Review: Verbal 3/10/2006

Friday, March 10, 2006
Verbal
Iota

I really need to stop going out on Friday nights. Especially in Arlington. Gawd....effing people. HATE!

Anyway, Verbal was good. Very short set, as they were the opening opening opener. Mostly new songs - some of which are available online (in case you missed their set).

Following them, Frank's protege: Thao Nguyen
No offense to anyone, but I liked her better when it was just her and her acoustic guitar. I didn't see the end of her set because I finally got too pissed off at byotches sloshing drinks on me, stepping on my toes, and flinging their hair in my face. So I stormed out and dW and I went to eat chili.

No more Friday night outings! Except for Coheed....for 3 months.

Review: Verbal 1/3/2006

#1

January 3, 2006
Verbal
Tungsten 74
Blackcat
PHOTOS!!!

Ah, first show of 2006. Even though it was at the Blackcat, it wasn't too annoying because most of the typical crowd aren't back from college breaks yet and it was Tuesday night.
First up, Brooklyn-based experimental instrumental rockers Tungsten 74. Musically it was good - pretty similar to Verbal. Their fans though: there was a high school chemistry class there, dressed in costumes with the atomic symbol for tungsten painted on their faces and heads, waving signs and a periodic table like a flag. Awesome! I guess they do this everytime Tungsten 74 comes around. I need tungsten to live! Tungsten!

Next up, Verbal. There were a fair number of people there considering the above mentioned conditions (the kids left though). The 'backstage' room at Blackcat has terrible acoustics. A lot of the time, where I was standing, it sounded like the guitar was out of tune. On the other side of the room, it was just loud. I don't know. Frank broke a couple strings and had to borrow a guitar from the Tungsten guys - apparently his guitar strap is an old flannel shirt. Sorry I didn't get a picture of that, but I felt I'd blinded them enough (since there were only about 4 lights on over the stage, I had to use the flash). Resolutions for Verbal: Frank - get a guitar tech; Bill - clean your bass; Dempsey - uh, get more tattoos.

And now it's time for the first in the 2006 series of 3 Ridiculous Questions
This week's guest is drummer Dempsey from Verbal; questions were held over from the last Verbal show because I couldn't find him.

PH: Which is more ridiculous: 'Bachelor' Bob Guiney's band (now called the Bob Guiney Band, formerly called 'Fat Amy' - wtf kinda band name is that?) or that Constantine Maroulis's band is now called Constantine Maroulis featuring Pray for the Soul of Betty?
DDfV: Tough question...Bob's band
PH: Both bands coming January 29 to a club near you (former to Iota, latter to Recher)

PH: Who has the best flute use: Jethro Tull, Lake Trout, Gloria Estefan, or somebody else?
DDfV: Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute
[which always reminds me of when I worked at the lightbulb factory because that commerical was on every single day during our 4 am lunch break - until it got replaced with the Jim Reeves collection from Time Life Music]

PH: Who would you pit against a weasily club promoter in a steel cage match?
DDfV: George the Animal Steele - is he still alive?

Review: Verbal + Lake Trout 12/30/2005

#53
Friday, December 30, 2005
Verbal
Lake Trout
Eight by Ten Club
PHOTOS!!!

Ah, now I've broken my own record - 53 shows, not counting outdoor shows - in 2005. Feels good to accomplish something.

As far as I can tell, this was my fifth viewing of Verbal this year. I heard an ad on the new WHFS for this show while I was driving up to Baltimore, so name-check one for Verbal. I wasn't sure if the doors were at 8 or 9, but I think Verbal benefitted from this confusion and there was a mid-sized crowd there by the time they took the stage. The sound in the club is great and they managed to capture a lot of attention just because it was so loud. Numerous stoned dudes and some drunk girl REALLY loved Verbal, I think. Of course, I thought it was fantastic as always - a good mix of old favorites (Edgar Street, Come Clean) and new songs.

Local heros Lake Trout ("fresh off their tour with the Pixies") played some Verbal-esque music for quite some time before their fauxhawked singer arrived on stage. I liked them but 2+ hours was more than enough introduction for me. I left around 12:45 while they were still playing. This really intoxicated guy (who - I think - threw up next to the bar: it's never good when security has a mop) was trying to get back in the club but couldn't find the door, nor could he stand or walk very well under his own power (the guy with the daughter who was talking to the past-present-future CRDF posse).

I did get a sweet parking spot around the corner from the club. Thanks gas-guzzling Hummer owners who's gigantomobile doesn't fit in a regular space!

For 2006, I resolve to become even more of an annoying hipster and eschew going out on weekends with all the working stiffs.

Review: Verbal 12/18/05

#52 (!)
December 18, 2005
Verbal
Galaxy Hut

I think I might have missed the first song or so (having returned from spending all day hawking jewelery with Ms. dW at the Ottobar flea market). Not many of the Verbal superfans were in attendance, but it was a good crowd for a Sunday night (w/$5 cover). Seemed like it was a pretty short set, but it did include some new songs which I hadn't heard before. Galaxy Hut still has Turbodog, so it's awesome.

