Seriously... let it go.
Now then, in typical fashion we've got our bracelets and a crew ready to destroy the known universe this week. However, we also must accept this year that we're old and can't quite do it the same as we used to. This meant only 5 rounds of Jager last night and we didn't stay until extended close (4am!!)
My first NXNE band was Rusty at Dundas square. However, I was in a suit, just coming from a reception, so I didn't feel like moshing just yet. So, I went home, changed, rallied the troops and we hit the town. We started out West at Hard Luck bar since we recognized a few names and have grown to love the place. Also, whenever I'm there, I like to do this:
We walked in to Hard Luck to hear a band called Decibel from New York playing. All week, I will be grouping bands into two catagories: those who are good and those who I am angry that they are playing NXNE and therefore The Noble Rogues are not. Decibel most definitely fell into the latter. I'm trying something new this year and actually taking review notes on my phone to help me write these blog entries. This entry ended up being a back and forth between myself and Blechschmidt:
Shane: Decibel - weird, trippy, rapish, bad, wanna be rappers
Ian: Emphasis on bad
Shane: But the organic instrumentation is good
Ian: Slut
However, the band we had come to see, Mad Ones, saved the day. Mad Ones are like a great 90s rock/grunge band if you shot the bassist. They're a 2 piece from TO and yet they still manage to pump out a huge, complex but still accessible sound. This was the 2nd time I'd ever seen them and once again, they were high energy, tight and all around a great set. See horrible video quality below proving thusly:
Shots ensued and we made our exit to get some of the best (read: cheap and large) pizza I've had in the city. On the way out, we ran into some old comrades in the band The oOohh Baby Gimme Mores. We met them back when we were a two piece and they were a two piece. However, both of us had now expanded to a 4 piece, so it was an adorable conversation about growing and learning to love. We wanted to stick around for their set, and even lied and said we would, but the NXNEasternly wind had started to blow.
Wandered past some decent sounds at Bovine and Velvet, but we settled in at my favorite venue in the city, The Hideout. We just missed the tail of someone's set but were about to have a lot of fun. The New Enemy was a wonderful blend of Pennywise and Refused. I know that makes no sense but I was drunk and you should be used to this kind of behaviour if you've read this blog before. Either way, Blechschmidt, god bless his little, now american soul, took to the floor and started to rip up the pit like nobody's business. I quickly skulled my beer and followed suit. TNE were a lot of fun and had the right mix of energy and my blood-alcohol level that we moshed like we were 21 again (or at least dating a 21 year old.... bazzzzinnngg!). Let's put it this way: the band was good enough to keep 4 grown men moshing for the bulk of a 40m set, in the middle of an empty dance floor.
We began to slink out the door, sweaty and disgusting, and flag a cab. Ian tried to convince me to stick around for one more band, but I acted as the voice of reason. We had a big weekend ahead of us and we were almost 30. Hell, in his case, he was 30, so I'm not even sure why I was talking to him.
PS: Kellye, I think Ian wins for drunk text of the night... I just found this on FB: " Incoherent after one ingt. Happy to say that we brought the party to Hideoout. NNE for the win. MOAR@@@@!!!!!"
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7 comments:
wow, really guys? i have to say that i have been following your blog for a while now and i have never been so turned off after this review,...like dry as the sahara turned off.
i really thought you had more understanding of talent and music than i, well, now realize you don't.
your review of decibel. extinguished any respect i had for you. "wanna be rappers", really dude?, they have 1 rap song,...1.
i have seen them in new york more than a couple of times, i have seen them sell out coveted muscical venues, i have seen their fan base, and i have read only good reviews of them. i would hope that someone such as yourself would be able to see talent even through the guise of a not-so-great night, which i will admit, they did have. but these guys are embarking on a sound that we will be reading about and hearing about for years, so sad you can't see it.
but at least you have cute little hearts and stars on your blog site, you got that going for you.
I've been following decibel for a while and have to second general patton's comments. They are a talented bunch with a diverse sound. I do agree with the positive comment on organic instrumentation though. Why be such a hater?
Awww - did somebody google their band name this morning and not like what they found?
Actually, I googled my band's name and appreciated and loved what I found about my band on your blog. Our music is not for everybody. If everyone liked our music, we'd be rich and famous.
Reading criticism like this is good and refreshing. I appreciate the honesty. We have stuff to work on, especially different ways to connect to an audience. I do not hate on your review. We obviously did not connect with you. I will never be one to say, "Oh, they just didn't get it". We didn't register with you.
All I did was post the review on our facebook page. I'm never going to hide from words, good or bad. No press is the only bad press. And there was something about us, good or bad, that made you want to write about us. I thank you for that.
We just happen to have awesome and fantastic and caring fans, and are so grateful for them. They are showing support. And really, the only thing I see wrong with these postings is someone deciding to cut people down for sharing their opinion, just like you decided to do. Don't assume that we didn't like what you wrote. Accept that some people have different tastes.
And know that our fans are effing awesome.
Much love,
Josh/decibel.
hey anonymous, did someone not get in to NXNE and wet their panties about it? i'm not in the band douche-bag. but i guess it's just easier for you to think that than to take criticism.
i do however appreciate good music that is original, but hey, if you want to follow the yellow brick road of cookie cutter bands and lick the musical vagina of every band out there right now that sounds EXACTLY the same then awesome, looks like you are doing great.
have fun fielding that the rest of your musical "career"
Hahaha... kids, you haven't been playing nice... but this has been entertaining and probably the most active this site has ever been.
Thanks for making me feel as though my opinion means something.
I'm to bed. It's been fun, but really, let's all just settle down a bit, shall we?
Your review was infantile and not actually critical at all. All three musicians are extremely solid; and they were more original than most of the bands I've seen so far at NXNE. And who are you to decide which band is good or bad? You could simply say it's, "not your thing". Like the DUMB DUMB girls. I left after 4 songs, bored. But someone I know said they were "sensational". Anyways, DECIBEL got chosen to play (not you), and they're the greatest, IMHO.
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