#ctindie

Catch a cover set or something this weekend.

* New/updated // ^ Justin will be there // # Thomas will be there // ~ Andy  will be there // + 21 and up

10/28

Mandala, Meatball Submachine Gun*

10/29

CapitalH presents Super Nature, Langosta, Crag Mask, Let’s Get Invisible, Din at Nowhere House

My Body is a Temple of Doom (as Limp Bizkit), Crystal Clear (as Britney Spears), Psychoala (as Arctic Monkeys), Strawberry Cheesesteak (as Red Hot Chili Peppers) at UNH German Club*^#~

10/31

Couch Yeti presents My Body Is a Temple of Doom (as Limp Bizkit), Bonsai Trees (as Green Day), Mandals (as REM), Coke Divas (as the Velvet Underground) at Noise House^#~

11/01

Arc presents Sorority Noise, Free Throw, Ratboys, Queen Moo at Wamleg#

11/03

Comrades, The Warhawks, Limited Freedom, Bears Don’t Care at Crunch House*

11/05

Cruel Hand, Eternal Sleep, Will to Die, Mindforce, Slavestate, Cauterized at Wamleg

Born Without Bones, Cheem, Save Face, Milkshakes, Spillway at Dennis#~

11/12

Tiny Box presents People Like You, Space Camp, Teenage Halloween, Crag Mask, Spit-take at Crunch House*

11/13

New Holland, Jason Rule, Samurai Sword, Zach Rowden, Grass Stains at Dennis*

11/16

Manic and Arc present Balance and Composure, Foxing, Mercury Girls at College Street Music Hall#~

11/18

Tiny Box presents Posture and the Grizzly, Milkshakes, Prince Daddy and the Hyena, Just Friends at Best Video*~

12/03

Arc presents Bad Heaven, Bilge Rat, Stampeter at Bloomfield Village Pizza*

12/09

Friday 8/12 I’ve got a solo gig at Note Kitchen in Bethel, CT with the Sawtelles

Have you ever had a moment that felt so perfect that you struggled to describe the feeling?

I’ll try my best.

I’ve lived in the same house for 16 years. A simple ranch styled house in suburban Connecticut. In those years the house has seen a couple construction projects, a divorce, flooding, roommates, and parties. Very briefly I lived somewhere else, but that isn’t important. The reason I say all of this is because for the first time in around 16 years I am going to be moving.

Now I’m really hoping my parents don’t read this, but if you are, I love you both. (Thanks for checking out my blog?) We threw a fair share of alcohol fueled parties. At this house we have had a few house shows (a concert, if you’ve been to one, just in a house.). It started as a pipe dream among my friends and I. We would jam in the basement, have band practice and make a lot of noise, but it took a good while until it dawned on us that we were in the perfect situation to put on a show. We contacted our friends, got some local bands, and moved all the shit in my basement to form somewhat of a stage, and a “pit”. All of the sudden the drinks were getting poured, people were dancing and in what felt like the flash of a camera, everyone gone. Holy fuck that was really stressful.

I don’t often go to shows, I’m a fairly introverted person (perhaps I really just like playing video game in my room). I never really went to a party until I was out of high school. We kind of winged it, and it went super well. Everyone had fun, only minor cake influenced damage was done to a wall, my personal belongings were all in tact. We ended up doing this three more times. We called the place “The Doll House”, being one of the only “venues” in South Windsor, our home town crowd was pretty hyped to have a place like it even exist. 

Last night we had the pleasure of hosting our final show at The Doll House. A good friend of mine had recently started a show production agency, and asked if his first show could be at my place. I almost didn’t do it. I had received the news of a potential move and there was a whole lot of inner conflict going on in the ol’ cranium. After some soul searching, I decided that I couldn’t leave this guy hanging on such short notice, I bucked up and agreed to do the show. He had helped my band so much and put on incredible local shows. I owed him at least this one. 

Every time we have done a show its been the exact same feeling. Dread. Usually when we play shows what I’m thinking about is trying to not fuck up, play musically but to also be entertaining about it. But in this situation, the house comes first. Is everything worth stealing hidden away well enough? (Yes) Are people going to stay in the basement like I want? (Probably not) Is someone going to get locked in the bathroom with a missing door knob that fell off and was put on reversed? (You fucking bet!)

This one was different, I wasn’t nervous about the show, or the house. It was the people. Recently I had patched some things up with a good friend of mine who played bass for my band. I had to do the dirty deed that was REMOVING him from the band. We didn’t really talk for many months in a civil manner. But he was going to be here tonight, with full knowledge that the band was playing with our new bassist. The only good part of that was that we both were able to jokingly acknowledge the awkwardness of the situation. 

The show was going really well, good energy, good vibes, when things got a little crazy nobody got hurt, or were at least too drunk to care. Up came the Bonsai Trees set. We decided to play a lot of new material because it was a special show. The energy was great, lots of dancing and moshing. I love watching my friends having a good time. Smiles all around took away any tension that possibly existed. We decided to close the show with our song “Live Free And Die”. During the bombastic final verse of the song with everyone screaming the words, I noticed our old bassist/friend get up on the microphone and scream the words that i assumed plagued his mind for months after our bitter separation. I looked at everyone dancing, head banging, sweating with passion. And it was the most overwhelming experience. More important than when I got to play at House of Blues, more important than opening a show to a sold out crowd for a musician with actual name recognition.  This basement was where I first hit a drum. It’s where I took my first music lessons on guitar. its where my band had our first practice and wrote our first song. All of the important people in my life that weren’t direct family were all in one space all having a good time. Letting loose of any stupid shit that was taking over their minds. Between that, and reuniting with a friend I had thought I betrayed and lost for good, it was my picture perfect moment.