Hi,
A short reminder...for myself at least. Alla' will play the Empty Bottle next week Wednesday, 27 August, at 10pm. They are local, and they are absolutely awesome.

That Monday again.....

I keep fucking up these posts....its probably how I save them. Well allow me to continue writing down this fond fond memory. So I go through the usual ritual of putting on rose oil, rose lotion, rose powder, before heading out to see The Dials, Walking Bicycles, and Aleks and the Drummer. It may sound excessive making sure one does not smell bad, but weigh that against how many people go to these concerts smelling like ass and armpits. How the hell are you going to talk to people that way? It's an old Aztec compulsion to always be clean and presentable, no matter what....this usually makes me late. And I 've missed out on some good performances because of this clean thing I got, Puerto Muerto, Lovelikefire, Alla'.....but not this Monday night. But I cannot help but think that something is going to delay me....something is going to thwart this effort at being on time...car trouble, traffic, the mother-ship returning after leaving me while taking a piss. This is what I was thinking as I drove to the Empty Bottle....let's just skip to being there.
Aleks and the Drummer play first and they are amazing. After anticipating this, I am finally in the midst of it. So I capture with my camera these fleeting moments, with this girl and a drummer. And it's just that, a girl, her keyboard and a drummer. The keyboard reminded me of a church organ....Bach, only at this dark urgent pace, the drums sounded to me like that of a live Joy Division concert. Bach can make even cheery shit sound like Judgement Day, dark and scary. A & the Drummer capture that feeling while making you dance. In fact this would be perfect for a goth night. I cannot think of who to compare Aleks voice to but I loved what I heard. The songs aren't too short. I like every song on the ep they have available. With some bands their songs end just as you think they are picking up, but not here. Some of the songs are longer than three minutes but your attention is never allowed to waver, even when the song is slow. Case it point; the first song was slow but intense, like a really creepy nursery rhyme, and Aleks is telling it to a bunch of stunned kindergardeners. Keep in mind that I'm not analysing the lyrics, none of that. I'm only going by my impressions of the sound. This band is why I took this Monday night off. While seeing them I had the pleasant surprise of seeing a friend from my favorite vegan fast food joint (Veggie Bite).
The Empty Bottle is a great venue because no matter where you are, it's never far from the stage. You can sit at the bar and be at a close distance while still holding a conversation. Where ever you are at you are close to the stage. You are never removed from the intimacy of the place. This is getting long, I shall continue exhausting this topic...and I haven't even started on Walking Bicycles and The Dials.
Kaspar-Zig

A Monday, at the Empty Bottle...forgot the date

Allow me this time to recall that Monday at the Empty Bottle. Originally I intended to go see Aleks and the Drummer the previous Sunday during a festival at Wicker Park, but something came up and took all the time....so I made it a mission to see them that Monday. It was for free and they were playing first before Walking Bicycles, and The Dials. I had no idea how I would feel about the last two bands but just in case I asked for that whole Monday off. I'm so glad I did, because all the bands were the best. These are the performances that should be remembered, and documented. I made it a mission to make it there on time. I've been late to some really good bands, with no one to blame but me. Puerto Muerto, Alla, just to name two painful reminders. But not this day, not this Monday shall I be late.
When I get ready for a concert, club night....anything really I'm afraid of smelling bad. So I gotta shower, shave and put on some rose oil. Well the rose is for special occasions. And this one is special enough to put one two different kinds. El Dorado can have his gold dust, I would rather shower in a tub of rose oil. People think it's feminine for a guy to wear rose, but I have made it into my signature scent. People should make their own decisions as to what smells what, damn I'm veering off. And so as I do all my usual rituals that make me presentable, I also dread that there will be that one thing that will make me miss everything entirely. It's gonna be traffic, some cop pulling me over, car trouble, the sky falling, the mother-ship returning to claim me....something. I arrive early enough to casually decide where to park. Normally, when I'm running late I take what ever spot I can get. I park on Division near the iron Puerto Rican flag.
Aleks and the Drummer play first and they are intense. One may think that, it's just a girl, her voice and a drummer, but they fill the room and grab your attention. They can steal a show. The keyboard has this dread like a church organ, like Bach only faster. They played with such dark urgency. The drummer had this live Joy Division thing going. It's a comparison that I will be using for all the bands that played on this night. It is my humble compliment to them all. Every song would sound at home at a goth night, anywhere. The audience was a mixed indy crowd, no goths besides myself, and I was one of three weirdos to dance to it, and I believe the only one to record it. I think perhaps only a goth crowd would naturally have the rhythm and tendency to dance to this. I shall write more on this night at a later time, I also want to post pictures up as well but this text will do for now.