Alley Cats n’ Athens
A little more activity since we last talked, we played some of our last gigs we had booked for the year. Before we started this blog the Sammies had been playing all summer, every week, for three to four months straight, and weren’t necessarily taking it easy before then either. Although I love to play, for a band our size, it keeps you from doing other work, writing new songs, taking care of band business, etc. You are always preparing for the next shows, gotta be ready. We refuse to venture out unprepared, and are quite hard on ourselves if we feel we play sub-par. So, we end up practicing all of the time, gearing up for shows. Now, we only have one more show booked
A little more activity since we last talked, we played some of our last gigs we had booked for the year. Before we started this blog the Sammies had been playing all summer, every week, for three to four months straight, and weren’t necessarily taking it easy before then either. Although I love to play, for a band our size, it keeps you from doing other work, writing new songs, taking care of band business, etc. You are always preparing for the next shows, gotta be ready. We refuse to venture out unprepared, and are quite hard on ourselves if we feel we play sub-par. So, we end up practicing all of the time, gearing up for shows. Now, we only have one more show booked
(w/ Black Lips!), and it’s in Charlotte, maybe 15 minutes from the house (Neighborhood Theater), door to door, piece of cake. We will book more shows for next year, but are kinda chilling right now. Everyone deserves some rest, I suggest everyone who reads this take a load off!
We finally have some dates in the studio so we can finish the 2nd album. We really appreciate Mitch Easter and all at Fidelitorium, like Morgan, for working us in. The second album has been a project, and because we were playing so often it made it hard to record. We would record for a day or two, have to take off that night, play a show somewhere, drive back, and get back into recording mode for the final day or so. We did that for a couple of weeks the past 2-3 months and still aren’t done. Personally I could spend another year going over and over the songs, but we just can’t, no point, you could do it forever. Whatever, I have my fingers crossed we will finish this time, and I’m not going to worry about it anyway. I could talk for days about recording, and even just this album, but I will save it for another time.
Alright, so we played a weekday show last Wednesday at Alley Cats; a relatively new club in uptown Charlotte. I must say the place is nice, and our old friend who used to run the Steeple is in charge, so it’s good to see him again, and doing well. We played with our boys
We finally have some dates in the studio so we can finish the 2nd album. We really appreciate Mitch Easter and all at Fidelitorium, like Morgan, for working us in. The second album has been a project, and because we were playing so often it made it hard to record. We would record for a day or two, have to take off that night, play a show somewhere, drive back, and get back into recording mode for the final day or so. We did that for a couple of weeks the past 2-3 months and still aren’t done. Personally I could spend another year going over and over the songs, but we just can’t, no point, you could do it forever. Whatever, I have my fingers crossed we will finish this time, and I’m not going to worry about it anyway. I could talk for days about recording, and even just this album, but I will save it for another time.
Alright, so we played a weekday show last Wednesday at Alley Cats; a relatively new club in uptown Charlotte. I must say the place is nice, and our old friend who used to run the Steeple is in charge, so it’s good to see him again, and doing well. We played with our boys
Chocha Loca, check em out, it is music made for Guitar Hero! Plus, our old friend Jason plays in the band; he also just fixed my guitar. Be-he-he-he-ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The night was good, Carolina and Davidson were playing basketball right next door at the Bobcats Arena, so uptown was lively for a weekday. Freedom’s amp started acting up near the end, but luckily I play through two amps, so I afforded him one to finish the set. It was a good warm up for our show Friday night in Athens.
The Sammies and Athens have always been lovers. We met a young band from there, called
the Whigs, when we were first starting out ourselves, so we would go down there, play shows with them, and just hang out. We even played at their house several times till early in the morning, along with another then young band, MGMT. The Pizza Hut house saw some good times for sure. The freaking floor caved in at one party! So, for as long as we have been a band, we have played in Athens regularly and always enjoy a trip down there.
We played at Tasty World last Friday night, where we have played often. Murphy and crew are always super nice to us. Also playing with the Sammies that night was
We played at Tasty World last Friday night, where we have played often. Murphy and crew are always super nice to us. Also playing with the Sammies that night was
Minor Kings and Up With the Joneses. UWJ were a pleasant surprise, just like De Novo Dahl was last time we played Tasty World. They had energy and some good songs. Minor Kings also played well, and the definite highlight was Alex climbing the “I” beam by the stage to the top and then swinging across the crowd. It makes me wish I didn’t play guitar sometimes. We had some friends come out, such as the Pendletons, great to see them, and they just got a nice write up in Rolling Stone, congrats! Our friend Butch let us crash at his house, much obliged, much obliged! And as always, there was a small contingent of people with NC ties that came out to support us, thanks to all of you! The night ended at Butch’s house, where we acted like complete pansies and passed out, but not before checking out aquarium city! Butch breeds these rare African fish, and man, it’s some operation, pretty freaking cool actually.
Hold it down, eat lots of turkey, and slap someone in your family because you love them!!!
