Bad Town & Spick Of It All @ The Garden Bowl (aug. 27th)

Last night was interesting. After a 4 hour conversation with one of the original (Michigan) Courage Crew members and Niceguy-Rob, which involved German and Domestic beers being destroyed...our trek to the show began. The true way to start the evening is to listen to something ridiculous like blue-grass country, like us...

We arrive around 10pm or so to a busy bar of new and old punk-rockers. Some people who have been hanging out there as long as some people have been alive. Lots of old, familiar faces are peppered through out the Garden Bowl. First up was Spick Of It All. Per usual, Amado (singer) had props and confetti. They tore through a 25 minute set that included my personal favorite "Ses Pack" (aka Six Pack). It was nice to see people mosh to this band, considering the last few times I've seen them...the crowd seemed "too cool for school".

Bad Town came on next and let me tell you....it was almost like watching Op Ivy: fuck-ups, beers, people moving (fast), skanking. It all happend. For a second, I think I saw a few people smile like it was the good old days. Sad that it takes a cover band to make people feel excited to be out, in Detroit, on a Thursday night.

My suggestion....keep your fucking eyes peeled for the next Bad Town show. For serious.

Tonight....Bad Town (operation ivy cover band) & Spick Of It All (mexican-punk cover band)

Tonight should be rather interesting. Bad Town, a "supergroup" of local musicians doing Operation Ivy covers, is playing with Spick Of It All (also a "supergroup" of local mexican musicians playing punk-rock/hardcore hits with "modified" lyrics to promote being mexican) at The Garden Bowl. Both are doing about a half-hour of songs. The major disappointment is going to be...Bad Town not playing the song 'Bad Town'. More on this later....

Paper Fliers: Still Important or a waste of paper?

Paper or electronic fliers: what's more effective? I have had arguments and taken part in discussions revolving around what's more effective. Personally, I'm old-school and I will always be old-school cause that's how I learned. While that think seems to be "dated", it still seems to be the "right thing to do". Naturally, I've pulled shows together in a week with no fliers and had a better turn-out than most of the shows I worked on for two or three months. Does that mean I wasted money on getting materials made for a show? I don't think so. Part of what makes being a booking agent interesting is having the better looking fliers/posters.

Until I find a reason not to get promo-materials made, I will keep doing what I do....the way I want to do it.

Stage-Presence (or lack thereof)....

So what's the deal, bands? Even Black Dhalia Murder (or the original members that are still in the band) remember when they played their asses off to 20 people in a YMCA (and loved it). As we all know, some shows are gonna be better than others for many reasons (and it's not just cause the turn-out may or may not be there). Some of the best shows I've seen had maybe 25-30 people in attendence (example: As Friends Rust & Glasseater in my friend Jason Lockwood's basement in downtown Pontiac, MI...only about 30 something people.)

Rather than bore us with rhetoric about how shows suck these days and how "awesome" it is to play to other bands. No one wants to hear grown-folks complain...especially when it's partially their fuck-up that the turn-out isn't there. I mean, let's remember...the booking agent/promoter is responsible for alot but the lame isn't only ours to wear. There comes a point when people like me should get on a mic and talk about how much it sucks to do all of the work and get blamed for everything but credit for nothing.

You're letting me down. You're letting your friends down. You're selling yourself and your music short...because you have such a blase-attitude towards what you SHOULD be doing (including but not exclusive to giving 110% at every show and working with people who are only trying to help.) It takes a real asshole to point and yell. But it takes a real man/women to get involved, both literally and metaphorically. The choice is yours. I just hope you make the right one.