Our First Show Pt. II
Gig day. Yesterday began with sound check at the Dragonfly. Everybody was there at 12:30 (except me, I was flailing and late picking up a videotape) I walked in and everything was all set up (a new one for me) and the guys were playing. It sounded incredible. Really loud, but not painful. The club bought new monitors for the show (damn!). We played the whole set (why the hell not!) and went our separate ways. I was wearing one of our new T-shirts that had just come in.
Hours came and went up until the show, nothing special. I was working on being as Zen as I could and focusing myself on 10pm.
Larissa and I rolled up to the club at 9:30pm and went to the backstage area. They had food for us and everything, you GO Dragonfly! Stephen and Cindy showed up closely followed by Chris and Tiff, then Dave and Carmen. We had no idea how many people were in the club or anything. My friend Dan Cleary (the MVP last night) showed up to handle the videotaping duties. He also sold our shirts after the show, whatta bro. He is also the proud papa of a moustache/sideburn deal that is really something to see. 10:30 rolls around and we hit the stage. The place was packed, but still seemed manageable, a relief.
The set list went like this:
Punish Me
(this song has no lyrics yet, but is great fun to play, so we did it as an intro)
Unholy Ghost
Loophole
Bloody Mary
She Won't last
Outsider
Go On
Half Hearted
Ashes
It went by in a...
blink
Color, volume, arms, faces. The crowd seemed to be pretty into it, even though they never had heard the songs before. I saw flashes of so many good friends in the audience: ones from High School, Kelly and Chris Cano from Skycycle, Sean Suicide, and so many more. Gigs are great cause you see everybody you know at once. Gigs also suck because you see everybody you know at once... and can't really get any quality time. The show went well. No broken strings, no amps blew up, no one died. That's good. It was also just awesome playing those songs with those musicians, and finally having an audience to share what we've been making.
Playing and looking back and seeing Stephen Perkins' smiling face has to be one of the best feelings ever. He is such a mighty drummer and so commanding, but right in the middle of a jam, he straight up beams. His arms are flailing around, and in the middle of all that activity his smile gave me this solid feeling of "everything is going to be okay, this is what it's all about". Such a great vibe to spread during a show.
No encores for two reasons, 1. We don't know any more songs (except the Who Medley "Pinball Wasteland", but I think it was cool to leave the first show to all originals), and 2. In my humble opinion, encores suck. They just suck. I find them contrived and fake. If people come to your show and pay money, guess what, THEY LIKE YOU. I don't see the need to make them clap for minutes and have the whole "will they come out again or not? ...MAKE SOME NOISE!!!" act. There has to be a better way. We'll see, maybe I am Don Quixote on this one, fighting a losing battle, but I always thought encores were dumb.
I got to meet some 6767'ers and Agents in the flesh. It's such an odd thing, this "starting a band in front of the internet audience" because I met people in person whose postings I had read, as they have read mine. It's weird knowing people you've never met. I said it onstage, and I say it again, thanks to all the online peeps who made the show, thanks for being so motivated about this band so soon. This includes everyone who couldn't be at the show (Hello UK!!!), we'll see you soon as we possibly can.
The Purple amp was there, my friends: off to the far left of the stage, past Chris's bass rig. When I would wander off that way to grab some feedback, that's where it was. I read that overall the sound was too loud for some people, and for that I'm sorry. The Dragonfly is a smallish room, and can be very noisy. I have seen a few bands there that had loud onstage volume and it just about caused brain damage. I am not a believer that the louder the better. The best combo is having the bass vibrate your innards if you are standing close to the stage, add the mighty guitar tone, but all the while having the lyrics understandable (very rare for a club gig). It did sound pretty different onstage from when we were at sound check. I couldn't hear my clean tone at all during the show, so God knows what I was playing during those sections. I heard from some friends that the vocals were too low too, but I am pretty used to that.
