(Cutting to the chase this is what you should do with your Friday night:)
https://www.facebook.com/events/419980521503278/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming&unit_ref=popular_with_friends
For me, the month of January 2015 was spent heavily attempting to prepare 6 other individuals (The Jetpack Crew) for this….
It was a big night for the Hi-Tone considering that Memphis’ finest in Metal were also jamming with Silent Planet (See earlier, super-professionally written post) in the adjacent room (same venue).
But while, I’m sure, tasty breakdowns galore were being spawned by craftsmen of the Bluff City Hardcore trade…I was getting nervous, and getting Vietnamese food.
6.95 for shrimp fried rice that would last me as brunch for the next two days isn’t too bad right?
At the time I wasn’t sure what was making me so hungry/enticing my nerves. I formulated some theories that night. One being HOW MUCH members of Sleepwlkrs and I had went around Memphis promoting this particular show….Here’s the flyer at Panera bread…
Here’s the flyer at spin street…
….And here’s the flyer at Jimmy John’s (where I both make my bread and butter and actually make bread.)
….Yes, advertising for a performance was something my boys in the crew had not done in a while BUT there was also something else that, under the surface, pestered poor Gus.
This was the first show in a while I would be performing behind the drum set.
But the thing I’ve found when it comes to playing instruments on a stage (just personal opinion…)
is that Basses are like blondes;
They’re just more fun.
Yeah you gotta worry about tempo, but you don’t have to worry (as much) about holding down the groove. (i.e. funner than drums)
Yeah you GOTTA tune, but you don’t have to tune more than four things. (i.e. funner than guitar)
So to go from not giving an F about how many toms I brought to gigs previous (just a measely "bass and amp")...to carrying around my pedal bag; cymbal case, snare, and drum stool (+ a to-go box of Vietnamese food) was somewhat of an organizational burden.
As a drummer not only do you have to bring said equipment but you have to maintain that stuff too. Ten thousand little adjustments generally happen throughout the entirety of a set I play. Between songs, thoughts constantly run through my head like...
The ride cymbal is too far away [next song]
or wait it’s too close now [next song]
no, now it’s fine, but the hi hat is just wrong... [next song]
I don’t know why... [next song]
and shit the bass drum pedal just broke..
But it also didn’t help that Mary Owen’s groovy skinsman was killing it; throwing some rudiments around I did NOT know...while our pianist Andrew was freaking out beside me admiring his classmate Cedric’s suav and effortless handling of the keys on stage….and we had to follow them.
Not that “The Crew” hasn’t had to overcome that inclination before…
Rewind to 2012 when my high school group Whatsinaname had to follow Taller Than Giants at (what was then) Crosstown Arts (what is now some taco stop or something) before Being as an Ocean; who was blowing up at the time, took the stage. Or floor, rather.
Here we are....
In addition to the pressure of being scheduled to perform AFTER Memphis’ tightest (and I mean tightest) experimental alt-rock band and BEFORE nationally touring poetic-hardcore kings Being As An Ocean ...our singer was not going to make the gig. We were definitely going to be the least entertaining band there.
But take the best incomplete, unprofessional band promo EVER....
I had to do what I had to do...I tried to prove a little showmanship on the mic.
“Yeah...our singer kinda had work tonight….so just ...let the music wash over you like dollar bills on a stripper in a rap video……..1,2,3,4…”
The fact that I made this artsy, introspective man giggle about strippers is the silver lining to this necessary, anecdote.
"lol, in a rap video"
The point is; motivating, rehearsing, and performing in a (somewhat) shitty, local band is HARD.
That's why (fastforward to Jan.22nd 2015)....
(this thing)....
After spending The Jetpack Crew's set adjusting my difficult and specific specifications of the drums in front of me; internally yelling at my traveling ride cymbal like Scorpion from Mortal Combat...
GET OVER HERE
.....And after watching our vocalist, who made the gig (yay) but fell over his guitar stand (Love ya Colin).... It was good to chill out and enjoy the groups that followed our less-than-perfect performance. It was particularly and incredibly a destressifying experience to thoroughly enjoy the set of...
The Passport.
Let me rave about this band just a minute so you can go to their EP release show and purchase their EP "Memories" to become as much of a fan as I have become of this beautiful group.
