Sunday, December 16, 2007
Happenstance
I went to a really ridiculously cool show last night. The Happenstance, as it was called, is an annual charity event where members of various local bands sign up to be randomly reassigned to a new band of strangers - a singer/frontman, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a 'wildcard' in each - and have the rest of the day to write songs and practice. They each then play a 20 minute set at the Earl, only one cover allowed.
The results were ... fascinating. Some of the groups really got it together, and played some cool music that even sounded more polished than it was. Based on the first group's third song, I'd buy the album. Ditto for the third band's entire set. Others weren't my thing, or didn't mesh as well, but nothing was outright atrocious, so all in all, a good show.
On the downside, I was disappointed that the bands were each allocated all the traditional roles. Why not leave chance to stick some poor sods with four drummers and a klezmerist? That would test everybody's chops, and leave the world open to really bizarre and possibly hilarious results. I also would've liked to see musicians from a wider cast of backgrounds represented - those involved seemed to all come from the indie/rock mold. Throwing a rapper or sad-girl-with-guitar in the mix might've been fun.
Still, a great event. Can we bring this to DC?
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Now playing: DJ Amy Moon - Bass-ic Bi-ology
via FoxyTunes
The results were ... fascinating. Some of the groups really got it together, and played some cool music that even sounded more polished than it was. Based on the first group's third song, I'd buy the album. Ditto for the third band's entire set. Others weren't my thing, or didn't mesh as well, but nothing was outright atrocious, so all in all, a good show.
On the downside, I was disappointed that the bands were each allocated all the traditional roles. Why not leave chance to stick some poor sods with four drummers and a klezmerist? That would test everybody's chops, and leave the world open to really bizarre and possibly hilarious results. I also would've liked to see musicians from a wider cast of backgrounds represented - those involved seemed to all come from the indie/rock mold. Throwing a rapper or sad-girl-with-guitar in the mix might've been fun.
Still, a great event. Can we bring this to DC?
----------------
Now playing: DJ Amy Moon - Bass-ic Bi-ology
via FoxyTunes
Labels: Atlanta, bands, happenstance, ideas, music, random, scene, The Earl
