28
Jul
2009
Something Old Something New
The problem with finding new bands is that you never know if they actually rock or if they just put up a good front. A few months back a band came through town that sounded awesome for the first 30 seconds or so, until the guitarist jumped off stage and busted his knee. That intro and one chord sounded absolutely awesome, and I was bummed that I didn’t get to hear more. The same band returned for a second go at it tonight, and I was sadly disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, the music was decent enough; however, the show could have done without the melodrama. Shortly before the band went on, I saw the bassist surreptitiously take a few pills at the bar. It wasn’t the act of taking the pills that seemed odd, but his method of receiving said pills. He was drinking out of a red cup, which at this particular bar meant that he was not drinking a beverage that contained alcohol. A girl in a blue shirt handed him a few pills from a container in her purse, and he seemed rather intent upon not being seen. A few minutes later, I saw him take the stage for the “check song” and to tune his instrument. He was crouched against the wall of the stage, very much as though the wall was the only thing keeping him some semblance of vertical.
The set began and I thought for a moment that he was going to be ok. He was jumping around and full of energy; it was captivating. The band made it through the first minute and I gave a sigh of relief. The drama didn’t erupt until about thirty minutes into their set.
Before all of the drama with the bassist, the guitarist was shooting secret little smiles at a man in a red shirt. I think that was the only time he smiled during the entire set, and i must say that his appearance was much improved by the difference in facial expression. The rest of the time he was concentrating so very hard that he seemed detached from the crowd and from the music. While this gave him the ability to play his solos cleanly and excellently, he traded his showmanship for his precision.
So, on to the drama. The first thirty minutes or so went off without a hitch. Then, mid song, the bassist threw down his guitar and lay down on the ground. The singer had that moment of “holy hell, what am I gonna do now” and tried to play it off as he checked on his band mate. He joked that the venue was cursed, and went to check on his band mate. He made up some story about a panic attack. After a brief intermission in which the bouncer made her way to the stage, the band decided that they were going to try to finish their set. They had about 15 minutes left, and they played 2 more songs (which only took about 10 minutes).
The bassist was propped against the wall, trying to tune and play his guitar. I don’t know if it was hardcore or just stupid, because the bassist was very clearly messed up on something. I must admit that I felt sympathetic towards the singer. He comes once and the guitarist blows out his knee, he comes another time and his bassist get jacked up on something, and he is left standing center stage looking like the asshole of the century.
Despite the obvious difficulties the band was having, they finished their last two songs and helped their bassist off stage. A few minutes later, as 7P was setting up, two paramedics walked through the bar to the back stage area. For the next 30 minutes or so, you could occasionally see the flashing blue and red through the exit door. The singer was telling anyone who asked that the bassist had too much sodium from beef jerky bought at Buck-ees on the way from Houston and that caused a panic/anxiety attack. I give him props for ingenuity as far as the tale goes, but I doubt that is the actual story.
So, after all that drama from the outta towners, Sever Perfect takes the stage. Now, I’ve been to see this band several times at different venues, and I have to admit that they have progressed a lot since last year at Jack’s when they were competing for the battle of the bands to play at Oyster Bake. Their sound is cleaner and a bit more refined. It’s obvious that they have more practice with the songs that are older, and they are already introducing new music into their set list.
Sadly, they did not play Mexico, my favorite song; however, they did play two newer songs which rocked. They also played a few covers, my favorite of which was Stone Temple Pilots, Plush. Awesome song, awesome cover, and of course I adore the band.
The feel when Seven Perfect plays has changed a lot since the first time I heard them. It’s changed a lot since their cd release party in March. I really hope that this band makes it, and I can’t wait til the next new thing from them.
