO GET SOME SEXY LADIES ON STAGE!" and of course invited myself along!

And on that day, shit got cray.

Vienna Teng - Carolina Theatre, Durm - Oct 12

I found Vienna on a quirky internet channel I listened to for about 6 years straight before i discovered Spotify called "Radioparadise" - honestly one of the greatest radio stations ever - 90% of the songs are ones I love and the other 10% are songs I fall in love with; ergo Vienna... Blue Caravan was the first song I remember hearing and being all like .... "ohhhh mygah... what IS THIS? i love!" and then devouring everything i could fit in my earholes after. I was incredibly lucky to see her and Alex Wong a few years back at the Broad Street Cafe with an intimate crowd, that put me right up front. This time she played an actual (and quite beautiful) concert hall. The sound was pristine and the songs were totally emotional and my companion for the show was charming and my friend Amy is the best.

(haven't uploaded the only little video i took from the show, but here is a video from the last time i saw her at Broad Street, back in 2010 xoxo)

I've learned it best not to promise publicly or even personally, that I'll be anywhere at any time. I have learned that I am not fickle or flaky, I have learned to trust my instincts and my body and sometimes my instincts just lead me to bed early... Therefore, I can't promise you any reviews of any specific shows, but I can instead give you a pretty good idea of where I might be :)

Next monday I was tipped off that I would be a fool to miss Wild Belle at King's

Next thursday at London Bridge is a benefit for Cause for Paws, (a local charity I support wholeheartedly) called Pints for Paw - Try and come out!

Oh, the glory of no longer living downtown - an empty events calendar! But hey, I'm not saying don't invite me, or anything... If you hear about a I shouldn't miss or would like to use me to promote your shows, as always - I'm down, y'all. I'm always down...!

xoxo

Karla Anne‘s Raleigh(ish) Live Music Resource Guide for Performers and Voyeurs

This is something I was recently urged to publish by some local musicians/bands/fans... How does my music calendar stay so flush? How do I know when and where to be? How do I know the folks I know to contact when trying to get myself or other bands booked? This is a pretty basic resource guide to the resources I use to stay active in the “scene,” man.

SO YOU WANT TO PLAY A SHOW, EH?

Just you, your acoustic, and a suitcase full of dreams, right? Well, pony up, Tracey Chapman: here’s where to start. These are your bare-ass-basic Open Mic Night venues and “Hey, you got anything open on a Tuesday at 6pm?” venues. And by “venue” I mean, there is probably a mic stand somewhere in this bar. But hey, Everybody’s gotta start somewhere… if you’re in the DTR, this is where you take the big leap. Or, if you’re bored, there’s nothing going on at any of the regular hotspots, and you want to pretend you’re a music scout, go to these places... Find a cool new band before all your friends do.

Note: these are literally in no order what-so-ever... Just listed as I thought of them... Professional!

• Trali Irish Pub – Way up on Brier Creek, but they have live music on Friday and Saturday nights

• Spy – Mostly a dance club, but sometimes live mix Djs – this is mostly for the house music scene kids

• London Bridge – Same as Spy, but I have a strong booking contact here for summer concert series/hopscotch day shows or DJ sets.

• Architect – stay away on the weekends, unless for sure you know who is DJ’ing or if there is a Hip Hop Act you are looking to see. This place is bizarre. I’ve only really wound up there on a lark with the Graffiti kids to see hip hop shit. They have a secret VIP area... What?

• Royal James – So far, I’ve wandered in on two shows here. They have a pretty cute/decent setup here, excellent patio, and best art in town, but they just need a consistent scene. I don’t think it could be too hard to get a show here as they are pretty new and eager for a crowd.

• Woody’s City Market – Live music Friday nights... Email to book. I don’t know these guys, really. Sometimes there are DJs on Saturdays.

• Overtime Sports Pub – way up on New Bern almost to 540, but Acoustic Open Mic night on Thursdays and their site says “LIVE BANDS FRIDAYS” but I have never seen a band play here. Someone go play there, that would be interesting and I’m always up for decent cheese fries.

