Alternafest at Montrose Saloon

Jo and I rode over after a loooong hot day. We caught a little of Moonhole's "The 90s Greatest Hits," but mostly hung outside with Tony and Robert.

Nonagon were, as usual, great. Despite Tony trying to rewrite their songs on the fly. Twice.

We hung out for a minute, but then left early so I don't think we caught any of the Sinkers.

Ize's Saturday Morning Funtime Band at Chez Ize

They played a bunch of tv theme songs from their youths. So, my well-into-adulthood.

Nonagon et al at IBW (South)

Nonagon at Reed's Local

PRF BBQ at Workshop 4200

 Jo and I grilled vegan brats for lunch for the shindig. Of course, I made way too many.

PRF BBQ at Workshop 4200

Bitterfest at Evelyn's, Racine WI

Drove up for the day with Tiny, Annie and Robert.  Stopped at Woodman's to get beer, jerky, oreos and nutter butters (can you guess what I bought?).  Did not run into my folks at Woodman's.

Antlercat is apparently Garth from The Rutabega and Ike from Out, but Ike wasn't there so Garth played with a drum machine.  I like it.  Kinda Joy Division-y maybe?

I liked the old man punk rock styling of Fowlmouth, but helped load Garth's car during their set anyway.

The Ornerys left no impression on me.  I think Annie liked them.

Blue Unit were great.  Maybe even better now that Robert Smith is no longer with them.

We heard the Scrimshaw was good, but Annie and I were hungry (stupid pizza with stupid cheese was available at the stupid bar, but it was stupid), so we walked the couple of blocks to a Thai place for dinner.  The food was good.  The booth was odd:

booth for one?

We got back just in time to see the last song of Scrimshaw, which was awesome.

Next up was This Is When We Should Have Left For Dinner.  Er, I mean Lilac Fortress.  Two guys, lots of effects, little-to-no beats.  They weren't as bad as I'm making them sound, but they also weren't as good as the woman who was enthusiastically dancing right in front of us.  Did I mention little-to-no beats?

Korean Jeans was kinda noisy.  I wasn't really into it, but the folks seem real nice (have I met them a couple of times now?), so I got a CD.  Maybe it'll grow on me.

I don't know that I've ever seen Heavy Hand before.  Big mistake.  Picked up two of their CDs.  Hoo-ray.

Met Dixie from Body Futures.  Maybe for the first time?  She gave me their Unitimidated comp (Wisconsin Musicians Against Scott Walker).  She said now that Walker was out of office, she wanted to get the cds out of her house.  Or maybe she was just being nice...

Montrose Man and Nonagon provided their usual awesome rock and/or roll.  Nonagon in particular sounded big, and I don't think that was just winter weight...

The ride home went pretty quick, despite the google maps-induced meandering to get back to the highway.

Nonagon at Crown Liquors

I did not stay for the headliners, Psychoid.

Nonagon at Cafe Mustache

I caught a ride with Annie.  Felt weird not to bike, but i had a migraine all day, so...

Grumpy let me know the donuts were vegan.  I got the last one.  It was good.  Apparently the vegan chili is great too - i'll have to try that next time.

I hadn't heard Sewing Needle before, and i liked them.  The Rutabega were good as always (but i just don't seem to like them as bunch as everyone else - i prefer their poppier, happier numbers, which seem few and far between).  To be honest, i spent most of their set catching up with Yogi via text.  I just don't see him much now that we don't work together any longer.

Nonagon killed it.  I guess they messed up both new songs, but i thought they sounded great anyway.  I felt much better after the show than before - maybe Nonagon is a migraine cure...

OUT at Quenchers

Annie made me talk to a whole bunch of people.  I have since forgotten all of them.  So there.

Nonagon, Cell Phones at Brinkman Haus

Tiny's 50th birthday celebration.  Did another band play that we listened to from the yard?  I think so - I seem to recall the singer sounded like Johno, but wasn't.

All Tomorrow's Impeachments at Bottom Lounge

All Tomorrow's Impeachments at Bottom Lounge

Nonagon and others at Subterranean

I sure don't remember much about the other bands.

