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The Masters
of the Hemisphere I pretty much went straight to work in the morning from Kate's house. I didn't have any sleep but I was pretty jazzed about the previous night so I wasn't sleepy. After work I went home. I was expecting a phone call telling me that I would have a ride up to Jacksonville. I wanted to go up there really bad. I had two prospects but neither called so I went downtown to Kit Kat Club to see The Masters of the Hemisphere and Essex Green. I was two hours early! But people were already lined up. Vivian, who I hadn't seen since November, was there. I was so happy to see her. Andrew too. The Tallahassee crew was representin'. Who else went.... Josh, Estelle & Steve from Brittle Stars, Rence, that guy who I say hi to but don't know his name and I talked with Steve (Orlando Steve that is) after the show as I was waiting for my ride home. The Plastic Mastery opened. I didn't even know they were added. They are from, um, Iowa City, Iowa. No, really they are from Tallahassee, FL. Serious. They were fun in a Neutral Milk Hotel kind of way. Guitars, violins, trumpets, coronets galore. Nick was jumping all around onstage. It was great. And let me tell you once again that The Masters of the Hemisphere are one of the best bands in the universe. Not to mention they're the cutest boy band around. Half their set was just talking- either funny stories or random comments about anything from eating at Perkins to cursing at the people who said Plastic Mastery sucked. When they play it's like they do a total 180 from silly interludes into confident pop brilliance, perfect harmonies from Bren and Sean and Jeff's kickin' drumming. They did "West Essex", "Lightsat Leader", "Meteor" (my favorite), "Everybody Knows Canada". Gosh, was that a New Order cover they did? It went like "don't tell me about the bird and bees..." it was familiar but I can't place it. It was the most rocking moment of the show. I think they did just one song from the new album, "The New Freemdoom". They ended with a song called "Poison" which was this strange oddball jam with Adrian going through a list of poisons... He'd say thing like "Mayonaise.... is poison" and "Taco Bell.... is poison". Other poisons included were butterfingers, McDonalds. It was a riot. Bren gave me a copy of the first album on vinyl. It's a different mix and it sounds great. I bought a t-shirt before I left. They had nice shirts but maybe not as cool as the ones they made themselves at the Florida Popfest a couple of years ago. I'm sure those are probably being sold on ebay for $80. If you didn't know their new CD is out in stores/mailorder places. You'd be a fool to miss out on it. Check it out on Kindercore Records. By the time NYC's Essex Green came on I was dead tired. I kept wanting to find a booth and take a nap. They did a rockin' show for being really slow and pasture-like pop. Two of the members are also in The Ladybug Transistor. I forgot this and when I was sitting down earlier in the evening I saw Sasa Bell walk by and I was all "whoa. what is she doing here?" Anyway, their songs are pretty. So I get home and what do I do? Go to sleep I hear you say? Nope, I talk to Sharon until after 4 am. Man. Who needs sleep when you are having a good time? |
Photographs and story by Jeffrey Howard. Please don't display them elsewhere. Thanks  [ Sean and Bren: Masters of the Hemisphere ]  [ Plastic Mastery ]  [ Adrian from Masters singing about poison ]  [ Jeff from the Masters ]  [ The Essex Green ] |
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Please don't display them elsewhere. |
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