If your ears are going to bleed the next day, at least enjoy yourself... Ikonoklast, AgnesWFS

My ears are ringing! God, what a dreadful feeling. I went to bed listening to tiny welders trying to rebuild my eardrums. Really should invest in some earplugs, like a case, and carry them with me everywhere...

Rachel and I discussed this dilemma after the show (very loudly...). Down in Austin, where she now calls home, you can go to a metal show in a small bar, and still have your hearing when you leave! The music was adequatly loud, but because the sound techs are professionals, and understand how to saturate the sound without causing it to stick like napalm in your pores. I've tried to convince many a venue owner that a professional sound person is often more important than the gear, but that regardless, a bad sound can ruin a band.

Is this why Pittsburgh's scene gets a bad rep locally? I mean, it's certainly not for lack of talent in the bands department. However, the promotions department is surely lacking. Ikonoklast was a great band, treked from Phoenix, Arizona by way of Jersey to perform for all of 30 people. Agnes is one of the most talented local bands we've got. If it weren't for Agnes, attendance easily would have dropped into the low 1-digit. Chad designed a beautiful flier for the show and distributed it around town and on the Agnes myspace. That's always been his contribution, with most of the promoters he works with doing the online aspect. It works, but without the other bands or promoter doing their part, well... it's self-explanatory, really. There is no such thing as an easy gig for an up-and-coming band. Period.

So, Ikonoklast! Heavy! This band started their set with one of the most heavy guitar-industrial songs I've ever heard. It only took two songs to get the crowd moving, which is sometimes a feat for a band that is new-to-Pittsburgh. Talented musicians too, particularly the drummer, who was playing a kit along to a backing track - that's pushing a tight-rope walker out on a bridge of floss, or spinning fire... while eating it. Creative and energetic musician amongst company of solid performers.

This genre is really interesting, the metal-meets-industrial sound. It's heavy, loud and in-your-face, but very good to dance to. There were traces of classical elements in the backing track, and the singer was very black-metal. And their bassist had crazylong dreadies, which I felt an immediate lust for. It shouldn't suprise me much anymore, though, as heavy metal hair has diversified a lot since it's inception.

But, seriously... What's up with the band doing one cover (nine inch nails' Wish, one of my favorites), and then the audience demanding other covers? It got to an absurd level, starting off with chants of "Depeche Mode!" and ending with "Brittney Spears". C'mon people, they're obviously not a cover band!

Despite my criticisms of the event, I had a blast. What a wild and energetic AgnesWFS set! Dancedancedancegocrazydancydancy. Rachel taught me a few great new dance moves, including one that I dub the peacock and involves letting your hands flap around your butt. Not your average goth-industrial move, but a hell of a lot of fun to do! Ask me to show it to you next time we run into each other, it will put smiles on both our faces ;0)

Ultimately, it's probably best that most of the people there were die-hard fans (and how good to see the old heads!) Agnes has sounded much better, we don't need to have them loose their much deserved street cred due to a sadistic sound tech.

In related news: Howlers has a stage! Not just a platform with a snake running out of one side, but an honest-to-goodness stage! They opened up the door for loading out the back, added about 2 feet of height, and now have one of the nicest venues in Bloomfield. Go Jo!

Agnes Wired for Sound at Elise's Playground

Saturday evening at Mr. Smalls was a great opportunity for me to explore a world I've been dabbling in coffeehouse-style over the past few years. Running sound for Agnes Wired for Sound let me see the effect a big stage with a large, quality sound system has on a group of dancing folks. It also let me chat with one of their resident sound tech's, who has been a tour manager and sound tech for reputable bands like H.I.M. and reputable venues like CBGB's. As these are both things I'd enjoy doing at some point in my career, it was nice to meet someone who had balanced both and was enjoying the life (and not to the fault of excess, as many others I have met). He was a great help in running a board I had not been previously introduced to, but he handed it over to me at the beginning of the Agnes set - something I have found too few men are willing to do.

Agnes Wired for Sound is a band that has gone through enough changes that we may as well say they are well into young-adulthood. No longer a young band constantly struggling with equipment and lineup issues , no longer an adolescent band reveling in a growing notion of celebrity, no longer a college-aged band indulging beyond their physical capacity: Agnes is now a full-fledged band, ready to stand the test of time to the world they present themselves to.

Some background for newfound Agnes fans: Having gone through an extremely difficult loss of former front-man Ben Bloom at the preparation of their debut album, their future was uncertain for the past few years. Some friends and fans of Mr. Bloom's were hesitant (some even opposed) to supporting AgnesWFS in continuing their musical journey. The band, of course, went through many of these same debates, and knew that regardless of anything else, Ben would have supported their decision to keep the music on. And we, their die-hard fans, are glad they did.

Mike of Opus One Productions, a promoter who seems to be great at assessing risks and still bringing the most interesting shows possible to his audience, asked me where AWFS was making waves. Having worked with an amazing cadre of headlining acts and sideshow performers, I would say they are certainly one of the most talented and hard-working groups in this city. Pittsburgh has also embraced Agnes WFS's new lineup, encouraged their forward-motion, and danced their asses off. HEY AGNES, WE WANT YOUR 2ND ALBUM ALREADY! After that, we want you to tour your asses off to share the exciting and interesting music we in your hometown have grown to expect from you.

If you came to the Smalls show as a fan to dance and sing along, as a musician who's interested in studying the often complex structures, or a reviewer looking for the next hot thing, you got what you wanted. With all due respect to the touring acts, Agnes stole the show.

However, we can't ignore the magnetic appeal of the Elise's Playground fetish performance. Another fantastic show from the ladies-and-gents of EP. Ms. Elizabeth Couteau was the archangel of the evening: she performed a burlesque dance during Agnes WFS's cover of Concrete Blonde's "Bloodletting", acted as head Dom during the Hansel and Gretel themed performance, and choreographed the set. An amazing performer with a stage (or, in this case, floor) presence, I can't say I've ever met a woman who could make getting beaten up look so appealing. Her co-conspirators were likewise excellent for the parts, and I might even say I was a bit jealous ;0) I mostly enjoyed the intimate, "hey this is for real" nature of the performance on the floor, though it is hard to keep everyone in the audience happy when they can't see every spank.

The whole evening is a fun chance for big kids to play dress up - Big Kid style. Like, "hey, I like you, and I would enjoy leading you around by a leash all night. Cool?" However, even my bandmates made it down, and I'm assuming they've never been to anything like this. But they seemed to enjoy themselves quite a bit! EP provides a fun, relaxed, entertaining, and non-threatening environment(unless you're being chased by a 24" sticky dildo... but what can I say, I get myself into these situations...)

It always pays to be present at any Elise's Playground or Agnes WFS show. While my video of the evening didn't turn out so well, check out this video I took at an Agnes show back in April (?), featuring a totally impromptu performance from many dancing ladies, including Melissa of Ishtar, Ms. Couteau, and yours truly (I can't be let out of the house... Just discovered this photo on the internet while looking for good pix of EP.. hahaha!).