A little bit at a time...

I don't mind saying, The Derby was dead on Thursday night. Dead, dead, dead.

April 24, and someone had tried to throw together a last-minute Armenian Genocide Commemoration, of which several go down every year, usually to biggish local crowds.

2008, and I didn't have to be there to know the one at The Knitting Factory, put on by Visa and its Greek frontman K'noup, was bangin' compared to the scene at The Derby, which is dead, dead, deader every time I'm there. Including this lackluster latest time.

Nonetheless, theAE -- having disrupted the whole "writing" process to take a show that they (Hamlet) believed promising -- took the stage and, well, rocked.

Played as tightly as I've heard them live, thanks much to beat-keeper Garrett. Sang as boldly and effortlessly as I've heard in a while. Tossed and turned and head banged their half-hour of the night away in style.

And, by the end of the short, six-song set, I'd gotten used to the mini roar emanating from the bar behind me after songs and, when coaxed by Dave, during songs. A drunk, short Kanye-a-like had made it to the front of the stage, and was diggin': "You guys, rock, man. You guys rock." When the last metal note of Red Divine had drifted away, I turned and saw that the starkly empty room that they'd started with was 20 or so heads fuller, a good handful of souls who didn't retreat into the back room, or to the back of the room, but who'd moved toward the stage for a better look, listen, whiff. 

Moments like these.

Enough to make you believe.

 

A New Reader?

Sometimes good stuff is happening so far behind the scenes, even someone who lives behind the scenes can't tell.

But first, the official update from the official updater, Hamlet, as sent out in bulletin form on MySpace:

"Hey guys,

It's been a while since our last show, but rest assured, there'll be plenty of AE gigs and new music coming in '08.

In case you hadn't heard, we parted ways with drummer Art Andranikyan two months ago. It was a mutual decision, and it was for the best for both of us. Like most band splits, "creative differences" was the culprit. Put it this way, Puddle of Mudd and Hed P.E. we weren't going to be (needless to say). We wish Art nothing but the best in his musical future. It was great to share the stage with him for much of 2007.

But just because we haven't played a show since Art's departure in November doesn't mean we haven't been busy. We've been rehearsing and getting ready for some upcoming shows with a talented drummer from Baltimore named Garrett Henritz (check out his previous band Martini Henry: www.myspace.com/martinihenry).Our first show of '08 will be in a few days (Jan. 10) at On the Rox (right above the Roxy in Hollywood). More info on that will come shortly. We also have a couple cool gigs coming in February (at the Viper Room on the 3rd and The Scene Bar in Glendale on the 17th). Again, check our page for more on that.

Until then, have a Happy New Year.

rock on be well peace,

theAE

ps: If you're looking to really keep tabs with us, check out this cool blog at thealchemistelement.blogspot.com. And keep checking back, 'cause that blog (which is not affiliated with us) figures to get more updates than you'll find here (or anywhere else)."

You get that last part? "Cool blog?" That's us, kids!

So anyway, have you ever watched a friend, fresh off a break-up, delve right into something with a new significant other and claim to be "taking it slow" except, except... they rehearse at least three or four times a week, and at all hours of the day.

Or had that friend assure you that all's well, even if there's been no discussion of commitment, which means that new sig other is free to ... play in other bands.

Or seen your friend let this new guy more or less move in... but not pay rent.

After enough of this, it gets to the point, doesn't it, where you want to grab your friend and shake some sense into... the band?

Sometimes though, you keep your mouth shut long enough and it starts to make sense, this business with your friend and the ... might-be new drummer.

You get a report of a text message sent just as 2007 drifted into history, from drummer to singer: "Let's kick ass in '08."

You steal a peek at (and an excerpt from, in this case) a MySpace message from -- dude! -- this drummer's mom, "Garrett is great and very sensible and knows what he wants in life and that is music!!!!!!!!! ... do come East, that way I could hear my son play and the band. ~Stay Cool~ Darlene."

Then you have a look at Mama Garrett's profile and see that she's not only placed the alchemist element in her top 8, but she's uploaded an old video of theirs, a grainy, crappy-sounding recording of theAE killin' it at the Key Club.

Suddenly, you're not so worried about the new drummer.


p.s.

Darlene's message reminded me some of Dave's mom, who's a regular at theAE shows, and who was the first to jump out of her seat and head for the stage when her son once implored those seated in comfortable theatre seats to "make him feel like a fucking rock star!" Damn supportive, though she's told me at least twice, "I didn't teach him to talk like that!"

Dave's Dad shows up a lot of the time, too. The former member of The New Christy Minstrels, a folk band that produced a gold record in their time, dude's evidently good with perspective. After listening to Dave complain once about a drummer's tempo problems, he told his son, "You're no Freddie Mercury." Touche.

Hamlet's parents have proved even tougher, dropping this critical bomb after viewing the video of theAE's first Whisky A Go Go performance: "If this is good, what is bad?" Hamlet, who doesn't have a middle name, but for whom Chin Up would work, didn't flinch, secure that "they just don't get it."

Omar, of course, is Dad. Only his eldest son Anthony has made it out so far, attending a pair of shows, including an early weekday slot at the Roxy. Hard to say what was more fun that night, watching Omar and mates rock out on stage, or watching this little boy try and fail to keep his hands in his pockets before exploding into an all-out, one-person mosh pit.

And now, perhaps, they've got Darlene -- which excites me, because maybe, just maybe, this blog will get a reader other than Hamlet!