Live on the Black Market (Revival)

Black Market Revival left it all on the stage, literally.

I had all the right intentions. I prepared questions. I thought about the story angle. I used all the journalistic skill honed from skipping classes in college to get this story right.

Then Saturday rolled around. After starting the evening at "Twisted Spurs", we relocated to the House of Rock for a homecoming. My favorite local band done good, Black Market Revival, returned for some home cooking. This gig had the same electric feel as all other shows for this talent group. Old "family" friends made their way back to the dark and scary venue that we loved. It reminded me of Festivus.

Turning the clock back a moment, D-Small and I had an AM radio show called "The ALT". Yes, I have mentioned this bit of trivia before - I know. But it never gets old. It was a nice run. We had 25 weeks on the air. One week featured BMR as a three-piece. And the band was awesome enough to be on the lineup for our holiday show, known as the Festivus for the rest of us. Ah, memories.

So, Saturday had that same special feel with some alterations. House of Rock has gone through some cosmetic changes, making a cellular split from HoR to The Venue. BMR had a new bassist in David. I was married. Sasha got another haircut. There were some other bits and pieces that were there or missing or in flux, such as The Davids not in attendance. All in all, the band sounded great (as I was kicking myself, I did not grab a set list before the set). And a great time was had by all.

It is why I regret the bittersweet feeling I am experiencing the day after. Sure, part of it is remembering the halcyon days of hanging out with a rock band (regardless of being local or national...a rock band is a rock band). But maybe it's the fact that "you can't go home again". I might catch another BMR show again someday. But more than likely I will have to travel for it. The quartet now claims Austin as their base of operations. Usually, that is a kiss of death for former Corpus Christians...

Tangential: next time you talk to someone from or in Corpus, count how many times they make out-of-town references. Nine times out ten, it's in reference to cool items or subjects. For example, I got a great new pearl-snap shirt. When I was in AUSTIN, I picked it up off South Congress. I called my buddy in SAN ANTONIO to see if there were any techie or security jobs available. The Lovely used to live in NEW YORK CITY.

I digress, it's like the restaurant you used to go to as a kid. You go back, it's not as good. Don't get me wrong, BMR was magnetic as usual. But with all the compiled differences of this show in comparison with all the previous BMR shows, I just felt...depressed. You knew it was different even though you were still singing along with "Pigtails and Pocketbooks".

So, I guess when you get older you can't enjoy anything anymore. I need to call the state and get my name changed to Debbie Downer (queue the music: whaaa-waah).

Lessons Learned, my three things.
1) So, El Nino is back. Somehow that story doesn't have the same impact during an economic downturn. Why were the 90's so awesome?
2) Speaking of economics, I freaking love this feature story from Texas Monthly. Apparently, this guy loves technology more than I do.
3) I am one more screw up away from kicking Time Warner Cable to the curb.

I need to quit depressing myself with these sobering posts. Maybe I will do some politics or arguments versus massive megafarms and their impact on national health. No, I think I need to complain about sports. Talk later.

I Still Don't Get It

D-Small and I at a concert...that is not a cover band (circa 2006).

Much love to Patty and G-funk for making this post possible. Patty calls me two weeks ago and hooked up The Lovely and myself with tickets to The Spazmatics for the first Friday of the month show at Brewster Street. I just thought this was going to be a simple dinner-and-a-show evening. Until I found out 1) Spazmatics is the "number one" cover band "in Austin" and B) "they sold out the last couple of times they were in town."

Let's analyze this for a second. I would like to preface this analysis by saying I tried it, so I can knock it. It's the same principle behind "if you don't vote, you can't complain." I can't "knock it" until I do "try it". And they put on one hell of a show (more on that further in this post). I will always appreciate the hard work and the hours of effort it takes for ANY band, whether it's a harp band playing for the Chamber Music society or it's some Fleetwood Mac tribute band. I will never talk down about effort. However, I will talk some noise if their music is terrible...you know, like Nickelback-terrible or JaRule-terrible. So, before my four readers get pissed about my jerkitude toward cover bands, I understand the work involved. But, I will admit that it's ten times easier to use other people's creativity than to create your own music.