• Zydeco – (across from Woody’s in City Market) – no idea when or who plays here, but there are shows always listed on their site and I hear music coming from there all the time. A couple times this past summer they set up a live stage out in the parking lot… kinda cool.

• Napper Tandy’s – of all the Irish Pubs that swarmed DTR in the mid 2000’s, Napper’s is still my favorite. Best food, best staff, best Trivia night, and overall best. They have live music on Saturday nights and isn’t hard to get on the calendar, you just have to get in line. Also, trivia is Tuesday nights and it is the best because they have a “name that tune” round – aww yisss.

• Irregardless Café – a lot more live music is played here than you would think or than you probably remember. Check out their Google calendar, like, every day there is something. I would assume you would need to be acoustic/low key to play here, so like… Colossus, you dudes stay home… or just come for the delightful brunch.

• 42^nd Street Oyster Bar– on the Lounge side on Fridays and Saturdays. Also added bonus of freshest/best seafood in town… And now I crave crab legs.

• Loafers Beach Club – on Creekside by Longbranch. Obviously this is a Shag/Beach music club, but they do have live music. It’s just pretty freakin specific.

• Champions Mission Valley – I’m not going to post every Karaoke night in town, but this is where I go for my Karaoke (Monday nights). Tuesday nights is an open mic blues jam. Random Saturdays they have live music. Also, there is always a drum kit on stage there. It is like, a house drum kit? That is a mystery to me.

• Champions Plaza West – Over by the Harris Teeter near Warlock’s – Live music Friday nights. Sometimes.

• Brewmaster’s – (if that’s still what it’s called)Was Cherrybomb at some point, used to be Joe’s Place. They have a music calendar, sorta.

• Pickled Onion – up on Falls of the Neuse - acoustic open mic on Tuesdays, live music (sometimes) on Saturdays

• Fat Daddy’s – they have live music down in the pool hall sometimes. Not sure about open mic nights or whatnot. Check their facebook? 

• Schoolkids Records – they have an events page that is never updated, but if you like them on facebook, they have random in store shows all the time.

• Katmandu – This used to be The Comet, which used to be attached to the Brewery. Somehow, and I’m not even sure, this new little like, emo/screamo-straightedge-baby punk scene has taken it over. I wouldn’t know this except I hang out at Cup a Joe on Hillsborough street pretty much always and these kids overflow into Cup, because they don’t drink, or maybe are too young to drink. And there are always flyers on the windows of Cup now for bands, scrawled with drippy blood fonts, and named “My Uncle is trying to Kill Me” or “Wherever You Want To Eat Tonight Is Fine With Me Just Not Red Lobster Again”. I don’t understand this scene. It makes me feel old. But I keep thinking I’m going to wander over there and see what the hell is going on, I just can’t get the Care enough to do it. This bar had cornhole tournaments, Jägerbomb specials, is right across the street from East Village and was frat-central until like, a minute ago… like I said, I am clueless on this one. If anyone can clarify WTF is going on over there or can find a link to a show calendar, please comment.

• Hope Café – Part of a church, but they have live bluegrass on Thursdays and live music on Saturdays, but assume it is... Wholesome? This is south of Raleigh off Tryon, kinda near Larry’s Soul food Buffet.

• Brooklyn Heights – not been here yet, as its GloSo (Glenwood south) and I tend to avoid that shit like the plague, but they have live music often, or so their website would imply. Looks cute; I’d go.

• Mandolin – Five points-ish – over where no restaurant could ever last on the corner of Oberlin and Fairview. So far this place is getting rave food reviews, so they added a live music night on Tuesdays in their bar. I’ve not hit it up yet, but one of you guys go play, so I can check it out.

• The Oxford – I’ve never gone to a “show” here because the atmosphere, not unlike Isaac Hunters or Big Easy, is so tribal tattooish, ex-Marine, and meatheadly that I can’t handle it. And yes, I know I come off like a smarmy hipster bitch here, but I promise. I have tried to like these places; I’ve just been burned repeatedly… ANYWAY… Oxford has a live music calendar on their site. Someone is apparently booking these shows for people. You check it out. If I like you enough, I’ll go. I mean, let’s be honest, is The Oxford really gonna book like, Goner or something? No. they are not cool enough for Goner. But honestly... who is?

