Dramarama roll call

[Bags]

Is anyone going to this show at Iota on Sunday?
 
 Anyone hear about this tour, what to expect at the show, etc?  They released an album in 2005, the first since 1993.  I haven't heard it, would be curious for some reviews.

[Bags]

Damn, check AllMusicGuide's review of Dramarama's first album, "Cinema Verite":
 
 Review by Ned Raggett
 Probably the greatest rock release from 1985 that almost no one has ever heard, Cinema Verite is a simply fantastic album. Blending everything from British Invasion panache and glam influences to punk energy and back again, its cult legend was established by L.A. DJ legend Rodney Bingenheimer. He played "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" to death on his show and created a sizeable following for the New Jersey band in Southern California. It's no surprise why: "Anything, Anything" simply smokes, a rave-up for the modern day that starts with a blasting riff before hitting a high-speed punch that doesn't stop, while singer John Easdale details the highs and lows of a relationship with a breathless yowl. There's much more to Cinema Verite than that song, though, as even a casual listen demonstrates. Guitarists Mr. E Boy and Peter Wood distill the kick of performers like Keith Richards, Mick Ronson, and Mott the Hoople-era Mick Ralphs into a hot-wired combination, while rhythm section Chris Carter (bass) and Jesse (drums) hit the beat with heart and talent. Add in keyboardist Theothorous Athanasious Ellenis for final flair and the results are jaw dropping. "Scenario," for instance, is the greatest song the Psychedelic Furs never wrote, with a chugging beat, cut-to-the-chase solos, and Easdale's delicious Dylan-into-Ian Hunter-via-Bowie vocals creating the definition of energetic melancholia. Speaking of Bowie, there's a fantastic cover of his "Candidate," the freaked-out psychosis fully intact, not to mention a nicely dissipated take on the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale." Add in everything from the anguished kick of "Questions?" and the building explosion of "Some Crazy Dame" to the concluding elegance of "Emerald City," and this isn't a cult classic, but classic, period. Rhino's welcome reissue in 1995 tacked on eight bonus tracks, including demo takes and sparer, nervous early singles, and two extensive essays celebrating both the band and this wonderful record.

[vansmack]

Originally posted by Bags:
  Damn, check AllMusicGuide's review of Dramarama's first album, "Cinema Verite":
 
 

One of the first CD's I ever bought to replace a worn out vinyl.  A brilliant CD.  Of course, as it corectly points out, I was also a Rodney on the ROQ fan growing up in So Cal.
 
 If I were in DC, I'd be at this show.

[Tom Servo]

Sounds interesting, but I'm probably heading to DC9 to see Dressy Bessy.

[Bags]

Originally posted by Tom Servo:
  Sounds interesting, but I'm probably heading to DC9 to see Dressy Bessy.

Uh oh, I didn't know about this show....DAMN
 
 There are three bands at DC9 that night -- a Sunday.  Any idea on the likely set times?
 
 There are only two bands at Iota, with 8:30 doors, so I was thinking Dramarama would go on about 10:00.  
 
 If Dressy's on close to midnight, you [meaning "I"] could make both shows.

[xneverwherex]

i get to see dramarama on saturday in jersey for some radio festival show thing on the beach. should be a good time, as i know dramarama are headlining it. i havent seen them since high school which really makes me feel old now.
 
 oh and sponge will be there which im very excited about. throw in elefant, people in planes, bril - should be a great show. minus the f'ing heat!

[Bags]

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
 oh and sponge will be there which im very excited about. throw in elefant, people in planes, bril - should be a great show. minus the f'ing heat!

Wow, looks to be a cool show.  Have fun!

[Tom Servo]

Originally posted by Bags:
   

Originally posted by Tom Servo:
  Sounds interesting, but I'm probably heading to DC9 to see Dressy Bessy.

Uh oh, I didn't know about this show....DAMN
 
 There are three bands at DC9 that night -- a Sunday.  Any idea on the likely set times?
 
 There are only two bands at Iota, with 8:30 doors, so I was thinking Dramarama would go on about 10:00.  
 
