Had Too Much To Sleaze Last Night, pt2
Hello Again from Chapel Hill,
The theme for Saturday night was New Orleans night.
The Lineup:
The Golden Showers
Fireball Rocket
The Vendettas
Big Lazy
Bantam Rooster
The Blacks
The Bellrays
Quintron
Countdown Quartet
Southern Culture on the Skids
Ernie K-Doe
I didn’t get to the 506 till the middle of The Vendetta’s set. They were fantastic, really great sound that’s sloppy and clean at the same time. This was my first time seeing them. I only caught the last 10 minutes of their set, so I can’t say too much, but I liked what I heard.
The video feeds are all working nicely, and we have tons of interview footage with help from friends around who just pick up cameras and walk around interviewing people. The B-movies and 50’s stripper reels are a big hit next door, every time I go to the Sports Bar I see people watching the tv’s!
I missed The Golden Showers and Fireball Rocket, both from New Orleans. From what I hear the Golden Showers put on quite a show, with the lead singer stripping out of his red tee-shirt and short-shorts and the band playing pretty stooge-like early-70’s rock.
Big Lazy are an instrumental trio from NYC, I like their sound. Someone said they did the soundtrack song for the TV show Homicide. Sort of twangy guitar and standup bass, nice rhythm. I was running the downstage-left camera, just taking it easy, when all of a sudden the power goes out... ! Everything gets eerily quiet, but fortunately there was still sunlight out and we could all make our way out of the bar. A power line had fallen next door, and both the 506 and the Sports Bar were out of power.
This lasted a while. I was sitting out front when I spotted my old friend Keith Herrera walking by. It turns out he plays drums for the Golden Showers which I unfortunately missed earlier. We reminisced about the ‘old days’ in Albuquerque (we both played in the Drags together, and he was in some other great bands like Big Damn Crazy Weight). I went and met the other members of the Golden Showers backstage and saw some other friends from Atlanta. It was interesting to finally get to talk to people in a much quieter setting. Members of the Big Lazy stayed on stage at the 506 and started an acoustic jam, some guy on a banjo was playing... in any other venue in a normal setting this wouldn’t be too interesting, but in a dark and extremely QUIET club it was very curious to hear. It was a good soundtrack for a power outage in a steamy southern club.
Finally the power came on, 2 hours after it went off. Dave assured all of us that the bands will play their full sets, and the Big Lazy went on and finished up the last 4-5 songs of their set.
The Blacks were next, from Chicago. I really liked their sound, stand-up bass and two guitars, with a phenomenal drummer (who reminds me of Animal from the Muppet Show...!). Great singing and harmonies, with enough grit and guts to really get the place jumping.
At this point I headed over to the Sports Bar, Lynne told me that there was something I *must* see... it was MC Tracheotomy with Quintron, using his light-modulator thingy. MC Tracheotomy is this guy with a big white afro and spangly 70’s glitter clothes, rapping about whatever surreal thing. From New Orleans, and Funny!
The Bellrays. From San Francisco, I think. Wow. The flier says “If MC5 was fronted by Aretha Franklin”, and well, it’s true. Probably my fave of the night, just for energy. More of that stoogy/MC5 sound that’s so big with the kids, and the audience couldn’t get enough. The lead singer is great, she really took control of the stage. There was this photographer guy who had been getting up on stage with every band and taking pictures REALLY close up, walking in front of guitar solos and stuff (pretty rude, I think), well he got up there during this set, and was looking through his camera when the lead singer grabs him by the collar and throws him off the stage! The audience went wild. He never returned to get more photos...
Lynne only caught the end of the Bellrays because she walked a few blocks down the street to hear the Friggs. Her report: “The Cave was packed to the absolute gills but I scored a good spot near the doorway and one step up so I could see. What a show! The Friggs really rocked hard but you could tell that they were in fact the sweetest girls in the world. At one point they announced that the next song was their ‘hate song’ and all giggled sweetly saying that they just ‘LOVE to hate’. They wrapped the set with ‘I thought you said you were going to kill yourself’ which totally rocked! I stayed long enough to buy their CD and then dashed back up the street to catch the end of the Bellrays and get back on filming duty.”
Quintron and Miss Pussycat were up next at the 506. The odd duo sang a few songs and were followed by Miss Pussycat’s Puppetshow, an very odd but great puppet show about two pirates who sail away to Caveman Island, and then their sailboat is sunk by a monster, and they all end up happily at “Underwater Nightclub” where all the drinks are free. The music sounded like the Residents and it was surreal. I loved it!
