Shakedown on Polk Street
Oh man.So last night was it. The monthly (or so) event that we like to call Live@thepit. Plastic Flappybats, Mustard, Twang, Los Tigres De La Noches and basically anybody who played an instrument that could make it down to Krickets, the Ramada Inn bar on 1St & Polk.
It was awesome. We were lucky to get an early start last night, which allowed us to do about an hour-long (I really have no idea how long it was) acoustic set. Usually, there's dead time early on, and we lose a lot of the happy hour crowd. Last night, we held on to the crowd a lot longer than usual. Played a bunch of Warren Zevon, Steve Earle and Ryan Adams tunes with Larry and Frank. Once I'd stepped off, they continued on, doing some Springsteen stuff and miscellany. That was fun, sounded good and it kept the barflies happy and interested. Gotta do that again.
Mergatron went on first, followed by Mustard. Last night was Mustard's one year anniversary show, and coincidentally, Frank's parents were in the audience. We went on right after Mustard, and fortunately, it was at a decent hour. I think we were on at, like, 8:00 or so. Right after Mustard, just before Twang. Or... right after a drink or two, but before we got completely tanked and couldn't play anymore, take your pick. A highpoint for me was that there was, for once, an actual Replacements fan in the audience. Guy name of Brian, who'd heard about us through one of Greg's posts on the Westerberg Message Board. Real nice guy, I have to say it was an honor to play for someone who was actually a fan of the songs we were trying to do.
If you're reading this, you're welcome back any time, man. As long as you play that version of "Like A Virgin", of course.
Needless to say, we did Replacements songs again. I couldn't hear myself, or my guitar, but I could hear everybody else. Greg, Barry and Frank rocked, I have no idea how I sounded. Nobody wanted to slug me afterwards, so I couldn't have been too far off. Or maybe they're just being polite, who knows?
It really doesn't matter, though. I had fun, I think the other bats had fun, and that's all that matters.
Our setlist was thus:
Little Mascara
The Ledge
Left of the Dial
Another Girl, Another Planet
Seein' Her
Portland
Skyway
Can't Hardly Wait
We ended up doing Valentine and Achin To Be, along with Silent Film Star, later on in the night.
The bar was just packed full until about 9:00. Things started getting confusing onstage, people were getting tired (and drunk, this is a bar, after all) and we lost a bit of the crowd. That was actually fine. It was time for them to go, so we could just have the bands hanging out, goofing around or whatever. That's the point where the evening becomes interesting.
At one point, we all ended up onstage. By 'we all' I mean everyone in the bar. There was simply no audience left. Everybody who was left decided to just go up and play Frank's set with him for a second time. Everybody. There were four guitars, bass, drums, washboard, tambourine, maraca, harmonica, at least six vocalists, all of us singing different songs (at the same time). It was a wonderful, glorious mess. Best part of the evening, in fact.
High Points:
1. Little Mascara (actually, our entire set was cool)
2. Replacements fan in audience
3. Frank's set
4. Barry leaning up against the bar and playing bass for like, two hours straight-nailing every single song.
Low Points
1. Rhonda couldn't stick around, she hadda take a test (which she's taking right now.) Good luck, Roxy.
I do think that it's time we just did away with the concept of it being open mic. That's pretty much outlived it's usefulness. It really should just be Bats, Mustard, Twang, whatever Kee is calling himself that particular month, and Mergatron. The thing is, when others show up and play, they're usually either just a distraction, don't know what they're doing, or they flat out don't get the point. This is Kricket's Bar, not Cricket Pavillion. You will not be getting signed by a major label here, so if you're gonna come, I'd rather everybody play nice with the other basement monsters.
The point is that we all hang out together, and that we all have fun playing together. Sometimes we're good, sometimes we're downright awful, but it doesn't matter. we're all just friends hanging out and playing some tunes. We don't show up with attitudes or egos. Or talent, dammit!
Man, it was fun.
posted by Dale Ingram @ 9:18 AM
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