Our new fave lil' area watering hole, Plan B, decided to put on a show. So we signed on with our buddies Shock Troops to play a Saturday night there. We honestly weren't expecting much, given that while we love the place it's pretty much empty most of the times we've been in there. But we like the owners and what they're trying to do so we thought we could support 'em. Turns out, so do many other people.
A little history's in order first, tho'. When I first found this place it was the White Eagle or White Horse or White Fish or something. Nice, quiet little neighborhood bar but the only place on the freakin' West Coast that served a real pork tenderloin sandwich. (If you're from, say, Missouri or Iowa, you know that this is and how glorious it can be.) They closed down/got bought out and Acme took its place. The smartest thing these owners did was to take over the parking lot and convert it into a massive outdoor seating and entertainment area. That really caused the place to take off. However, apart from moving the bar inconveniently into a perpendicular stance, they neglected the interior. With some ecletic drinks and horrid music selection it soon became a hipster haven, slow service notwithstanding. But that, too, just didn't last, and so entered Plan B last summer. After some extensive reworking inside (putting the bar back along the main wall, where it belonged) they opened as the local punk rock bar. Neato. But, boy, the hipsters sure didn't appreciate it. We were seated outside one fine September afternoon and a large group of giggling hipster mall chicks came in and took over a large center table. They looked at the menus in quizzical disgust - where was the paella or pesto-soaked whatever? What's a pepper-bacon-wrapped deep fried kosher dog? Do they really mean Cup O' Noodles on here? - and no one coming to help them they left after about 3 minutes. It was beautiful, a nice "cleansing image to the place.
Since patio weather's been on the outs here in Portland for a while, tho', the focus has shifted indoors and, typically, there's not many folks there - on weeknights. We didn't make it over for weekend fare but saw that they had bands periodically play, mostly metal and punk acts. Our guitarist Foil relocated and ended up a scant few blocks from the place so we started hanging there more and, inevitably, the proposal of playing there presented itself. We thought of it more perhaps as a charity opportunity, to support this business we enjoyed, to give it a fighting chance or something. Magnanimous of us, no?
Well, call us chagrined because the turnout to the show this past Saturday was downright astonishing. No stage, no storage area for gear, everybody pressed right in on top of everything - it's a fine combination for a night of loud, messy punk. We had at least 120 paying audience members (capacity there's rated at 140 or so) and you knew it - they were right up there with the bands. We like having that kind of instantaneous response, that instant energy/feedback. It just makes the shows that much more, ya' know?
Sure, there were no monitors and I couldn't hear myself so I sang so loud I don't have much of a voice here 3 days afterward. But so what? It was a blast. Shock Troops hit into their set and the response was great from the get-go. So much so that two particularly raucous attendees decided to start a fight and crash into Choad's drum kit, reducing among other things his stool to a 3-leg affair. They had a bit of a pit going on and that continued on during our set as well. I kept having to push folks about, just to keep them from crashing into the equipment. That was a new one for me but definitely welcome. Fighting a cold, I could then relinquish some control of the mic to up-front folks to share vocal duties. Granted, they usually just sang the original lyrics but I wasn't too concerned. It was too fun. The crowd numbers and response and support just blew us all away. We need to play there again, no question.
We're going a bit quiet for the next month or so, looking forward to probably a return in April. Stay watchful and stay fat!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Show this Saturday!
Misfats and Shock Troops
Sat., Jan. 12th
10pm
$3
Plan B
1305 SE 8th St Portland, OR 97214
Yep, it's a bar but it's non-smoking. Only two bands so we'll probably go on around 11:30pm that night.
See you there!
Sat., Jan. 12th
10pm
$3
Plan B
1305 SE 8th St Portland, OR 97214
Yep, it's a bar but it's non-smoking. Only two bands so we'll probably go on around 11:30pm that night.
See you there!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Ash St. - 12.29.07
It's always a good time for us at the Ash St. Saloon. This night, tho', we got blown off stage by one of the openers - joyously so.