• Busy Bee – I dunno. Or the Hive. I’ve only really seen Hopscotch day shows here. But there is a ton of shit on their calendar all the time. Just like… not anything I care about.

• Sadlack's –Anybody can play Sadlack’s. If you don’t mind playing a show at 4pm on a Tuesday, then this is your place. but also, Sadlack’s is an institution and I will be loyal until the end. But hey - I’ve seen tons of “bigger” shows here as well. Some of my best Hopscotch day shows have been at Sad’s.  Also they have amazing food. Also Michael is the most blazingly hot bartender on earth and I am quasi-smitten with him (sorry, his wife – I kid!)

• Black Flower – I have had no luck with this place. Not seen any decent shows here, but I refuse to give up on its validity, especially now that Dive Bar has bitten dust. Their event page confuses me and I have never had a real reason to go, but I keep thinking one day I might.  

SO YOU’RE BORED BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO RISK IT AT SLIM’S WITH THE GUTTERPUNKS / HIPSTERS

Some or most of these places are actually Museums or Galleries… These places don’t always have shows, but sometimes they do. Follow them on facebook or check their sites. Or if you’re looking to book with these venues, contact them via facebook or their website. I mostly don’t have any sort of contact with these venues, but some of their events I have attended. I’ve mostly only seen live stuff at these sites for Hopscotch or Summer Concert Series.

• 18 Seaboard – mostly summer concert series in conjunction with J Betski’s, etc.

• NC Museum of Art – Blue Ridge Rd – the best are the concert/movie combos they do in the summer.  (I met Kate Pierson of the B-52s because of one of these shows – AWESOME.) I check their calendar often.

• Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) – still getting its footing, but gaining momentum. A big hit on First Fridays. Music shows there are totally arbitrary. Definitely a Hopscotch Day Show venue, though.

• Amplified Art – I’m assuming this place is still open, although I haven’t seen any shows there in like a year. Mostly a gallery, but like, a really cool Pop Art Gallery, lots of show flyers, etc.

• NCSU Stuff – Check this main, big-ass calendar for events on campus. Anything from lectures, art shows, movies, or music.

THE REGULAR SPOTS, IN ABSOLUTELY NO ORDER

I will link direct to the events pages for show-attendees

• The Nightlight (Chapel Hill) – remember this used to be the Skylight Exchange? I loved Skylight so much. Now, I don’t know. looks like someone’s basement. But folks play here. Somehow.

• The Cave (Chapel Hill) – co-owned by Slims’ folks in Raleigh. Mostly local acts, but sometimes curveballs show up.

• Chapel Hill Underground - Once upon a time this place used to be called "Hell" - don't know much about what's going here, but I am going to a show here Sunday night, so I will let you know. 

• Pinhook (Durham) – mostly local, mostly trivia night and/or the bartenders amusing themselves with random shit, but again, curveballs… I saw Shonen Knife here about a year ago… SHONEN KNIFE! Random…

• Motorco (Durham) –despite the “drama” associated with this site, I still have loyalties to it, as I helped dig it out of the ground. This venue seems to go through ups and downs, busy local acts, then nada (NFL games are the only thing on the roster?) then suddenly – WHOA! I AM GOING TO SEE MENOMENA THERE IN FEB! YAY! Random…

• Casbah (Durham) – I’ve really only gone to see friends’ bands there. When I think about Casbah, I miss Troika.

• Broad Street Café (Durham) –  I’ve seen some of the best shows of my life here. (aka Vienna Teng!) Always worth a look to see who is showing up here.  They also have an Open Mic night, but I’ve never been.

• Fullsteam Brewery (Durham) – their calendar is mostly food trucks, but I swear I’ve seen live music here before.

• Duke Coffeehouse (Durham) – not a huge venue and not often truly “booked” but some really cool stuff comes through here sometimes.

• Haw River Ballroom (Saxapahaw) – For the right act, it’s worth the drive.

