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the profits at the varsity
Oct. 1st, 2005 11:20 amConcert last night! This is the point at which I attempt to decipher the notes Dre was scrawling in my notebook all night.
(Dre, as we were leaving: "How ironic would it be if we spent part of the night snarking on the indecipherability of one of the acts, only to not be able to understand our own snark?")
Last night - The Profits at the Varsity Theatre in Dinkytown, along with a local guy by the name of Ari Herstand. First thing to say ... OMG I LOVE THE VARSITY. I want every show to be at the Varsity from now on! It's a larger room than I thought it would be; probably about the size of the Fine Line, maybe a tiny bit bigger. The lighting is great, the decor is great, and they have a ridiculous amount of cool seating - comfy couches, easy chairs, small cocktail tables, and BEDS. They seriously have beds sitting against the walls on the sides, with cushions and everything. Dre and I spent the evening lounging on a bed. Life doesn't get much better than that. I can name about a dozen acts who draw the proper sized crowd that I'd kill to see at the Varsity, Carbon Leaf being at the top of the list. Gah, how much would that rule?
(Aside: their big video screen was playing some old black & white movie about a circus - I recognized the lead actress, but couldn't place her name, but other than her, the actors were midgets and a bunch of typical circus freaks. Does this completely inadequate description ring any bells for anyone? We were curious to find out what it was.)
Anyway ... the music! First, Ari Herstand. Um. Well, I'd like to open with the partial description of his music that you find when looking up his official site on Google:Melodic trumpet, heavy beat boxing, acoustic guitar and soothing vocals. ( ladies and gentlemen, if Justin Timberlake and Jason Mraz had a Jewish love child, he would be Ari Herstand )
None of the preceeding lyrics are made up. In fact, they're not even the way we misheard them last night. They're the actual lyrics, taken from his website.
The thing is, he didn't entirely suck - he's a good guitar player, his melodies were catchy, and he'd have a decent stage presence if he calmed down and stopped acting like he was still playing at frat houses. But, his lyrics? No. Just, no. And he needs to stop playing with his electronic gizmos that layer his voice and instruments over one another. I go to a show to see someone playing their instrument for a whole song, not spend the first five minutes recording one lick, playing it back, then layering another lick, playing it over the first, et cetera. Also, he needs vocal training. He's got good tone, but he'd completely ripped his voice up by the end of his set.
... also, I'm just a bit bitter that a college graduate can claim Nelly as a high school memory. I am so getting old.
The, the Profits, who did not suck at all. :) Tons and tons of fun - they're energetic, their vocals and harmonies are spot on, and they have a nifty stage presence. The only possible complaint I would have with their set is that they, too, succumb to the allure of the white-boy rapping trick. The R. Kelly segue into "Stand By Me" was a lot of fun, but the rap break later on was a bit much.
They win points for on-stage banter, too. Dre transcribed an entire bit - this was the blonde, J.P., is it? "So, this song is for all of you - hey, how many of you are planning on hooking up tonight? How many are planning to hook up with Scott? Yeah, me too ... just, you know, tell him to wrap that shit up because he is DIRTY - he may look all innocent over there, but he's like, a Vietnamese hooker - double bag that shit!" Snort.
Not too much detail here, as I only got a CD of their songs yesterday, so I can't determine one from another yet. They're good stuff, though. The rhythm of their songs is also in the Mraz-vein, and the two-guitar-and-bongos setup is very reminiscent of Guster. If you like either or both of those acts, chances are, you'd like the Profits. Those on my FL who live in or around Madison should definitely check them out sometime! I bought their new CD on the way out, as well as a t-shirt - the girl at the booth was offering both for $20, so score. They said they'd be back here sometime this semester - I'll definitely be there!
(unlocking this post so that Dre can link to it. :))
(Dre, as we were leaving: "How ironic would it be if we spent part of the night snarking on the indecipherability of one of the acts, only to not be able to understand our own snark?")
Last night - The Profits at the Varsity Theatre in Dinkytown, along with a local guy by the name of Ari Herstand. First thing to say ... OMG I LOVE THE VARSITY. I want every show to be at the Varsity from now on! It's a larger room than I thought it would be; probably about the size of the Fine Line, maybe a tiny bit bigger. The lighting is great, the decor is great, and they have a ridiculous amount of cool seating - comfy couches, easy chairs, small cocktail tables, and BEDS. They seriously have beds sitting against the walls on the sides, with cushions and everything. Dre and I spent the evening lounging on a bed. Life doesn't get much better than that. I can name about a dozen acts who draw the proper sized crowd that I'd kill to see at the Varsity, Carbon Leaf being at the top of the list. Gah, how much would that rule?
(Aside: their big video screen was playing some old black & white movie about a circus - I recognized the lead actress, but couldn't place her name, but other than her, the actors were midgets and a bunch of typical circus freaks. Does this completely inadequate description ring any bells for anyone? We were curious to find out what it was.)
Anyway ... the music! First, Ari Herstand. Um. Well, I'd like to open with the partial description of his music that you find when looking up his official site on Google:Melodic trumpet, heavy beat boxing, acoustic guitar and soothing vocals. ( ladies and gentlemen, if Justin Timberlake and Jason Mraz had a Jewish love child, he would be Ari Herstand )
None of the preceeding lyrics are made up. In fact, they're not even the way we misheard them last night. They're the actual lyrics, taken from his website.
The thing is, he didn't entirely suck - he's a good guitar player, his melodies were catchy, and he'd have a decent stage presence if he calmed down and stopped acting like he was still playing at frat houses. But, his lyrics? No. Just, no. And he needs to stop playing with his electronic gizmos that layer his voice and instruments over one another. I go to a show to see someone playing their instrument for a whole song, not spend the first five minutes recording one lick, playing it back, then layering another lick, playing it over the first, et cetera. Also, he needs vocal training. He's got good tone, but he'd completely ripped his voice up by the end of his set.
... also, I'm just a bit bitter that a college graduate can claim Nelly as a high school memory. I am so getting old.
The, the Profits, who did not suck at all. :) Tons and tons of fun - they're energetic, their vocals and harmonies are spot on, and they have a nifty stage presence. The only possible complaint I would have with their set is that they, too, succumb to the allure of the white-boy rapping trick. The R. Kelly segue into "Stand By Me" was a lot of fun, but the rap break later on was a bit much.
They win points for on-stage banter, too. Dre transcribed an entire bit - this was the blonde, J.P., is it? "So, this song is for all of you - hey, how many of you are planning on hooking up tonight? How many are planning to hook up with Scott? Yeah, me too ... just, you know, tell him to wrap that shit up because he is DIRTY - he may look all innocent over there, but he's like, a Vietnamese hooker - double bag that shit!" Snort.
Not too much detail here, as I only got a CD of their songs yesterday, so I can't determine one from another yet. They're good stuff, though. The rhythm of their songs is also in the Mraz-vein, and the two-guitar-and-bongos setup is very reminiscent of Guster. If you like either or both of those acts, chances are, you'd like the Profits. Those on my FL who live in or around Madison should definitely check them out sometime! I bought their new CD on the way out, as well as a t-shirt - the girl at the booth was offering both for $20, so score. They said they'd be back here sometime this semester - I'll definitely be there!
(unlocking this post so that Dre can link to it. :))