There were two huge antics to speak of with this cover band sell-out phenomenon: 1) retro music makes old people feel better and B) Corpus is just straight-up fucking weird. Yes, I'm sorry, I think the language is appropriate because of the weirdness.

Everyone appreciates a simpler time. A time when you didn't have to pay a rent/mortgage, a car note, college loans, unnecessary cell phone charges or have to worry about war, economics, global pandemics, taxes or DVRing The Hills. All we had to worry about was: where the party was at, what goofy hat/shoe/pants/shirt combination we were going to wear and what cover story we were going to give the parents when we got home. For most of my generation, the 80's and the MTV revolution was the quintessential symbol of the simple time. The Spazmatics understand and harness that knowledge. Not only do they harness that knowledge, they profit with that honing of music craft that quirky 80's tunes that sing themselves. If you play the first three bars on the guitar, they will come. I cannot hate the players. I also can't hate the game since I fall into the same trap. That's why there will also be a classic rock/80's station just as much as there will be a Spazmatics. And it makes us feel better every time we hear "Pour Some Sugar On Me".

The Sasquash and I joke about our favorite bar restroom graffiti. "Corpus is like being trapped in a bad Knight Rider episode." Damnit, I wish I would have been fast enough to think of that one. After ABC and Concrete Street, Brewster Street is one of the bigger live music venues in town (I wish there was some documentation on this, but I will ballpark the venue at 500-600 capacity before fire marshals are called). This show sold out. This town doesn't sell out of anything. I wish I had some solid stats, but if you talk to anyone that works for Ticketmaster or any box office, they would agree that this town rarely sells out of any show. But a show for A COVER BAND sold out of one of the larger venues in town. That gives any outsider an indication as to how "easy going" this place is (or how time-warped CC is). This would be the impetus for Bob Dylan and Judas Priest showing up and earning an honest day's pay...past due 20-30 years when they were culturally pertinent (as opposed to a cultural influence on modern-day artists).

And what concert in Corpus would be complete without multiple barfights, motorcycle bandidos, and drunkards getting summarilly dismissed?

I don't get it. I don't get how a cover band, no matter how performance-driven the show is, can sell out of a 500+ venue. I don't get it how younger kids think checkered pants and reversible Chuck Taylors are fashionable. I don't get how a town with a solid college-aged population can't draw more progressive acts to play here (not to knock "Texas Country", but I mean national, rock-and-roll acts or Top 40 acts). I don't get why there are so many idiots that can't hold their liquor or temper for a show to just have a good time. I don't get the perpetual rut we, as a community, are in...

But to the last point, I understand why we backslide. I am a victim just as much as everyone else. We remember our first make-out session. We remember "going-around" for the first time. We remember the new and fascinating events and moments, whether poisonous or benign. And it makes us smile. It makes us laugh. Hell, it makes us dance like a jackass and scream at the top of our lungs all the lyrics of "Just A Friend". We have a soundtrack for the good times.

I get that. I just don't get the rest of the Corpus temporal amnesia. And that is why we can't have nice things.

Lessons Learned, my three things:
1) I love the Poles. I love people of Polish decent. I now (officially) have Polish family members. And boy, do they know how to party - more so organize a wedding. Congrats to Gary Lee and Jerilee (she's the newbie) on their nuptials. Everything was top-notch and tons of fun. And it's always good to see family.
2) G-Love, E-doo's and Hil's new arrival, is one great baby. I am a huge fan of babies that pass out on the pectoral muscle, not straining or hindering any of the arm muscles--then again, he is only about 8-9 pounds. G-Love, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you. And it's always good to see family.
3) Reference books are for skimming. Novels are for reading. Children's books are for laughing at. And Twitter entries are for sufferers of ADHD.

I have got a fun week up ahead. Meli is primed for another entry soon, which I have previewed and think will be a doozy. And it looks like I am going to play The Donald as I start hiring and "You're Fired"-ing some contributors. That's right. The economy and job market is so harsh, my premium blog has to make some changes. Fortunately, the severance package includes a free beer or wine (choose one) and relentless heckling in future post. Talk later.