This is a band that understands many things, but above all understands the value of the cover song.
A “standard” if you will…
After opening with an original tune; charismatic singer Kyle Pruzina exclaimed…
“And now we’re gonna take it back a minute..”
Before they could, “FREEBIRD” was heartily yelled from stage right by the eccentric saxophone player of my own band. A look of astonished excitement caught the face of Passport drummer Kirk Teachout. Without missing a beat his drumsticks 1,2,3,4ed their way directly into Freebird to which both guitarists jammed out the best parts of those solos. It was short, sweet, and insanely entertaining.
Later I caught wind of both Passport guitarists speaking to Saxophonist “Thor” ...
“Dude I’m so glad you called that out...we have been waiting and waiting to use that!”
They were obviously grateful…
but perhaps not as much as the average Passport concert viewer.
As singer Pruzina asked us “How many of you have ever been to a Passport show?” a healthy third of the crowd raised their hands. It became apparent to me that what a “Passport show” equates to is a good time with not only solid, original material but a slew of beautifully recognizable and danceable cover tunes.
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Songs ranging from rockin’ renditions of Stevie Wonders’ “Superstition” and “Latch” by Disclosure...which is...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ASUImTedo
THIS dubsteppy song that’s...so hot right now.
Click the link if you are unfamiliar with the track. Now imagine a warm, powerful classic rock-esque shuffle replacing that already tasty drop ...if you can! It's surprising but that formula is exactly how The Passport handles this modern pop hit...
By the way...DRUM-TALK; shuffles AREN’T EASY. However, not only did 25-year-old Passport percussionist Teachout not back down from the steady shufflebeat in the slightest, but moments later him and the rest of his band effectively laid down the reggae groove to MAGIC!’s “Rude” which is...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIh2xe4jnpk
THIS song that’s also so hot right now.
Other notable tunes included covers from the likes of The 1975 and Maroon 5. Both of these you might draw comparisons to upon hearing The Passport’s upbeat single “Trigger”. The band even seemed to perform “Chocolate” the way The 1975 would, to a tea; complete with Pruzina using a slight British accent and bassist William Farmer’s curly hair and general swagger resembling that of Matt Healy.
Derw derw doodoodoodoo derwderwderw doo!
something something something petticoat....
Whether Farmer waltzed into a salon and asked for "The The 1975 'do" and whether he, being a bassist has more fun than the rest of the band I guess is irrelevant. The point remains; these guys were and are entertainers. When you go to a “Passport show” you’re not going to see some local band play six or seven songs no one’s ever heard of while you stand still tapping your feet with your hipster friends.
"Ugh. I love Horse Pimp but their sets always run way too long. Will you guys just play 'Macbook PBR Neck Tat' and get off stage?"
No, when you see The Passport you’re going to see a show. You are going to have fun! You will be not only impressed by the sheer musicianship of the band, but entertained by their stage presence and engaging renditions of songs you know the words to and will sing along to.
I squealed when they played the opening chords to “Sunday Morning.” I squealed.
Yes, possibly the entire point of my little blog is to celebrate unknown Memphis bands and the honesty of their original, underground music but….The good power of a "cover song" should not be underestimated. If a band has the musical range and capabilities to put together songs that are all diverse in style, AND make the audience feel completely engaged ...then their original material is definitely worth checking out.
Critics and Scientists are expecting it to be 100x more listenable than new Maroon 5 songs.
And so....Me complaining about drums, the backstory about the difficulties of playing in local bands, and fangirling hard over The Passport's January performance all bring me to this:
If you are reading this on February 20th in the year 2015; you owe yourself the favor of braving Memphis’ unusually cold weather to go to The Passport’s EP release show at The New Daisy tonight.
Update: It is too cold. However, we at the Indiecore Memphis offices eagerly await early March; as should you!
Word on the street is that The Passport ARE playing a FREE show at Visible Music College tonight at 9...but you didn't hear that from me....
This is the event page for their EP release: MEMORIES
This is where you can buy The “Memories” EP: Itunes, Spotify, Amazon Play...
Support Local Memphis Music.
Support The Passport.
Enjoy their showmanship. And if you didn't understand the Zoolander references:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAxJECJJG6w
SQUAD
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