Afterwards we hung out for a while and talked to people, got to meet Wendybird, Toby, and a few more "Family" members. Also got to bro down with my old buddy Marko 72 from Sugarcult, always love running into him. Afterwards Riss, Dan and I went to Fred 62 for grub. A great night. Thanks to Anthony, Mauro, and everyone at the Dragonfly for bending over backwards to make this happen, Phil and Mark our techs, Dan for the merch/videography help, and Riss for absolutely everything, not the least of which, painting the black stripes on my shirt!
And thank you...
Video and pics to come...
Comments
Hee hee hee...I was one of the "picture girls" lol...well...they're up! just click on my name and it will take you to my webpage (go to the pictures section...obviously...)
And I did see you Brett!!! ....I was eaves dropping when you were talking to "Jezzi" about you're work because I just graduated with a degree in sociology, emphasis on "crime and deviance' and had spent the last year and a half working with "at-risk" kids after school. Well, that was a long way saying, that "hey I saw you there"
Posted by: Abby | September 22, 2004 06:00 PM
Hello from the U.K.! :D
Thanks so much for telling us about the show.
I am so happy it went well, and you had a great time, and I love the part about you looking back at Stephen drumming and he was smiling, and that he "beams",
and it made you feel such a good vibe.
I am so looking forward to the video, and thank you for thinking about us folks that couldn't be there, doing a video, taking pics.
Love
Lisa
xxxx
Posted by: ylais | September 22, 2004 07:17 PM
one day, i shall be a proud owner of the panic channel album. and a t-shirt, which i shall wear to bed so i can sleep with the panic channel... mwahahaaa...
Posted by: Jess | September 22, 2004 07:26 PM
Steve could you post some lyrics so we can get a taste? It was hard to make them out, but I think I heard some great stuff last night!
Maria
panic agent mouse
Posted by: Mortisha8 | September 22, 2004 08:25 PM
Hi Steve, it was awesome meeting you. As promised here are the pictures. I have a long play by play run down but its too long . I posted it on the 6767 site and as is I felt bad posting such a long post. I had such a good time. Thank you
Here is the whole album. Just in case you don’t get a chance to check it out here are a few pictures of you. I think you went about the amp thing the right way. I regret getting this camera. Since I taken all kinds of photography classes I know what I like and getting the cheaper alternative wasn’t a good idea. Anyhow some of the pictures came out o.k..
http://www.ofoto.com/AlbumMenu.jsp?rand=452904545&
http://images.ofoto.com/photos800/4/30/40/88/83/0/83884030406_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.ofoto.com/photos800/4/30/70/14/86/0/86147030406_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.ofoto.com/photos800/4/20/99/1/19/0/19019920406_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.ofoto.com/photos800/4/20/19/29/19/0/19291920406_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.ofoto.com/photos800/4/20/79/37/31/0/31377920406_0_ALB.jpg
http://images.ofoto.com/photos800/4/30/40/2/16/0/16024030406_0_ALB.jpg
by the way, I feel really bad I accidentally deleted the one with your friend from Washington and a few other good ones.
Wendy
Posted by: wendybird | September 22, 2004 09:40 PM
Afterwards Riss, Dan and I went to Fred 62 for grub...
that's funny, that's where we went as well, nothing like paying $16 for an omlette and toast (well worth it), didn't see ya there, maybe next time...
Posted by: chris | September 23, 2004 01:42 AM
hey all
cheers steve for the lowdown of the show, sounds like you guys done good!
the UK is waiting for your arrival lol
love
Sandy B
-x-
Posted by: Sandy B | September 23, 2004 01:55 AM
Thanks Steve, really enjoyable read mate. Sounds like the sounds went down well, can't wait to hear.
Good to know us UK people are in your thoughts. Now get your arses over here (!)
And thanks Wendy, and Abby the photos were cool (why none of Stephen? And only one of Chris... I mean, they're both good looking chaps too! ;))
Shirt was cool (Riss, you rock!)
I've asked Dave this too, but how impatient are you now to get on and do more shows? (how very? lol)
Peace and love to the fam
RP
x
Posted by: RecklessPrincess | September 23, 2004 02:01 AM
I DID try to get some of PERK...this is my whole saga!!! I tried my little heart out...but he was hidded back there and I was right at the front of the stage, so NONE of the pics of hime came out :( But he was absolutely incredible....very fun to watch!
