Rockness Recommends
What do Guys from Austin have to be so Angry About Anyway? It's Warm There.
January 20, 2005
By now, the stage antics of Austin's ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead are well known and well loved. It's truly a guilty pleasure to see a band waste their own money (or their label's, anyway) by destroying their nice instruments every night. I doubt I'll ever outgrow seeing a drum kit ripped to shreds before getting hurtled into the crowd at 90mph. And who doesn't love seeing guitars getting a pile-drive?
What's interesting about their now standard show finale is that it's so unnecessary in order to get the audience jacked up. The notes themselves make for musical mayhem -- just hearing the onslaught of schizophrenic noise is enough to produce sweat and blood. But hey, if they're into it, then I'm into it, because I like to see bands have fun out there. Just take it one day at a time, give 100%, and have fun out there, that's what I always say.
There is no "I" in Trail of Dead (besides the one in "Trail"). The band is truly a team effort. Everyone plays everything. Co-leaders of the ruckus, Conrad Keely and Jason Reece, scream equally in between multi-instrumental duties. And boy, are those two boys rambunctious. At a recent show at Irving Plaza, Reece hurled himself into the crowd BEFORE their set even began. Now that's punk rock.
Inevitably at a Trail of Dead show a mosh-pit forms. If Rockness has a wish it's that we'll never, ever, have to see a mosh-pit form again. It's like, "I'm into the music too buddy, but don't hit me. Can't we just share the 'I know the words to this song too' connection without you gettin' all up in my mug?" Sometimes the crowd can be a little jock rock too...but hey, it's not their fault they got picked first in gym class. People who can throw a ball far have feelings too.
This "secret" show at Rothko, celebrating the release of their new record Worlds Apart, will be a rare opportunity to see these guys in a smaller venue. It will be crowded. It will be loud. And it will be a whole lot of fun. And if I catch one of those broken guitars, you can bet I'm ebaying that shit.
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead plays Rothko Friday, January 21st.
No tickets are available. Visit www.trailofdead.com for information on how to get a free pass.
What's interesting about their now standard show finale is that it's so unnecessary in order to get the audience jacked up. The notes themselves make for musical mayhem -- just hearing the onslaught of schizophrenic noise is enough to produce sweat and blood. But hey, if they're into it, then I'm into it, because I like to see bands have fun out there. Just take it one day at a time, give 100%, and have fun out there, that's what I always say.
There is no "I" in Trail of Dead (besides the one in "Trail"). The band is truly a team effort. Everyone plays everything. Co-leaders of the ruckus, Conrad Keely and Jason Reece, scream equally in between multi-instrumental duties. And boy, are those two boys rambunctious. At a recent show at Irving Plaza, Reece hurled himself into the crowd BEFORE their set even began. Now that's punk rock.
Inevitably at a Trail of Dead show a mosh-pit forms. If Rockness has a wish it's that we'll never, ever, have to see a mosh-pit form again. It's like, "I'm into the music too buddy, but don't hit me. Can't we just share the 'I know the words to this song too' connection without you gettin' all up in my mug?" Sometimes the crowd can be a little jock rock too...but hey, it's not their fault they got picked first in gym class. People who can throw a ball far have feelings too.
This "secret" show at Rothko, celebrating the release of their new record Worlds Apart, will be a rare opportunity to see these guys in a smaller venue. It will be crowded. It will be loud. And it will be a whole lot of fun. And if I catch one of those broken guitars, you can bet I'm ebaying that shit.
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead plays Rothko Friday, January 21st.
No tickets are available. Visit www.trailofdead.com for information on how to get a free pass.
