Let's discuss the Cursive show, shall we? First off, whatever the fucking first opening band was called, A DaVen or something like that, I dunno, but boy they sucked! I don't mean that they were mediocre, they fully succeeded at reaching complete and absolute suckdom. They actually played a punk song badly ("Sonic Reducer" by Rocket From the Tombs/the Dead Boys). I love that song, and I was so utterly appalled by how terrible this version was, that I could see Peter Laughner and Stiv Bators rolling in their graves, as well as Cheetah Chrome, and he isn't even dead! These guys were NOT Omaha's finest. Sergei and I were joking that they weren't even the roadies for Cursive, but rather, the friends of the roadies, who go out and buy the beer. They don't even have the chops to work at Guitar Center, but work the sales counter at Sam Ash. Sergei suggested they change their name to "Local Retard and the 4 Bored Guys" because they couldn't even be bothered to like they were rocking. I guess they had no reason to feign rocking, since they certainly didn't come close. And the jokes were just lame, as well. I told Sergei they should be called "Painful Rectal Itch" and he said "Sounds Irritating" and I said "Yes, they do." Of course, if the former was their name, the latter would be a great LP title. Apparently, Pat DiNizio, formerly a cult favorite in the late 80's/early 90's as singer/guitarist of The Smithereens, was in the balcony, walking about and wearing a funny hat that made him look like some white version of Stepin Fetchitt. He asked Austin about what he thought of the first band, and he's like "They suck, why?" He then explains that he is now a talent scout at Columbia Records, and he was just curious what people thought of these guys. I guess that means that the majors are sniffing for Omaha now. It is offically the next Seattle, what with the Faint opening for No Doubt, and Bright Eyes making it into Rolling Spin (ya know, that was an accident, but I think it belongs there anyway. It makes a good point).

Lake Trout, the second act, was no great shakes, either. Shrouding everything in reverb and digital delay does not make you appear talented. They sounded very 80's in all the wrong ways (ie, that stale "professional" echoey but dead sound that made the Fixx more commercially viable at the time, but has since made them sound completely dated), and I kept waiting for them to break into "One Thing Leads To Another" or "Red Skies At Night." One song, the last 3 minutes or so sounded exactly like the live renditions of "Echoes" the early 70's incarnation of Pink Floyd used to play. And I already went on a tirade about copying other people's crap note-for-note discussing a local band the other night, so I am not going to do it again. Oh yeah, and they wouldn't stop playing. They just wouldn't. Blah. Good thing that half of Long Island showed up tonight so we could all try to have conversations over the sounds of blaring crap. Seriously, though, it was really awesome how many of our friends showed up.

Cursive, on the other hand, was a revelation. I had just heard the as-yet-released "The Ugly Organ" cd last night, and only own a couple other tracks scattered on comps, but man, they were amazing. And not just because they have a cellist on EVERY song... but boy, I do love me some cello! Anyhow, their set was slammin' and their energy level was maxin' out. I never use those terms. That was funny. But yeah, I hope that when this cd actually does get released, everybody who has a cd-r of it goes out and buys it to support our indie musicians, so that they can afford to put out more awesome records like this one.

enough from me for now. go quote Porky Pig in your head.

n.p. Cursive - "A Gentleman Caller"