• Local 506 (Chapel Hill) – 50/50 amazing shows and total doo-doo. Most of my worst AND best drunk stories about shows are somehow always centered around 506. Might have something to do with those massive PBRs they sell. (PS - dear 506, thank you for finally getting a real website calendar - love it!)

• Cat’s Cradle (Carrboro) – there is always something going here - insider info, go to the Station after the show, that's where the bands hang out, man! Sometimes they get on the "stage" (seen it happen a couple times. fun.)

Raleigh only:

• Deep South – These guys will take care of you, good people, good venue. They have Open Mics on ...Tuesdays I believe? This is one of my favorites and a good “foot in the door” to the Raleigh scene open mic night for beginners. Unless you suck, then can’t nobody save you.

• Slim’s – the launching pad for everyone, if we ever lose Slim’s, we will lose the scene. I stand firm by this belief.

• King’s Barcade – Viva Kings! If you are a carryover from the olden McDowell Street days, you know how vital King’s is to the Raleigh music scene. If you are new to the scene, then you know how vital King’s is to Raleigh music. King’s is Raleigh’s answer to Cat’s Cradle… there is always something worth seeing. I have been known many, many times to just… go, even when I have no idea who is playing. The dream is to get shows to skip Chapel Hill and come to King’s. I fight on. I will tell you guys trying to book – you will need music up online for Paul to hear first and then assume a 2-3 month lead time to confirm.

• The PourHouse – scenesters would probably refer to this as “the hippie bar”, but they have a pretty diverse schedule. Back in the day, sure, it was all Pink Floyd and Phish cover bands, but I think Hopscotch raised PH’s cred a notch or two.  As far as I know, they still have open mic on Mondays.

• Berkeley – Used to be like, a blues bar. Then Berkeley was the hub of the drum n bass/jungle/house music scene in Raleigh, and then all of a sudden (pre-Dive Bar) it was like, all hardcore shows. Now I have no idea. Like I said, I just really miss their blues open mic night. I don’t think I’ve gone to a show here specifically outside of Hopscotch … like… ever. No real reason, just no shows have drawn me here.

• Longbranch – Hey man, you never know. a few years ago I saw Jerry Lee Lewis here. and he played the piano with his ASS, therefore I will always give LB a peek.  Apparently Longbranch is drawing in this wild house/club scene. I couldn’t say for sure, as I am thoroughly not interested in a house music scene that would bloom from a country and western bar.

• Lincoln Theater – Oh, let me tirade about Lincoln for a minute… I could go on forever, but I will summarize. I think Lincoln Theater is *the* best venue in Raleigh, but I cannot figure out what the fucking problem is here? Why can they not bring in shows? The sound/board/staff/parking/everything about Lincoln blows the Cradle out of the water, but I cannot figure out why they can’t book shows? Like, someone amazing comes in about every other month and the rest of the time it serves as a glorified cover band palace. I really want to talk to their booking agent and figure out how to fix this. it makes me crazy. I love Lincoln, I want to see the better/bigger bands omit the Cradle and come to Lincoln. Let’s make this happen, people.

• Tir Na Nog – When it’s not random-ass Irish bands, this is pretty much the place we are all at on Thursday nights for Local Beer, Local Band… God Bless Tamplin.

• White Collar Crime – Crank Arm Brewing Co - Not sure if this will have show space yet or not. to open Spring 2013. Go hit their Kickstarter NOW if you haven't already :)

• Southland Ballroom – I have yet to step foot in this place, but they have the most eclectic and bizarre show calendar ever, I always check it just for the amusement factor. Maybe one day someone incredible will pop up on there – who knows???

ARE YOU FAMOUS? YOU WILL PROBABLY PLAY HERE & I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU ARE READING THIS BLOG – CALL YOUR AGENT

I have zero contacts to these places, because I am not famous. But I always check these sites for cool shows that might pop through, because you never know.

• Red Hat Amphitheater – call it whatever you want, DTR-er’s will still just keep calling it The Walt.

• Koka Booth Amphitheater – in Cary, worth the drive. Usually.

• Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts – this site lists all three of the auditoriums (Meymandi, Fletcher, Memorial) and their upcoming shows/performances

• DPAC – sometimes music, sometimes lectures/stand-up, sometimes theater, always worth a look.

• The Ritz – (was disco rodeo, was the Ritz, now the Ritz again) – they don’t have their own site, as far as I can tell. I think mostly it is like, “Cat’s Cradle Presents At...” but I’ve found ticketmaster typically lists the current bookings with tickets for sale

• Carolina Performing Arts Center – mostly classical and all snooty; but I have a weakness for “world music” and there will forever be some Ozomatli or Fela Kuti popping through on here.

• PNC Arena – I dunno. Taylor Swift. Or Hockey Games. You never know. You may just be better off trolling Ticketmaster for this venue.

• Raleigh Convention Center – check this calendar, it’s weird; sometimes there is music on it.

CATCH-ALL

This is an invaluable calendar to have bookmarked. Anything you may have missed on your radar; music, arts, theater, oddball shenanigans, festivals, etc… it’ll show up here.

Truth: I check this site every day.

• Downtown Raleigh Alliance Events Calendar

And as always, you can hit my Google Calendar to see when and where I’ll be if you’d like to stalk me or simply trust my excellent music judgment skills and tag along. 

I'm planning on this being a "living document" and I am open to suggestions, corrections or additions.

Whatever Brains w/ The Invisible Hand - King's - 07/07/11; subset WB - Slim's 08/02/11

There are four types of shows I attend regularly. Here they are, listed in order of importance:
1) OMG YES I AM SO GLAD THEY ARE COMING I BOUGHT TICKETS THE DAY THEY WENT ON SALE NOTHING WILL STOP ME FROM SEEING THIS SHOW. (Such bands include: U2, Morrissey, Gray Young, any strange/obscure mid-90s alternative band that I obsessed over in the heydays of 120 minutes; pre-matt pinfield.)
2) Everyone will not shut up about this band, all the people whose taste I respect opinions I trust are telling me to see this band, so I better go.
3) I am out, who is at Slim’s?
4) It’s my friends’ band, man. Give them a chance!

Whatever Brains sits someplace cradled between the limbo of 2, 3 and kinda 4. (4, only because the guys in WB are not necessarily ‘friends’ but people I have seen around the scene since the dawn of time, so it counts.)  Also, for a frame of reference: WB are the guys that opened for Fucked Up last year at Hopscotch; the guy wore the Eagle mascot costume … Remember? Yeah, me neither. Can you believe Hopscotch is less than a month away? Yeah, me neither.

Dear Raleigh: you are killing me with your awesome Thursday night shows. Quit putting all the chilled out alt-country shows on Saturday nights and save shit like Whatever Brains for a weekend. My body hates me. Still. And you see how far behind this ‘review’ is; that’s pain.

I don’t think this show was planned. In fact, I know it wasn’t. (This is the problem with waiting so long to write these things.) Jay mentioned it, so I tagged along. Me tagging along to awesome shows with Jay has been the theme of the last year of my life. Jay is the ultimate progenitor of Type 2 Above. Maybe I should just change that to “Jay said they were awesome, so I went.” In this case; Jay said I should go, so I went. While we waited between sets, we wandered down and got into trouble at Neps, whereupon I was approached by BShaw. I was then informed by BShaw that if I missed the next act, called “invisible Hands” that I would be “dead to him.” I suddenly realize BShaw belongs in the subset of Type 2 above, as well. I saw the band; therefore I am not dead.

i am warned of my imminent death.

YAY I DIDN'T DIE!

 These guys – WOW! From song one I was barely able to keep my jaw off the ground. Jay was texting me a lot saying things like “this guy is like Johnny Marr AND Morrissey at the same time” and then my brain exploded because I was looking at a smiths chimera. Oh god. I made a very specific, tipsy point to be downstairs during their load-out so that I may confront them on their awesomeness factor. I don’t remember much of the conversation, apart from the gushing and the dreamy foppishness of the LV’s (Adam’s) Morrissey-like coif.  

hard to get a non-blurry image because there was so much energy!

