Review: HORSE the band 09.18.2008

#23
Thursday, September 18, 2008
HORSE the band
Heavy Heavy Low Low
Rock & Roll Hotel

So when I was getting ready to leave, I was still trying to decide between going to Motorhead in Baltimore or seeing HORSE across town and one of my favorite Simpsons episodes came on. I actually don't know if this was a sign that I should check out new bands or see some old dinosaur band, but I finally decided on HORSE after I calculated that seeing Motorhead would cost me another $40 (w/gas and parking) and HORSE was only going to cost me $14 plus whatever tip I decided to leave in support of Nathan's mustache.

Heavy Heavy Low Low pretty much describes them. I have been in the mood for screaming all week so I was not disappointed.

There were actually quite a few people at this show - more than Witchcraft - so it was pretty hot inside. By the time HORSE was finished it was quite steamy indeed. They did mostly newer songs - no Bunnies - but at least included Cutsman at the end. Since this is the "Art Tour" HORSE is selling "art" by one J. Nathan Winnike which I cannot adequately explain in words. I will only mention that I didn't buy any because I didn't want to explain later that I am not, in fact, a huge pervert (although I did find it kind of funny because I have the same sense of humor as most 13 year old boys). After the show I went to the Palace of Wonders with HORSE and saw the unicorn. Much more fun than not being able to see anything at the Rams Head and then having to drive back from Baltimore.

Review: HORSE the band 10.29.2007

#31
Monday October 29 2007
HORSE the band
Ottobar

I don't know which band was on when I arrived, but I couldn't wait for them to be finished. Ugh.
Pretty packed for a Monday night, those I suppose most people were there for Between the Buried and Me (whom I did not watch but did once see with HORSE). HORSE was in fine form - they apparently drove all night so they would be on time for this show. They didn't play many new songs or really old songs - mostly stuff from The Mechanical Hand. Some douche in a yellow shirt kept stage diving and one of the times he did it, Erik pulled him back on stage by the legs and gave him a couple gut punches for good measure. I think he must have run into the keyboard (I couldn't really see much on stage). At one point, Nathan had a doll that he put on the kick drum and then when he picked it up, the head came off (see photo) and he said "Ladies, don't date me." Did I mention that HORSE is very funny? After their set I left and chatted with Nathan a little outside. He said they once played DC with Off Minor. Sometimes the world is just freakishly small.

Review: HORSE the band 7.6.07

#18
Friday July 6 2007
HORSE the band
Jaxx

That's a title, not a name. Nathan's mustache is amazing. They were opening for a former Limp Bizkut member's new band....clearly there were some people who just didn't get HORSE.

Review: HORSE the band 3.27.2007

#12
Tuesday March 27 2007
HORSE the band
Ottobar

Yay! My 6th viewing of HORSE; 1st time hearing 'Bunnies' live (I think). Yes, Dave is wearing purple pants and a Purple Rain shirt. Awesome.

HORSE-force 9/30/2006

#43
Saturday September 30 2006
HORSE the band
Dragonforce
9:30 Club

I had a pretty long post written but it disappeared into the ether....the gist of it was: Fuck off, power metal snobs!

The doors for this show were at 6 and HORSE was scheduled to take the stage at 6:30, so I had to leave my own box office in the lurch and take off at 4pm to prepare myself. Of course, I still didn't get INTO 9:30 until HORSE was almost over. And people in the crowd were total assholes, so I was just going to go home after HORSE. [These fucking kids stood with their backs to the stage and complained that 'they ripped off Nintendo' and yelled out 'play a Sum 41 song' to which Nathan retorted that the next song was for the 'fag in the back...and you're probably ugly too' (which the kid was - he looked like a younger dirtier version of that curly haired guy from Kids in the Hall). Erik was telling me that Protest the Hero had some pretty bad experiences opening for Dragonforce back in the spring - everybody in Philly turned their backs while they were playing and they had bottles thrown at them in NYC.]
As it stood I chatted a bit with the HORSE guys outside and then went to put gas in the car. The only reason I went back to 9:30 was to see if the HORSE guys wanted to go to a bar and I had to pee. So I didn't see All That Remains again, but I did get to see a guy walk out into traffic, strip off his shirt, and start threatening people in the middle of U Street. Ah, DC life.
Since I was inside the club when Dragonforce came on, and they were playing my favorite song (Fury of the Storm), I figured I would watch for a bit. 9:30 Club was totally packed, which I thought was weird because less than 6 months ago when I saw Dragonforce the first time, no one was very familiar with them. Anyway, ZP was either sick or does no vocal warm-up, because he sounded like shit on the first couple songs. [he's also kind of an ugmo up close, and I would re-think the eyeliner if I were him too] It was pretty similar to the Jaxx show, except the audience was mainly music snobs and hipsters who only 'like' Dragonforce ironically. I would have liked to see the reaction of those fucking kids when Vadim was doing his Atari-sounding keyboard solo. The 'Simpsons' riff at the end of it got the biggest cheer of the night. I didn't stay inside for the last half hour - though apparently after some kid with a rubber dragon mask on got on stage everything went nuts. I talked to the David and Erik for a little while longer but didn't get to hang out with them. After this tour they're going to do another album, so I guess I'll have to find something else to do while Coheed, 3, HORSE, and 3 Inches of Blood are all in the studio.

