The New Miserable Experience (Of Having To Suffer Through A Smash Mouth Concert)

While taking in the music from the various bands on the Under The Sun Tour last Friday night at the North Charleston Coliseum, there were a couple of thoughts going through my mind. First, and most importantly, I was a little...no, make that a lot distressed that the music I had listened to and loved in my 20's was now being packaged as a sort of nostalgia tour.

Ask me the decade that formed my musical tastes, and it'll be a tie between the 80's and the 90's. In the 80's, when I was in my teens, I started listening earnestly to music on the radio, as most teens do. I started memorizing lyrics to songs that I liked, collecting albums, saw my first few concerts, and for the most part started on the path that led to me being a music writer. While I did get a bit experimental in the 80's, I was also a fan of the pre-packaged, synthesizer-leaden pop music of the era. Cyndi Lauper, Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Thomas Dolby and the like were included in my 45rpm record singles collection. But I was also a bit more adventurous, listening to the Smiths, R.E.M.,  and They Might Be Giants after reading about them in Rolling Stone and SPIN.

A stint in the army, living in Europe for a couple of years, and then working for an alternative rock radio station for a few years in the late 80's and early 90's widened my musical tastes even more. The 90's was a pretty remarkable time to be in the music business. We watched as hair metal died (okay, so it didn't die, but it went into deep hibernation for about a decade and a half) and was replaced by alternative rock, the rise of hip hop, and R&B. Working part time as an on-air personality at the late great 96 Wave, as well as at a couple of local record stores, I got a further schooling in bands that mattered. Acts that I had only heard in passing, such as Pavement, The Melvins, Camper Van Beethoven, The Replacements, and The Pixies were in rotation at the station and played over the store's stereo systems.

Then there were the bands that stuck closer to the more traditional idea of what rock and pop is. Bands such as Fastball, Vertical Horizon, The Gin Blossoms, Sugar Ray, and Smash Mouth ruled the roost in the mid to late 90's and into the new millennium, simply because they were a bit more safe than some of the grungier acts that permeated the 90's music culture. Those five bands were the very ones performing last Friday night at the Coliseum. A decent-sized crowd of about 3,000 came out to take in the package tour, and with five bands to blow through in roughly four hours, fans were assured of hearing just the hits from each act.

Fastball was first up. That band's 1998 album, "All The Pain Money Can Buy," has always been one that I could listen to from beginning to end, and with singles such as "The Way" and "Fire Escape," and "Out of My Head," it was evident there was some real songwriting talent among the band members. During its kickoff set, Fastball played those tunes and a few others, and even though folks were still trickling in and finding their seats, the band played like the place was full. Fastball didn't belong at the bottom of the roster, but I suppose someone had to be first. 

Vertical Horizon was up next, and to be honest I was only familiar with one of their songs, "Everything You Want." The band's performance was good though. Lead singer and guitarist Matt Scannell was a confident leader for the band, and he definitely had the rock star moves down. The Gin Blossoms' lead singer Robin Wilson came out to sing a song with Vertical Horizon, and throughout the evening different members of the various bands on the bill kept the cross-pollination going. 

The third band up was The Gin Blossoms, a band I had never had the chance to see live in its 90's heyday. That band's debut, 1992's "New Miserable Experience," spawned a wealth of singles like "Hey Jealousy," "Mrs. Rita," "Until I Fall Away," "Found Out About You," and "Allison Road." As a matter of fact, that debut was so god that it would soon become apparent that the band shot their creative wad completely on that first album. Wilson and the rest of the band did a great job of getting the crowd out of their seats, with Wilson almost constantly urging the crowd to get their "Hands up!" At one point he even hopped down into the photo pit to get closer to the crowd, giving his tambourine to Natalie Swanson, who was sitting in the front row. Just like the two bands before it, The Gin Blossoms was lively and musically on point. The band seemed genuinely humbled by the positive crowd reaction. A couple of members of Smash Mouth came out to play on a song or two with the band. 

