Bison, Slow, and so forth: gigs this weekend

Bison plays the Rickshaw for the 11th anniversary of their debut album Earthbound, tonight! Brad Mackinnon is back on drums for the event (dunno where Matt Wood is, or for that matter, Masa Anzai). I might just pack up my kidney stone and go to the show. If this is the gig Dan And mentioned to me last time Bison played the Rickshaw, they'll have "Wendigo" back in their set. And I haven't heard "Dark Skies Above" in ages. And, you know, I might need me a new Bison shirt, since I keep losing them. Or maybe a Bison hoodie, now that I'm actually wearing hoodies?

You know, I was a hoodie snob for ages - didn't wear them for exactly the same reason I don't wear my baseball caps backwards - and then I got a couple at a thrift store and... holy shit they're comfortable. 

Oh, and Earthbound is being reissued on vinyl. (The CD, pictured above, is out of print and pricy). Hey, lookie, they have their old logo back:

Oh, and those of you who don't have it might want to nab a "vintage" Bison t-shirt which they have reprinted for the gig (see below). James and I had an amusing conversation a couple years ago, on the sidewalk outside the Hindenburg, where I asked him about exactly this shirt and he talked about how much he loved the design and I observed "come on, it looks like something a 14 year old drew on the inside cover of his math textbook,"  or words to that effect. He glowered at me, or raised an eyebrow, or something, but I'm guessing - based on things he's said in past interviews about a friend's awesome "stick and poke" tattoo - that the crudity of design here is exactly why he likes the shirt so much. I mean, this is the guy who wrote "These Are My Dress Clothes," after all. I kinda like the more sophisticated Bison shirts that have emerged since, but it's kinda a fun shirt, I do admit. 

By the way, that's not a reprinted shirt, but an original: this was the first Bison t-shirt I bought, back from before they were signed to Metal Blade, playing the Plaza, back before it was the Venue. Thems were the days. 

Anyhow, there's no Bison interview this time around, but there is a storc mini-interview I did awhile back. And storc singer Luke Meat and I have had some fun interactions on Facebook. I would like to see storc (bandcamp here); if you like spazzy tuneful punk with a side of noise, they're pretty great, and kinda akin to BRASS, who opened for Bison last time they played the Rickshaw. 

I don't know the other opener, Needles // Pins, but am game to check them out. They've been pretty prolific - a few LPs now, several singles, a cassette... maybe I will dig it?

In other news, tonight is also the first night of the (kinda insane) Slow ten-night stand at the Penthouse. They have a whole lot of fun stuff planned, including Aaron Chapman giving a presentation on the history of the venue, on several evenings (see below). Sadly, I won't get to see the Ron Reyes/ Billy Hopeless night, since I'll be working in Surrey, but you basically get to pick your cool opening acts. Me, I wanna see Bruce Wilson (of Tankhog and Sunday Morning, both featuring Slow bassist Stephen Hamm) on Saturday and Heather Haley (of the misspelled Zellots - see here) and Dennis Mills of the Judys (who I still haven't done a single lick of press for), on April 8th. Mike van Eyes is a crazy good piano player, too - as close to Jerry Lee Lewis as I've seen Vancouver produce (seen him with the Trespassers and the Rocket Revellers and loved it both nights). 

Oh, and by the way, this one I did do an interview for. I got some real eye-opening stuff from Tom Anselmi for the Straight website. Didja know where the title of Against the Glass came from? You will never, if you don't already know, be able to guess. 

I dunno if I will make it out to the see "the jug band of the damned," the Creaking Planks, on April 1st at the WISE, with Aaron J. Shay of Seattle (event page here). I know for sure I won't be seeing Jeff Andrew at the WISE Lounge, because I work on the 4th (though anyone who came to my Suburbia event and enjoyed his songs a couple weeks ago should check him out doing a full set). 

There are probably a billion other bands that are worth seeing this week. I probably won't be writing about them. But I might go see a couple of gigs this weekend, for a change. I mean - I'm sick, not dead. If you see me, try not to jostle me, okay?