the Incredible Heat Machine at the Replay
Thanks to a happy glance at the local show calendar, I managed to make it out to a surprise ska show tonight down at the Replay. Lincoln, Nebraska’s the Incredible Heat Machine was playing, and after checking out a couple of tracks on MySpace, I headed down to see if they were any good live.
After an awful opening act I won’t name, because they’re young (two college freshmen and an 8th-grader who actually attends the same junior high as my eldest son), the Incredible Heat Machine took the stage. Rather than playing traditional ska with a horn section and whatnot, they went a little more of the mod-ska route, substituting a keyboard for the horn section. The band also featured two female vocalists, lending the band a sound somewhere between the Siren Six! and Dance Hall Crashers. It was fun, and people seemed to be into it, although the majority of the crowd at the bar was out back knocking back beers and smoking. (the Incredible Heat Machine pictures here)
Too bad for them - the band was great, and had tons of energy and stage presence. In a better world, they’d have gotten a show with some great local ska band (the Norman 360 and Ruskabank, you are sadly missed) rather than playing to a bunch of uninterested drunks. Jesus. I hate drunk people.
Going to shows and not drinking is totally fine by me. I’ve gotten used to it, the Replay and Jackpot bartenders are cool with it and hook me up with cheap Diet Coke and coffee (if not free), and I come home with a lot more money at the end of the night.
Seeing bands is just as fun without several cans of Pabst coursing through my system. If anything, I end up enjoying the show more because I remember it and all my pictures come out better.
However, talking with drunk folk is not fun at all when sober. I had at least two people ask me to buy them drinks because “you’re not drinking, so you can spare it.” Fucking mooches. And your conversation isn’t nearly as clever as you think it is, asshat. Ugh. *hides face in hands* I used to be those people.
To everyone who had to deal with me and “my drinking” (especially my wife), I am so fucking sorry. If the threat of pancreatic failure wasn’t enough, repeated trips to the bar sober would be enough to keep me away from booze. As it is, I left early because the drunks were annoying the shit out of me, and probably missed the last few songs of a really good band that could have used the support.
the Incredible Heat Machine - “7 Minutes of Girls“
Glad you liked the show! We had never played the Replay before but it was a great night. I loved the place. All who came out, even if they were drinking and not watching, paid 2 bucks or something small to get in. I talked to the door guy for a while and watched as people who were not showing up for the show chipped in without complaint for our benefit. Maybe its a Lawrence thing… I dont know, but it was pretty cool. A couple bones from everyone adds up and we were paid well and had a good time playing. To be honest, playing to a bunch of people who seem to be more irritated by the noise of a live band than happy to see the show is all remedied by something nice like this write up. Thanks for the kind words!
nick/guitar/tihm