Hot Hands, North Korea, 1991, The Genuine Immitations, Sam Metro and the Sexuals, Magic and the Johnsons, Colitius. |
This is the story of the show that wasn't meant to be. Originally, there was to be a birthday show for Preston, singer and guitarist from band North Korea, at a house on Marks Street. I had booked two bands Saucy Yoda and Mythological Horses (both from Oregon) to play. I wanted to see both bands so I was doing some extra promotions. Things first started going wrong when the day before the show the show was canceled. Evidently there was some drama....... I wanted to move the show but I had no time whatsoever to take such an undertaking. I wanted to hop onto a show already booked at Uncle Lou's but things were so up in the air I had to tell the Oregon bands not to come to Orlando. No bueno. The next day I worked until almost 5pm and then I learned that the bands had moved the show to Birdie's house in Winter Park. So we headed over to Birdie's house to get ready for the show. There was no telling if anyone was even going to come because no information was out about it. The show at Uncle Lou's fell apart and the touring band on that show came over to the house. More people began showing up so it seemed like the party was getting started. The touring band, The Genuine Imitations, came from White Plains New York. They were a fun friendly punk band that had some cool pop tunes somewhere along the lines of Big Boys and Gang of Four. Next was Sam Metro's new band called Sam Metro and the Sexuals where Sam plugged in electric with a drummer and a mandolin player. It was loud indiepop which is a nice change. Then 1991 rocked the house. They are a guitar-drums two piece made up of of Dylan and Kevin. I think they are trying to be a noisy pre-grunge band. They miss the mark a little. They need to pick up some KARP and Red Kross records. Then North Korea played. I must say they've grown so much as a band so much they may be the new shining stars of underground Orlando. Their early shows were really messy and directionless. Within a few months they now come across as confident. Good gothic pop songs with a dark edge. Kristin and I were to play last. We were completely set up when people ran inside and said the cops were outside. The show was shut down. I swear we have the worst luck. It's been the second time in a couple of months where we were shut down. The first was at Black Box Collective but *sigh* that's a story for another time. The boys from 1991 made it up to us by offering to add us to their other show the following week at Stardust with North Korea, Sam Metro and Colitus. Wow - the same bands! We said yes and hoped we would have better luck. It wasn't going to happen. I've had my dealings with Stardust before. I learned by lesson the hard way. I will never book a show there ever but I'll play there as long as someone else deals with the people there. We arrived early and set up immediately. I want to play music- not get shut down! We didn't play first-- Sam Metro (now under the name Magic and the Johnsons) did. Sam had a little amp but it must have been too loud. One of the employees ran onstage and put a blanket over the back door that is in the back of the stage. We did play next. Now granted, one of the concepts about Hot Hands is to be loud and noisy as possible. But this night we weren't really in the mood. Probably because this night was going to be the coolest night in Orlando this year. Believe me it was cold (it would be in the 20's). I knew the PA wasn't very loud so I kept my amp down. We played maybe only five or six songs. We were done, loaded up the van and I came back to watch Colitus- a new band- that had all kinds of instruments including omnichord, clarinet among others. It was fun. Kristin and I ended up having to leave early but within minutes of us leaving the show was shut down by Stardust. Colitus didn't get to finish. 1991 didn't get to play. North Korea either. There was a lot of people there, too. It seems we all got noise complaint calls. You've got to be kidding! They have bands all the time (hell, Averkiou played there). Whatever Stardust! Way to go! Photos:
Yes, I know -- no pictures of Hot Hands. NO ONE EVER TAKES PICTURES OF US. True. Except for Dan Maguire. Gotta love him for it. Videos:
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