I’m tired. Dehydrated and my throat hurts. There are still a few beers in my belly, breaking down into their disposable parts. More alcohol than there should be, but I tried not to drink too much. To be responsible. That was the plan. Going out to a show on a Wednesday is something that I try to avoid, but this show was special. “Kinda had to be there” special.
Still. Going to see a band on weeknight?
Doors open at 8PM. First band ends at 9PM. One more to go before the headliner. Headliner goes on a little after 11PM. Midnight comes fast and you remember the miles needed to drive, to get home.
That’s the routine, and I’ve been over it since college.
The Hot Snakes posted that they reunited and were doing a short tour. This is a band I love made up of people that made up other bands that I love. Their show in San Diego sold out. San Francisco too. I felt like I needed to see them, to hear those songs again live. Disregard the weekday slot. Just go for it. I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the San Jose show. It had sold out as well.
On Tuesday I was ready to back out of going. A show on a Wednesday? Doors open at 8PM? TWO OPENING BANDS?! My wife told me to stop being an old man and just go. You only live once.
True.
The Hot Snakes blistered away at their catalog. They played songs I loved, they played songs I skipped on CD but live they were intense and powerful. Old new favorites. The music is loud and aggressive – angry. Lyrics full of spite and dark humor. But they were having fun. There is enthusiasm and electricity to the menace.
I had a few hours between getting off of work and going down to The Blank Club for the show, so a buddy and I had a few beers before hand. Talked music. Work. Moving. Buying houses, building homes. Work can be mindless and dull at times – it’s easy to get caught up in the mundane routine of a work week. It’s important to go out. Break it up. Have your eardrums pummeled by vicious guitars and the cracked howl of the human voice. I don’t want this to be music criticism. I hate that, and really, there’s too much to say about Hot Snakes and the people in the band that I’ll just quit now.
A RUSH TO THE POINT: I was in bands and I worked in the arts and it didn’t stick. It’s hard to make that happen. The guys in the Hot Snakes have had a large amount of success doing exactly what they wanted to do, from teenagers into their forties. Hard working blue collar musicians bringing a tremendous onslaught of rock and roll to the world.
Post Script: Singer / Guitarist Rick Froberg is also a kickass illustrator (so both of his career choices worked out Lucky man!)
Proof of Rick Froberg's status as "kickass illustrator"
Yup…my sentiments exactly, only I went on a Tuesday…(home sick asleap Wed after 2 hour drive) then back to LA on Thurs, worked Friday and now back down to see them tomorrow again. Each night out on the weeknights I looked at my watch and was like…crap…I feel like I’m on vacation when I should be in bed–Awesome feeling. It took Hot Snakes to remind me of that. PS…do Coffee in large quantities instead of beer and that will help. -Tashi.
Hey Tashi – Where’d you see them at? I was wanting to fly down to San Diego to catch the show at the Casbah but it sold out in minutes.