Catherine Feeny (In the Way Back Machine - No. 1)

So here I am posting a review several weeks late AGAIN… wah, wah!  (Oh wait, I started writing this ages ago and now it’s probably closer to a year later.  I suck!)

Anyshits, we found ourselves yet again at what is quickly becoming our weeknight hangout… The Southgate House.  This was another late starting one headlined by the very talented (and very beautiful) Catherine Feeny (http://catherinefeeny.com/).

Although we’d been to the SGH many times, this was our first experience in the upstairs Parlour.  The long and slender room on the upper floor has a lot of character.  The old wooden walls are highlighted with large paintings of revolutionary era hunters misbehaving in a bar.  The ceiling is decorated with old light fixtures radiating a dim multi-colored film over the area.  The stage is small and located directly across the room from the bar.  It’s a set-up that makes sense given the dimensions of the room, but unfortunate in that the bar noise carries up to the stage area and is a major distraction to the performances.

We showed up fairly early and had the wonderful opportunity to meet Miss Feeny before the show and get our picture taken with her.  (She made me promise I wouldn’t share it as she was not “ready” J.)  She is such a sweet and genuine person.  It probably didn’t hurt that we used our knowledge of her acquaintance with our friend Michelle Hemmer (check her out - http://michellehemmer.com/) to strike up initial conversation.

The show was an interestingly pieced together collection of artists crossing paths.  Leading off was a performance by Margaret Darling of the local indie stars The Seedy Seeds (http://www.theseedyseeds.com/).  I say “solo”, but she was accompanied by a percussionist who performed his duties on a plastic tub – the type you would store shit in your basement with.  The set was mildly entertaining to my distant recollection.  The thing that really sticks out was Darlings use of what I think was some type of an auto-harp.  Certainly an instrument you don’t see every day.

Miss Darling was followed by Neutral Uke Motel (http://www.neutralukehotel.com/).  A ukulele playing Neutral Milk Hotel cover band who tours around playing the “In an Aeroplane Over the Sea” album in its entirety.  I was somewhat embarrassed to admit that I was completely unaware of this album’s existence before the show.  The passion shown by the audience in singing along with every song sold me on obtaining it afterwards.  I must say I have been disappointed in my efforts to listen to the actual CD all the way through since that night.  At any rate, the musicians involved were weird and talented.  One of the guys was a real life reincarnation of Groucho Marx.  I spent have their set bitching to Amy about why someone would make themselves look like that and how it was only for attention.  Damn if I didn’t briefly meet him after the show and found him to be the kindest of persons (I’m such a jerk).  The guy was going around asking audience members to record a happy birthday wish on his video camera that he was subsequently sending to his wife back home.

Post NUM’s set, about half of the crowd took off.  It’s definitely an odd occurrence when the crowd for the “headliner” is smaller than that of the supporting act.  Catherine came on to what we’ll call and “intimate” crowd.  The size of the crowd may have been small, however their admiration for her was clear as day.  They all came to hear her beautiful voice and they certainly were rewarded.  The set wasn’t acoustic by definition, but pretty close to it only featuring light accompaniment.  Much of the mood was carried by the gentle and soulful guitar playing by Daniel Dixon.  CF progressed through a somewhat compressed set mostly comprised of tracks from her new “People in the Hole” CD.  Certainly a wonderful collection of music, but I was disappointed the set didn’t include more songs from her masterpiece “Hurricane Glass”.

The show ended quietly, but we didn’t take off just yet.  I went to tell Mr. Dixon how much I enjoyed the show expecting just a courtesy “thanks man”, but getting what turned into a lengthy conversation.  I even had to kind of end it so he could proceed with cleaning up his equipment.  During this time, Amy was joined at the bar by Catherine.  Trying not to kill that conversation, I parked myself at Amy’s opposing side and was soon joined by Daniel.  He proceeded to tell me his quite interesting “struggling artist” story explaining how he was briefly staying in a tent in CF’s back yard.  Wacky stuff to be sharing with a total stranger, but I was happy for the extended amusement.  Shortly after, CF and DD needed to start packing to head to Louisville.  So we said our goodbyes to OUR new acquaintances and headed for home.

