Not my friend’s half-drunk dad.
“Don’t blow off a finger or put an eye out or anything…”
That’s the advice my friend’s half-drunk dad gave us as he handed over a stained cardboard box filled with ages-old bottle rockets, blooming flowers, black cats, and Roman candles. We nodded our 10 year-old heads way too fast and ran off with the loot.
We finally figured out how to use a lighter after 5 minutes of jacking with it and lit up two crumbly punks. Did we blow a finger off or put out an eye or anything? No. But only due to dumb luck. We did, however, terrorize motorists, the neighborhood cats, and the old lady across the street.
Be safe out there people…
Thursday, July 4th
Fourth of July at the Replay in Lawrence
Obviously, Lawrence indie-folksters Fourth of July would have to play a gig on the actual 4th of July. Otherwise the world would explode. The longtime Lawrence band has been playing this show for years now, and its become somewhat of a tradition for the hipster crowd. I’m told that the band is planning to play its breakthrough album, On the Plains, from front to back. Plus the PBR will be flowing like wine and the tight jorts will be out in full effect. And I’m sure you can pick up a copy of the group’s latest release, Empty Moon, which follows right in the footsteps of their previous efforts, telling tales of lost love and drinking in the Midwest. Count on it.
Tuesday, July 9th
Steve Earle at Crossroads KC
One of the best and most important songwriters in a generation, Steve Earle still delivers a more than solid live show. For this gig he brings along his touring band, the Dukes, fresh off the release of this year’s The Low Highway, a record that is classic Earle. Rolling Stone‘s Jody Rosen had this to say:
“The Low Highway doesn’t always fulfill his ambitions; the title track aims for a Guthrie-esque grandeur it doesn’t reach. But there’s no arguing with Earle’s singing, or sharp, often beautiful, songwriting, which stretches from a love letter to a child (“Remember Me”) to “Burnin’ It Down,” a tale of a small-town guy who dreams of torching the local Walmart.”
Always love the 4th of July shows. Just straight-ahead pop songs that don’t take themselves too seriously even when the subject matter is. The new album, Empty Moon, is probably my least favorite of theirs, however, it is also the least listened to so far. Colorado is a great song on Empty Moon. I’m glad to hear they are going to play On the Plains all the way through.