Sometimes I’ll see a great band, think to myself “I’m definitely going to start keeping track of these guys, check out their Web site, etc.,” and for whatever reason, I don’t follow through. Probably happens to you, too. If you’ve been to any of the monthly Fixture shows, you might have caught a band that fits that bill. Here’s an update on a few of those acts, local and otherwise. (Fixture is presented by the Weekender and Prairie Queen Records. The next show is Dec. 11 at The Bog in Scranton, featuring The Spinto Band, Oxford Collapse and And The Moneynotes. For more info on the series, visit myspace.com/fixtureseries).

 
Illinois

If you were at the April show co-headlined by Illinois and Lewis & Clarke, you might’ve been wondering whatever happened to the Bucks County band which was set to release an album last spring. There’s been a lineup change, and instead of a traditional album release, a new campaign of digital EPs and films, which just kicked off recently. You can read more about that here: http://www.theweekender.com/bonus/exclusive/Illinois_maps_out_new_territory_11-04-2008.html.

The Swimmers

The Swimmers, from Philadelphia, performed at the October Fixture. The band has a new video for the song “Heaven,” which it somehow managed to play live while rolling a piano down the street.

The Sw!ms

The Sw!ms — who headlined the October show opened by The Swimmers — have a new video, too. It’s for the song “Pile of Features.”

And The Moneynotes

A lot has been happening for And The Moneynotes lately, like opening a sold-out show for Ra Ra Riot in Brooklyn, a Daytrotter.com session, and, yes, a video. This one’s for “Bolinda,” from this year’s “New Cornucopia” album.

On Tuesday, I went to my 20th RatDog show. That might seem excessive, but when one of your favorite bands tours a few times a year and often stops in your area — or at least Philadelphia or New York — it’s tough to turn down. Especially when each show makes you want to keep coming back for more.

The Tuesday show at the Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre (check out Jim Gavenus’ great shots from the show in our online photo gallery) helped me figure out why I keep returning to see Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, and his band: the shows seem to scratch most of my musical itches. I like classic rock, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, jam bands, some experimental stuff and, of course, the Dead (although I never got to see the real McCoy). So Tuesday I got to enjoy the brightness of “The Music Never Stopped,” the straight-ahead rock of “Casey Jones” (and the encore, “Johnny B. Goode”) and the out-there exploratory sounds during the band’s “Stuff” segment. “Weather Report Suite” — “Prelude” and “Let It Grow” — satisfied my prog-rock side. “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” — played for the first time by this band — was spooky and snarling, and “Iko Iko” was a good-time clap-along moment. Even the two Dylan tunes hit on different styles: the surrealistic and wordy “Desolation Row” and the slinky “Slow Train,” from the first of Dylan’s Christian albums.

RatDog has changed since I first saw it at Montage in 1997, and for the better. Jeff Chimenti has developed into a star on the piano and organ (Tuesday’s show was no exception), and overall, it’s become more of a cohesive unit. Mark Karan has been given more room to stretch out on lead guitar, and Weir has become more creative with the setlists, dusting off some Dead classic and adding new covers.

I can’t wait to see these guys next time.

Enjoy.

I guess when the decade in question began nearly 20 years ago, it’s time for nostalgia to set in. Such is the case with the ’90s, particularly the music. But I’ve come to appreciate that decade’s music recently at a level that transcends nostalgia; I’ve realized that much of the ’90s music is not dated. Yes, songs from bands like Bush and Everclear haven’t aged that well, but listen to Pearl Jam, Toad The Wet Sprocket, even a pop band like the Gin Blossoms, and you can hear a surprising timelessness. By contrast, listen to something from the ’80s like Howard Jones or Human League, and you can hear the time stamp.

I’ve been predicting a renewed interested in ’90s music, and it’s starting to slowly but surely happen. Oasis has a new album out. My Bloody Valentine reunited, and so did Stone Temple Pilots. Younger fans of indie rock that trace the roots of their new favorites will be led not only to Sonic Youth but also ’90s acts like Pavement and Built To Spill.

One thing about the ’90s that won’t be coming back is the influence of TV. It wasn’t that long ago, but it seems like another era, not only because of the non-existence of the Internet, but more important, MTV. In 1993, you could see Rush, Nirvana, Armored Saint, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden all played consecutively on “Headbangers Ball.” You could see Live, James and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin on shows like “120 Minutes” and “Alternative Nation.” I had a Primus T-shirt in high school, and it was because I had seen the band on MTV and bought their album.

Nowadays you have to dig a little more. Besides MTV2, which does play music videos, and oftentimes good music videos, you’re out of luck if you’re depending solely on traditional TV or radio to key you in. But check out the cable station Fuse, and if you have On Demand service, check out all of the great music content available there, like Concert.TV, Havoc and more. If you have Comcast On Demand, right now you can watch Of Montreal, Sixx A.M. and the Rosewood Thieves. Not too shabby.

But back to the ’90s … Smashing Pumpkins are doing a 20th anniversary tour. That’s kind of cool, but Billy Corgan’s act has grown tiring, and the Pumpkins’ 2007 comeback CD was a buzzkill. James has a new album out, and that’s kind of cool, too. My fingers are crossed that Catherine Wheel will get back together and make an album that rivals 1997’s “Adam and Eve.”

Nostalgia’s OK, though. So don’t feel bad about throwing on “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” or “Badmotorfinger” and reminiscing a little. Flannel shirt is optional. 

You know there’s a big election coming up. So vote. Even the famously apolitical members of the Grateful Dead think you should. 

Read our coverage of the band’s reunion show for Sen. Barack Obama at http://www.theweekender.com/bonus/exclusive/Election_is_a_Dead_issue.html and listen to the show at http://www.archive.org/details/PLF2008-10-13.jw.mod.akg.463.V2.722.suraci.sbeok.flac16. 

You can tell this is a band that means business. Below, see a fan-shot video of “ Franklin ’s Tower” from the show. 

About the Author

Education
Penn State University, University Park
Bachelors degree: Journalism, English minor
Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia
Masters of arts degree: Writing studies
Manchester University, Manchester, England
Communications

Selected Publications
The Weekender, LexisNexis Securities Litigation, ESPN.com, The Associated Press, Philadelphia Daily News, Philly Edge, Universitywire.com, The Daily Collegian

From
Pittston

Resides
Scranton

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