I hate the High Dive. I hate it because it’s in Fremont and 87% of people that visit Fremont are terrible people. At least, they dress and act like terrible people. Maybe they’ve just made terrible choices with their lives, like finding good in Dave Matthew’s Band songs, or deciding to wear that stupid hat, or just being a douche in general. I know there’s some good left in them still. But they still are the antithesis of all that is awesome and innovative and meaningful in this world. And they all meet at the High Dive on Thursday nights.

The High Dive was probably in the top five worst shows my most recent old band ever played. The venue is cool and the people that run it are awesome, the show was quite a disaster, though. First, the headliners, Ambitious Career Woman, broke up the week before the show and therefore couldn’t play. They’re good people, it just put us in a bit of a bind. So it was us and The Senate Arcade. TSA played about 30 minutes so it was up to us, the headliner that no one had ever heard of before, to play as long as possible and get as many people to drink as possible so the bar made money. We played every song we’d ever written plus a Who cover or some other cover. An hour long set. To people that couldn’t care less. Horrible torture. I guess we should have just been a better band.

At any rate….

The first band.
Sometimes I think the bookers at The High Dive don't know what they're doing. They can’t seem to understand similarities between bands. Weekday shows are often a mess of differing and conflicting genres. Tonight was no different. The first band will eventually be on KISW, the station that has been the same since 1982. Some asshole DJ with a ridiculous name like “The Ricker” or “DJ doucheball” will put on some vocal affectation and say “This band was named after characters from one of the best video games of the mid 80’s, Contra. No, it’s not Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right, it’s…” Then some wanky solo will play over some boring drum line and some grizzled old biker lady will take off her shirt and you’ll wake up from this horrible dream and want to stab your eyes out with your house keys. But then again, they didn’t make any mistakes. The songs were solid. It’s not like they’re bad musicians, they just play bad music. Perfect for Fremont, I guess.

Exohxo
Really, the first band and these kids could not be any more different. It was pretty ridiculous. It’s like when you’re at the beach and some old dude with a drinking problem is on your left and some fine lady (or dude) about your age is to your right. You skooch to your right and send some furtive glances that way, of course. Actually, Exohxo is a lot like borscht. Delicious, but not too pretentious. It’s a healthy mix of a stack of Seattle indie sounds. Violins, a couple vocals, basic drums done well, solid bass action, and a big stack of joviality. Exohxo is, at the core, some Speaker Speaker plus some Nazca Lines, but sounds nothing like either one. Well, a little like Speaker Speaker. That pop-punk “who cares, let’s have fun” juxtaposed (yeah, I said it) with some of the Seattle-ier “man, things aren’t all that cool, you know.” Actually, they sound just like The Get Up Kids should have sounded like instead of getting completely terrible. Serious and not serious at the same time. Also, the onstage banter is pretty ridiculous. These kids are enjoying themselves up there. The whole band seems into the songs. I’m sure they’ll be on KEXP pretty soon. They’d fit right in with the less self-indulgent indie dancey songs out there these days. I think you kids will like them. Be sure to tell Jason (not Jasen) to get a haircut when he finally gets famous and puts his jerky old bandmates to shame.

Another band was setting up.
Congas, bongos and a djembe. Bob Marley t-shirt, bass and guitar. Two hippie hats and a ponytail. Warning, White Reggae is impending. F that noise, I’m not sticking around for any of that nonsense. High Dive bookers: I understand your plan. It’s like a shooting a shotgun. A wider spread increases the likelihood of hitting the target. Several different genres attract a larger crowd. You’re not idiots. You’re geniuses.

** Old Wordpress comments **

Kyle says:
March 21, 2009 at 1:16 pm
my rib cage hurts. lol