: Throughout my time as a promoter and zinester, I was able to meet quite a few interesting bands. I actually found my way into meeting a few more famous acts in the few years since I started with NeuFutur and InterStitial. The good thing is, most of these bands were extremely nice, hard-working, and absolutely intense when they got onto stage. Still, there were some bands that were complete and utter assholes. This piece aims to show that most of the bands in the independent music scene are �good people�, even though there are notable exceptions to the rule
Super Eight Cum Shot � 2002, Meherry Hall, Greencastle, Indiana �
When compared to the rest of the acts in the piece, I have little doubt that Super Eight Cum Shot (now Jinx Titanic) will not stack up in any serious sense. There were a small, GLBT-themed band out of Chicago. I was a young treasurer for the GLBT organization at DePauw, and somehow I got word about the band. I was able to convince enough of the executive board to finance the band playing a show at DePauw, and had one of my first experiences holding a concert. The show was small while the band was impressive, even considering the lack of people in attendance. After the show, we went back to their hotel, where they gave me a beer. I was 18 at the time, so it was only a matter of a few swigs before it was taken away from me from stupid hotel security. Still, the ability to just sit down with some random kid and shoot the shit for an extended period of time really broke down my previous attitudes about bands and their perceived tendencies to put on airs. The band grabbed a B for beer, of course, but for showing their humanity at every moment they were in Greencastle.
Against Me! � 2003, The High Five Bar, Columbus, Ohio �
This was one of the few shows where I was able to talk to an act without being the booker of said show. At the time I attended this concert, Against Me! was still on Fat Wreck Chords and were still making music that was at least somewhat impressive. The show went off without a hitch, even if Peelander-Z (a Japanese band that contained equal amounts of theater and music) outshone the declining stars that were Against Me! at the time. I was a fan of the band, but was only able to for-sure identify Warren, their drummer. This is due to the fact that the rest of the band had shorter hair and generally looked the same. I was able to go up to Warren without throngs of kids crowding the band. Being earlier in their career, there were only about 75-100 people there. I was able to get my CD signed quickly and give Warren a copy of NeuFutur to peruse on the tour bus; there was no ego, just a band excited that the crowd was so supportive. Being very down to earth and approachable, Against Me! merited an A- that night.
Brookside � 2004, Coffee Shop. Greencastle, Indiana �
Brookside is not necessarily a band that is famous yet, but they are getting more and more fans by the day. The venue was small, obviously � I do not know of many coffee shops that are huge � but Brookside did not feel constrained in any way. The concert may not have seemed to be a good match for the granola-fed, Hippie-owned shop, but the audience was absolutely digging every moment that the band played. While the band was operating at a Super 8 Cum Shot-level of popularity, most emo acts that I�ve had the (dis)pleasure to work with act like rock stars that have fans exponentially larger than what they will pull to an average show. Brookside has nearly 20,000 fans now and that number was still over 5,000 when I saw them in that coffee shop, and yet when the show ended, they were receptive to potential media coverage even in a magazine as small as this one. The band got a solid B after their show, and my wishes that they do well forevermore.
The Evens � 2004, BGSU Student Union, Bowling Green, Ohio �
I�ve been going to the Allied Media Conference for two years prior to this concert; this, my third AMC, had one of the most sedate and (paradoxically) furious concerts I�ve ever been to. It was one of the first shows that Ian MacKaye�s (Minor Threat) new band played; individuals were sitting on the ground instead of standing up. The mood was quiet, but The Evens were able to tell a story with nothing more than guitars and drums. The show went on for a decent period of time; there was little more than applause given to the band. When the show ended, Ian (the legend ey is in the independent music scene), talked and signed materials while walking around the room. The fact that someone that is so influential for both the current state of music and of independent record labels and yet so willing to just mill around and shoot the shit with anyone that wished to shoot off their mouth. There is nothing left to give Ian but an A+ for being so goddamned invigorating. It is not only that ey can do such a different style of music after creating such a solid, hardcore �persona� but that years upon years in the scene have not jaded eir one bit. Talking to Ian is just like talking to any idealistic 15 year old, albeit one who has immense clout in the industry.
