On Feburary 7th, the day after the Decadent Cabaret, I was looking for the web site of the band, No Loving Place.  I wanted to determine their next show because I wanted to be there.  Back then, the middle of May was a long ways away.  The Decadent Cabaret show only gave me a very small taste of something I wanted more of.  I had to wait until last night to fulfill that taste.  And, even then, I didn't get what I expected.  Because, it wasn't No Loving Place. And, it wasn't loud, roaring, pounding screaming that took the stage.  It was Sons of Banner.

At some point in the last couple of months there was a schedule change.  The band at the Mousetrap was Sons of Banner, a subset, two guitar players and a singer of the band No Loving Place.   The music they played was primarily acoustic covers of heavy metal songs along with a few originals at the end.    Now I'm a big fan of the Five Finger Death Punch, Bleeding (acoustic version), video on You Tube.   Where it is shot at a Best Buy store.   So, when I heard it was going to be an acoustic show, I think my anticipation level might have even gone up.

The two videos I captured don't do the band justice.  My timing was off, (I'll get back to that later), and I just didn't have the camera rolling on the songs I really liked.  And then, after a couple of songs of, kicking myself for not grabbing *this* one, I just decided screw you guys, I was there for the show.   It was really too good to be distracted with a camera.  There were several better songs but I really wasn't there to video all night, I was there for a good time.

Most of the show was covers.  For instance Tool, Stink Fist, which I caught on video.  A song I really like in its original form, they did a great cover of it. I think this was the best of the videos I got.  Being there, I liked it a lot.  What I really like about this whole "acoustic-metal" thing, is this churning, seething, undercurrent of energy.  Because I know the loud-wild version, I know where the song can go.  I know where lead singer, Tony Stamm could take it if he wanted.  Acoustic-metal is all about the tease.  And, I love a good tease.

On guitars there was Eric Giardina and Rick St.Germaine.  Both, outstanding guitarists.  Particularly Eric.    There were several extremely well played solos.  Again, they were able to play just at the right level where you could imagine, but *just* imagine the screaming guitars of the original.

So, final word, great show!  I would very much like to see either of these two configurations of this band again.  Can I recommend them to you?  I don't know.  The music really wasn't for everyone.  I loved it.  The Wife loved it.  Our friend Annie and her sister, who were with us, hated it.  They thought every song sounded the same.  And, Annie had liked the No Loving Place configuration just fine when she saw them with us at Decadent Cabaret.   So, your mileage may vary.

Also on stage after Sons of Banner, the band Procrastinators.  A two piece band made up of local singer Adrian Klenz on vocals and Matt Florence.  The theme of the band, if you want to call it a theme, is songs they learn the morning of the show.  They were hit and miss, just as you would expect.   It was an entertaining show.  When they were good, they were really good.  I was glad I hung out for it.  No video clip of the Procrastinators.  I was testing out a new video camera and that test was a fail.

 

	Sons of Banner sing Tool's song Stink Fist
	Sons of Banner with an original piece.
	Sons of Banner sing the Black Sabbath song, Planet Caravan

 

Other news, a new addition to the calendar, Snifter + Megafaun at House of Rock at 8pm on Wednesday June 16th.  A can't miss event.  And, a reminder a benefit for "Magic" Deb Klossner, bass player for Howard Luedtke and Blue Max, at Poo's, Sunday June 13th.  Music starts at 11am.  Lots of bands.  It should be a fun day.

Oh, and then god…  Something I have never done before in a bar.  Just after we got there, the music had just started.  I tucked my Miller High Life under my arm, and tried to hit the right buttons to set my camera to shoot video.  This was my first beer.  Stone cold sober.  My arm leans, my beer tips and I dump most of my freshly opened beer onto the sleeve of the woman next to me.  I have never spilled on someone I don't know.   …plenty of times on the people I do.

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