Show Date: March 31, 2011
Set Time:
Ticket Price ~$15
So. I owe ChrisT, by show buddy, a show. You know how it goes if you slut around to alot of shows. You owe one here and there.
ChrisT has been after me about Seasick Steve. I was reluctant. I’m a very visual person and the name alone made me think of a weepy Popeye cartoon villian that didn’t make the cut. The publicity photo doesn’t fucking help. Dude looks like he belongs on a frozen fishstick product. I’m not psyched to go to a show and watch some bummy looking dude whose nickname seems to imply a predispostion to vomiting. But. I owe ChrisT one.
Wonder Ballroom, ya’ll. Been here, done it. Never puked in here. Never seen anyone else puke here either. Bring it on Seasick! Let’s hit the bar. Let’s get our sick on.
See this is the type of nonsense that goes through my head. It is tough, sometimes. But I manage. Took me 2 minutes of youtubing, myspacing (i’m not typing the new stupid symbol that is apparently myspaces epitaph) and general research to get really excited about this show. My guilty pleasure is and always will be amped up blues. Rhythm and-. Garage. Country phrased. Hillbilly. Cheap rock knockoff. DON’T CARE!
So, Seasick Steve may look non-traditional for a rock show. But it is all good. He’s a righteous dude. But. We’ll get to that.
Show count looks to be 500ish. Maybe less. Comfortable. Tweener capacity type show that is no doubt hard to book. At $15 a crack, not a quick way to riches either. There is still love out there. Props to Monqui.
So….ChrisT and I are prefunctioned appropriately. ChrisT is showing he can hang old skool. Makings of an epic night.
Hillstomp is the opener. We’ve sidled to about 3rd row. Not hard. Side stage shit. Drummer side. HOLY SHIT! Hillstomp is a two piece. Two attractive guys. Dirtying it up a bit. Drummer and guitar. Drummer is barefoot. His snare is a plastic bucket. As is most of the drumkit. He also plays TV Dinner tray, washboard, hubcap, tambourine with a foot pedal, and spoons. His stage outfit is a dirty white plain t-shirt and sweats.
So. I know this is dorky. You know the type of shows where the drummer screams and hoots off mic? And it is either really lame or really fucking cool cause the music is fucking epic? Yea. Hillstomp is the latter kind of band. This isn’t garage blues of the electronic distortion and hyper-amped kind. This is blues backbone with shit you found in the garage. Love it.
I’m getting dangerously non-functional, because I’m loving this set so much. Sorry party people. The way it is. The better the show sometimes the worse the writing gets. To write you need to remember and detach. Not going to do that for Hillstomp. Too busy getting into the vibe of that crazy banjo with the drummer/pail whacker. Drummer was incredible. Never seen someone who was as crazy as that with all limbs going in different times. On various non traditional items. Man.
Go see Hillstomp. They are local to Portland. Hope to hell they are at MusicFest. A pairing of them and The Cave Singers would ensure I don’t leave that venue all night. Would be tight.
Seasick Steve. My chemical tachometer is pegged. This isn’t going to be right. Definitely won’t be tight. Seasick Steve is an older guy with a story that is epic. Google. Wiki. Whatever. Do it. He drinks high powered whisky. Interacts with the crowd. Brings up a girl to sing to. And the music is fucking good. Jack White is putting out some of his tracks. Didn’t know that. But it makes sense. ChrisT always has had taste.
That’s it motherfuckers. The show was epic. Getting ChrisT home was fun. Hmmmmm. Spend a night at home that would be forgettable or this night? No choice whatsoever. Always a price to be paid…I spent happily the next day. Seasick Steve is the shit. Hillstomp added to my local band lookout rotation. That’s success. Hey gotta have goals and ambitions. Rawk.
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