Review: HORSE the band 4/15/2006

#14
Saturday, April 15, 2006
HORSE the band
The Fall of Troy
Poison the Well
Ottobar

Yay HORSE! They were very late and only got to play three songs (Birdo, Million Exploding Suns, and Cutsman) at the very end of the afternoon (this show started at 4pm because Wolf Parade was the late show). It was fucking amazing, I have to say. Nathan said he felt like he 'ruptured something in his brain.' DMR and Mr. S said that HORSE's three songs were more energetic and exciting than the preceeding show.

We had suffered through the heat inside the club and Poison the Well before going out to the alley for relief. With apologies (cuz they're nice guys), PtW is boring. DMR said it was amazing they could do so much with three notes. I'm amazed they're as popular as they are (this show was sold out too).

We listened to an abbreviated set by The Fall of Troy from the alley where it was breezy and pleasant. It sounded pretty good from the alley. I don't know if I could listen to tFoT more, but I do enjoy them live. They're so young, it will be interesting to see where they go.

In celebrity news, we saw the singer from The Dillinger Escape Plan at the show.

In other celebrity news, miniHooper luvs bunnies and does not want to smash or squish them:

Review: HORSE the band 3/30/2006

March 30, 2006
HORSE the band
The Fall of Troy
Gabe's Oasis, Iowa City IA

So, expanding my show horizons while visiting my best friends in Iowa: Gabe's Oasis is a total dump, y'all. Quoth Mr. S: "These floors are stickier than the Diamond Theater" Honestly, we're lucky to not still be stuck there. It was also very hot and humid inside. Fortunately we timed things very well, arriving in time to hear most of The Fall of Troy, whom I have enjoyed in the past.

I tried to chat up Dave from HORSE the band, but he was having none of it. Whatever...

After a pretty short set-change, HORSE came on in all their glory. They are just fabulous. I can't even adequately praise them - they just fucking rock! Just go see them...drive, fly, swim, cross the desert like an Arab man....just see them if you can.

Other Iowa stuff:
The future birthplace of Captain Kirk (coming in 2228)
Czeck and Slovak Museum
malls, malls, and more malls (I don't know what these people do for a living, but I guess they shop a lot)
"a potpourri of smells"

Review: HORSE the band + Dillinger Escape Plan 12/10/2005

#50
December 10, 2005
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Between the Buried and Me
HORSE the band
Sonar

Fire spitting!!!

OK, now that that's out of the way: HORSE the band. Unfreakinbelievable again. I think they won over most of the audience (annoying high school girls excepted) with their crazy stage show and complex songs. The guy in front of me was headbanging like crazy. I took about a dozen terrible pictures before one of the bouncers told me I couldn't take any photos (this one is the best one, so it's just as well). The only other bad thing was that they didn't get to play very long. Oh, and the sound at Sonar is rather craptacular, but that's not their fault. I await their glorious return to the east coast. In the mean time, pick up their album 'The Mechanical Hand' - at the very least you can complete your vulture-themed mixtape.

Between the Buried and Me is fortunately not who I was thinking they were. Whew! And they're super cute. I knew several of their songs from listening to LAMetal on Live 365 all day, several days per week (when I'm not listening to Warrior Radio). I would describe them as emo (using the 1995 definition of emo, which was basically hardcore and sometimes had keyboards and singing) mixed with death metal.

