CLUB CHATTER
Love at first strum
There are so many reasons to get into rock ’n’ roll, from the musician side of the equation.
First, let’s hope, is the music itself. Contrary to popular belief, becoming a good rock musician takes discipline, practice, fortitude and some talent. Earning proficiency on your instrument will keep you out of at least some trouble, because you’ll be too busy practicing, rehearsing and working on your hair, to attend every beer blast your friends throw. (It’s much later, after you’ve gotten good and don’t need to practice as much, that the potential for trouble rears its head.)
Then, of course, there’s the whole “revenge fantasy” angle. For every jock who slammed you against your locker in high school, for every “out of your league” girl who snickered at you when you asked her out (“Um, as if!”), for every authority figure who dressed you down publicly — the payback, for the songwriter, is sweet. You’ve got the microphone now, and there’s nothing they can do about it. Heh heh.
Not to be undervalued is the desire to impress members of the opposite sex, to make them fall in love with you through your music. This is incredibly dangerous — is the “you” in your music really you? — but also very romantic. Instead of the handsome prince on a stately steed, you are the well-coiffed pretty boy in skinny jeans with guitar on hip and heart on sleeve. They’ll be lining up to swoon. Or not.
The Summer Set, a deliriously sugar-sweet pop-punk band with a debut album, “Love Like This,” already earning kudos from the likes of Alternative Press and MTV’s Buzzworthy, has taken this idea to a new level. The band’s first single, “Chelsea,” was written by Summer Set singer Brian Dales as a homage to Disney Channel star Chelsea Staub. (“Jonas,” “Bratz”). The band recently performed the song at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, and guess who happened to be in the audience? The song worked its magic, apparently, because Dales and Staub are now dating. It’s like a scene straight out of “Purple Rain.”
The Summer Set is on tour now, testing its mettle opening for Cartel on a countrywide jaunt. Tonight, that bill comes to Xtreme Wheels, 356 Hertel Ave. Doors open at 6 p. m. More information is available at www.xtremewheels.com . I ate the Lotus
Have we entered the golden age of jam bands?
I dunno, but there sure have been some amazing shows around here of late, featuring bands that fit within that rather broad category.
STS9 recently threw its own jam/rave/party inside the Town Ballroom, replete with suitably psychedelic light show and equal parts laptop manipulation and real-time jammin’. Now, Lotus — a group of four musicians whose star is most decidedly on the rise — will bring a blend of improvisation and electronica to the same venue for an 8 p. m. all-ages show tonight.
Tickets for Lotus, with guests Tigersapien, are available at the Town Ballroom box office or through Tickets.com.
Gig Picks
Halloween weekend at Nietzsche’s is always a big deal, and this year is no exception. Tonight starts with a happy-hour set from the Fibs at 6 p. m., followed by Lazlo Hollyfeld and friends at 10
p. m.
On Saturday, the annual Nietzsche’s costume party will be dubbed “Tales from the Stripped,” and will feature performances from the Stripteasers, Professor Bill and Dr. Moody, the Allen Street Jazz Band, Kick Start Rumble and the Stamplickers. The festivities commence at 10 p. m.
Not to be outdone, Mohawk Place is throwing a Halloween party of its own on Saturday, for the Irving Klaws/Rabies bash. The show starts at 8 p. m. Come as you aren’t.
Erin McKeown and Jill Sobule team up for a program of singer-songwriter fare starting at 7 this evening at the 9th Ward, Babeville. Tickets.com and the venue are handling tickets.
Lastly, in case you missed these pages last week, the Whigs return to Buffalo at 8 this very evening. The band will be joined by guests The Dead Trees and the Features inside Mohawk Place.•
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