American Distress � 2004, Desert Rose, Lancaster, Ohio �
Let�s get this right. I absolutely fucking love American Distress, almost as much as I love other Choking Victim side projects like Morning Glory and InDk. Shayne (from The Bloody Irish Boys) had warned me about the rock-star like ego of bands like Leftover Crack, telling me about the time ey went to a LoC concert when Stza (the lead singer) kicked individuals in the front row. Still, having a chance to book American Distress (they had an open date listed for the Columbus-area on http://www.fuckworldtrade.com) about when I wanted to have a show during the summer. I booked them, and made sure to tell them time and time again that the show was a benefit show for the record label (to raise funds for the Lancaster Vs. Greencastle compilation), and that payment would be limited to $100 tops. The manager said cool, and committed the band to this concert. As with all the bands so far in this piece, American Distress absolutely tore the roof down on the Desert Rose when they played. Absolutely intense, with all the individuals that had been milling around the venue smashed up against the stage during the band�s set. Everything seemed well, until the band started confronting me about the money. I handed them $75 or so, some amount that most bands would absolutely love, and then I began being hounded by the band. In fact, American Distress was so pissed off and angry that I honestly felt as if some shit was going to go down. At the end, I stood firm and the band finally left.
One final postscript to this story, though; the band was in the parking lot for quite a few bands before they were supposed to go on stage. They preferred to stay in their sleeping arrangements the entire time, not interacting with people or seeing any of the other bands that were opening up for them. Of course, their merch table was set up nice and early. The simple moral of this story; American Distress are assholes. I�m sure they are familiar with these from high school, so the band shouldn�t be surprised when I give them an �F� for being complete �fuckwads�. Their music is awesome and no one can take that away from them, but they are rockstars through and through.
This Bike is a Pipe Bomb � 2005, Howard�s Club H, Bowling Green, Ohio �
Last year at AMC, the Plan-It-X fest was the headlining event of the conference. A whole slew of PIX bands played at Howards; a lot of different bands really didn�t interest me, but Defiance, Ohio and This Bike is a Pipe Bomb both played. Shayne, Barton, Chris, and I all were walking around town, picked up some beer, and started walking toward the club. Mind you, this is about 7 PM and we were assured that the concert would go to 11 or midnight, at least. I hear the distinct sound of Defiance, Ohio as we walk up to the door; no lie, I put my cup of beer down on the ground and run into the venue. Defiance, Ohio had about 150-200 people shouting out all the world to their songs and seemed to have even a bigger following than even This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, who closed the show for the night. Of course, I was able to pull a few signatures for friends from TPIAPB after the show, but what happened when we went back to the church was absolutely amazing. It was a few hours later, but we came back to sit down and drink in the church parking lot with some people from another clique. The PIX bus comes up and two-thirds of TPIAPB sits down and chills with us, having a brew. This time (unlike Super 8 Cum Shot), I was actually able to chill with a band and converse with them on the most basic level over one of life�s simplest pleasures � drinking. A huge A+ goes to TPIAPB for playing some of the strongest, most revolutionary music out there and not acting in the least bit like rock stars.
What these experiences really tell me is that most bands go out on the road with a genuine interest to bring the gift of music to any of the individuals that they encounter. Sure, there are some acts that are out there purely to line their pockets, but the vast majority of bands are just comprised of individuals that are like you or me � they are young (or young at heart), very passionate about what they believe in, and feel that something can be changed by playing the style of music that they play. I may have a little different experience from others owing to the fact that I booked concerts, but I have a feeling that most individuals that go out to show have some of the same positive experiences with bands.
If anyone else has experiences, either positive or negative, about the bands that they have met, please drop me a line at [email protected] . I�d like to continue this piece in future issues of the magazine, or make an entirely new magazine if I get enough responses back. It can even go both ways; bands, who are the most memorable people you have met while playing concerts?