Finally, headliners The Dillinger Escape Plan. I'd only seen them once before (#3) but it was so crazy! Recently they've been even more crazy! There was no heckling (good or bad) that I heard, just clanging guitars and screaming, followed by applause. I like their new stuff because it has more understandable vocals (I can only take so much sonic dissonance on its own). For me, DEP is more spectacle than musical enjoyment (although I have three of their cds). Their set was mostly from 2004's 'Miss Machine' (which I missed the cd release shows for because I was in Russia). They did play several songs off of 'Calculating Infinity' - of which '43% Burnt' is my very favorite. In addition to destroying cymbals, jumping into the audience, hanging upside down from a pipe, and throwing around equipment cases and the light box, Greg actually spit fire! It was crazy as hell! Pandemonium 2005!

I did finally pick up both 'The Mechanical Hand' (which came out the same day as GAIBSIV:VIFFTTEOM, so you can see the conflict there) and 'Miss Machine'. If I had known that DEP had totebags, maybe I wouldn't have purchased my new Rocawear bag...nah, I still would have because it's awesome (silver with all kinds of studs, a sequined heart, small zippered pockets on the front, and an inexplicable chain).

I was thinking about coming up with some kind of blog awards (either the Golden Raisin Roundies or the Geodes) - I think two of the winners are in this post....

Review: Bear vs Shark 8 17 05

First check out my horoscope:
A romance could flourish nicely and so will you when your Venus ruler is in Libra, back home where she belongs. Although the goddess can increase your allure and social graces, it is expansive Jupiter in your sign that'll heighten your chance of experiencing a story-book kind of love. Since Jupiter lends considerable support to idealistic Neptune, a person or project that took center-stage in March, when they last formed a favorable trine, reclaims its prominent position. The benefits are mutual, but not long-lived. Carpe diem.

#27
August 17, 2005
Horse the Band
Curl Up and Die
Bear vs Shark
At All Cost
Look What I Did
random local bands
KC's, Fredericksburg VA
Photos!!! More Photos!!!

I guess part of this show was a Combat Records showcase in preparation for the now-defunct Hellfest (Oh well, I couldn't go anyway....)

Briefly (since it's 3:30 am and I've got to sleep and do a bunch of stuff tomorrow):

random local bands - pretty good

Look What I Did - I dozed off and woke up to find that they were all shirtless...ew. Weird men who scare me need to stay fully clothed. Musically it reminded me of Nirvana a little.

At All Cost - I thought they were great. Hard rockin, heavy shit. I'd definitely check them out again.

Bear vs Shark - Mike thought it was their worst show of the tour. They did seem a little off, but it was still enjoyable. Photos and stuff will be up soon. I am expecting the mail...

Curl Up and Die - sounds kinda like FBtMoF. Matt (hey, I remembered your name!) is hott. I got some photos of them too.

Horse the Band - unfreakinbeliveable...put Dillinger Escape Plan, Guns 'n' Roses, the singers from The Black Dahlia Murder, Bane and River City Rebels, and an old skool Nintendo or Atari in a blender - serve over ice. I don't know how to describe them *chocolate* go see them *chocolate* you won't regret it *chocolate*

Other:
-Poker
-Rifts
-Rolling a 20-sided die to see if Nickelback is Derek's Rift's character's favorite band (intentional shout-out?)
-some girl with a pierced upper arm (WTF?)
-Hot&Spicy Cheez-Its
-big ups to Ms. E and Mr. S
-Marc was homecoming king?

And now it's time for 3 Ridiculous Questions with the Bass Player. This week's guest is Derek from BvS. Post-question comments from Mike of BvS.

MoS: If you were a terrorist, what would your demands be?
DBvS: I would wish for animals to be free and for people to stop making rash judgements about terrorists.
post-commentary from Mike - that sounds good

MoS: Cookies or cupcakes?
DBvS: Cookies
post-commentary from Mike - what? that's all wrong... [I agree]

MoS: Who would you pit against Curl Up & Die in a ladder match?
DBvS: [he didn't know what a ladder match was, though] Sepultura
[Mike didn't know what a ladder match was either]