The Dimes/American Sharks/The Ka Nives at Crocker House

I was pretty excited about this show for a while. However, plans fell apart when I found out that my ride was indisposed. After a phone call with Arie, I call up Leah Gilman and tell her my sob story. It works and an hour later she was at my house. She brought her friend Austyn, an innocent girl who had never been to a show before. I was pretty excited to be part of someone’s first-show-ever experience. I hope I didn’t ruin her life. I brought earplugs for both of them because I take ear care and ear damage very seriously (this is why you’ve probably seen me at shows wearing large green firearm-grade protective ear muffs). Austyn was the only person that actually used my earplugs. Apparently Leah Gilman had something to prove.

I didn’t have money to pay Leah for gas so instead I gave her my Tapes ‘n Tapes 7″. She told me that her day sucked but the record made her feel much better and makes up for her crappy day. This is what I intended the record to do because records make people feel better. Flowers die and get-well cards end up in the trash a few weeks later so you should always buy your friends records when they’re feeling down.

The moments leading up to entering the Crocker House paralleled the events of the first house show I went to when I was 15. First, I had no idea where the house was so I drove around the neighborhood trying to look for parked cars, people holding red cups, and started listening for a kick-drum coming out a living room. Then once I found the place, me and my posse tried to play it cool and pretend like we’ve been to that house a million times before and acted like we knew our way around. Then, I walked through the kitchen and into the living room, searching for a familiar face that I could talk to so I wouldn’t seem like a completely naive nobody in front of all the cool kids. I think I pulled it off pretty well.

Before the show started, people were encouraged to bring posters and put them on the wall to be judged for the best poster. Rumor has it that the judge was some guy’s grandpa and the prize was booze and weed. I put up a poster of a dog with goggles.

The Dimes

The Dimes played a pretty damn fun set. They’ve played a million shows before but this one was so honest and innocent that it looked like their first show ever. Mics were dying, mic stands were falling, monitors were dropping, and each song began with long strains of feedback.

American Sharks

I’m trying to think of something respectable and classy to say about American Sharks but I honestly can’t think of anything. The only things that come to mind are a beer, flying open cans of beer, beards, and beer.

I never said that those weren’t awesome.

The Ka-Nives

The Ka-Nives are one of my favorite live bands ever. At every show, it’s like they get everyone to reenact that famous scene of Animal House where Otis Day and the Knights play at the frat house. At one point, I was standing in the front taking some pictures when I felt someone grab my ankles. I knew exactly what was going to happen. The cramped living room left no space for an escape route so before I knew it, I was being passed above and around the crowd.

By the middle of the set, my clothes were soaked in Lone Star and my glasses were completely fogged up.

We left before the poster judging began. I hope I won, though. I kinda want the poster back.

The traditional post-show dining at at 24-hr cafe

(from left to right: Zach, Austyn, Andrew, Leah)