And here's my final '3 Ridiculous Questions' for the year with Bill from Verbal:

PH: Since it seems we were both wrong about the Nationals....do you think the Redskins will make the playoffs?
BfV: I think they'll make the wildcard, but only because I'm going to the game on Saturday.

PH: Who will be stuntcast as "B.A." Baracus in the big-screen version of 'The A-Team'?
BfV: I would love to see Gary Coleman, but I think The Rock should do it.

PH: What will be the Verbal version of R Kelly's 'Trapped in the Closet' saga?
*answers to be posted in the comments*

Thanks for playing!

Review: Verbal 8 18 2005

#28
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Verbal
Thao Nguyen
DC9
Photos!!!

Verbal - we already know these guys....famous Frank, infamous Bill, and Dempsey. Opening with a new song - taking a chance. That's what they're all about. Another fan commented on the more verbal nature of the newer Verbal songs.

Thao Nguyen - Frank's protégé of sorts, of the female singer-songwriter persuation. This was her cd release show. Not really my thing, but I think she's really talented and all her songs are very personal. Lots of guest appearances for her set.

DC9 is far superior to most small venues in DC. I should probably go there more often...they have all my favorite kinds of beer too.

Review: Verbal Wars 7/16/2005

July 16, 2005
Verbal
Dr. Dremo's, Arlington VA

Special screening for the Star Wars fan flick Revelations followed by Verbal (featuring RADAR [theory] visuals - Billy Dee!).
Don't know what I can say about Revelations, since this isn't a film review blog and I missed the first 20 minutes or so (not to mention that I have an extremely short attention span). It was certainly very cool for a super-low-budget film made by Star Wars geeks.
Of course I also don't know what to say about Verbal except that they were super awesome as usual.
Man, it's hot...

And now it's time for 3 Ridiculous Questions with the Bass Player (in this case Bill from Verbal) and special guest Joe 'the evil assistant' from Revelations:

MoS: Do you think I'm wasting my time on drummers?
BfV: Probably
JteafR: Yes!
BfV: You should focus on bass players who wear weight-lifting gloves while they play

MoS: Since tonight is all about Star Wars: Captain Kirk or Captain Picard?
both: Kirk

MoS: Who would you like to see battle Joe in an outer-space light-saber cage match?
JteafR: No one from CRDF...
BfV: Dominic de Villepin [the French foreign minister]
MoS: Actually the correct answer was Bruce Dickinson, championship fencer, airline pilot, and metal god

Random unrelated crap:
-I saw 'Ask Liz' from NBC4 today!
-Also today I bought a magazine at Olsson's only to find out once I started reading it that it was from February 2004...I didn't think Korn was still popular...
-I never did find out the name of Dempsey's friend with the very impressive beard (my 'I <3 Beards' shirt isn't ready yet either)

Review: Verbal cd-release show, 02/19/05

Saturday, February 19, 2005
Verbal
Coastal Drag
Other Passengers
visuals by RADAR[theory]
DC9, Washington DC
*updated 2/26/05*

The Verbal product launch party got off to a good start with Other Passengers. These New Yorkers kinda reminded me of The Killers crossed with Codeseven - new new wave of a sort. At any rate, it was very enjoyable and I would definitely see them again.
4.5/5

Coastal Drag are also from New York and have more of a garage rock look and sound. Their lady drummer seemed to be very popular with the two guys standing in front of me. I thought their songs were pretty much indistinguishable.
3/5

Keeping with the 'product launch' theme, the Verbalists were outfitted in their finest business attire and opened with a Power Point presentation outlining their mission statement and goals for the new fiscal year. They played a solid set (in spite of a few sound problems) and covered quite a few of the songs from the new record. I would say that Verbal is one of the finest instrumental rock acts of our time.
*CD review: The Name We Sell Now
This 9- track album is Verbal's first formal release. Each track flows seamlessly into the next (much like their live set) and I think the real strength of the band is that they play as a cohesive unit. The cd in particular gives kind of a 'wall-of-sound' effect that's really spectacular when turned up really loud. Freedom rock indeed.
5/5

And now it's time for a new segment I like to call "Several Questions with the Bass Player" - so here is the gist of my interview with Bill from Verbal.

MoS: Do the Washington Nationals have a chance in hell? (The answer is 'NO')
BF: No

MoS: Who would win in a steel cage match between Other Passengers and Coastal Drag?
BF: I would have to give that one to Coastal Drag.

MoS: The Village Voice called Coheed & Cambria's second album the worst of 2003 and the worst of 2004, where does the new Verbal album [The Name We Sell Now - out now!] fall?
BF: (laughing) probably worst of 2006

I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce the unofficial mascot of Murrain of Swains, except that I can't really find the picture I'm looking for online (Martin Prince playing the lute in The Simpsons episode 'Bart's Friend Falls in Love') so this will have to do: Lute Fruit.