Sunken Chest got the crowd started off right, pulling in those folks milling about with generic interest and getting 'em involved in the show proper. How can you not like a pirate band that covers "Breakin' the Law?"
Next up was Fist of Dishonor. Can't say enough good things about this band or their show. Amazingly entertaining, diverse, engaging, and captivating. The place was suddenly packed as soon as they began their set with two members up in the soundbooth area, casting a narrative spell over the crowd. We hadn't been able to backline due to the fact that these guys had laid down workout mats all over the stage and, soon into their set, we saw why. Martial arts, fire, acrobatics with a chick shooting a bow & arrow with her feet(!), choreographed fight scenes, and a bamboo pan flute w/ kazoo all combined in proper ninja rawk. We're definitely playing with these folks again. Oh, and they're all incredibly nice and self-deprecating, too, just like their rawk gods, The Misfats. HA!
Shock Troops kicked that energy into high gear, blasting through their Cock Sparrer tribute set and rarely letting off the gas. They had a great pit of fans going that was invaded by a couple drunk steakheads who just wanted to thrash about. They didn't last long against the true of heart, tho', thankfully.
So we took to the stage last and had a very respectable amount of audience remaining - hurray! That's kinda unusual for us when we "headline." And thanks to that crowd for being so into the show and yelling back alot and providing us all with some great energy. We - being fat and lazy - need all the energy we can steal/get.
It always amazes me that we rarely seem to have very many repeat fans in our audiences. Sure, there're some folks that come out to our shows often enough and they're a welcome sight. But it's the new faces, the people who haven't heard of us, locals who don't realize that we, too, are local. I know some local rags here in town don't much care for us but the ads are still out there, someplace, ya' know? Not that I'm knockin' folks - not at all! It's just refreshing to pretty much count on always having new faces out there to laugh at/with/near.
Thanks again to Heather and the Ash St. and everybody's support last Saturday!
Sunken Chest got the crowd started off right, pulling in those folks milling about with generic interest and getting 'em involved in the show proper. How can you not like a pirate band that covers "Breakin' the Law?"
Next up was Fist of Dishonor. Can't say enough good things about this band or their show. Amazingly entertaining, diverse, engaging, and captivating. The place was suddenly packed as soon as they began their set with two members up in the soundbooth area, casting a narrative spell over the crowd. We hadn't been able to backline due to the fact that these guys had laid down workout mats all over the stage and, soon into their set, we saw why. Martial arts, fire, acrobatics with a chick shooting a bow & arrow with her feet(!), choreographed fight scenes, and a bamboo pan flute w/ kazoo all combined in proper ninja rawk. We're definitely playing with these folks again. Oh, and they're all incredibly nice and self-deprecating, too, just like their rawk gods, The Misfats. HA!
Shock Troops kicked that energy into high gear, blasting through their Cock Sparrer tribute set and rarely letting off the gas. They had a great pit of fans going that was invaded by a couple drunk steakheads who just wanted to thrash about. They didn't last long against the true of heart, tho', thankfully.
So we took to the stage last and had a very respectable amount of audience remaining - hurray! That's kinda unusual for us when we "headline." And thanks to that crowd for being so into the show and yelling back alot and providing us all with some great energy. We - being fat and lazy - need all the energy we can steal/get.
It always amazes me that we rarely seem to have very many repeat fans in our audiences. Sure, there're some folks that come out to our shows often enough and they're a welcome sight. But it's the new faces, the people who haven't heard of us, locals who don't realize that we, too, are local. I know some local rags here in town don't much care for us but the ads are still out there, someplace, ya' know? Not that I'm knockin' folks - not at all! It's just refreshing to pretty much count on always having new faces out there to laugh at/with/near.
Thanks again to Heather and the Ash St. and everybody's support last Saturday!
New Year's Eve showtime
Thanks again A TON to the jubilant, helpful, supportive, wondrous staff and management at The Matador for having us - and for the majority of folks for sticking around to help us welcome in the New Year.
Crowded, sticky, smoky, drunk, and a helluva lotta fun. Just what NYE should be.
Here's some piccies:
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