BLOODYMINDED
Friday May 25, 2007
The Flowershop
Chicago, IL
With:
Birds Of Delay
Emeralds
Rot Ton Bone
Number None
Druids Of Huge
Bongripper
BLOODYMINDED
Rob Kerr – Synth
Ed Knigge – Synth + Vocals
James Moy – Synth + Mix
Mark Solotroff – Vocals + Synth
01. IN THE MOOD
02. LAKE STREET
03. AS IF
04. GIRLFRIEND ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN SCHIZOPHRENIC EPISODE BY REVEALING CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE
05. ANGEL OF DARKNESS
06. MIND THE GAP
07. HEAD
08. OUTSIDE THE GATE
09. CUNT SUPERMARKET (Iugula-Thor)
10. BOUND TO DIE
11. VISITING AN EX-GIRLFRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL - AIDS WARD
12. SHIVERY
13. WITHIN THE WALLS
14. TWO DROPS OF BLOOD
15. TEN SUICIDES
I am not sure how I let things slip so far... I have been meaning to type something up regarding last Friday's show. Here is a quick synopsis. Isidro and I got to The Flowershop a bit early, to help set everything up. Everyone started rolling in on time and the mood was clearly a good one. Bongripper came in with crazy amounts of amps and FX and they proceeded to pummel through a set of driving psychedelic music, somewhere between heavy stoner rock and instrumental things like Mogwai and Earth. The power/wiring may not have been up to the task, as unfortunately, their gear clicked off a couple of times during their set. Nevertheless, they were troopers and they finished on a very strong note. Druids Of Huge were up next, and although they were hampered by a mix that seemed to be too light in the electronics and vocals department, they also bashed their way through some deep riffs of total SG power crossed with loose beats and the promise of bringing the noise... We cross paths again on the 12th, so I am looking forward to a monster set from them. Thanks to Jon for the major fresh-roasted espresso bean score! I have been wired all week. Number None were up next and they changed the tone of the room to a candlelit introspection zone. Their excellent, just-barely-restrained synth and guitar drone seemed to re-align everything and everyone in sight. So, then, it was up to us to stir things back up again. Isidro unfortunately had to get to work, so he left and Rob stepped in. Chris was kind enough to watch from the sides, as our dire synth situation is leaving us short on equipment for these big line-up Chicago shows. The crowd energy built slowly, although Alex/Climax Denial made sure to get things moving right away. We charged through a solid, physical set, which felt really good (and bad), and James blended synths, vocals, and feedback with great expertise. I even heard the most somber minimal-synth bass notes coming from him on the last song... it actually kind of freaked me out. Song 9 was for Shane Tappa - good luck in California! Song 15 was for Marco Corbelli.. "Ten Suicides" is back in retirement. Ben from Tusco Terror did a quick Rot Ton Bone noise thing (I think???) but had a gear issue, sort of... And then Emeralds came on like some academic electronic music professors from the mid-1960s, but if they were refracted through a flawed crystal. This was amazing stuff. Thoughtful, well balanced electronics, synth, and guitar, which exceeded my expectations after only hearing their Maim & Disfigure CD-R and their Hanson cassette. Highly recommended!!! Birds Of Delay wrapped things up with an organ (sound) driven style that straddled drone and noise and dark rites church music and that was distinctly different from everything else going on that night. I was really pleased to finally see/hear Luke and Steven play... and to just hang out with them for a bit. After a bit of clean-up, I joined the Milwaukee crew for Slingers up at the Diner Grill... but not just regular Slingers... Slingers with chorizo! Genius. The rest of the weekend was spent in isolation mode, and recovery time never felt so good...
