Review of our show at Funk n Waffles in Syracuse, NY
Well our first appearance at Funk n Waffles on the SU Hill (near Syracuse campus) almost didn't happen, but then it did, kinda - after having been panned a month ago at Mac's Bad Art Bar by last minute changes, we now found that the other band slated for the show at FNW was cancelling leaving us with the bill. Believe it or not, the Cosmic Elvis Entities' planetary take-over (for the Entities of Elvis' Cosmos) has not stretched to Syracuse as of yet so we didn't expect any riots or anything. We would probably have to cancel as we are beholden to gas prices as much as any other denizen of this country.
Fortunately, having gone to FNW a couple of months before to secure the gig,
I ran into one Phil Smo who works the counter at said establishment. We spoke with kindred enthusiasm regarding playing original music and the possibility of gigging. He gave me a copy of his CD and off I went. I popped the CD into the drive in my car and Zip Zang Pow! I loved it. Offbeat, engaging, hypnotic, masterful moods came flowing from my speakers and I was off to wonder what the future held for this transfer of music and ideas.
Not only is Phil a great songwriter and lyricist, and all around good guy, he also proved himself to be (get ready for these 25 cent words from a Geico commercial) beneficent and magnanimous - he was willing to bring his hard earned efforts at promotion to bear for our good. That is, he guaranteed a crowd that would be there based on his talents, his music, his banners, his friends, his family, he promoted the show at his appearance at the Mezzanite earlier in the week etc. and you know what - he delivered!! He filled the room!
Ok, so it took us one song to clear it. What can we say - we started right in with the psychadelic tones of "Time Traveler" which seemed too much for so many there. They came for Phil and they left with Phil. Actually Phil and his folks stuck around for a few tunes along with the sound man, the cashier, the coffee pot, and a few headbanging rockers who dug the stuff big! We had a few stragglers howl along to the strains of "Lonely Farm", Hoot it up during "Computer Bob and Money Bill" space out to "Softly I Hear", someone was doing the air guitar thing during "Hey Delinah". Our new friend Ahnest! stuck around to enjoy it even as he was writing ideas for new songs.
So it wasn't Madison Square Garden or anything (next year I think), but we played well, the sound was great there (kudos to Adam the owner and Andy B) and we got some love scattered about the place. Thanks to Phil,
we got enough gas money to get home, oh, and he also lent me his guitar strap. We are looking forward to play the place during the college year and with Phil at a festival where folks come for the whole package.
Oh yeah, thanks to the sound man Andy, who put on the "stadium" music after we stopped, I found out about the incredible band Built to Spill - Wow!
I will be posting some cuts from the show on the website soon. I have added some links for all the name-dropping I did this blog - check out "string theory" page.
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