The Countdown Quartet. These guys are from here in Chapel Hill, kind of an all-star lineup of musicians (including frontman Dave Wright, Jimbo Mathis from Squirrel Nut Zippers and Tim Smith from about a zillion local bands). Great New Orleans sound with a bit of 60’s soul and funk, and quite tastefully done. They have a sax, trombone and trumpet, and the bass player usually plays an upright. I have seen them many times in and around Chapel Hill, and I always find them fun to watch. Tonight was great. The lead singer/trombone player was introduced as this: “Ladies and Gentlemen... we present to you... Ms. Mary Huff!” and Dave leaps up dressed in drag! Very funny. Mary and Rick (from SCOTS) were off stage laughing. They did their song “She’s a Looker” as “I’m a Looker” and much hilarity ensued.
Southern Culture on the Skids next, a great raucous set by the founders of Sleazefest. Year after year they totally deliver the goods. They played hard and always manage the onstage chaos so well. They had a lot of helpers already up there passing out spoonfuls of day-old banana pudding for the Banana Pudding Song and added a bunch more girls from the audience to help hand out chicken for 8-piece Box. For the final number, the three horn players from Countdown Quartet joined in the fray (2 Mary Huffs on ONE STAGE!). It was a fun set, but by the time they finished, it was 3:30am!
Ernie K-Doe was last up. I know that the stage managers and Dave from the 506 needed to get K-Doe on stage as early as possible, he didn’t want to stay up too late... ach, but the power-outtage stopped all that. I think it was 3:45 when he finally went on, and the crowd had thinned a little by then. He was pretty good, voice a bit shaky but he really enjoyed being up on stage. He mentioned how he was only going to sing “million-sellers”. He did a good version of A Certain Girl, and finished up with Mother In Law. Folks I talked to mentioned that he was “washed-up” or a “one-hit wonder”, but I think it’s cool that he keeps singing. I think back to what Brian Phillips said on this list, that he was happy seeing any band or performer that still gets up on stage, and it’s great that they can still get some respect after all these years. So while K-Doe might have been a joke to some, he seemed to enjoy it, and I appreciated the fact that there were enough people around to enjoy it too.
It was a late night. We didn’t get home till 4:30am!
Another note, people keep mentioning that this Sleazefest isn’t as sleazy as ones in the past... I guess it has a big reputation to live up too. The lead singer/bassist from the Swingin’ Neckbreakers put it best, when on-stage he asked “So is anyone going to take off their clothes? Is this Sleazefest? Oh, ok, so you guys are a little older... a little more careful...” well, that got *some* people on stage...! Anyhow, it doesn’t bother me much that it is less sleazy (I feel cleaner...), in fact I think it’s more about the music than I remember. Just an interesting observation from many. Kind of funny getting older. I wonder what the kids are doing tonight...
--Robby
The theme for Saturday night was New Orleans night.
The Lineup:
The Golden Showers
Fireball Rocket
The Vendettas
Big Lazy
Bantam Rooster
The Blacks
The Bellrays
Quintron
Countdown Quartet
Southern Culture on the Skids
Ernie K-Doe
I didn’t get to the 506 till the middle of The Vendetta’s set. They were fantastic, really great sound that’s sloppy and clean at the same time. This was my first time seeing them. I only caught the last 10 minutes of their set, so I can’t say too much, but I liked what I heard.
The video feeds are all working nicely, and we have tons of interview footage with help from friends around who just pick up cameras and walk around interviewing people. The B-movies and 50’s stripper reels are a big hit next door, every time I go to the Sports Bar I see people watching the tv’s!
I missed The Golden Showers and Fireball Rocket, both from New Orleans. From what I hear the Golden Showers put on quite a show, with the lead singer stripping out of his red tee-shirt and short-shorts and the band playing pretty stooge-like early-70’s rock.
Big Lazy are an instrumental trio from NYC, I like their sound. Someone said they did the soundtrack song for the TV show Homicide. Sort of twangy guitar and standup bass, nice rhythm. I was running the downstage-left camera, just taking it easy, when all of a sudden the power goes out... ! Everything gets eerily quiet, but fortunately there was still sunlight out and we could all make our way out of the bar. A power line had fallen next door, and both the 506 and the Sports Bar were out of power.
This lasted a while. I was sitting out front when I spotted my old friend Keith Herrera walking by. It turns out he plays drums for the Golden Showers which I unfortunately missed earlier. We reminisced about the ‘old days’ in Albuquerque (we both played in the Drags together, and he was in some other great bands like Big Damn Crazy Weight). I went and met the other members of the Golden Showers backstage and saw some other friends from Atlanta. It was interesting to finally get to talk to people in a much quieter setting. Members of the Big Lazy stayed on stage at the 506 and started an acoustic jam, some guy on a banjo was playing... in any other venue in a normal setting this wouldn’t be too interesting, but in a dark and extremely QUIET club it was very curious to hear. It was a good soundtrack for a power outage in a steamy southern club.
Finally the power came on, 2 hours after it went off. Dave assured all of us that the bands will play their full sets, and the Big Lazy went on and finished up the last 4-5 songs of their set.
