11/21/12

Hickoids at the ND the day before Thanksgiving. It's a beautiful time of the year. Decent turnout for a Wednesday night, especially since a lot of people I know were already out of town.

This was our first show with what should be the Hickoids lineup for a while. Tom(Tony), Davy, Lance, Smitty and Me. Smitty is even picking up the guitar and "helping" on a few tunes. He did this for a while when I first started, but he dropped it pretty quick. This time I think it's sticking around.

We are sounding tight and huge. Weekly practices for the last year are really helping. It's amazing what happens when a lazy band gets off it's ass. They get better! Amazing I know...

Breakdown

Three beer tickets good for tallboys. That's good with me.

My only "problem" the whole night is the stage cuts back behind the section I was standing on. It makes me paranoid I'm gonna step back and bust my ass. It's in my nature to do something stupid like that. And much more likely since I'm standing on the stage.

Houston/NO/Lafayette this weekend!

Thoughts on rehersal spaces

It's a whole new world. Since we cut the ties with music lab rehearsals have actually become enjoyable. My "personal" space is about a quarter mile from my house. It costs $100 a month to share it with four other bands. I get one night a week for me and the ladies and can take ANY time not already taken by the other groups. So if we felt like it, the ladies and I could practice three days a week, all day long for $100 a month.

Lets look at that in terms of the Music Lab. $12-$14 an hour for a shitty room where you can hear EVERYONE around you. Shitty mics that they make you leave your ID to "rent". A useless PA and don't even think about going over on your time, that will cost you another hour. Also the room smell. I'm not sure if they have ever been cleaned.

The Hickoids have made the jump too. We are in a different place that Lance has been involved with for a number of years. All the numbers are the same an it only goes to prove one thing.

It's a tremendous deal to NOT use the Music Lab.

Thank the god I don't believe in that I'm not paying them any more money.

4/22/12

It was the Pocket Fishermen Sunday fish fry at the Scoot and boy was it fun. A shit load of bands on two stages with the usual lovefest vibe. Bless those fishermen, except the drummer (Biff?), I ain't too sure about him.

The Casters were kind of a cluster fuck. The only chance we had to rehearse was an hour before the show. Bill showed up sick (st least that is what he said) and started jumping around the room. I told him he might want to take it easy because we have to play the SHOW in a little while. He didn't listen. Five songs in to the set and he wanted to quit.

It's sad giving unused advice to people who are older than me...

Breakdown

Two free beers and a couple extras given by friends (once again, lovefest). Even with Bill's problem we had a pretty good set. We were inside so we PACKED the stage and that always looks cool. I had dancers flanking me, always a good feeling especially after a few tunes when everyone if getting sweaty. Fun!

3/17/12

This is late... and I'm still tired!

Hickoids had two shows on St Patty's day aka the day before my birthday/ my last day of sxsw.
#1 Woopsy party at Trophies. It was the standard setup, three stages with bands going on all the time. We were inside and followed by the Grannies. Every time I play here I get up on the first song and remember "oh yeah, I need some glow in the dark fret markers". The stage and lighting is weirdly dark and shadowy. Usually that would be a good thing but I keep missing notes! It's possible that some day I'll fix this...

#2 Nightrockers in SA. Davy and I showed up and Pat Todd was going on! They were just a four piece but they rocked it. Before we went on I walked by Lance and he said "Hi, I'm Trevor" so I said "Hi, I'm Devin". He asked "did you say Bevin?" I lied and said yes. Fast forward and we are playing Bennie and I look at Lance and he is singing "Bevin and the jets". I lost it.

I'll do some kind of SXSW wrap up thingy in the next couple of days.

2/24/12

This one is a little late, things be crazy...

The Hickoids were playing in SA, first time with the new drummer Lance. Guess what? It whipped ass. We were incredibly tight for a first show. Things were so good when we finally made a decent sized mistake I looked at Lance and said "I don't know if that was your fault, but I'm blaming you anyway". He took it the way it was intended. Sound was decent, but only two mics which means Davy and I share. And that means when I'm singing, I get spit on. This isn't new, It's Jones!

Breakdown

This was at Hi-Tones. I'd never been there before. The folks working were very nice and we got three beer tickets each which is OK (you drive right by the Mix to get there, it was a little hard driving by all that free band booze...). I liked the place, but I'm on loyal dog. The Mix is better. "The Tones" may be a close second.

1/22/2012

Last Sunday I had both Casters and Hickoids rehearsals. Nothin is to spectacular with that, both bands have three members in common,  the strange thing was both bands have new drummers.

Lance Farley is now a Hickoid. Jonie Hell is out for the season and we needed a fill so it's all Lance. We "stole" him from the Fishermen. He will make a fine Hickoid.
The Casters situation is a little sketchy but Steve McCarthy is in with that combo. He was one of the original drummers from 15ish years ago and one hell of an improvement.

It saw a sweaty six hours locked away in the music lab, but it was totally worth it.

As an aside the first shows of the year are this weekend at the roller derby. Me and the ladies open it up and the Casters at halftime. It should provide for some decent blog fodder.

12/2/11

Casters at the Scoot with the Pocket Fishermen, a guaranteed good time, but when it's Lance Farley's birthday the place could explode That badassed fucker turned 50 and whipped the drum kit like a rented mule.
The whole night was a real love fest, everyone there was drunk and happy. I got hugged and kissed countless times by members of both sexes and I didn't really mind it at all.

Breakdown

Buff from EL Pathos used my rig and it sounded real good from the audience. It sounded better when we played...
I only got two beer tickets (lame) but Schlitz was $2 a can. Not too horrible. I had plenty. The crowd was extra randy after we played, I think scantily clad dancers set a certain kind of mood and people get horny. It's perfectly understandable.