Last night Smooth Sailing destroyed.
Too bad the show was at that ever so dumpy venue, what a fucking drag that place is. Even the beer tastes like shit. Whoever put up that Boycott El Corazon website and posters is right on the money. The fact that they obviously give two shits about the bands who play there makes it even worse. I mean they actually employ people to help tear down bands and shove them out the back door immediately following their sets, before they can even take a breath.
It's a pitiful scene.
Smooth Sailing lights that place ablaze and then immediately afterward are rushed out the backdoor where their stuff is set on the goddamn sidewalk. It's an atrocious way of running things, and I could care less about the BS philosophy behind it. Bands please, please do yourselves a favor -- Stay Away! Book shows at the Comet, Sunset, Funhouse, 2Bit, Rendezvous, High Dive or invade the fucking Tractor for peet sake. Let El Corazon wither and die, once and for all.
Smooth Sailing is not to blame for playing the show though. They were simply playing a show with their buds in He Whose Ox is Gored and Shrouded in Veils. I will say though, they looked right at home on that much bigger stage.
...but I digress.
Smooth Sailing was amazing and like I have mentioned before their first record comes out the beginning of April. You will know the details once I do, be sure of that.
He Whose Ox is Gored was killer as well, and no I will not talk about their name and its biblical reference, because its played and doesn't fucking matter. What matters is last night they were so amazingly loud that bits and pieces were crumbling and failing from the ceiling. The bands massive doom-laden and synth-heavy post-rock sound is unique in these parts, and I definitely recommend seeing them live. As far as releases go, He Whose Ox is Gored has two EP's out, Op Amps and the Tad Doyle produced Op Amps II, with another on the way March 4th. Check them out.
Words and Video by Nik Christofferson
The only problem with most of the venues you listed as alternatives is that they can't do all-ages shows. I know that doesn't matter as much to us old dudes, but it does matter to the young folks and I still remember being one.
ReplyDeleteGood point man. You are correct, but goddamn does it suck. If that is all we have, then its all we have I suppose. Poor kids.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding about the beer. The first one I had was watery. I think they cut it with water. Don't remember the kind of beer. The others I ordered were OK. I've got pics from the evening here: http://traveljapanblog.com/ashland/2011/01/smooth-sailing/
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