The Blacks were next, from Chicago. I really liked their sound, stand-up bass and two guitars, with a phenomenal drummer (who reminds me of Animal from the Muppet Show...!). Great singing and harmonies, with enough grit and guts to really get the place jumping.
At this point I headed over to the Sports Bar, Lynne told me that there was something I *must* see... it was MC Tracheotomy with Quintron, using his light-modulator thingy. MC Tracheotomy is this guy with a big white afro and spangly 70’s glitter clothes, rapping about whatever surreal thing. From New Orleans, and Funny!
The Bellrays. From San Francisco, I think. Wow. The flier says “If MC5 was fronted by Aretha Franklin”, and well, it’s true. Probably my fave of the night, just for energy. More of that stoogy/MC5 sound that’s so big with the kids, and the audience couldn’t get enough. The lead singer is great, she really took control of the stage. There was this photographer guy who had been getting up on stage with every band and taking pictures REALLY close up, walking in front of guitar solos and stuff (pretty rude, I think), well he got up there during this set, and was looking through his camera when the lead singer grabs him by the collar and throws him off the stage! The audience went wild. He never returned to get more photos...
Lynne only caught the end of the Bellrays because she walked a few blocks down the street to hear the Friggs. Her report: “The Cave was packed to the absolute gills but I scored a good spot near the doorway and one step up so I could see. What a show! The Friggs really rocked hard but you could tell that they were in fact the sweetest girls in the world. At one point they announced that the next song was their ‘hate song’ and all giggled sweetly saying that they just ‘LOVE to hate’. They wrapped the set with ‘I thought you said you were going to kill yourself’ which totally rocked! I stayed long enough to buy their CD and then dashed back up the street to catch the end of the Bellrays and get back on filming duty.”
Quintron and Miss Pussycat were up next at the 506. The odd duo sang a few songs and were followed by Miss Pussycat’s Puppetshow, an very odd but great puppet show about two pirates who sail away to Caveman Island, and then their sailboat is sunk by a monster, and they all end up happily at “Underwater Nightclub” where all the drinks are free. The music sounded like the Residents and it was surreal. I loved it!
The Countdown Quartet. These guys are from here in Chapel Hill, kind of an all-star lineup of musicians (including frontman Dave Wright, Jimbo Mathis from Squirrel Nut Zippers and Tim Smith from about a zillion local bands). Great New Orleans sound with a bit of 60’s soul and funk, and quite tastefully done. They have a sax, trombone and trumpet, and the bass player usually plays an upright. I have seen them many times in and around Chapel Hill, and I always find them fun to watch. Tonight was great. The lead singer/trombone player was introduced as this: “Ladies and Gentlemen... we present to you... Ms. Mary Huff!” and Dave leaps up dressed in drag! Very funny. Mary and Rick (from SCOTS) were off stage laughing. They did their song “She’s a Looker” as “I’m a Looker” and much hilarity ensued.
Southern Culture on the Skids next, a great raucous set by the founders of Sleazefest. Year after year they totally deliver the goods. They played hard and always manage the onstage chaos so well. They had a lot of helpers already up there passing out spoonfuls of day-old banana pudding for the Banana Pudding Song and added a bunch more girls from the audience to help hand out chicken for 8-piece Box. For the final number, the three horn players from Countdown Quartet joined in the fray (2 Mary Huffs on ONE STAGE!). It was a fun set, but by the time they finished, it was 3:30am!
Ernie K-Doe was last up. I know that the stage managers and Dave from the 506 needed to get K-Doe on stage as early as possible, he didn’t want to stay up too late... ach, but the power-outtage stopped all that. I think it was 3:45 when he finally went on, and the crowd had thinned a little by then. He was pretty good, voice a bit shaky but he really enjoyed being up on stage. He mentioned how he was only going to sing “million-sellers”. He did a good version of A Certain Girl, and finished up with Mother In Law. Folks I talked to mentioned that he was “washed-up” or a “one-hit wonder”, but I think it’s cool that he keeps singing. I think back to what Brian Phillips said on this list, that he was happy seeing any band or performer that still gets up on stage, and it’s great that they can still get some respect after all these years. So while K-Doe might have been a joke to some, he seemed to enjoy it, and I appreciated the fact that there were enough people around to enjoy it too.
It was a late night. We didn’t get home till 4:30am!
Another note, people keep mentioning that this Sleazefest isn’t as sleazy as ones in the past... I guess it has a big reputation to live up too. The lead singer/bassist from the Swingin’ Neckbreakers put it best, when on-stage he asked “So is anyone going to take off their clothes? Is this Sleazefest? Oh, ok, so you guys are a little older... a little more careful...” well, that got *some* people on stage...! Anyhow, it doesn’t bother me much that it is less sleazy (I feel cleaner...), in fact I think it’s more about the music than I remember. Just an interesting observation from many. Kind of funny getting older. I wonder what the kids are doing tonight...
--Robby
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