Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Sokol Underground
performed with: "Icares," "Names Without Numbers," and "Right Side Impact"Setlist:
Tonic
Don't
Run Away
Smile
Omaha
Satisfied
Indecision
Take Me Back
Review:
So the review has to start with our brief interview on 89.7 the River with Spicoli and Rocco on Spicoli's Morning Fiasco. Connealy and I rolled up to the River Studios at 8:45 in the morning and no one is in the River office. So we go and stare at the fellas doing their morning show until they let us in. Then, Icares shows up, followed by Right Side Impact, and we're all like, "wow, must have lots of time to fill today." As it turns out, Spicoli and Sophia John had to "air their grievences" with eachother for the first 20 minutes of the 9:00 block, so we didn't get to go on until about 9:40.
Now to the on-air interview:
Apparently Connealy and I look like troublemakers in the morning because they commented on it, and my KU skull cap (come on, I was representin'). This led to me saying that we were not trouble makers, but, in fact, were there to inform people that we were not an alt-techno British group. Now, this may have come off as weird and anti-british (which I can assure you I am very pro-british, so much so that I talk like Austin Powers for at least 25 minutes a day), but I was going to elaborate on how we've been mistaken for the british band The Ten O'Clock Scholars on two occasions (once to play a festival in Europe, and once when we were playing a show in Lincoln we got advertised as "British Group, The Ten O'Clock Scholars")...unfortunately, Spicoli quickly changed to topic, so it died right there. We then went on to talk about what kind of music we play, which is when Connealy said, "I don't know...a jam band...we're jammin'." Spicoli then asked us if we were influenced by Phish, which is when I said, "I think we've fooled you here. We're more like Weezer and Pearl Jam." To which there were a little thrown off, but nonetheless started to talk about the song clip they were going to play. I said that it was Take Me Back (which it was) and said we liked it because we all helped write it.
Once the song started playing, Spicoli turned to me and said, "Tell me it's clean," so of course I had to explain that about 3 minutes into the song it's not clean. But they only play 40 seconds or so, and then we come back on air and they start talking about how we drop the "big one" later in the song. Then, I bust out a callback from earlier in the show and say, "Yeah, I don't want you guys to get in any more trouble with Sophia," which I thought was the funniest part of the whole interview. They ask me why we used the word, and I said something to the effect of, "Love. You know, you're just so in love with this person that you can't say goodbye." Of course that got a laugh because of the whole f-bomb/love analogy. Not really what I had in mind, but I guess my Superego took over (that's the part of the iceberg that's below the surface. right?). Then they ask if this is a crowd favorite, and I said that it was our closer. Suddenly, Connealy calls me out, and says that we usually play it last because, "Stein's dead by then," or "Stein can't handle any more." My response; "What can I say, I get tired."
So then, the ask us three adjectives that describe our band. Connealy had thought up electric, so we went with that. Then I said "not British," which was still a reference to something that I hadn't really explained all that well. Then Connealy and I look at eachother because on the drive over we were thinking of words to describe us and when Connealy said electric, I noticed my North Mississippi Allstars CD titled "Electric Blue Watermelon." And we laughed. And laughed. And then came up with an elaborate way to turn the word watermelon from a noun to an adjective. So, of course, I said watermelon, "because if we play a bad song it's like a seed, and we stop and spit it out, and then get back to the heart of our music, which is the melon." Sure, it's a weird thing to say, but it's different, and if that's good enough for Arby's, it's good enough for us. Plus, it was kind of funny...kind of. Rocco said it was a good analogy, to which I said, "thanks," and then proceed to tell them that we could easily break a watermelon, Gallagher style on, stage.
If memory serves me correctly, this is when the asked us to leave. Actually, they were pretty cool and plugged the band one more time. So props to them.
As for the show, we had a slightly less-than-glamorous turn out. Now when we say that, you figure that the crowd was small, right? That maybe, due to the rotation of the earth, only a few people could make it to the show, no? Well, you thought wrong. Oh sure, there weren't a lot of fans there...but there was also no bass player until 7:50. We went on at 8:00. We were sound checking and Connealy was on the other side of town. He went beyond any Ten O'Clock Scholar time and was dangerously close to having us either start without him, or bench him for the start of the show and make him sit out the first song as punishment for breaking a team rule. Now that would have been funny. (Feel free to give him hell for it at any of our shows...ever...)
When we started, only Ryan's wife and my parents were there to see us. Eventually, a few fans turned up...even ones who were there just to see us (the five of you rock). We actually played a pretty damn good set. I think we might write a lavish, broadway musical about it titled, "Use Your Illusion." What? Some band has the rights to that? Fine. Titled, "Use Your Illusion II."
posted by Stein # 11:39 PM
Friday, October 21, 2005
Superfan's 21st Birthday
Setlist:Satisfied
Indecision
Run Away
Tonic
I Will Survive
Midnight
See You Again
Follow
&*^% Her Gently
April
October 12th (music only w/Council Bluffs story)
Omaha
Sit Down
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Back Porch
All We Do Is Lounge
Don't
Baby One More Time
Beverly Hills
Shine All The Time*
Smile
Indecision
Take Me Back
*= Ryan duet w/Beth
Review by Superfan J:
*There comes a time when the stars align and the
amplifiers are turned past eleven...way past
eleven...to tweleve. That day was October 21st 2005.
