diary tags today about

a thing in 100 photos in 2004

band

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showing 2004 only · show all years

appears with…

fatty20
grant11
!fireworks go up9
!stellastar8
!best6
!crowd5
!jump4
andy f3
!fiasco3
vince neil3
!kick2
scott t2
!braid1
!camera1
colin1
!doppleganger1
!fannypack1
!guitar1
!halloween1
mandy1

band — We saw the last two minutes of Fannypack performing, and then hightailed it out of there because it was too crowded.

band — Ok, one more for good measure...and now I'll cut to the crowd's reaction...

band — Another rock shot.

band — Rock shot (this time with a flash!)

band — ...a cover band! (Man, I wish there were more good cover bands that played in the background at bars in NYC). I made the mistake of going up and asking the singer if he'd let me sing a song with the band and he got all offended. He was like "What do you mean can you sing a song?" I was like "You know, it's sorta like karaoke, right? Like, can't I pick out a song and sing with the band?" And he got all serious and was like "Dude, I'm the singer of this band." I was like "Yeah, but it's a cover band - It's not like I don't know the tunes, right?" He got all serious and before turning away told me that I "obviously didn't get it."

band — Friday night I went to see Mike Patton perform in an experimental noise band. I could have saved the $15 I spent on a ticket by staying at home and have a friend alternate between playing static on the TV and intermittently poking me in the eardrum with a meat thermometer. (Mike, I love you - but can a playa just get a melody?)

band — They were pretty good and the singer had an uncanny resemblance to the real deal Holyfield Joey Ramone. Check him out.

band — Five hours later I got landed in SF and went straight from the airport to meet Alysha and Brian at the Interpol show at the Warfield. (Nothing like feeling sad about New York and going to see a band from New York sing sad songs about New York).

band — Anyway, Tarantula rocked my world like no other live band I'd seen in years. If you ever here that they're playing in your area, make sure you check them out. You won't be disappointed.

band — This was one of the first bands I'd seen made up of all hot girls that was decent. Usually if there are more than two girls in a band, the girls' collective hotness is inversely proportionate to their level of musicianship (and they usually have no idea that they suck because every guy that sees them tells them "Wow, you guys are amazing!" because he totally wants to get into one of their panties!.

band — I don't even recognize the guy on stage. Huh.

band — On Wednesday I went and saw a band. But I totally don't remember who it was. Doh.

band — Some band from LA. The were "meh." Different city, same haircuts.

band — ...The Killers.

band — He finished off his set with a cover of Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark." Amazing.

band — On Tuesday afternoon Sarah invited me up to Spin's offices to watch a solo performance by Ted Leo. He played a full set off his new record and then actually took audience requests!

band — ...The Everyothers (who were really fun live).

band — Reggie working tha crowd.

band — Always a lady, indeed. They stacked all these empty styrofoam coolers behind him and halfway through the show, he threw them into the crowd and they got ripped apart and everyone was spraying beer and throwing around pieces of foam.

band — Later that night, Reggie Cunningham (aka - "The Mr. Move") came out and put on a fucking crazy show.

band — Later that night (after I'd changed my underwear) I headed over to Lit to see Fatty play with Fireworks Go Up.

band — Brandon.

band — Here they are wrapping up their ten-song set.

band — Brandon and Mark.

band — Alright, I'll keep the band shots down to a minimum because it's hard to make snarky comments about these types of photos. Much better to show pics from crowd, that way I can tell funny stories about the people in them.

band — The show was really good, but Grant got in trouble for jumping around on stage too much (seriously) and so this was unfortunately his last show as rhythm guitarist in the band.

band — Even using the zoom on my lens, I couldn't believe that it was really Vince Neil. So when I got the pictures on my computer, I decided to load them into Photoshop and do a little investigative work...

band — We tried watching the show from the balcony, but it was really hard to see. We went down to the floor, but ended up staying in the back because we didn't feel like fighting our way up through the sweaty mob o' dudes.