I do know that we went out for Pancakes afterwards - Em and i rode packed into the back of the van with the equipment.

Cell Phones at Quenchers

Before the show, Amy and i went to the Northside Gala and mostly hung out with Patreeecia, her husband Jon and her friend Sandra.  This is notable for two reasons:  (1) Jo started dating Sandra's daughter Olivia the following week and, as of this writing (Dec 2017), still is; and (2) i was wearing a suit and (bow)tie.

Amy dropped me at the show, to mooch a ride home with Annie.  I think i missed most of the first band.  Annie introduced me to the singer of the Cell Phones (whose name i should remember, but of course do not).  She said she liked the suit, and that's how she'd want to dress if she were a man.  I should have replied "me too," but, alas, i did not.  Another missed opportunity.

We skipped out early on the last band too.  I think they played music about Watership Down, but maybe that was some other night.

Bear Claw, Mint Mile, Rented Rooms, Nonagon at Beat Kitchen

Amy and i had dinner with Justin and Jill before the show, which was nice.

Petrillo and OUT at Township

I missed the opening band (Small Awesome?).

Petrillo weren't really my cup of tea, but they were having fun and everyone else there seemed to like them.   So i assume they'll be my favorite band 5 years from now.

Speaking of which, OUT might be my favorite band right now.  Well, i sure do like them a lot.

Hungry Man headlined, but i left early and didn't see them.  I felt a little guilty, but Annie, Christy, Johno and Tiny all left early too.  Or maybe that should make me feel more guilty, i dunno.

The bike ride home with Johno and Christy was very nice, but there was no stop at Jeri's (or any other late-night snack stop).

PRF BBQ at Township

I had a lot of fun at this show.  A lot of times these shows turn into a slog to get to the music i like.  That was most definitely not the case here.  Was it the company?  Dunno.  Was it the awesome bands (none of whom i really knew beforehand)?  Dunno.  Was it the vegan smoked seitan sammiches?  Dunno.  Maybe i was just in a festive mood for a change.

I stopped at Jeri's Grill on the way home with Annie, Ize and Tiny.  For those of you scoring at home: yes, that was two nights in a row.  We had the same kind waitress, but there was clearly a different cook working the grill.  The hash-browns with giardineira were good, but not as good.

Either at the show or when i got home, i bought a bunch of musical highlights:  Burned or Buried, Motherfucker, OUT and the entire Cell Phones discography (which came on a thumb drive that looks like a hotel key - i got #10 because #13 was taken).

Nonagon, Hungry Man, ifihadahifi, Lardo at Livewire

Was hot and tired for most of the show.  Watched Hotel Transylvania (2?) during at least a couple of the sets.  The sound was off, but it looked pretty good.  The bands provided a lovely soundtrack for my own personal silent movie.  The bar tv switched to White Chicks and then some new Nightmare on Elm Street, both of which rather effectively moved my attention back to the stage.

Lardo was great.  I would have bought a CD, but all they had were LPs, and i was on the pedal bike without bags.  Probably could have bought it and sent it home with Johno, but i do that too often...

The bands ran late, so Nonagon went on after they were supposed to be done.  So they played a quick set.  Closed with Revolution Blues.  I like that song.

Matt & Kim at the Riviera

Amy really likes the Matt & Kim, and they were playing right down the street from Tiny and Annie, so i thought maybe we could all go.  Then i found out how much tickets were.  And then it sold out.  Drat.

My friend Doug to the rescue!  Not only was he able to hook us up with tickets, but we got to watch the show from the VIP section.  Amy may never watch a show from the floor again.

And what a show it was.  Non-stop energy.  I think Kim spent more time dancing (and twerking) on her drums than she did playing them.  There were those among us, especially the drummer, who suspected the music may not have been as "live" as it could have been - and it didn't matter!  Did they drop balloons on the crowd?  I believe so.  Was there a crazy light show?  You betcha.

Seriously, i think i'm getting tired just thinking about how much jumping about they did.  Energy energy energy.

Both Annie and Amy saw boobs a-flashin' in the crowd.  Tiny and i did not.  Which is totally unfair.

Also, i suspect we substantially raised the average age...