The Ten O' Clock Scholars rolled up in limosines and
helocopters to play an unannounced and suprise show
for their very own "SuPerfan J,"...me. This day served a
double purpose, kind of like the purpose doublement
gum serves. The kinda purpose that would make it
become my 21st birthday. The band took stage at three
and one fourths drinks into the night and went until
blackout. The setlist was lengthy enough to become a
"best selling novel" that would make Stephin King look
like a hobo. The thirty plus in attendance throughout
the evening became enthralled in the performance and
looked onto the stage like Ralphie at a "Red Ryder bee
bee gun." (SEE A CHRISTMAS STORY) Some songs were
played twice, even thrice and possibly...frice? I
know that frice isn't a word, but scrumtrulesent is.
(SEE CELEBRITY JEOPARDY) So to make a long story long,
the October 21st show was ... 'scrumtrulesent.' Thank
you to everyone who came to the show! Keep checking
the TOS website because they wanna "see you again" =)
~Superfan J
posted by Stein # 12:12 PM
Friday, October 14, 2005
Mike's Place
performed with: "The John Henry Band" and "Hold Still"Setlist:
See You Again
Satisfied
Don't
Indecision
Tonic
Sit Down
Drive Just To Sleep
All We Do Is Lounge (tease)
Omaha
Take Me Back
Review:
Boy, do we ever have stories from Council Bluffs. Since we were asked to get on the bill just a few days before the show and this was our first time playing in Council Bluffs, we weren't quite sure what to expect. Well, we couldn't have expected this.
The fun started when we showed up to start setting up our gear, only to find another band was setting up already. These were the guys that we were told were headlining. So we talked to them and came to find out that they had another show in Omaha that they were supposed play later that night, so they wanted to go first. No sweat, right? Connealy already pissed off his brother and postponed his departure for a fishing trip until 5 a.m. so we could play this gig...why not play later. We end up pushing back all of our gear so Hold Still can play an acoustic set infront of our gear before they jet for their next gig.
So we wait. And we wait. And we wait some more. Then, consequently, our friends start showing up which, if we would have started on time and played first like we thought we were going to, they would have missed most of our set. However, this is beside the point because after all that waiting, the first band hadn't even started yet. Something about a missing cable for the PA, which we didn't find out about until the guy came back with missing PA cord.
All the while, Connealy is growing more and more concerned about our plan to "wing it," as the government says, and play whatever songs came to mind. Connealy, for some reason or another, didn't want to partake in this for fear of forgetting all of our song titles, or one of us picking Knockin' for him to perform. So we oblige him, and make up a setlist, then take the stage at about 10:45. And then the fun begins.
Ok, so we lied. The fun didn't begin right away. Eventually, Stein forced Paul to sing All We Do Is Lounge (because the crowd was chanting for it), so, instead, Paul only sang the first verse and then skipped to the end part about "no scrubs." But that wasn't the real fun...the real fun began only a few minutes later. It actually started when what we all thought were some girls Connealy knew entered the bar. As soon as they came in they got some drinks and came to the front and started rocking out. Then, after one or two songs, one of the girls comes up and gives Ryan a note that says something like, "I want to jump your ignorant bones. Call me. I'll be right over here." Ryan just laughs and throws the note on the ground. Mrs. Kosola, on the other hand, does not laugh, but in fact shouts something to the affect of, "Sit down, bitch, he has a wife." Actually, that's what shouted...there's no affect about it. At this point, the girl who gave Ryan the note and turns around and says, "Who's the wife?" To everyone's surprise, Beth raises her hand and we're all preparing for a cat fight....eeeeyeah, cat fight. Especially when the girl walks back towards Beth. Just picture us on stage at this time, but everyone, including all four of us, watching these two girls in what could be the last few seconds of calmness before utter chaos. Thankfully, we think the girl told Beth that she was sorry, and that Ryan was a hot husband.
So, we start playing again. But this girl's not done. She comes back up to the stage and tells Ryan to give that note to Paul now. To which Paul says, "I'm taken," and his girl, Abby, is in the back ready to start up the whole brawl that we just avoided all over again. But, nothing happens. And Connealy is sad because he was the only guitar player not to get a note from this girl, and the only one who could have acted on it.
Still, there's more...as we're taking our gear out the back, getting ready to leave, that same girl is playing pool and tells Paul that we suck as he walks by. Naturally, he stops and says, "I'm sorry, what?" And she proceeds to tell him that we rip off the Steve Miller Band (random...um, yes...) and can't even write our own lyrics. Which is odd, seeing as how none of us really listen to the Steve Miller Band (except for Stein's brief "Joker" phase back in 1998). Paul, as kindly and simply as he can, explains this to the girl. To which she replies, "Well, you do." Paul says, "I'll take your word for it," and walks away.
Score: Paul-1 Girl-0
And that, we believe, is how every rock show goes in Council Bluffs.