band — We got back a little after midnight and Vince had just gone on. He sounded amazing, but he just didn't look like himself.

band — Sunday night I went to the Bowery Ballroom and say the Braid re-union tour (Braid was on of my most favoritest bands in early college).

band — Higher!

band — More of Grant's aerial shennanigans! Pretty high, right?

band — The Fireworks Go Up record is really, really good, but I've got to be honest with you. I was only there to see one thing:

band — If you're looking to capture the jump-shots, you gotta shoot with an itchy shutterfinger. I saw movement and snapped figuring Grant was getting ready to launch into another big kick and instead managed to capture this totally awkward (sideway?) leg kick. Hahaha.

band — ...the craziest, highest rock n' roll jump kick I've ever seen in my life. If only DLR (who lives less than a block away, incidentally) could've been there to see it - he would've wept with joy knowing his heir apparent lives. (This is so wallpaper worth - click here for the hi-res version).

band — Hahaha. The fact that Fatty and Grant are making eye contact make this "Back to the Future" moment even funnier.

band — The back-to-back guitarists: another classic move taken from the best of 80s hair-metal videos.

band — It turned out that the band playing that night was Stellar Tuesday, a band from the East Village fronted Eric, by a guy we know!

band — We got to the Chance, showed off our cameras and said that we were there to cover the show for "a major music magazine." We were wisked in with no further questions asked.

band — On Friday, I went to see Grant and Fatty in (the now defunct band) Fireworks Go Up play a show at Don Hill's. If you squint, you'll notice two parenthetical blurs in the middle of the stage - those were created by Grant's feet during a double-legged DLR kick that I managed to just barely capture.

band — Hahaha. Check out Grant leaning on Dan like he's CC DeVille in fucking Poison video or something.

band — On Tuesday I went to see that Stills at Irving Plaza. They were fucking great.

band — Big Fatty the bass player poses with Little Fatty the bass player.

band — On Friday night Fatty and I went to Plaid to see Fatty's little brother's band play.

band — I cuh-rush your head! Happy April everybody!

band — Wednesday night I went to Piano's to see the Coastal Drag play.

band — On Sunday, Frank took Fatty, me and the Fatty's grandparents to see the Guarneri String Quartet play.

band — ...and we headed over to Luna Lounge to see the Fatty play bass with Fireworks Go Up.

band — Save this one, I'll spare you any boring band photos.

band — Mike and Shawn (who spells his name the girly way).

band — Mandy in her cute lil' shirt.

band — A few free drinks later, Stellastarr went on and I went downstairs to the floor to watch them. (The balcony may make you feel like a "coolkid" but the show just doesn't sound the same from far away).

band — No more band pics. I swear.

band — Mission accomplished I went back downstairs. Rather than show you more band photos, I'm instead going to tell you a story I forget to tell earlier about why I'm a jackass:

So when I was up in the balcony before the Stellastarr started playing, Mandy introduced me to her parents. A few minutes later when the band was playing, I was making my way across the balcony to head downstairs and I noticed that Mandy's parents were standing towards the back of the balcony . I felt bad that they were standing so when I noticed a table of kids near the front of the balcony that seemed to be talking amongst themselves and not really watching the show - I asked if they'd mind giving up their table for a Mandy's parents who'd driven in from the EnJay to watch their daughter bring the fucking rock. They said they wouldn't mind and I proudly went over to Mandy's folks and was like "Hey, why don't you guys sit at this table." It was only days later when I was talking to Mandy did I find out that her parents said they'd really enjoyed the show except for the fact that "some jackass friend of hers" had sat them at a table too close towards the front of the balcony where their view of the stage was obscured by a huge column. Doh.

band — I watched a little bit of Ambulance LTD play from the balcony, but after a song or two I ran into Mandy an

band — And one more of Shawn. (Holy shit, I'm boring myself with all these band photos...so how about I wrap this part up?)

band — So then I went back up to the balcony and watched their last song from up there.

band — Mandy again.

band — Same here. Except this time it's 30% artsier.

band — Another band shot. Woo.

