Concer Post 4: Mr. Breeze Jan 23, 2010 Lake Ripley Lanes, Cambridge WI

What does a hooker, a lesbian penguine, some herion, the pope, and 4 live chickens have in common?  Well, Nothing.  But it made you think there was, and now for some other incoherent thoughts, brought to you by your resident Harmonica player.  Who else would be writing this?  Wait.  Don't answer that.

Tonight's adventure was just that.  The wife and I tend to be the kind of people that will set off in a direction, visit some establishments, and then wander back.  Unlike the majority of the and/or significant other couple combinations we know of, we have always had fun together.  To the point that we do random wild crap on the few nights of the year that we have nothing planned.  We actually never have a down night, but when we do, they usually end up like Pee Wee looking for his bike.  Going all over no where and ending up somewhere.  Now that the "Day's of Our Lives" portion is over, we can get on with the show review and my odd ball take on things.

On this particular eve, we found ourselves wanting to go back to our old "haunt" in Rockdale.  Heather's bar and Grill has faithfully served the sauce to yours truely since he brought his first home just a block away.  The place is literally another home to me, and there is just something to be said about a sweet neighborhood bar, stocked with locals, that all just enjoy being around each other.  Additionally, Mr. Breeze, a cover band outfit that I had initially ran into at Heathers, was playing in near-by Cambridge.

Over the years I have gotten to know these guys from various run-ins here and there.  Shooting a wedding they were part of, shooting some pool with Shannon, shooting the shit here and there.  Basically anything dealing with shooting we were associated with one way or another.  Admittingly, I am closer to both James and Shannon than the remainder of the band, but I'm never one to shy away from stuffing some duckets in the bucket of any establishment that will support live music.  More on that in another post.

After doing some troubleshooting with Marty, and Catfish Kenny, we were able to get some sound issues shook out, and Marty had asked if I had the harps with me.  Like a ADHD 2 year old hopped up on snickers bars, red bull, and a spritzer of Pepsi, they are forever just an arm-lengths away from my proxmitiy.  So what I am saying is I might be able to drum up a harp or two.

Mid-way through a shuffleboard game, Marty asked over the PA if I would roll up for some Doors.  Why, I would never support such heathen music.  Wait... I can't even type that. I'm laughing too hard.  Marty and I traded licks like Jim Morrison traded women in the post show lobby.  Each of us adding our own thoughts to our interpretation of what was going on, all the while stunned that Jim (Morrison) was getting all the chicks.  {I've long gotten over the fact that Harmonica guys are not sexy... and I'm very luckly taken.  Can you imagine the crap my wife puts up with...}

The guys in the band have come a long way since the first time I had seen them, and the miles traveled surely show.  Their sound is growing tighter, the riffs come out cleaner, and the vocals have been cleaned up over the years.  Looking for that great "party" band to head out too?  Mr. Breeze is where you need to be.  Keep your eyes open for a chance to catch them, and their ever growing loyal following the next time you are wandering about the land.

For more reading, tune in next week.  The Shibs are on course to rock out at Lucky's on Feb 6th.  Always an interesting time...

Til then...

Concert Post 2: Jan 14, 2010 The Shibs Great Dane Brew Pub, Madison WI

Aweee no he didn't.  Umm Yes I did.  Your residential harmonica guy back for some more text typing thrills, reliving another gig in the life.  This night brought yours truely to town with the full time music machine known as The Shibs.  But since this is the first post about The Shibs, I will bore the heck out of you, not to mention increase aggreate word count, with some history of us.  If your lucky, you might get some bonus old-skool photos of the guys from a couple of years ago... but your lucky enough to get another blog out of my lazy ass so don't press your luck too far.  People always end up with Whammy's when they do.


I met the guys in The Shibs a couple of years back.  I was on the scene to rock it out with Subatomic and a band known as The Beautes at a fest, called Moose-a-plooza.  We were chillin before the show, and Hark asked if I wanted to come up and jam on one of their songs with them.  Well, the Everclear slushy machines weren't QUITE done yet so I said hell yes.  From there, it was a call in January to play on their new CD (three years ago now), and from that point it was all down hill.  3 National Tours, alot of episodes of Always Sunny, one wicked band van, some time on the beach, you know the drill.  Well, maybe you don't, but that's probably a story for another time... when I don't have a gig to tell ya about.


Always being one for pain, I thought, just for shits and giggles, that I would have a couple of teeth ripped out of my ol skull.  I mention this, because it was just a week earlier at this point, and thanks to some "complications" with my right wisdom tooth, I was going all vampire and tasting blood for quite a while.  Despite my undying love for all things "Tween", I could have done without my Vampire Phase.  Just a quick thought on Tweens and the Vampire Phase.. If 40 yr old men were at the movies screaming for 17 yr old women... people would call the cops.  No Doubt.  Regardless, playing was an exercise in pain.  Pro-Tip #1  Harmonica playing requires some pressure to be built up in your mouth.  When you have bloody holes in there, pressure is not a good thing.  And somehow I doubt chicks dig me.

Musically, it was a rather standard night of Shibtastic tunes.  At this point we have a huge staple of our own music, combined with some lesser known covers from Mr. Robert Marley, and you have a night that makes your lil ditty bits feel all warm and fuzzy.  On this particular night, we had several birthdays in the house, we had to make up a birthday song on the spot, and I believe an attempt was made to break the consumption record for the birthday people involved.  Notice I said Attempt.  Yep.... The more you drink, the better we sound.  For Reals' Y'All.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the on-goings after the show.  We were loading up, around bar-time, and I saw this guy just get knocked down to the ground.  He was laid-out like Tiger Woods at the I-Hop waitress convention. Or was that Denny's... I really don't care, but you get the idea.  When I got back in to pick up some more crap, Andy filled me in on the details.  Apparently, some yutes were walking through the crowd of people waiting for Taxi's and thought.. Hey... I need to knock someone the F*CK out.  And did so... Randomly.  The guy with the massive head wound came to, and ran off, right before he tried to impersonate a human speed-bump.  The poor guy with the wound was gone, and the other victim was getting attended to by the cops.  He and his wife were in town for a business meeting... from Detroit.  I could write more.  But that was too great of a punch-line not to just finish.  Abrupt, I know... But they were from Detroit.

Til Next time...

Mouse

Detroit.  Seriously, gets' randomly punched at Bar Time in Madison.  From Detroit. Crime Capital of the world.

Concert Post 1: Jan 02, 2010 Subatomic. Frequency CD Release Show

As stated on the outset, this here is a gig blog, so with the start of the New Year.. comes the start of some sick new gigs...

Subatomic. is a power rock trio consisting of Bryan Moll on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Jim Roof on Bass and Mark Dvorak on drums.  That is the last standard statement I will make about these men, as only simile and metaphor can be used to describe their sound and stellar abilities.  Their music asks you to come over, pours you a stiff drink of whiskey, bitch slaps you upside your head, and then has amazing make-up sex with you.  Yeah.. it's that good. And you find even after the abuse, you come back for more... again and again.  They are your Rock Dominatrix and you just, weather you like it or not, became a submissive begging for another hit of the sweet sweet sounds.

I have a long history of music with these amazing men.  It seems that at ANY point, the song can go anywhere, and we don't leave a brother behind.  Bryan and I met on a faithful night of drinking with Pops and I.  By the end of the night we were jammin in a basement, and have been friends for the 10 years since.  Just as long for Sparky (Mark) and I, and Jim is clearly my lost twin brother.  The Physical resemblance is uncanny.