Sugar Ray was next on the bill. I'd always had a love/hate relationship with that band. On the one hand, they put out what I consider to be some of the more brainless hit singles of the 90's. "Fly," "Every Morning," and "Someday" are just a few examples. With that said, every time I hear one of those insipid tunes it gets stuck in my head for a couple of days, so there's obviously some kind of perverse musical science going on there. Also in the band's favor is the fact that all of its members, especially lead singer Mark McGrath, seem to realize how lucky they are. McGrath, who also served as the evening's emcee, was all over the stage during Sugar Ray's set, cracking jokes, spitting out pop culture references with machine gun speed, and making sure even the folks way in the back of the Coliseum were having a god time. All the while, he had a look on his face that seemed to say, "Yeah, I can't believe we've made it this far either, but we'll ride this train until the wheels fall off." I found that kind of endearing, despite never having been a particularly big fan of the band. During the band's set I started to actually get a bit of respect for Sugar Ray. Then they had to go and cover The Violent Femmes' classic "Blister in the Sun," and that respect went right out the window. They could have picked any other song in the universe to cover, and it would have gone better than what transpired onstage Friday night. The Femmes should seriously think about issuing a cease and desist to make sure that crap never happens again. I didn't think the show could get any worse that that. Sadly, I was wrong, and this is where I come to that second thought of the night. 

Smash Mouth closed out the night as the headliners of the Under the Sun Tour. I'm not sure what was used to gauge which band was supposed to headline. Perhaps they went by how many of a particular band's songs have appeared on the soundtracks to popular movies. In that capacity, at least Smash Mouth's headlining slot became a bit more easy to swallow. I've never quite understood Smash Mouth's enduring popularity, but since I had never seen them live I decided to give the band a chance to redeem itself. To be fair, the musicians in the band seemed to be quite talented on their respective instruments. The real problem with Smash Mouth lay with its lead singer, Steve Harwell. On Smash Mouth studio singes such as "Walking On the Sun," "All Star," and "Can't Get Enough of You, Baby," Harwell's trademark raspy voice is in full effect. Apparently there is A LOT of studio magic going on, because in a live setting, that same voice was off-key and annoying from the start. The guy sounded like a cat in heat with laryngitis. I tried to like the band's performance; lord knows I did, but even with a group of competent musicians behind him, Harwell turned in one of the worst performances I've seen in ages. From off-key renditions of its biggest hits, to annoyingly loud punk-rock wannabe tunes, to a horrible cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me," Smash Mouth's top spot on the bill was a real letdown. "I had to leave. My ears were hurting," a friend told me through Facebook the next day. I stayed until the end in the interest of journalism, but it was tough to do so. I'm sure Smash Mouth doesn't care much about what I think. Every time a "Shrek" DVD is sold those guys are laughing all the way to the bank.    

Looking back, I can deal with the fact that the music of my youth has been tied up with a nice little bow and sent out on a package tour with a pat on the head. Twenty years from now, the youth of today will likely attend a nostalgia tour that features Robin Thicke, Katy Perry, fun, Justin Bieber, and Macklemore. If any of part of that as yet fictional package tour ever becomes reality, I'll feel a little bit better about having to suffer through Smash Mouth's set. A little, but not much...

Turn The Paige

I met Skye Paige a few years back when we were both attending a special in-studio performance by Gov't Mule at Charleston Sound. I still remember that first meeting because of the way she introduced herself. She stepped right up and introduced herself, flashing that winning smile. While I'd been familiar with her music prior to meeting her, I started paying closer attention. I noticed a few things about Paige. First and foremost, she's a true professional. She knows how to play, how to network, and she makes it all look fun. Second, and while not necessarily as important as that first point, Paige is a sweetheart. I've never not been on the receiving end of that smile when seeing her at a show or out and about in West Ashely. I'm sure she has her bad days, but I have yet to see them. Third, she can play slide guitar like a woman possessed. If you've never seen her live and you're a fan of down and dirty roadhouse blues slide guitar, then you're doing yourself a major disservice.

After a few years of hard work recording and touring with her band, The Original Recipe, Paige took a little break from the grind earlier this year. "I needed a break after gigging hard for about four years," Paige told me. "I've been taking it easy and re-evaluating what I wanted out of my music career after things started getting stale." After one of Home Team BBQ's All Star Blues Jams this past February, Paige fell into a conversation with a friend who asked her why she hadn't been playing lately. When Paige advised that she was looking for a new band, the friend put her in touch with bassist David Sanders (aka Dirty Bass) and drummer Skip Sautter (aka Skip Drum). To say that the three artists gelled is an understatement. "These guys are great," said Paige. "They're professional, musically trained, and they've been working in the business for years. We really get along personally, and that has really opened me up as a player." While Paige would like to add some additional musicians to the group in the future, for now she wants to get the rhythm section as tight as possible, so practicing as a three-piece is the best thing. "We've have learned about 25 Skye Paige original songs and countless covers since April," revealed Paige, "and it seems like we've been playing them forever." Currently the band is preparing songs for a new album, and Paige said she has several ideas for guest artists to play on the recording.