The Bob "FAYM" Schneider Show

Been a long time hasn’t it?  Did you miss me?  Didn’t think so.  Worth asking though, eh?  Well, with that embarrassment out of the way, let’s get to it…

My buddy Shawn and I took in the Bob Schneider show down at the historic Southgate house Ballroom the other night.  Not our first Bob S show together, but possibly the first where I didn’t “lose my lunch” afterwards (lunch = liquid fun).  We saw him about 5 years ago in Cincy at some now defunct bar that had no heat in mid-January.  I’m sure that contributed to him taking this long to come back to the area –we had to make the trek to Indy a couple years ago to get our BS fix.  Needless to say, this was highly this show was highly anticipated.

We got there unnecessarily early and grabbed prime seats just of the center of the balcony near the bar.  I took the free time to peruse the merch table and realized that Bob had a new album out called “A Perfect Day”.  Shame, shame, shame on me for not knowing this (however it is getting less than stellar reviews from his fans – such as my pal Jeff over at http://3two8.wordpress.com/).  I got settled in with a bottle of Bluegrass Brewing Company – Amber Lager as we people watched the entering crowd (read: talked shit about everyone there very quietly).  The audience was slow to move in and probably ended up being a little over 200 by the time Bob took the stage.  Quite a range of personalities as you would expect for his shows.

There wasn’t an opener announced previously, but it ended up being a local singer-songwriter named Gran Bel Fisher.  He looked like he just walked off a construction site with the work boots he was sporting.  Just he and his acoustic guitar (as well as a can of Bud and a triple shot of whiskey) , Mr. Fisher eased us into the evening with his strong voice and down-home lyrics.  I would describe him as overly Country.  He provided multiple laughs though with his subject matters ranging from drugs & alcohol to choking out his brother on a house boat.  (Note:  After further research (ie. Wiki), I found that Gran Bel had a song on the artist gateway known as Grey’s Anatomy… as well as was part of a country boy band in 2000 put together by Kenny Rogers and Lou Pearlman.)

Fortunately the wait for Bob S. was pretty short.  His mix of band mates and their appearance matched that of the crowd.  Notably the bass player who had an awesome gray white dude ‘fro to go with his suit / slip on casual footware and the keyboard/horn/accordion player who was dressed like he just got off his job at a machine shop – decked out in blue coveralls and big clear safety glasses.  That gentleman (Oliver Steck) would come to be the most entertaining figure of the night with his sideshow antics and hilarious dancing.

Bob led off the night with no less than 6 straight tracks off his new album.  Other than “Let the Light In”, the first impression was that it is just OK… not the standard that Bob has set previously.  Most disappointing was the frequent use of auto-tune.  Pure Unnecessary Annoyance!  I know he’s somewhat of a crazy artist type (seriously check out the messed up artwork on his blog – stinkinghand.blogspot.com), but there’s just no need for that type of silliness.  Finally about 30 minutes or so in Bob broke into something we knew.  Nice to hear “Gold in the Sunset”, but he still sprinkled in that damned auto-tune.

If you’ve never been to a Bob Schneider show, you have to understand that it’s going to start out pretty slow.  It really takes Bob a while to get into the feel of a show.  He typically starts out very stoic and just sings his songs.  As the crowd gets more involved he starts to loosen up and eventually interact.  He’s no Matt Nathanson in this realm, but his dry sense of humor is very amusing.  He especially displays this in moments where he breaks song and kind of goes sideways about topics in said songs.  Most compelling at this particular show was his commentary within a dirty, dirty, dirty song mainly about “cunnilingus” where he added notes on the true lengths of time he would continue to perform this act before “checking-in to see where we were at” and then potentially continuing or maybe moving on to something else if that wasn’t doing the job. 

The set was of decent length and consisted of many of Bob’s songs with a south of the boarder influence (or as Shawn complained – “He’s playing too many of those damn Carribean songs”).  “Tarantula” and “Bombanaza” were crowd sing-a-long favorites… well at least I think everyone else was singing too.  Ha.  And of course he got in what is my favorite song of all time (not favorite Bob S. song, but favorite song period!) – “Big Blue Sea”.  The show ended with a very folky version of “40 Dogs”.

