I had a great time last night at Spike Hill!
We started out the night with Xavier Cardriche, a dude I met a few years back in Astoria, when we both used to hit the open mic at the Quays.
Great positive vibe from the guy, who brought it even though he was a band member short due to a scheduling conflict!
Xavier is approximately 9 feet tall, and had broken his guitar strap the night before. The tape job wasn’t holding up, so I loaned him mine, which meant that I spent much of the hour watching the strap strain against his gigantic frame and wondered if they make longer straps for guys like him. Apparently, they do.
After X finished out his set, we were treated to the stylings of Mexico City’s own The Oats, who were promoting their new EP. It’s not available yet, but you can hear and buy the old one on bandcamp.
Their band had that whole Fratellis/Strokes/Franz thing going on, and Williamsburg was in on their deal for sure. I passed their bucket (a KeyFood Oats can with a hole cut out of the top) and, just like with Xavier’s, found great response!
One thing both acts did that I appreciated was stick around. The other, and just as important, was that they got their friends to stick around, too! I got to play to a nice crowded room, and one generous audience member took my bucket around for me at the room’s peak to pay back the karma I had earned by being so forward with the other guys’ buckets.
Last night’s list (what I can remember):
Wonderful Lie
The Game of Us
New York
Peter For Paul
You’re Mine
High and Dry (Radiohead)
Home
Right On
Forgiveness (Patty Griffin)
Astoria
Boy Meets Girl
Please
Jesus, Etc. (Wilco)
Calling You Out
Danny, the soundguy, did an amazing job — according to Ana, the sound really clicked in around song 4 and from then on it was the best sound she’d ever heard come out of me! Danny even tried to grab a few live tracks toward the end, but the room’s condenser mics were patched in through the mains, so he got a little feedback out of the deal. Hopefully, next week we’ll have some new live tracks, though!
If you’re in New York, please come stop by Spike Hill next Tuesday, when I’ll be playing at 11, with support acts Ghandi and Butcher Knives!