I have no idea why people don't support/know of this band. In my seeing the Zion duo and it's no secret that New York City hasn't gotten the full Local H platter the last 3 visits to town. First it was way back when they opened for the dreadful Electric Six at Webster Hall, then the next time they played, Livenation bumped them out of the building early due to a Midnight Showcase the Stone Temple Pilots had scheduled at the same venue a week prior to the Local H gig. . Finally there was around this time last year, where Local H came to the Mercury Lounge and rocked out yet another “early show” . That's not the case tonight as we head back to the Mercury Lounge(the SOLD OUT Mercury Lounge), and we have Local H here with no time limits, no 'Early show', no album themes (even tho I did think that was cool). Tonight is Local H untamed, and you bet I'm freaking psyched for it. Adding to excitement, the opening act besides “The Apple Bros.” is, none other then Scott Lucas, who is said to be performing solo acoustic 'Scott Lucas and the Married Men' material. A Scott Lucas double dip, it feels like my freaking birthday. Ticket says doors are at 7:30, but I'm getting there as early as possible and snag a spot up front as usual in the latest episode(67) of the Jay Porks Never Ending Concert Series.
So I got to the venue at 5:30. Yes, 5:30, two hours prior to doors opening. I have this extra ticket that I hope I could give away, so what's the harm in being 1st. Wasn't 1st anymore after a walk around the block as there are two dudes who are about to become my friends(one wearing an Elephant skull cap, you may want to take note of that hat) standing on the line wondering about Will Call and what the story is there. Again, doors not open for another 2 hours.
Sign you're on line with people that know music: my Meat Puppets shirt was immediately recognized. Then my buddy who I met at the Lemonheads show arrived. He was here last April when Local H played, but we didn't know each other then. So the 4 of us kicking it before the show, we're all sick of seeing epic video from epic Local H shows at the Double Door, or whatever other places in Illinois they play, and not getting a chance to have one of those memorable experiences in NYC. We gotta move to Zion. They opened up the doors at 7:30, and within seconds we were in the spot we'd be spending the next 4 hours or so.
Scott came on at 8 o clock with his acoustic guitar and a chair(the chair which was used to place his drink and phone on, not for sitting) and I'm just so damn excited that this is going down I almost forgot to mention the biggest adventure of my night-my new camera! Now I can get video in this venue that you can actually see (or so I thought"Extra Special Bitter" was second, and that's my favorite Married Men tune. A couple songs later he played a song called "Blood Half Moon", (the single off the new Scott Lucas and the Married Men record) where towards the end of the song, a slow rhythmic clap begins with a couple of people in the crowd. Scott during a pause says "No" to the assistance as we all laughed. Song ends and Scott looks at whoever started that and says "Thanks Dolche Gabana asshole for fucking up my pretty song. Is that what the DG stands for, Dick Gump?" Finished that set off with "Hey Rita" and Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave" .He played from 8pm to 8:35pm. Total of 7 songs, and notes that he'll be back at this very venue in June with the Married Men. I have a feeling all of you will be reading about that experience right here, at Concert Confessions (and JayPorks.Com!!!)
The second opener (or the only opener not a member of thr headlining band) The Apple Bros came on at 8:44. First thing I notice is their front man has a lefty guitar that he's turned upside-down and re-strung.. To that i say, don't they have tons of right handed guitars for sale already?I found myself throughout the set trying to find reasons to make fun of these guys, (like I did in one sentence ago) But whatever these guys are playing, it's not terrible. I've seen way worse opening acts then this. There were 10 songs listed on the set list paper in front of the bassist(none or which I could read the name of!). They had to have played more-they came on 15 mins earlier than scheduled, and when off at 9:26
Shortly, like within minutes after Apple Bros. went off , the post-grungers scrambled to get their gear set up on stage. Then at 10 o' clock folks it was time for the headliners: St. Clair and Lucas, LOCAL H!
They started played lots of new stuff tonight. Last year they played us 2 new ones, and this year they started the show in full effect with it.. 'Cold Manor' came second, and being such a fan of this band obsessing with YouTube watching my own taping of this song last year, I'm already singing along to this song and it hasn't even come out yet. And last year was on a crap camera, this thing I'm wielding is real deal, . Then drummer extraordinaire Brian starts poking at the lights. Remind you folks this is a bar with a room in that back that just happens to have a stage-it's about the twice the size my living room. It's not like, a “light show” more then it's just generic lights hanging maybe the band gets to pick the color who knows. Anyway, Scott asked them to dim these lights and now after the 2nd song in I'm back to basically the same lighting if not worse, then last year. That was a serious “FML” moment right there.
It's my favorite line and you'll see me write it every time I see this band. 'The man I despise but the song I adore': “Eddie Vedder” kicked off the first back to back of old school tunes of the night when it was followed by “Everyone Alive” before we busted into another newbie: “Paddy Considine” then the ever so epic “Hands on The Bible” before another new one that Scott said was “about Fox News”. Not sure if that's the name of the song. But during Hands on the Bible, oddly, when the lyric “A pretty baby never born”, the New Yorkers let out a light cheer. Hooray abortion? Anyway, there's two kinds of people at Local H shows: Intelligent folk who grab their spots up front quickly. That's my little outside clique from earlier and the rest of the people along the first row. Then behind that you have these people who behave like psychopaths-the people who think Local H is like a heavy metal band or something and they're here to slam dance and mosh. They f%&ked stuff up, including lifting two of the tables used to support amps onto the stage, and it wasn't a direct hit, but a drink was tossed in my area. Turned to the hot chick next to me and mouthed to her “what the f%&k?” as she was also bewildered. One drunk dude got on stage and wanted to stage dive(the entire 2 and ½ feet up on stage) and Scott literally just pushed him off stage. It was awesome.
“Another February”, which is another one off the new record was next up. Usually bands piss me off when they play a bunch of new stuff at a show, but the new Local H material is freaking incredible and I cannot wait for that to come out. But next they played “Fritz's Corner”, “All The Kids Are Right” and “High Fiving MF” back to back to back next and by the time we got to High Fivin' that place was back to being exactly what that song is about. The lyric “Highjack the pit you shit!” while these assholes go bananas is life imitating art. That had to be the biggest hit of the night with them. With me, the biggest hit is also this song, because right before Scott starts singing (about 55 seconds in on my video), he leans towards my camera and taps it with his guitar-he knighted my camera. Wonder if he remembers me from last year.
“California Songs” was another heavy hitter right towards the end when they went into “Bound For The Floor”, and in the middle of the song the gave us a little shot of the Stooges “T.V. Eye”. (Hopefully a Local H's Awesome Mixtape Part Two coming soon?). Oh and remember that elephant hat I mentioned earlier that one of my new found buddies was wearing? Yea, that's Scott wearing it, at the end of the Bound for the Floor video Lucas mentions how cool the hat is. It was a great night, I just really wish it wasn't so damn dark!
So long story short, Local H comes to town and Scotty Lucas gives us a double dip. I'm still trippin' on that "Ain't no Grave" he busted out during the acoustic set. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'll see these guys every time they come to town. There's a band that gives their all every time.
I've already passed out on my keyboard several times writing this, so internet trolls please feel free to point out punctuation I may have missed. So next time you'll be reading me is two weeks from today, when we hit the Melvins at Webster Hall..
LATE.....