So far the new Skye Paige Band has played at May's American Biker Spring Fling and at the 13th Annual Heavy Rebel Preparty. Local fans can get a taste of the new setup this Thursday night at the Windjammer. The band plans on shooting some video footage at the popular Isle of Palms music venue, and Paige also hinted that some special guests might show up. Next up after the Windjammer show will be a mini tour with rockabilly guitar legend Danny B Harvey, who has played with the likes of Wanda Jackson, Nancy Sinatra, and Lemmy from Motorhead. That package will perform locally at the Sandshack in North Charleston on September 6 and at the Tin Roof in West Ashely on September 11. The tour will also be heading through North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Bands and artists reinvent themselves all the time, and the results can vary. In the case of the new Skye Paige Band though, you kind of get the feeling that things are going to start happening for these musicians.  

I Wish I Was The Moon

I'm almost willing to bet that when music was invented, that is, when the first human decided to utter sounds that were decidedly melodic, that the moon was somehow involved. That chunk of rock 238,900 miles away from us affects us humans like it affects the tides. Crime increases during a full moon, and although no one can really explain why, countless theories exist. Ever since that first human decided to sing, possibly at the moon itself, that heavenly body has been the subject of numerous songs. Some are no brainers to recall, such as Rodgers and Hart's "Blue Moon," Mancini and Mercer's "Moon River," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising," and one of my favorites, R.E.M.'s "Man On The Moon." Those songs and others were on my mind Sunday evening as my family and I sat on Folly Beach waiting for the supermoon to rear its crater-pocked head. There was a considerable amount of haze at sunset, so many folks hanging out at the beach were questioning whether or not we'd even get to see the moon. Fortunately, just as the moon started rising in the East the clouds dissipated and we all got a hell of a view. I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't some primal part of me, deep down in my subconscious, that wanted to howl at that orb in the sky, which Sunday night was bright enough to read by. I managed to control my instincts though. My perfect moon song for the occasion, after much careful thought, ended up being Neko Case's gorgeous "I Wish I Was The Moon." If you've never heard it, pull it up on Spotify. Hope you had a chance to see that moon last night.    

This One Goes To Eleven

I was never majorly into heavy metal music while growing up. Sure, there were a few bands that caught my ear, but for the most part I shunned acts such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Back Sabbath until I became a bit more open-minded in my 20's. Charleston has turned out its share of heavier rock acts over the years. Current locals Madam Adam have made a dent in the metal market, and local musician Eric Bass plays with the internationally touring Shinedown. If I were to pick the most influential metal band to come out of the Lowcountry though, Childrens Choir would get my vote. In the 90's, when most of the rest of the Charleston bands were either embracing the angst of grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, or the frat boy pop of acts like Hootie and The Blowfish and 311, three guys from Charleston brought the noise to the Holy City in a big way. Featuring brothers Kevin and Richie Isaacs (on bass and guitar respectively) and Paolo Licciardi on drums, Childrens Choir was the loudest band in town. Underneath the volume though was something interesting; thought-provoking lyrics and precision playing of the band members on their respective instruments. This wasn't metal music just for the sake of being loud, and the band toured up and down the East Coast with acts such as White Zombie, GWAR, Marilyn Manson, Helmet, Clutch, and Anthrax.
The band eventually broke up at the turn of the millennium as the Isaacs brothers took jobs out of town, but the band occasionally dusts off its amplifiers to rock out when everyone is in town. This Saturday marks just such an occasion. Childrens Choir will be performing at the Charleston Music Hall, easily one of the city's best sounding music venues. The band will actually be the featured act for a wedding reception after party, and the couple getting married even created a Facebook event here. Don't worry if you didn't get a wedding invitation, because the show is free and open to the public. if you're not familiar with the music of Children's Choir, you can sample a few of the band's tracks here. I may just have to stop in and bang my head for a bit.