Old, tired and hungry, Shawn and I decided to grab a quick bite before heading home.  Since it was Monday, I knew there was only one place to go – Keystone Bar & Grill (http://www.keystonebar.com) in Covington for ½ price Mac & Cheese.  Awesome broiled M&C with various mix in options named after rock bands as well as Kentucky Bourbon Barrel on draft… I could hardly wait!  Imagine my disappointment when I found out that the kitchen had closed a mere 20 minutes before we got there.   The bartender recommended we try a dive across the street called Side Bar.  I was skeptical, but good god did they ever have some great boneless wings with spicy BBQ and seasoned fries.  We polished those off while analyzing the OKC v. Memphis game that was on.  A satisfying capper to a good night of music and bull shitting with my old buddy.

Roger's Return

Sweaty, sweaty, sweaty. That’s the most accurate description of the Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers show I can give. RCPM made their (nearly) annual trip to the historic Southgate House a few weeks ago and we were lucky enough to again sing and sweat with them. We caught yet another late weeknight show (thanks again SGH for accommodating my schedule) on a lightly rainy evening.

The show was opened by John Henry & the Engine from St. Louis (not a popular place to be from if you are in Cincinnati at the moment). With typical band set-up including two guitars and a keyboardist, they immediately offered up an instrumental sound that made them an obvious choice to tour with RCPM. The problem started however when lead singer “John Henry” opened his mouth. This “poor man’s Heath Ledger” who talked with a smooth and normal voice did not sing smoothly or normal. He sounded like he was trying to reach a depth that his vocal chords simply did not posses. Such a fake, strained and overly loud attempt at entertaining was one of the most horrific things I’ve ever heard. While the rest of the band was fairly solid in sound and talent, Henry brought the whole thing down… including a piece to close their set that included some acapella harmonies that were otherwise warm and soothing. Replace the lead man and they might really have something. Otherwise, I recommend staying out of earshot if at all possible.

After a short intermission RCPM took the stage as scheduled at the top of the hour – very un-Phosphorescent like. Not to cheat the depth and length (pft!) of their set, but it was a typical RCPM show. You know what to expect and they deliver on it EVERY TIME. They come at you with an energy and passion that could match any band anywhere. Early in the set we got a taste of “Americano”. Just part of what would be a full night of sing at the top of your lungs fun. For the most part the set contained everything you would expect… “Switchblade”, “Beautiful Disaster”, “I Speak Your Language”… however, it did seem they played more Refreshments tracks including “Mexico”, “Banditos” and a personal fave of mine “Mekong”.

Roger’s consistent ability to give his fans what they want including his personal attention and interaction is refreshing. He connects with his fans more than any artist I’ve ever seen – mostly by drinking shots of tequila that they purchase for him during the show. He is a true front man… and as Amy labeled him, a “sexpot” (I had to ask for a definition). I just hope he continues to go out on the road as consistently as I’ve known him to. Always a treat to see him leave it all out there and watch my favorite stylistic drummer PF Naffah do his work as well.

“When I see the faces that remember my own”

Well it’s been weeks now since I’ve seen what I’ll call the “Cope – OAR show” that I’m trying to rekindle memories of. I feel like such a slacker as I try not to be distracted by these crazy clouds out the window of the plane I’m writing from (on our way to Tahoe to get hitched).

Anyway, we did make our way to see Mr. Clarence Greenwood (aka Citizen Cope) with a super bonus of OAR over at the outdoor LC a few weeks ago. Having worked in Dublin that day it allowed us time to get over to our favorite Mexican joint in CBus – Rancho Allegre - before the show. As always, the bean dip was so delicious that we burned our mouths on it without regret, the veggie quesadilla was scrumptious and filling and the margaritas ARE the best you will ever have! So with our bellies full and wanting a nap, we loafed our way over to the LC just a few minutes before doors were to open.