Invisible hand; so with all the Moz/Smith references thrown around up there, maybe I have already brainwashed myself into automatically comparing IH to something akin to a really pumped-up/darker Smoking Popes. (Remember them? They opened for Morrissey. Oh how I miss them!) They affect me in that same stop and pause way I felt the first time I heard, say, the Replacements or Sugar for the first time. The first time I really stopped and paid attention to David Byrne solo. That’s the vibe I got off these guys. They definitely had a really fun vibe and if anything, watching the bassist (Thomas) alone, you will find yourself dancing. I just discovered they are coming back to King’s Sept 29. I’m so there.

Then THESE guys.

I keep forgetting these guys are local. These guys went to Enloe for God’s sake. These guys apparently release more material than any local band in existence. These guys have no two songs that sound alike. I think these guys will play anywhere, anytime if you ask. Dear Whatever Brains, will you play my corporate luncheon next week? (I am kidding because they will do it because they are ridiculous and ruthless.)

I don’t know… what do you say? Whatever Brains is Punk? They are psychedelic Beatnik porn music? What are these guys? Every time I have seen them I stand there and I think; what the hell do you say about these guys? It always starts the same, everyone is kinda chilling and there are those 2 or three girls down front doing the one beer in the air/swing-n-sway/WOO!-dance. Then suddenly the songs are wilder and every song gets shorter and there are 50 shots of liquor lined up on the stage and people are screaming and losing their minds. Someone is naked. Something is on fire.

No, I don’t mean to detract from the music and say “oh this band is just a spectacle” no, that is not at all true. I honestly think they are so comfortable and strong with their tunes that they can afford a little playfulness. They can lose their minds because the music is solid, it’s almost as if they are the conjurers, they don’t really even necessarily need to play it, it’ll be there, but their bodies are the conduits. It’ll happen. So a little leeway is granted, sure, hang off of things and spit all over yourself, the music will hold its own.

co-starring British John as the Guest Vocalist

ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ROCK STARS... HURRRRR!!!11

 Some songs will play and you’ll be all like, “yeah okay, these guys are really into Sabbath.” And then 4 songs will play all together and they are all about 48 seconds each and you think “well, hell, when did this guy turn into Pete Shelley??” and then no, it’s the Cramps. No, Misfits. No, Agnostic Front. No… OH JUST WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE JUST GIVE ME A GODDAMNED BEER.

Jay moshing. god love 'im.

 And that’s when you suddenly realize you love them and there is no going back. And then it's over and you're drunk at Neptune's and it's entirely too late to be out on a Thursday. These guys.

PARTII; in which I suddenly find myself at yet another unplanned Whatever Brains show, almost a month later with Jay.

So the apparent “theme” of band practice has turned into; play a bit, drink a lot whilst playing; wander downtown and see some other band play much better; drink more. On one such apparent practice theme nights, the crew and I descended upon slims and our dear friends, Whatever Brains were playing YET AGAIN. It was a wee bit tamer this night, but only because it was Slim’s, so therefore everyone’s ears were burning out of their skulls and it was a late-nighter on a Tuesday. Not as many folks out.  

halfway through practice and the night out planning begins, you can see it in me eyes!

 However, the intimacy brought a level of psychosis out of these guys I had yet to see, I do believe. I wish every week I could see whatever brains just so I could study the reaction of the crowd vs. the level of intense madness it brings out of the LV. Like, a really shitty anthropologist.

can never be normal. not even for a second.

mad because he was not asked to guest-vocalize?

besties, united in our inability to take non-horrific pictures at rock shows.

I could write a really shitty thesis on this phenomenon. “Level of Lead Vocalist Vehemence in direct correlation to Audience participation and size” By: Dr. Karla Anne Bullshit-Maker-Upper.


I was married thrice, once to a Jeff Maker and then a Eugene Upper.
I’m kidding.
Although in my early 20’s I was engaged to a British dude with the last name “Bull”.
That, I’m not kidding about.
I was, once upon a time, almost Mrs. Karla Anne Bull.