question for snailhook

[shoot ur shot]

I know you work at the warehouse next door from reading past posts, so my question to you regards the name of a band that played there around springtime. I dont know if you guys keep track of everyone who performs at the venue, but if you can help me find the name of this one band that I saw there, Id appreciate it. The band in question opened for the black eyes. Im talkin about the band that went on right before the black eyes, not the first band from ny or nj.
 
 The only reason I ask is to comfort a friend who saw 'said band' and declared them to be the worst band he has EVER seen. Im sure he was just being facetious, but he is constantly using this unnamed band as a reference point for what he hates in a lot of bands.
 
 Personally, I thought they were lame but have certainly seen far worse, and Im not even considering the completely unrehearsed, painfully derivative and uninspired bands seen in peoples basements, talent shows, battle of the bands, etc. who always seem to take that "who gives a fuck if we sound like shit?" punk rock aesthetic way too far. Thanks.

[snailhook]

well, i wasn't able to make that black eyes show you are talking about, so i can't remember who else was on that bill. i probably have some old citypapers or fliers with that show listed.
 
 do you remember if it was in march, april, or may? i think black eyes played in april, but i'm not sure. what did the band sound like?  where were they from?
 
 supply me with these answers, and i bet i can figure out who this "horrid" band was.

[shoot ur shot]

I did a google search and found that the black eyes show was on friday, april 16th. http://dischord.org/blog/archives/2004_04.php But, here it showed that retisonic were the supporting band, but I checked their site and I think they may have been the first band that went on, but not the one I'm looking for. I don't know where they're from and I can't remember what they sounded like enough to give you an accurate description of their sound. It was just very repetitive and the bassist/singer used a lot of vocal effects.

[snailhook]

Friday April 16
 Retisonic
 Channels (J. Robbins' new band)
 namelessnubmerheadman
 
 looks like namelessnumberheadman is the band you're looking for. never heard 'em...

[shoot ur shot]

okay, upon listening to a couple mp3's of the first 2 bands, this was definitely not the show I attended. I guess Im just better off not knowing.. thanks for your help anyways.

[Driveway]

Channels is (are?) good, make no mistake.

[walkman]

The band you're thinking about is called the Chromatics.  They're a synth-punk outfit with a serious love of Suicide and yes, they were pretentious and a little boring.

[shoot ur shot]

Funny. I saw suicide at the knitting factory in nyc 7/23 and all I could think of was how fucking amazing they were when all they have is a dude smashing his hand on a keyboard and a guy with a mic, yet given the same setup, just about any other band would completely humiliate themselves.

[snailhook]

i agree with you there...suicide's "formula" generally works for them and only them, though there have been a few exceptions. same thing goes for bands that are "influenced" (read: usually ripping off) by joy division and gang of four. i find that the danger and urgency these bands had gets lost on the bands that imitate them.
 
 the chromatics started out as a decent guitar-based no wave band with two men and two women. two of them left, and the other two retained the name, and this was the new chromatics you saw. i have not seen them so i can't form an opinion about them. however, the other two chromatics have a new band on kill rock stars called shoplifting, and they are playing at the warehouse on 9/4. shoplifting supposedly keep the guitar-based influence, whereas the chromatics are now going for the suicide synth thing.

[walkman]

yeah I thought the original Chromatics lineup had a lot of promise...and I agree with both of you - if suicide is an influence, you should keep it to yourself.

[snailhook]

yeah, i'm hoping shoplifting will be pretty cool.
 
 the problem with aping suicide is that nobody can touch "frankie teardrop." that song is terrifying. alan vega was one of the most intense, angry, disgusted frontmen ever. the only people that come close are nick cave circa birthday party-era, diamanda galas, and david yow of jesus lizard. there's a few others but i'm drawing a blank.

[shoot ur shot]

oh yea, thanks walkie for putting the issue to rest. i didnt know that gold standard was releasing their music. Now i need to hear an album dammit!
 
 But hey snailhook, what is the likelihood of bringing down Rev and Vega for an off date at the Warehouse? The main stage at the Knitting Factory, where i saw them, isnt much bigger. I figured since you guys were able to get Metal Urbain, you guys might have a shot? Hell, I'll drive up from Richmond for a solo gig.

[snailhook]

as much as i would love to book suicide, i won't even think about it, unless they were on tour and came to me. i assume they have a guarantee too high for me to cover. they played the main stage of the black cat last year.

[shoot ur shot]

THEY WERE??!!!d;lfkanl;gknasl;kg   :mad:    :mad:    :mad:  Well, I got into suicide last year around May-June, so maybe I saw them listed in the city paper but didn't know what a suicide was. I guess thats what happens when you've only been alive for 19 years and don't know about so much thats out there yet. I'm still quite bitter about this news though. It happens to me so often. How was the show anyways? Do you remember what they performed?