Last night I saw the first Patty Hurst Shifter CD-release show at Slim's (Patty Hurst Shifter Myspace page). They've scheduled two: One last night with Goner opening (Goner's Myspace page), and another tonight with Trousers.
I listened to the new CD ("Too Crowded on the Losing End") in the car on the way home and liked it a lot. I'm quite impressed to find that the great Ian McLagan plays organ on one of the songs. That's kind of appropriate since PHS really reminds me of a more maudlin Faces.

Goner, pictured below, was great as usual. For some reason I always forget how much I like them until I see them again. Then the next day I'm always thinking "Goner really is one of the best bands around here." They're not that far removed from their legendary first incarnation, Boy Wonder Jinx. So if you were ever into BWJ, you'll probably love Goner even more.



A couple of these photos turned out nicely by accident. As per usual, I was using my digital camera, which doesn't have a manual switch. So therefore it takes a second to focus, and if I'm not using a flash in a dark club, the aperture stays open a long time to get as much light as it can. It turned out that several people, including a woman to my right, were taking photos with a flash. A couple of times she used her flash while I was taking a photo without a flash, which created a neat stop-action effect.



I wish I could say that the films came out well. Slim's is so dark that it's really difficult to get anything worthwhile there. The Goner one came out OK. The PHS ones are way too dark, but sound OK. Especially take a listen to "Shake," which really rocked, and which appears on the new CD.

Finally, I'm thinking about buying server space on yahoo and eventually putting some of these little movies on iTunes so people can download them more easily. Is this a good idea? I'd appreciate any feedback.

Also, take a look at all the photos from this show on my Flickr set.

Goner from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Here's the Goner movie.

Patty Hurst Shifter - "Shake" from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Here's Patty Hurst Shifter doing "Shake" (you really can't see very much but it sounds OK).

Another one by Patty Hurst Shifter from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Here's another Patty Hurst Shifter movie (you can see even less here).

Here's a link to my interview with The Rosebuds, my first official interview for Tiny Mix Tapes.

Finally had a chance to go out and see some live music the other night. (Mr. C. is doing much better -- he's actually using the leg a bit now, though sometimes he tries to run, and when he does he tends to hold it up.)

Friday was the A Rooster for the Masses CD-release party at Kings, with The Capulets, Hungry Models and another band playing (sorry, I got there after that band played, so I can't rememeber exactly who it was).

(video removed) As you can see by the movie, they were all very snappy dressers.


Next up were The Capulets, whom I've heard a great deal about. Actually, I've heard that they sound a whole lot like The Strokes, which is mostly true -- if The Strokes were better musicians and had better songs (I like The Strokes, btw, though I haven't had a chance to hear their new CD). Vocally they're much better, though Julian Casablancas' nasal whine is nothing if not distinctive. The most stunning thing about this band is that they originally formed in Greenville. I guess I haven't been to Greenville in a while, but I thought it was infested with jam bands. Tell me what you think of them. They were clearly the crowd favorites of the night.

The Capulets from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Finally, there was A Rooster for The Masses, who describe themselves as sounding like "Ian Mackaye singing for Dexy's Midnight Runners covering The Clash." For some reason they remind me of Duran Duran and Boz Scaggs. Listening to them makes me think of hanging out on a sailboat at sunset in Beaufort harbor and drinking a Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler. That's good. At least I think it's good.

A Rooster for the Masses from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Mr. C is back home. He's doing well, but I'm a nervous wreck. He's locked in the bedroom right now and barking (he's supposed to be in a confined place) -- and I'm going crazy! I'm dying to go let him out, even though I know it's not the right thing to do!

Here's a pic. The patch on his side is a morphine patch. I wish it would take effect on him!

His surgery is one of the reasons why I haven't been going out the way I should. After he gets better I promise to get back out and start writing about music and bands again.