- I did not have the chili verde, despite having plans to totally do so. I had a light dinner prior to show and planned on eating after our opening slot and then proceeded to forget to. However, a friend had it and there's my report on the chili.
- Though planned originally as an outdoor show, due to the most Seattle-like weather we've had since early June (rain and wind), they moved it inside. Masks and vax proof were required and it worked out fine.
- I didn't take pictures, except for these:
As far as the show is concerned, it was my band, Stereo Embers, followed by the belles of the ball, the Kathy Moore Super Power Trio (releasing their great new EP) and Chimestone.
When playing outdoors (preferred) at Slim's, you play on a flatbed truck and there's a decent amount of room to move. Indoors, not so much. Stage right is blocked by a wall and stage left is blocked by what I think is a beer mascot statue (Hamm's?). I set up in the corner stage right and my singer/guitar had his new Supro amp right next to me. Hanging on the wall at head height to my right is a Mackie PA speaker acting as my stage monitor. Overall, the setup is not ideal; I kept finding myself nearly banging my head into that monitor or losing my balance into my singer's backup guitar on a nearby stand. Nevertheless, I persisted.
We've been doing this thing lately, starting with a slower tune that opens with guitar and vocals, before drums and I come in for the second half of the song. After that, we blow the place up with a big rocker and then continue from there. There are a few vids on FB of the songs, but they are private, so I can't share them, but to my eyes they had a lot of energy and power.
Kathy Moore Super Power Trio followed and they were excellent. They are relatively new but are gaining notoriety quickly. I shared my rig (TE GP-12 > 2x10 > 1x15) with their bassist Alyssa and her Fender PJ (seafoam green!) and it and she sounded great. Really nice tones and effects that she used. Her playing was super tasteful and technical and she had a great feel on when to just lay low and when to light it up. Just love seeing bassists who make it look effortless, when we all know it's anything but. Kathy on guitar and Faith on drums rounded out the trio and their set was well received by the good sized crowd.
Closing the show was a band called Chimestone, which I'd never seen or played with, but was familiar with as all the members are alums of my high school. We are all 30 years or more removed from good ol' NHS, so not only were they there, but other friends from back then. Though those guys were all a few years ahead of me, one of the band members is dating my band's singer's wife's sister (you follow?). And I've also kept in touch with that guy over the years as he owns a local recording studio that we've all recorded in at one time or another.
Their music was pretty 90s rock tinged, with some Brit pop thrown in for good measure. They've been friends since HS and have kept the band going through all the years, even enduring the death of one of the band members (as well as a brother of 2 of the band).
Really cool connecting with one guy who I hadn't seen in over 30 years. He was 2 years ahead of me and we played in a band in HS. We did some Police covers and rehearsed in his parents' house. Then he dropped a recording bomb on me, some songs we recorded that I LITERALLY HAVE NO MEMORY OF. It's pretty crazy, absolutely no recollection. I had a great laugh listening to a cover of Bang a Gong (Power Station version, complete with a rough slap bass line), Jet Airliner and two originals, including a song called "Private School Girls" about the private school by my friend's house.
He also shared 2 pictures of us playing at a local Boys & Girls Club talent show, which I also have no recollection of. But there we were and he had pix to prove it. Check out the little Steinberger copy (Hohner). No longer have that little guy.
Was a fun night, really happy to have played and reconnected with people. Happy also to see the vax/mask requirement and compliance by everyone in the crowd. See, we can get along!!