A few little tips if you are a concert go-er in the CBus area and especially if you are going to the LC outdoor…

First, if you see any shows at Promowest venues, BUY THE DECIBEL CLUB MEMBERSHIP! This thing gets you to the front of the line for any show right before doors open. It’s the best concert associated $50 I’ve ever spent – and it’s a lifetime membership. You also get 4 “free” tickets to some of their less mainstream shows included in the membership. On this day we were the only ones in the DB Club line for the show. So awesome to see the disappointment in the faces of the annoying teens who have been waiting all day to get in when you walk right in front of them at the last possible minute. (Yes, I’m a jerk and I am proud of it!)

Secondly, if you are seeing an LC or Basement show, park behind the LC. There are always spots back there and the price is the same or less than parking across the street at the Arena. The other advantage that I later learned about this for outdoor LC shows is that there is an entrance into the venue from that back lot. I think about 12 total people used it to get into the show the entire time we were there. Just another option to get you to the front of the line without waiting.

Back to the show… Getting in early and knowing that we are too old (and my bladder is too small) to stand at the stage for the whole evening – we went to the terrace just above the lawn area. They’ve added some half-picnic tables up there to sit at right on the rail. You’re still at an acceptable distance from the stage and have the comfort of not sitting on the ground and avoid the worry of someone kicking over your beer. The tables have plenty of room for 4, however we spread ourselves out and hogged the whole thing to just the 2 of us for the entire show. (Again, I’m a huge jerk and am OK with it).

The show had a slightly early start time for some reason, so it was still very bright out when Cope took the stage. Not unprecedented, but it was nice of OAR’s Marc Roberge to come out and introduce Citizen Cope as one of OAR’s favorite bands. Just as was the case with the previous Cope show we saw (see previous Cope review), it started out a little slow and flat. Greenwood however settled into a relaxed mood much quicker at this show that the last. As he worked through renditions of “Healing Hands” and “Hurricane Waters” you could see the segment of the crowd (mostly youthful, but still including us) who were there mainly to see Cope. He really carried the entire crowds attention though with his spot-on performances of “Let the Drummer Kick”, “Bullet and a Target” and the most popular “Son’s Gonna Rise”. He’s one of those rare hybrids of rock and urban beats that even appeals to those who despise modern hip-hop. You can’t help but to tap your feet to his beats and get lost in his rhythm. Considering he was the only “opener”, he played an acceptably lengthy set including one of my Cope fav’s “Mistaken I.D.” before giving way to OAR. (I look at is as OAR were coming on in support of Cope afterwards, but whatever.)

Between acts we were somehow able to miraculously maintain our stronghold on our picnic table as Amy got us a large draft of the underratedly economical and delicious Amber Bock, then I “went #1” shoulder-to-shoulder with a bunch of douche frat dudes in what amounted to be a portable horse trough (ick). I swear they must have set a record for beer sales that night. The lines were redonk and people were double-fisting the big drafts.

As time wound down to OAR’s start, they made it do so literally with a countdown on a screen over the stage. Again, not unprecedented, but a much appreciated touch. It should be a requirement at every show. (I like structure dammit!) Being that OAR is seen as “the hometown band” for, they were introduced by the mayor of Columbus, who was met with a course of boos. (He proceeded to do a really poor job of faking like he knew them as he had to read all of their names off of notes he had there with him on stage… not sure how that lack of memorization worked into his successes in politics, but whatever.) If you didn’t know, OAR was formed in the late 90’s when all the members were students at The Ohio State University. Surely “hometown” enough for CBus to be proud of, however we would find out (prompted by a large flag a fan was waving) that all but one of the members actually have always called Rockville, MD home – a fact that certainly warmed Amy’s heart to them a little bit.

I must say that they put on an impressive stage show. Whoever the lighting director is definitely earned his/her paycheck. I thought their sound was really solid too, especially the horns… just clean throughout. While it was really good, very few specifics stand out to me now. There were some very energetic sing-alongs of “This Town” and “Crazy Game of Poker”. I just love how you can relate to those guys though. “Toy Store” conjured thoughts of my childhood, literally hanging out in the toy isle at K Mart waiting for my mom to shop… Even more so, “I Feel Home” takes me back to the glory days of ‘The Boys’ just hanging out before we had any cares or responsibilities… a time I’ll never lose my appreciation for.

Thanks to Karen Van Holf, whose pictures I borrowed without asking.