#mango's

Brand New / Thrice / The Builders and the Butchers (10/31/2009; Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston, TX)

As I wrote earlier this month, it’s weird to discuss Brand New now. But putting all that aside, this was a really incredible show. I remember Thrice came out dressed as Star Wars characters, though I’ve never been a fan of them. Brand New were dressed as old school prisoners with the black and white stripes and came out to an intro video of a jailbreak, with sirens and such. They were absolutely fantastic on this night, just tearing through every song you could want to hear from them. Daisy had just come out, but the setlist was culled from their entire career. It was my first time seeing Brand New and it was unforgettable.

Chelsea Hotel (10/31/2010; Mango's Cafe, Houston, TX)

Weird show. I guess this was an old school punk band that had been around for a long time. A friend of a friend knew them and asked me to go. It was a fun time from what I remember, at least until we left and found that her car had been broken into and her purse stolen. Shit happens.

Leonard Cohen (10/31/2012; Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX)

This was absolutely one of the most magical nights of my life. Leonard Cohen was and forever will be one of my greatest idols as a writer and a poet. I’ve told this story a million times, but the weekend before, I ran into Cohen at the Austin Book Festival. I happened to be walking down the street, and there he was. He wasn’t hard to recognize in his suit and hat, just like he always wore on stage. I spoke to him for a moment, kissing his ass about his books (I’m sure he didn’t hear that much, being known so much more for his music). He was thankful and he moved on with his day, only for my friend to point out to me that we had been standing in the middle of the street when I stopped him and we both could have been killed. My bad.

I had been planning to skip this show because it was so expensive, but I took that as a sign, so I bought a ticket off a woman from Craigslist. What transpired was absolutely one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen. Cohen was just such an outstanding performer and singer. His band was fantastic. I later found out that the reason Cohen had been bumming around Austin at the book festival the week before the show was because most of his band taught music at the University of Texas. Go figure. Crazy coincidences in this world.

2/13/2010; Mango’s, Houston, Texas

This is one of the best random shows I’ve ever been to. A bit of background, my parents were discussing splitting up at this time and my dad went to stay at a hotel. I ended up going with him. This only lasted a few days, but it was a bizarre experience. I don’t know what motivated it all now; those memories have washed away with time. I do remember though that I could not sleep in the hotel and I eventually returned home, quickly followed by my dad.

One of those sleepless nights in the hotel, I was preoccupied with Valentine’s Day coming up the next day. I was single and, with all the things going on with my parents, it just seemed to be a great big joke that I would be sitting alone on Valentine’s Day. I still wax and wane on this subject, years later. I enjoy being alone one minute, and I wish I was with someone at another. But it doesn’t occupy as much of a space in my mind as it did as a teenager.

I decided I couldn’t just lay there anymore, so I got up and drove downtown. I had one Screaming Females album at the time (Power Move) and I thought they were a good band, but I hadn’t had any plans on actually going to see them.

I ended up at the show, but it wasn’t much of a show. I walked into the bar, Mango’s, and ordered a beer because they were pretty damn lax about checking IDs. Then I sat around and wondered where everyone is. I ended up having a conversation with one of the maybe five people that were there on the patio while smoking a cigarette. “Did you pay to get in?” he asked. I told him I had not, and he swore to himself. “They need to get a door guy over there,” he said. I later learned he was the bassist for Screaming Females.

The trio took the stage a while later to a smattering of claps. The crowd had gotten to be, at best, ten people deep. It was a damn travesty how few people showed up that night, because what I saw next blew my mind.

Screaming Females put on one of the loudest, craziest punk rock shows I had ever been to at that point. It did not matter one iota to them that there was almost no one watching them and surely they would be going home broke after the show. They destroyed that with a passion and fury I’ve rarely seen before or since.

Again the month has flow by. But not without the regular dose of loudness. This month has already been jam packed with goodness. Again Mango's Bar and Night club is the epicentre of the action in Falmouth. With Pressure Roots, Hong Kong Ping Pong, Seeing Double and Phaked Sound System all giving the Void a good old blast. Also not forgetting the appearance by the legendary Slipmatt, this venue really is owning the town at the minute and on top current form with bookings.

February also turned sensitive on the 14th and as KY &  The sensitive lovers got more people in to Jacubs ladder than you can clowns into mini's. Keep eyes peeled for special things coming from this band, there not to be missed.

I know what your thinking surely that has to be all February has. But no there is more still to come and trust me when I say the end of the month is looking just as tasty as the rest of it has been.

First up there is this...

Noise Pollution & Skank N Stomp combine to bring *WILD TRIBE* - ED SOLO. Having just about recovered from the tinnitus from last months rugby club antics its about time my ears had a good work out again and im sure yours would appreciate a good pounding by the master himself.

Event page contains all details for tickets, times and dates. https://www.facebook.com/events/904890802854545

 Following this sees the last Friday of the month, which can only mean one thing. BIG TINGS A GWAN again down at Watermans. Same pot different broth. Kick Started Events again bring you the best in breaks. This month Featuring:

The Juicy Music Group

Eightrax

Phibes

Cakeboy 

This event never fails to please. Free entry and continuing to bring some of the best BreakBeat in Cornwall this event is still the best way to finish of any month in Falmouth.