I Lost My Love to Gordon Ranney
Tuesday night at the High Noon Saloon ended up being a longer, more beer-soaked, night than expected. And, to top things off, I lost my love to a bass player. The occasion was the premier of Tancho! Tancho!, a new band featuring Dan Hobson, Dave Zero, and Alex Fortney. You may remember these guys from such bands as Killdozer, MaeRae, and Texas Horse Crippler. The Dulcinea and I wandered in and I discover my former padawan learner, Arch Stanton, cozied up to the bar. It had been a long time since I'd seen him. He and I chatted while The D went outside and flirted with a table of guys. But opening that night was the aforementioned MaeRae.
I'd read somewhere that they were alt-country but they were, to my ears anyway, more breezy pop that was perhaps roots rock inflected. Labels aren't particularly important, though, and moving them aside, I thought MaeRae were alright, I suppose. A couple songs were quite catchy but I felt indifferent to most of their set. Nothing to dislike but nothing to really cheer over either.
Here is some video of their performance:
I had a vague notion of what to expect as I'd been given an mp3 of one of their songs in rehearsal. Stanton remarked after their set that they were like The Descendants but slower or with less energy or something like that. It wasn't a bad assessment. This being their first gig, things were rough around the edges and the songs still sounded like some tweaking needed to be done. Still, I liked them quite a bit. I felt there were some strong melodies that just needed the right arrangement. We shall see how things progress.
After the set, I introduced myself to Alex. He had been in Tongue and an old roommate of mine was good friends with the rest of the band so I'd met Alex before but not in ages. Probably 10-12 years since we last met at the East End or O'Cayz. It was good to make his acquaintance againe.
You can find more photos of MaeRae and Tancho! Tancho! from this night over here.
I began the night ignorant of the fact that the happy hour set would give way to Gomeroke. The D had her heart set on doing "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. With the beer flowing generously, Stanton summoned the courage to sign-up as well. Biff came in wheeling some gear which prompted The D to ask, "Where's Gordon?" You see, she has a schoolgirl crush on bassist Gordon Ranney. I guess I only have myself to blame for having taken her to too many PROG shows.
"Is Gordon here yet?"
I am not sure what it is. Must be the way he wields that Rickenbacker bass and makes those notes rumble out for "And You and I".
"Have you seen Gordon?"
Well, Gordon finally arrived and Gomeroke got underway. A few songs in, The D got her chance.
The only thing missing from her wonderful performance was a scarf and perhaps a tiara for that full Stevie Nicks effect. Just swap Lindsey Buckingham for Gordon and it's just like 1977.
"Did you see how Gordon looked at me while I was onstage?"
…
Stanton was next. He chose Dio's "Holy Diver". His choice was prefaced by a debate, of sorts, between the two of us. Let me say unequivocally that I am pro-"Holy Diver". It's just that I know "The Last in Line" better. I got into Dio via the album of the same name with "Mystery", We Rock", "Egypt (The Chains Are On)", and the title track with its great video featuring that delivery kid who gets into the elevator which descends into Hell as Dio belts out, "We are coming…HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!!!!". It is one of the best videos ever. You’ve got that tentacle reaching through the elevator doors and Dio singing as the forlorn march to their doom. Anyway, Stanton got the horns perfect.
Plus there's just something about Biff doing his Vivian Campbell imitation which is inherently amusing in a way that defies words.
All in all, a great night. I think we can expect The Dulcinea to be at Gomeroke more often. And I should probably post a Dio show.
I'd read somewhere that they were alt-country but they were, to my ears anyway, more breezy pop that was perhaps roots rock inflected. Labels aren't particularly important, though, and moving them aside, I thought MaeRae were alright, I suppose. A couple songs were quite catchy but I felt indifferent to most of their set. Nothing to dislike but nothing to really cheer over either.
Here is some video of their performance:
I had a vague notion of what to expect as I'd been given an mp3 of one of their songs in rehearsal. Stanton remarked after their set that they were like The Descendants but slower or with less energy or something like that. It wasn't a bad assessment. This being their first gig, things were rough around the edges and the songs still sounded like some tweaking needed to be done. Still, I liked them quite a bit. I felt there were some strong melodies that just needed the right arrangement. We shall see how things progress.
After the set, I introduced myself to Alex. He had been in Tongue and an old roommate of mine was good friends with the rest of the band so I'd met Alex before but not in ages. Probably 10-12 years since we last met at the East End or O'Cayz. It was good to make his acquaintance againe.
You can find more photos of MaeRae and Tancho! Tancho! from this night over here.
I began the night ignorant of the fact that the happy hour set would give way to Gomeroke. The D had her heart set on doing "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. With the beer flowing generously, Stanton summoned the courage to sign-up as well. Biff came in wheeling some gear which prompted The D to ask, "Where's Gordon?" You see, she has a schoolgirl crush on bassist Gordon Ranney. I guess I only have myself to blame for having taken her to too many PROG shows.
"Is Gordon here yet?"
I am not sure what it is. Must be the way he wields that Rickenbacker bass and makes those notes rumble out for "And You and I".
"Have you seen Gordon?"
Well, Gordon finally arrived and Gomeroke got underway. A few songs in, The D got her chance.
The only thing missing from her wonderful performance was a scarf and perhaps a tiara for that full Stevie Nicks effect. Just swap Lindsey Buckingham for Gordon and it's just like 1977.
"Did you see how Gordon looked at me while I was onstage?"
…
Stanton was next. He chose Dio's "Holy Diver". His choice was prefaced by a debate, of sorts, between the two of us. Let me say unequivocally that I am pro-"Holy Diver". It's just that I know "The Last in Line" better. I got into Dio via the album of the same name with "Mystery", We Rock", "Egypt (The Chains Are On)", and the title track with its great video featuring that delivery kid who gets into the elevator which descends into Hell as Dio belts out, "We are coming…HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!!!!". It is one of the best videos ever. You’ve got that tentacle reaching through the elevator doors and Dio singing as the forlorn march to their doom. Anyway, Stanton got the horns perfect.
Plus there's just something about Biff doing his Vivian Campbell imitation which is inherently amusing in a way that defies words.
All in all, a great night. I think we can expect The Dulcinea to be at Gomeroke more often. And I should probably post a Dio show.
posted by Palmer at 9:43 AM
5 Comments:
That is NOT how I remember it.
Although I don't really *remember* much of the evening, I know I wasn't all "where's Gordon?" - I did say something about our chemistry onstage, but that was just to make you jealous.
I'm definitely going to Gomeroke more often. It was a blast.
Of course that's not how your selective memory recalls it. If you're gonna go to Gomeroke more often, then I'm off to see RPO more often so I can bask in Anna's glow.
I could loan you my Fender if you're feeling jittery. It's a Mustang variation, though, and might invite unwelcome size comparisons with Gordon's Rick...
Thanks for omitting the part where after arguing about the superiority of 'Diver' I managed to forget half the words. (Even though they were printed out and in my hand at the time).
No problem, Bubba. You had the chorus nailed, though.
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