rmgebhardt
10-19-2005, 03:02 PM
It’s not often that I get to go to shows any more since I'm living more than 100 miles away from the Twin Cities in Minnesota, but when I get the chance I try to do whatever I can to make it. Last week I was emailed by Atlantic Records Publicity department letting me know that Taproot would be in town with Chevelle and that they’d love for me to cover the show and/or interview the band. I jumped at the chance.
Once we had things figured out, I found I wouldn’t be able to make it into town in time for the scheduled interview, so I emailed Atlantic letting them know that, but also letting them know I would be doing a full show review as well as getting some shots to add to the photography section here on Decoy.
I tried to make it in time for the interview, but was a little late. Because of this, I didn’t get to interview the band but I did, however, get to interview the bouncer at the door who was in charge of tickets.
Rick: Hi, I’m Rick Gebhardt and I was confirmed for 2 tickets to the show, one of them being a photo pass.
Bouncer: Can I see your ID?
Rick: Sure, here you go.
Bouncer: You said you were with Taproot?
Rick: Yep, here is the confirmation email. As you can see it is directly from Atlantic Records PR contact. [I point to the PR contact’s name, which I will withold since I'm a semi-nice guy.]
Bouncer: Ok… well it doesn’t look like you’re on the Taproot list. Let me check the Chevelle list… nope, not on there either. Maybe you got put on the radio winner guest list… huh. Not on there either. Let me look through the rest of these lists… nope, doesn’t appear that you’re on there anywhere.
Rick: Well, I have the confirmation email right here…
Bouncer: Sorry, but your contact definitely didn’t get you signed up anywhere. You sure they actually got you on the list.
Rick: It sure seems like it from the email that is right here in front of us that says “You’ve been confirmed for the show.”
Bouncer: I can’t do anything for you. They obviously dropped the ball. I can’t let you in.
Rick: Well, that’s unbelievably awesome. Thanks.
I know it may not have been quite as interesting as an interview with Taproot, but it was the best I could do thanks to Atlantic and their awesome job at not following through. Since the interview was a little weak, I thought I would also do a show review since I was looking forward to seeing both Taproot and Chevelle and wanted to tell you all about the show!
By the time Jared and I (I did tell you that Jared was with me, didn't I?) had finished our interview with the bouncer it was getting close to the time that Taproot would be going in to sound check. To avoid the crowds inside the venue (and because we weren’t allowed in) we decided to walk over to a local bar, have a beer, and imagine what it was like inside the club as Taproot was playing.
First, Taproot would collectively somersault out onto the stage wearing hot pink stretch pants, white t-shirts, and multicolored bandanas (to hide their newly grown mullets, of course). After their initial antics, they ran to their instruments, kissed them for good luck, and ripped into something from [i]Gift. As the opening riffs started they all ran in circles around the stage trying to confuse the crowd as to who was actually who. They’re a bunch of crazy tricksters like that, having all at one time performed in the circus. And remember, they’re doing this all in sync, which is pretty damn amazing.
After playing some of their old stuff, each member gave their instrument to another band member and continued the set. It totally added such a unique vibe to the show. Talk about multi-faceted musicians! I’ve never seen a lead singer drum so hard.
Now just as it came time to switch instruments again, from the bass drum a small explosion set off the releasing of the gerbils! Taproot believes quite strongly in the concept of “Animal / Manimal Musical Synergy”, in which a band releases their favorite animal onstage while emulating the actions of said animal. I tell you what, I was more than just amazed to see a group of gerbils contributing gang vocals to chorus of “Calling”. That’s what I call thinking outside of the box! Who would have ever expected it?
Once all of the gerbils had crowd surfed their way to the back of the club, it was time for the acoustic / interpretive dance section of the show. During this portion of the show a campfire was started in the middle of the stage, two members of the band sung Kumbaya, and the other two expressed their innermost emotions by dancing in circles around the fire. Oh, as an aside, you should make sure to attend multiple shows because for each stop different members will dance, and I know you want to see them all shake their hot pink tights covered booties.
As their set was coming to a close the fire was put out, the instruments were put away, and the band drew together in the middle of the stage (right where the fire used to be… maybe to illustrate some type of avant garde symbolism). They then exchanged hugs, removed their bandanas, and did something I never thought I’d see at a rock concert — with the help of three roadies they formed a human pyramid, three humans high. It was quite the way to end the show.
After Taproot Chevelle came onstage. They had quite the act to follow. Since I’d already seen Chevelle, I knew what to expect — hard rock, great stage presence, and a thick sound. They’re a great live band. Maybe not as wacky as Taproot, but still worth checking out.
Well… at least that’s how I imagined the show would be if Jared and I would have actually been on the guest list like Atlantic’s PR department said we were, but since we couldn’t get into the venue, your guess is as good as mine as to what Taproot was like.