And then half came out blurry too...so the others of Chris were all screwy, but you have to admit that the one I got is pretty bad-ass!!
They were all playing with such great intensity...i wish I could have captured it all! But the ole digi has its own agenda!
Posted by: Abby | September 23, 2004 03:09 AM
BTW...here is a pic of me "modeling" the shirt that I bought at the show! ...3am modeling...possibly not the best idea...but for some reason I was all of a sudden just certain that everyone needed to see what the "official" tee looks like!
http://www.princessabby.com/tpcweb/shirt.jpg
Posted by: Abby | September 23, 2004 03:49 AM
Abby...You wear it well!!
Help me with pics I took with my pitiful disposable. How do I get them developed, do I put them on CD and send to you snail mail? I'm sorry, I am still getting used to not having to buy flashcubes!!
and Brett...see...I was tryin to start convo between you and the girls...well, better late than never.
Maria--I'm with you, it was nice to experience some lyric driven rock...I was moved by Outsider, and Ashes, and can't remember anything now but chorus, and Steve's expressions....but I know they were good...chicks dig the words man
jezzi
Posted by: jezebel | September 23, 2004 06:26 AM
STEVE!!!!!!!
Everything i am hearing sounds great... The pics look good... I LOVE YOUR SHIRT I WANNA BUY ONE... can we get some of your merch online to buy?
Tele looks awesome...
Donno what else to say... i hate sounding starstruck, but I am so excited to see you guys get an album done and get out on the road (preferably in the denver / colorado springs area) You know you are gonna be here in december so why not play a show? Hell i'll host it at my house.
:-)
Much love,
WhitePony
Posted by: WhitePony | September 23, 2004 06:47 AM
Thanx Steve for the rundown, sounds like u's had a blast, you are looking yummy, Riss is a lucky woman!! Living on the East Coast is awful at times like this, we miss everything. Wendy/Abby the pictures are great!
Also loved the shirt Steve "P Peace n' luv to u's
Posted by: ceechica | September 23, 2004 07:16 AM
I'm beginning to love you so much steve, your blog has to be one of the single most entertaining things i have found on the internet. i hope you are going to have copies of that tape made, sold, and shipped to all of us, i will certainly pay for it! i feel so bummed for not being able to go, all i can say is geography sucks. however, i am kind of living vicariously through the pictures, thank you everyone who took pictures and got them up here, i really appreciate it since i couldnt be there.
anyway, once you guys get into some bigger venues the sound shouldnt be a problem, one would think anyway. and the comment about perk back there, i totally agree with, there is one picture that wendybird took, where his drumset is glimmering from the flash, but the first think i thought to myself when i saw it, was that that was perks magic. thats his magic going throughout his little drumset, all of you guys are just too big for the music. you're bigger than daves PRS, you're bigger than chris's bass, and, believe it or not, you are bigger than the infamous purple amp. i cannot wait to see it in person. you guys simply rock.
keep rocking,
paperdove
Posted by: paperdove | September 23, 2004 05:51 PM
"the first think i thought to myself"
i think i have to take another english class... sorry for the typos, i never go back and check my spelling : )
Posted by: paperdove | September 23, 2004 05:56 PM
Enough damn teachers round here to help you out hon!
RPx
Posted by: RecklessPrincess | September 24, 2004 01:39 AM
the show was amazing but i couldn't help but wonder, how old are you steve? 'cos damn, you looked young for someone that dave met at the mtv awards in '91. at least i think that's what he wrote at 6767. sorry if it's a dumb question. bloody mary and ashes rocked! you guys sounded great. didn't sound like songs in the works or newly written. sounded very polished. can't wait for a recording.
Posted by: violentskies | September 24, 2004 02:09 AM
yeah Steve...you definitely have a young face!!! Too cute!
Posted by: Abby | September 24, 2004 02:12 AM
....eagerly awaitng a new post.....
:)
Posted by: Abby | September 25, 2004 02:08 AM