pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM

Well, before the show, I was kind of bummed, as Todd Sickafoose (Ani DiFranco’s upright bassinator) was playing a show at Sam Bond’s in Eugene last night as well.  GOS totally won, but Todd would have put on a great show as well.  Anyway, I swung by Sam Bond’s before heading over to the Samurai Duck… to pick up Todd’s new CD, Tiny Resistors.  I figured I might as well support indie jazz artists.  Alas, the doorman told me that Todd had to cancel.  Bummer… well, maybe he’ll reschedule, though I think he’s from New York; so maybe it’s just not meant to be this time around.

a great cartoon GOS by Rulo Barrera

On to the venue… hmmm… what to say about the Samurai Duck.  Well, you can get fried pizza.  Um… ick… I opted for a Blue Moon & a bag of pretzels.  The rest of the menu was faintly “asian,” but nothing I’d really consider to be all that interesting.  This place is definitely a dive metal bar, but they’ve got a decent stage, and the bands got set-up / switched over between sets really quick – which is a major plus, especially for a late night show.

The 1st opener, Deosyl, was really good.  I had never heard of them, but they’re from Eugene.  They were an instrumental rock/metal trio.  They were all very good musicians.  The guitarist seemed to have some great chops, in the vein of Dream Theater’s John Petrucci or Dimebag Darryl or a breed of the two.  Great stuff…

I saw GOS’s Kevin Kmetz warming up with his shamisen in between the openers’ sets…

Shat came on next, around 11pm.  I was a fan of their prior to this show.  I mean, we go way back… we’re the bestest of MySpace friends.  Or something.  Well, I first heard of Shat via the (now defunct) Coma Lilies.  They are connected to Righteous Gabe Records…

Which is absotively-posilutely supposed to confuse you with Righteous Babe Records.  They make music very much unlike Ani DiFranco, though. :)  Very much… crazy, spastic, turrets syndrome-induced rock.  Oh, I think they’re also linked to the international smash hit “Tonight Tonight Tonight Tonight.”  Or maybe just linked via Righteous Gabe…  Anyway, they put on a lively show.  They’re from Portland; so I’ll likely get to see them again.

God of Shamisen went on right around midnight.  I was tired, but doing OK.  I work right across the street; so I had popped over there to get a Coke. :)  God of Shamisen is Kevin Kmetz on tsugaru-shamisen, Karl Schnaitter on guitars, Mark Thornton on bass, and Lee “ninja” Smith on drums.  They played a great set, and it was well worth staying through a late night and two openers to see them play.  I also got to pick up their new CD, Dragon String Attack.  I’ve been listening to it today at work, and it’s great.  My favorite track so far is “The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Attack!”

The CD (click the picture for more info):

The Set List: (with adjustments by Mark from GOS*)

• Traditional (Kevin solo)
• Bad Dog Attack
• The Prisoner (called “The Village Attack” on the CD*)
• Tar Bomb Attack (not recorded yet*)
• Ripe Fruit Attack
• Stacie’s Song (for Kevin’s s/o)
• Dragon String Attack
• Mary Jane (with Danyl Johnson)
• The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Attack
• Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls* (with Christian from Shat)
  

The Appropriate Linkage:

• http://www.myspace.com/gos
• http://www.godofshamisen.com/
• http://www.myspace.com/shaturdaynight
• http://www.myspace.com/righteousgabereocords
• http://www.myspace.com/deosyl

The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is on for tonight.  I’m excited.  I’ve been a fan of theirs for a few years, but missed them when they came to Eugene in the spring, because I was at the Ani DiFranco/Judy Grahn/Animal Prufrock show down the street at the same night.  Well, JFJO coming back to town 5 months later is a-OK with me.

~Dan – np: Jeff Ament – Tone

GOD OF SHAMISEN CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
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