Finally, to top of this interview / review extravaganza, I’m going to go for the hat trick by also contributing some photography! I only got one picture, but I think it’s really fitting. I dedicate it to Atlantic’s PR department, who was gracious enough to promise me admission to a show that I drove over 200 miles round trip to attend… but never got into:
http://static.flickr.com/24/54132900_5072958cb5.jpg
Once we had things figured out, I found I wouldn’t be able to make it into town in time for the scheduled interview, so I emailed Atlantic letting them know that, but also letting them know I would be doing a full show review as well as getting some shots to add to the photography section here on Decoy.
I tried to make it in time for the interview, but was a little late. Because of this, I didn’t get to interview the band but I did, however, get to interview the bouncer at the door who was in charge of tickets.
Rick: Hi, I’m Rick Gebhardt and I was confirmed for 2 tickets to the show, one of them being a photo pass.
Bouncer: Can I see your ID?
Rick: Sure, here you go.
Bouncer: You said you were with Taproot?
Rick: Yep, here is the confirmation email. As you can see it is directly from Atlantic Records PR contact. [I point to the PR contact’s name, which I will withold since I'm a semi-nice guy.]
Bouncer: Ok… well it doesn’t look like you’re on the Taproot list. Let me check the Chevelle list… nope, not on there either. Maybe you got put on the radio winner guest list… huh. Not on there either. Let me look through the rest of these lists… nope, doesn’t appear that you’re on there anywhere.
Rick: Well, I have the confirmation email right here…
Bouncer: Sorry, but your contact definitely didn’t get you signed up anywhere. You sure they actually got you on the list.
Rick: It sure seems like it from the email that is right here in front of us that says “You’ve been confirmed for the show.”
Bouncer: I can’t do anything for you. They obviously dropped the ball. I can’t let you in.
Rick: Well, that’s unbelievably awesome. Thanks.
I know it may not have been quite as interesting as an interview with Taproot, but it was the best I could do thanks to Atlantic and their awesome job at not following through. Since the interview was a little weak, I thought I would also do a show review since I was looking forward to seeing both Taproot and Chevelle and wanted to tell you all about the show!
By the time Jared and I (I did tell you that Jared was with me, didn't I?) had finished our interview with the bouncer it was getting close to the time that Taproot would be going in to sound check. To avoid the crowds inside the venue (and because we weren’t allowed in) we decided to walk over to a local bar, have a beer, and imagine what it was like inside the club as Taproot was playing.
First, Taproot would collectively somersault out onto the stage wearing hot pink stretch pants, white t-shirts, and multicolored bandanas (to hide their newly grown mullets, of course). After their initial antics, they ran to their instruments, kissed them for good luck, and ripped into something from [i]Gift. As the opening riffs started they all ran in circles around the stage trying to confuse the crowd as to who was actually who. They’re a bunch of crazy tricksters like that, having all at one time performed in the circus. And remember, they’re doing this all in sync, which is pretty damn amazing.
After playing some of their old stuff, each member gave their instrument to another band member and continued the set. It totally added such a unique vibe to the show. Talk about multi-faceted musicians! I’ve never seen a lead singer drum so hard.
Now just as it came time to switch instruments again, from the bass drum a small explosion set off the releasing of the gerbils! Taproot believes quite strongly in the concept of “Animal / Manimal Musical Synergy”, in which a band releases their favorite animal onstage while emulating the actions of said animal. I tell you what, I was more than just amazed to see a group of gerbils contributing gang vocals to chorus of “Calling”. That’s what I call thinking outside of the box! Who would have ever expected it?
Once all of the gerbils had crowd surfed their way to the back of the club, it was time for the acoustic / interpretive dance section of the show. During this portion of the show a campfire was started in the middle of the stage, two members of the band sung Kumbaya, and the other two expressed their innermost emotions by dancing in circles around the fire. Oh, as an aside, you should make sure to attend multiple shows because for each stop different members will dance, and I know you want to see them all shake their hot pink tights covered booties.
As their set was coming to a close the fire was put out, the instruments were put away, and the band drew together in the middle of the stage (right where the fire used to be… maybe to illustrate some type of avant garde symbolism). They then exchanged hugs, removed their bandanas, and did something I never thought I’d see at a rock concert — with the help of three roadies they formed a human pyramid, three humans high. It was quite the way to end the show.
After Taproot Chevelle came onstage. They had quite the act to follow. Since I’d already seen Chevelle, I knew what to expect — hard rock, great stage presence, and a thick sound. They’re a great live band. Maybe not as wacky as Taproot, but still worth checking out.
Well… at least that’s how I imagined the show would be if Jared and I would have actually been on the guest list like Atlantic’s PR department said we were, but since we couldn’t get into the venue, your guess is as good as mine as to what Taproot was like.
Finally, to top of this interview / review extravaganza, I’m going to go for the hat trick by also contributing some photography! I only got one picture, but I think it’s really fitting. I dedicate it to Atlantic’s PR department, who was gracious enough to promise me admission to a show that I drove over 200 miles round trip to attend… but never got into:
http://static.flickr.com/24/54132900_5072958cb5.jpg