Yes, last week was busy, thank you for inquiring

Coffee, Energy Drinks and Insomnia is no way to go through a week.

From the Outlook calendar on my office workstation:
March 16-20, CDI SENTENEL Incident Response and Handling (Austin)
Conflicts with another appointment with your Calendar
March 19 and 21, First/Second NCAA Men's Tournament (Greensboro)
Conflicts with another appointment with your Calendar
March 13-22, SXSW [South By Southwest] (Austin)
Conflicts with another appointment with your Calendar
March 17, St Patrick's Day
Conflicts with another appointment with your Calendar
March 18 - 10:00, Weekly Team Meeting
Yeah, doubt you are going to make it according to your Calendar

I have to say, this was a pretty insane week as far as slated events were concerned. The top listing was the most beneficial as far as knowledge and profession, but why in the world would anyone schedule an event in Austin at the same time as the second or third event? I was asking myself that question daily while dodging goofy kids wearing flannel and stocking caps in 86-degree heat. The general consensus was: "what do you expect, it was run by the government." Sad days when the "government" gets dumped on for offering free education.

Admittedly, I was not looking forward to the Tournament as a 'Horns fan. When a point guard doesn't emerge until the fourth quarter of the season and the stars of the team have issues of fortitude the whole season, you don't want to pay too much attention. However, when they were Feeling Minnesota in the first round shellacking, hope was there for the showdown versus Duke. But then, like a Dungeons and Dragons gamer on prom night, there is still disappointment. Thankfully, my emotional attachment, according to my Outlook calendar, was partial at best.

SXFSW: I will only add this one note to the well-chronicled insanity that is the all-around sensory overload - when leaving town with good memories, catching up with good friends and family, and with eight loaves of Whole Foods challah, The Lovely and I were working up eastbound on 5th Street approaching Lavaca Street. Nearing the legendary Antone's, I noticed a 1980's body-style white Chevy pickup. The tailgate said in all in bold, black letters: "DON'T MOVE HERE". Ah, the double-edge sword of tourist revenue and population boom. Can't pick and choose anymore, Live Music Capital of the World.

I am sore about St. Patty's, though. Staying up until three in the morning the day before does not count as celebrating. I was worn down from my first two days that I just watched a rerun of the Daily Show and called it a night. For someone one-sixteenth Irish, that is no way to celebrate my partial heritage. There was an absence of thematic hats and green food coloring. I could plug in that I am getting old, but that is an excuse old people use. Funny sidebar though, Emma was born. Big ups to Josh and Amy.

So, I missed the Weekly. Damn.

All in all, it was a productive week. I even had time to recover The Lovely after my coursework to have some Big A fun ("A" as in Austin, you bunch of savages). And we did. I would like to give a fond bon voyage to The Gingerman, known as Gingerman Classic for this week's purposes. My old 4th Street hideout is now relocating to a cold and metal hole down Lavaca Street, about 50 meters from the old location.

I'm not really sure if I am complaining or gloating...

Lessons Learned - My Three Things:
1) No matter what, always ask for the money up front first!
2) If a door knob is functioning, when disassembled, it should separate in all it's different components. When the doorknob, or door-opening system, is malfunctioning, you just might have to stab the door with a screwdriver and needle-nose pliers until the cipher completely dies.
3) Spook Central is a fun place to work. Hell, it's a fun place just to keep track of. With Conflicker C in the wild, ISC breaking down the Green status and jackasses still using P2P, it makes me want to put on the track shoes and run a 7-minute mile to meet the challenge.

Mad love and shouts to Ra-Rach and B-boy for hooking up the couch-surfing provisions, El Grande (sans The Munchkin and Dollface), SKM, Garth the Sherpa (got to tell me about that mountain range), Safari Jon and the cold-blooded killers at the HHS mafia, Don Michael and that dude that called me a "badass" when I was jaywalking Lavaca in a black suit. That is merely a portion of why I love Austin so much. Talk later.