Matt Mays & El TorpedoClub Cafe
Thursday October 9, 2008
Thursday October 9, 2008
Southside
The concert gods were very good to Pittsburgh on this night. Three killer shows were happening around town and I had to decide which ones to attend (I felt like Sophie with her choice). The bad news is I had to leave the incredible Okkervil River show a half hour early (and totally skip the Old 97's show all together) to catch my boys from Nova Scotia, eh! The good news is it was way worth it. Thankfully, they played second on a late night bill, and I was able to witness every scorching note. Amazingly, only FIVE other people were there as well (I'll boldly take credit for turning on two of said fans to the band). This might be the most criminally sad example of a great band playing to a relatively empty house that I have ever seen (even more so than the four people at the Margot & The Nuclear So & So's show at the same club a couple of years ago). What a bummer because this band is just so good and deserves way more love.
Is there some weird invisible barrier between the U.S. and Canada that
prevents established, popular bands up there to not be known here? We
are only a few scant hours away from our neighbor to the north, but it
might as well be the other side of the globe in some respects. This band
can easily sell out a room like The Byham
(which holds a little over a thousand people) in their home turf, but
nobody shows up here? And try to get their first CD at a show (or online for that matter). It's easier to find a copy of The Beatles 'Butcher' album cover. Free trade agreement me arse.
3 comments:
Wow, 6 people? I wouldn't be able to enjoy the show, I'd feel so bad for the band.
I think my record for fewest at a show is like 22, for Brian VanderArk at Club Cafe.
Yeah, It's sort of a bummer when you are really into the band. My actual record is three (including me and my wife) for One Star Hotel (now The Swimmers)at The Quiet Storm. Bobby Bare Jr.& Dios Malos played to seriously dead rooms when they came as well.
I was there! I was trying to look up the date of this show and came across your post. So disappointing how few people were there (I remember thinking that the band & bar staff together well outnumbered the paying customers) and I bought several copies of Terminal Romance to give to friends. I think late night Thursday shows are tough but that was about as small a crowd as I've seen. The show was still AWESOME and they didn't act like they were playing to only a handful of people.
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