 If Dressy's on close to midnight, you [meaning "I"] could make both shows. [/b]

That would probably work.  The last DC9 sunday night show I was at was the High Dials, and I think I recall them going on around midnight.

[Bags]

That's what I'm gonna try -- two shows, one night.  
 
 

Originally posted by Tom Servo:
   

Originally posted by Bags:
     

Originally posted by Tom Servo:
  Sounds interesting, but I'm probably heading to DC9 to see Dressy Bessy.

Uh oh, I didn't know about this show....DAMN
 
 There are three bands at DC9 that night -- a Sunday.  Any idea on the likely set times?
 
 There are only two bands at Iota, with 8:30 doors, so I was thinking Dramarama would go on about 10:00.  
 
 If Dressy's on close to midnight, you [meaning "I"] could make both shows. [/b]

That would probably work.  The last DC9 sunday night show I was at was the High Dials, and I think I recall them going on around midnight. [/b]

[Bags]

Does anyone think Dressy Bessy or Dramarama will sell out??

[Tom Servo]

How did the double feature turn out?  Something came up and I couldn't make it out.

[xneverwherex]

Don't know if anyone saw them at Iota, I so wish I could have gone down there just for that, but i did see them in Jersey. They were so excited to be playing their hometown. It was a really good set, albeit very short, thanks to elefant fucking up set times/destroying the stage, etc. Dramarama initially had said it was their last song and never had played 'last cigarette' or 'anything, anything'. The crowd was getting insanely upset, but they ended with those two songs. Played a song off their new album everybody dies' and it was catchy. John still looks exactly the same. I wanted to talk with him after his set (he was leaving the club, walking down the street with his dad and some other family members), so i really didn't wanna interrupt. They looked like they were having a blast. They tore up the stage, had the audience going wild, and proved that they could still rock. By far it had to be the best set I saw. I wish I knew the whole set list, but there were no setlists and I couldnt keep track of everything they played. Played for probably an hour solid, and said they wished they could have kept on playing. Surprisingly, Rock Kills Kid and Sponge were the headliners. What a waste if you ask me! Well Sponge is good, but Dramarama as the headliner would have been much better  

[kosmo vinyl]

went to the show and at iota and didn't see bags... Wasn't sure what to expect from Dramarama having never really listened to their music live or otherwise and thought they were ok and ended up leaving midway through the set.  Semi-acoustic for Dramarama means that it's just John and the orginial two guitar player with no rhythm section, although they did soundcheck with members of e.joseph filling those spots which they must have saved for the encores.  it seemed all a bit to loose with no setlist and john admitting his voice was shot, i liked what was heard enough to grab a disc on the way out and would have preferred a full band to just the three of them.

[xneverwherex]

a pity! the full band was there when i saw them. I forgot there were so many people in the band. And they used some jazz musician on two of their songs, which was quite cool (he was from NJ). I cant imagine seeing them with just two of the guitarists. Id imagine it wasnt quite the same. I wonder if his voice was shot from the day before. He seemed just fine on Saturday.
 
 I had previouly seen them in the early 90s (was a huge fan), and I thought they sounded as good on Saturday as they had nearly 15 years ago.
 
 

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
  went to the show and at iota and didn't see bags... Wasn't sure what to expect from Dramarama having never really listened to their music live or otherwise and thought they were ok and ended up leaving midway through the set.  Semi-acoustic for Dramarama means that it's just John and the orginial two guitar player with no rhythm section, although they did soundcheck with members of e.joseph filling those spots which they must have saved for the encores.  it seemed all a bit to loose with no setlist and john admitting his voice was shot, i liked what was heard enough to grab a disc on the way out and would have preferred a full band to just the three of them.

[Bags]

I missed both shows -- spent the day working and didn't get all that far, so went to bed early in order to get up and in to the office early.  Yippee.  Sorry I missed both....whaddya gonna do.  Sometimes that's what happens.
 
 DC9 emailed me a reply -- Dressy Bessy was scheduled to go on at 11:15.  Not so bad -- Black Cat will have an 11:00 start time for the headliner during the week.  I'd already heavily dosed on melatonin by 11:15, though.