All She Wants To Do Is Dance

What if you went to a concert and a sock hop broke out? That's pretty much what happened Friday night at the first show of a two-night stand by retro rocker JD McPherson. I was largely unfamiliar with McPherson's music prior to his being announced on the Spoleto Festival lineup. Once I got a listen to his album, "Signs and Signifiers" though, I was on board. Just about any musician with enough chops can play retro rock and roll, but few can really convince you that they have that music flowing trough their veins and ingrained in their DNA. McPherson is one of those types. Listening to and watching him play, you can see that he has a genuine love for the music he makes, but he doesn't showboat when he performs. Instead, there's a feeling of reverence and respect for the music, whether it's a well-chosen cover or one of McPherson's originals.
Friday night's show had originally been scheduled to be held at the Cistern on the College of Charleston campus, but thanks to the effects of tropical storm Andrea the venue was moved to the school's basketball facility, the TD Arena. I was there with my son, who had just been let out of first grade for the summer. We got there early and got a couple of seats up front. I wanted my son to be able to see what was going on, and before the show we played "I Spy," a favorite game of his, while he scoped out the instruments on the stage and the lighting rig above it. It was his first real concert, aside from a couple of in-store performances at Monster Music and the long-gone but much missed Chazzfest, where he got to see Al Green. Okay, so since he was an infant I guess he didn't really see Rev. Green, but he was there.
Anyway, just after 9pm the band was introduced and kicked into "Dimes and Nickles," a song from "Signs and Signifiers." The 50's rock sound almost immediately got my son's attention. He's still at that age where he doesn't have to try and act cool or worry about how others perceive him. He's totally unafraid to be in the moment, and I love him for that. He seemed fascinated with the way that bassist Jimmy Sutton slapped and plucked his upright bass, the spinning parts of the Leslie speaker attached to the band's Hammond organ, and the LED stage lights that bathed the stage in various colors. All the while he was wiggling and bouncing in his seat to the music with a huge grin on his face. I was loving the fact that he was into the show.

A cover of John Dee Holeman's "You Got to Lose, You Can't Win All the Time" followed, which featured an great solo by McPherson's saxophone player. Sutton plucked out the opening of "Country Boy" on his bass, and McPherson got the crowd singing the song's chorus toward the end. The singer advised the audience that the band had played in Virginia, where he'd made an unsuccessful attempt to tell a few jokes onstage. He promised not to make the same attempt with the Spoleto audience, earning him a light groan of disappointment from the crowd. McPherson did tell a funny story lter in the show involving a skeptical Dutch woman who apparently mistook Sutton for Jimmy Vaughan at a gig in the Netherlands.
The band then continued its set, playing the Louis Jordanesque "I Can't Complain," "Your Love (All That I'm Missing)," and a cover of Bo Diddley's "Mona." The next song, "Abigail Blue," featured an amazing organ solo, and at the conclusion of the song McPherson advised that he had written the tune with his father, who just happened to be in the audience that night.
The red hot "Firebug" led into a cover of Chuck Berry's "Beautiful Delilah," and that was about the time the dancers showed up. At first it was just a couple swing dancing to the right of the stage, but soon more folks joined the fun, and before you could say rock lobster there was a large crowd of folks dancing in the aisles. "We've got some civil disobedience going over here," joked McPherson while gesturing toward the dancers. Eventually, the dancers took over during another Bo Diddley cover. As McPherson and his band ran through "North Side Gal" and "Wolf Teeth," the no man's land between the front row of seats and the stage was full of folks doing every dance you can imagine. Fred Astaire would have been both elated and a bit scared to witness what was happening on Friday night. I'm sure there were probably some folks that found the unregulated be-bopping annoying, but I honesty had t hand it to the ushers for just letting things be, as most of the folks up front simply stood up and joined the fun. By that time late in the show my once energetic son, who's bedtime is normally the time the concert started, was fading fast. We moved from our front row seats to some new ones toward the back to give the dancers a bit more room. Although he was still trying to dance in his seat to the music, I knew he'd be asleep soon. Fortunately, the band finished its main set, thanked the audience and left the stage. McPherson and his band soon returned for a three-song encore that included a reggae-infused cover of "Oil in My Lamp," as well as a pair of McPherson originals, the slow "A Gentle Awakening" and the powerful "Scandalous." After being impressed by McPherson's studio album, it was nice to see his live act take that music to the next level. Folks interested in seeing McPherson do his thing will have another chance tonight as the band performs again at 9pm at the TD Arena. Try to check them out if you can. Even though I was unable to take photos of lat night's show with my DSLR camera, due to the fact that apparently Spoleto folks don't allow any photography at performances, even by journalists cleared for a photo pass, I still managed to snap a few photos with my iPhone of the dancing throng so you readers can see what the scene looked like.