It is always a cause for much rejoicing when the Dopamines make it to town. I was bummed that they weren't playing with Grabass Charlestons, as they had been for the previous week or so, but it was free and I had preemptively taken the next day off, so all seemed to poised to put a check in the W column. This was probably going to be one of the last shows I'd be seeing for a bit and I wanted to make the most of it.
My plan was to arrive to see part of House Boat and The Dopamines set, then go home and eat mass quantities. I posted up about 10:30 to the strains of a curiously Gainesville-sounding band. A quick glance to the merch table confirmed that Grabass were in fact in the house, added unannounced as the first band on the bill. Well played, promoters! It was free and all, but come on! Does no one think it's a good idea to actually announce touring bands are playing? Seems to me it would make it a lot easier to put gas in the van at the end of the night, but hey I'm old. Grabass are great, and I would have liked to have seen more than the four songs I caught, although the Mikey Erg guest spot for the closer was fun to see.
The Challenged were up next. The trio are locals playing the Green Day card who have been increasingly larger players on the scene of late. They have played a bunch of dates recently with the recently de-mothballed Screeching Weasel and dropped their a new full-length called Loaded Language that think I'm going to have to check out. I would have been much more into them if I hadn't missed Grabass beforehand. House Boat were up in fairly short order, sporting their NYC (read: non Zack Rivethead) incarnation. Grath was as drunk and unemployed as he has been of late, and chatty as a result, but when they actually played songs HB were quite good. I can't say I'm that crazy about them that I wanted to catch their whole set, but they are a fun time.
Dopamines were up next, in their double Jon/double Mikey recent incarnation. Spirits, as well as blood alcohol levels were high, helped in no small part by Sib bartending and a five-liter bottle of Jameson the band had picked up a few shows previously. The show was heavy on the awesome new record
Expect The Worst, along with a smattering of older chestnuts, all jammed into their now-obligatory half-hour set. A stage invasion by the aforementioned bartender with Jameson bottle in tow stretched things out somewhat, but I was sweaty and sated headed South by ten after one. I'd like to see them longer and earlier, but there are few thing more enjoyable than The Dopamines live in this day and age. Here's hoping we get a tour with Cheap Girls in town real soon.
R
Your friends at No Idea are always good for bringing the coasts closer together, whether it be through The Fest or through slabs of wax like this little dilly that unites home team heroes Grabass Charlestons with Pedro powerhouses Toys That Kill. Not a bad pairing at all to these ears. I enjoyed what I saw of the recent Grabass show at Lulu's and had made a mental note to revisit their back catalog. While said note has gone unheeded, someone's looking out, as this just popped up at JS-NYC HQ. Five songs, four new and a Flavored Onion Rings cover. I'll give the lead-off track Sad And Beautiful World the nod for the best of the lot, but the East Coast represents respectably for their side.