band — They blew me away.

band — Just as the party was starting to lull a bit, The Stills (who I'd never heard before) hit the small stage that was set up outdoors in the corner of the party and played.

band — ...all the way up front of the stage. At first I was excited just because Joan Jett was one of the first women I ever remember having a crush on. When I saw her in the "I Love Rock and Roll" video at age eight, it was one of the first times I remember getting a funny feeling "down there." (Who knew this she was just the first in my long line of lesbian crushes?)

band — After she finished her second song, I was no longer content to watch from afar and managed to weasel my way...

band — ...but that doesn't mean they rocked any less harder. After the set, Fatty and the boys packed up their gear and got ready to begin the long drive back to New York City. Me on the other hand...ON TO PART TWO

band — Hey, the Fatty might not have a horde of raving, fanatical lesbian fans...

band — For reals, yo.

band — I got their early and was psched to see that it was The Butchies that had the timeslot before them!

band — Then Fatty's band played.

band — The (mostly female) crowd (ahem) went absolutely batshit while they played.

band — They put on one of the better shows I saw at SXSW, if you ever get a chance to see them, go!

band — ....to some venue to see Fireworks Go Up play their SXSW showcase.

band — I was so close I almost got my eye poked out by guitar strings.

band — The audience was so close we were even encouraged to maraca along with the band. HOT!

band — There wasn't even a stage so they literally played like six inches in front of the crowd.

band — Later that night, we went to another private Spin party (this time it was held a ways out of town at some relatively new clothing store) and got treated to a performance by Pretty Girls Make Graves.

band — ...Joan Fucking Jett. Here's the pics from Mandy and I's original vantage point.

band — After the Fader Party, I walked over to the pavilion and managed to sneak into the back just in time to catch Piebald play (from like 300ft away).

band — Spin actually bought this photo from me and published it in their SXSW coverage section! Woo!

band — French kick! Woo!

band — And then towards the end of their set, he jumped off the stage and landed on the crowd barricade.

band — Sooo awesome.

band — Their singer got the crowd going something fierce.

band — After BBQliciousness, the Hives came on. Now, I'd never really cared for their music much, but after seeing them live, I, much like the Monkees, am a believer.

band — After years spent capturing Grant's airborne antics, I was on the money to capture Pete's antics.

band — Like this. See? Crazy, right?

band — Yay. The Von Bondies.

band — After hitching a ride to the new hotel (a little closer to town) I bid the band farewell, hopped a cab and headed into town to meet up with Sarah...

band — Band shot. Scott, Dan and the Fatty. aka - Fireworks Go Up.

band — But Joan, blew the fucking doors off the place. Crush schmush, she put on one of the better rock shows I've seen in my life.

band — Later that night, I met up with Sarah at Pianos to see Morning Theft's first show.

band — On Friday, a whole bunch of us headed over to Arlene's Grocery to see Grant join Fatty in playing with Fireworks Go Up for the first time. (After only five or six appearances as their rhythm guitarist, Grant left due to "creative differences.") Boo.

band — Okay, okay and to make jokes about Colin's hair. (You know I love you, Big Daddy).

band — On Wednesday night, Colin's band played their first gig at Pianos. I only went because I heard their guitar player looked like Funky Winkerbean.

band — Fatty's band play!

band — Saturday we all went to the Knitting Factory to see Fatty's band again.

band — And then went and saw Fatty's band play at Sin-e.

band — ...Franz Ferdinand. Oh sure, like you'd heard of them back in January.

band — By now, January's unseasonably warm weather had gone away and the month had turned into one of the coldest that NYC had seen in years. This particular night was like 10 degrees and snowing so the place was practically empty. So all of us that were there to see Chris' band were sort of hanging out in the back waiting for them to come on. The band playing before them wasn't about to let us ignore them, so their guitar player walked 40ft off stage (let's hear it for wireless, woooo!) to walk right up to us and play some hot guitar lixxx all up in our faces. It fucking ruled.

band — Bastion.

a photo diary · online since december 1996