I wasn't going to go to the North Park Music Thing. But after a couple beers that afternoon at Blind Lady Ale House, I happened to pick up a schedule and see that there was a shuttle service between the clubs and a stop just a few blocks away. Even through my IPA-colored glasses, I could easily envision a schedule that would include some bands I know, some I don't, and all at three clubs I've never stepped foot in. Heather was willing to drive home and pick me up when I was done, so I could actually have a night where I didn't have to watch my alcohol intake!

MutantSpaceBoy was opening up at the AC Lounge.



It's really dark in there, but seems like a hip club, although not primarily a live music venue. Since it wasn't even 8pm, it was basically empty, but I can imagine it fills up easily. Tricky lighting would be the theme for the night.



Gabriel Sundy leads the band from the sax, but it's really a collaborative improvisation group with four major talents from the jazz world. They play some twisted lines that weave through each other.



They're nominated for an SDMA, so go vote for them!

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Next stop, U31 for Boyscout. Another venue I've never been to.



They had some strobe lights going which got me a little dizzy while shooting them. Just as I was wishing that the strobes would die, half the back wall fell on Justin, almost making my wish come true.



A stage malfunction can't hurt Justin, it will only make him angry. Although if there's any band that could survive minus one drummer, I guess this is the perfect band.







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I got to Bar Pink just in time to see Tape Deck Mountain's last song.



I really would have liked to hear more from them, and I'm glad I had a chance to hear enough to put them on my radar.



Those aren't snowflakes, they're red and green laser pointers. I felt like I was being targeted by a thousand snipers. I don't know why I've never been to Bar Pink before, but it always seemed to me that Thursday nights were the good show nights here, which is usually a couch potato night for me. I mentioned to Rosey that it was my first time here during the show, and she gave me a funny look. I think I lost some street cred with her, ha!



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I got to chatting with Dan from Modern Rifles and he said that he was friends with the next band, Lights On. I stuck around to check them out.





Not really my kinda music, but it sounded like 80s pop, if you're into that sort of thing. I recognized Andrew the guitarist as the guy from the now-defunct Cape May, a band that my old band shared the stage with a few times about 4 years ago or so. I'm always surprised how small a world it is.



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Then back to U31 for Apes of Wrath who had more crazy lights going.



The best group shot I have of them is where they're mostly shadows. It was tough to get good shots since the projector had rapidly moving bands of color. If I was epileptic, I would have been in the hospital by this point in the night.





I've shot them before, and you all know and love Apes of Wrath, so no need to talk about the music. Always a fun show when they play. They kept switching instruments too, which I don't think I've seen before.





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I ran back to Bar Pink to try to catch the end of Get Back Loretta's set, and just made it for their last song. I wasn't able to get to the front of the stage by the time they were done, but I did get there during the set change for El Ten Eleven.



I wonder if they know that if you spell their name with lower case letters and numbers and as short as possible, it's a visual palindrome- l1011.



It's a duo making really catchy dance music. The bass player, Kristian Dunn, used to play in Inch, one of my favorite bands from my college days.



He plays a fretless bass and a dual guitar/bass. He loops lines, taps, uses effects, and plays super fun melodies over his own basslines. This was the highlight of my night.



Again, the bad lighting made it tough to get a proper group shot, but seeing this bass player in action from a foot away was awe-inspiring enough for a whole band.







During one of the last songs the drummer came up and drummed the beats of the song on the bass side of the monster guitar/bass.





I'll be sure to see them again next time they come down from L.A.

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By this time I was ready to go home, but since I was so close, I ran back to U31 to see Transfer for only my second time.



Here's another band that my ten readers probably know better than I do, so no need to say what they sound like either. Rabid fans for these guys, as evidenced by the absolutely packed, sweaty room.



It was late, I was tired, and now I have to deal with more flashing spotlights? I only ended up with 9 shots, all the same, so I put the camera away after a couple songs and just enjoyed the show.



All in all, a fun night with some great music. Maybe next year I'll try for a press pass.