We Have All Kinds of Music Here
Tonight, the wonderful Fleshtones are at Shank Hall. The last time I saw them was some twenty years ago at this joint in Champaign-Urbana called Panama Red's. Clearly, they had been misbooked. Panama Red's was more of the kind of place you'd go to see Pork and the Havana Ducks, , not a garage rock revival band. But the management at Red's thought it would be interesting to book other types of bands there besides the main two, ( "You know, we got both kinds of music here, country and western."), and so they booked the Fleshtones. In a college town, in the middle of the summer when all the students are home, and like Jake and Elwood, they remained professional and played on. There were about six of us there, but we were all fans. In fact, five of us were from student media, and we warned them that this particular gig would likely be the bust it turned out to be. Still, they played it, not pretending that the crowd was small, but accepting that while the crowd was small, it was comprised of hardcore fans. So they tried out new songs on us, they were losse, fun and terrific. I ran into lead singer Peter Zaremba a few years back when he was guesting with Los Straightjackets and reminded him of this story; his eyes rolled up in dreadful rememberance, a familiar scene for any musician who's been misbooked.
Friday Night? Well, I'm going to pick up Stella from camp, and they're having a farewell presentation/skit there, so of course I'm going to be seeing my favorite girl do some kind of act. If I'm not too exhausted, might pop into Vnuk's for the Drams, with local openers cowpunkers Frank Says F*$k It. Both bands would have fit in nicely at Red's.
Saturday -- Bucketworks Moving Planning Team Meeting at 2:00. Moving Day is July 14 -- this is the day we figure out exactly how we're going about it. But musically, Saturday, the place to be is The Mad Planet for three great, loud, rock and roll heavies: Wanda Chrome (in a rare Milwaukee appearance), Chief (whose glamourous cock metal I've already raved about) and Year of the Gun (talented, ambitious younguns who aren't afraid of listening to their parents' vinyl). I believe Chief will be filming a video at this gig, so from this photographer's point of view, lighting will be perfect. All of these bands would have burned Red's down.
Friday Night? Well, I'm going to pick up Stella from camp, and they're having a farewell presentation/skit there, so of course I'm going to be seeing my favorite girl do some kind of act. If I'm not too exhausted, might pop into Vnuk's for the Drams, with local openers cowpunkers Frank Says F*$k It. Both bands would have fit in nicely at Red's.
Saturday -- Bucketworks Moving Planning Team Meeting at 2:00. Moving Day is July 14 -- this is the day we figure out exactly how we're going about it. But musically, Saturday, the place to be is The Mad Planet for three great, loud, rock and roll heavies: Wanda Chrome (in a rare Milwaukee appearance), Chief (whose glamourous cock metal I've already raved about) and Year of the Gun (talented, ambitious younguns who aren't afraid of listening to their parents' vinyl). I believe Chief will be filming a video at this gig, so from this photographer's point of view, lighting will be perfect. All of these bands would have burned Red's down.
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