Sam Champion> Rana> Duo/ Gordo> Devo

[zero]

I've been really interested in the whole Slip tour particularly Apollo Sunshine but now I'm listening to a bit more of Sam Champion as well. Been reading the keyboardist (sometime keyboardist) Matt Durant's blog and he also plays steadily with Rana a band I'm fond of and came in contact with through the Ween camp.

He posts some mp3's of songs they're working on and live clips. There's a passable version of Devo's Freedom of Choice with the Duo and Gordon with him singing. It's just an outright rager but it's cool to hear him call out 'come on Duo... come on Gordon'. Some cool stuff about the tour and a variety of cross pollinated New York bands.

[bouche]

I didn't really enjoy Sam Champion. I found it to be loud repetitive surf punk. I didn't think they sucked, I just didn't enjoy that style of music.

What I did enjoy the most though was definately the keyboard player. He had the funniest "Hey hey we're the Monkey's" hairdo and he rocked out with a tambourine when he wasn't on the keys.

They were pretty crampt on the stage and the lead's mic stand got knocked of with the mic crashing to the floor. Without slipping a beat (because I wasn't drunk yet) I rushed over and set his mic and stand back up really quickly while they continued on.

Now...when Apollo Sunshine and eventually the Slip came on, the stage didn't seem all that crampt. Likely because Sam's a 5 piece and everyone else was a 3-piece.

[YearsAlongTheSea]

All I have to say about RANA is: Scott Metzger is the among the nastiest and most talented young musicians around right now.