on tour with deny it
MRR #322 MARCH 2010
As far as I'm concerned, getting to go on tour is the highest privilege in the world. After my last band ended, I walked away from it feeling so extremely lucky, like I never thought I would have the chance in my lifetime to go to Europe for free, meet my heroes and experience that positive exchange that happens with people who are moved by the music you play for them. My experiences touring with that band were so magical and unexpected that after it was all over, I couldn't help but feel extremely satisfied and accomplished--like, "I can die happy now. I've done more than I ever set out to do." Getting a second chance to go on tour with my new band, Deny It, felt like yet another dream come true.
Takiaya who plays sax in Deny It travels most of the year, but she told me & Candice that she'd be back in New Orleans during November and December to work on band stuff. As soon as she got back to town, we practiced as much as possible, recorded a 5-song cassette and set off in my 1990 Honda Civic hatchback named Perl on a tiny little tour that took us to Austin, Houston, back through Nola, and then to Pensacola, Florida.
I set up the shows in Austin and New Orleans. For Austin, I got in touch with Mutating Meltdown who helped us get on a show at Trailer Space Records. This band called Metal Bunnies opened for us. Two boys in weird costumes playing instruments and three girls singing songs in unison about weed and getting their pussies licked. It seemed like the sort of band born out of friend hangouts and inside jokes, and I think I heard that the members were all teenagers. The multiple girl singer & minimal music thing reminded me of Delta 5 (even though they sound nothing like them) and it was refreshing to walk in and see a different kind of band setup. I feel like punks don't experiment nearly enough anymore. Three singers singing in unison sounds good! Dare to be different; try something new! We had also asked this band from Monterrey, NL, Mexico called XYX to play that show with us, but one of the members couldn't get time off from work. Booo! Also, when we got there, Mutating Meltdown said they couldn't play cuz their keyboard player, Chad, was sick, but then after we played, they decided to go for it anyway, with a friend filling in on keyboards. Mutating Meltdown put out my favorite 7" this year and I am so inspired by Veronica and Erin who have been in one solid band after another: The Carrots, Finally Punk and now Mutating Meltdown. Erin also plays bass in a two-piece called Hatchet Wound, and I just found out that Veronica is the one who makes all those cute matching outfits for the Carrots. Is there anything those ladies can't do?
I'm not gonna say "Fuck Houston" even though I really want to because I feel like there's gotta be some kindred souls hiding out somewhere in that city. First of all, I know no one in that city personally which makes setting up a good show kinda difficult. Candice got us on some benefit show at The Mink. This dude Jacob that set up the show told her that we'd be going on last and that we were the only outta town band on the show. Already, it sounded fishy to me. Even though setting up a good show for a touring band should be common sense, it just isn't. I would never put a touring band last unless they're a well-known band that everyone already knows about and loves. Duh. Anyway, we spent the entire night watching dude band after dude band (literally 10 bands and not a single woman in one of them! How is that even possible?) We were supposed to go on at 12:30am but everything was running behind. 2am arrived, the Pavement cover band called Davement brought the house down, we still hadn't gone on, and Jacob told us we had no time to play. Booooo on you, Houston. We sat thru DudeFest 2009 for nothing. Houston was the only show my old band played on a two-month tour where no one showed up. And hey, wasn't that letter-writer who called me racist a couple issues ago also from Houston? What's the fuckin deal?? I do think that Houston can be redeemed. Plus, it was cool seeing so many Latin kids in bands. Up the brown punks! If you're in Houston and you think you can help us out with a different experience, please e-mail me! Positives from Houston: 1. Hip-hop duo, Blackie, that used Black Flag sample "Gimme Gimme Gimmee!!", 2. meeting Sean Padilla of the Cocker Spaniels, 3. Getting out of all-lady lala land and realizing how important & necessary girl/queer punk shows are, 4. Realizing that even though we had a shitty experience, there was nothing else I'd rather be doing with my time. 5. Deeelicious Vietnamese tofu sandwiches for $2.50.
Next day, back home to New Orleans. Another No More Fiction event! It probably wasn't the best idea to play a show that you're putting on while yr on tour because you get there and you can't just like hang out and let things happen, you have to make things happen. Set up the PA! Make sure someone's at the door collecting dollars! Run back to the practice space and get more mic stands! It was hectic but fun. Ixnay, all-girl folk-pop trio, opened up the night. Kicktease from Baton Rouge was second up. I've written about them before. Adee calls them black Black Flag, and they're getting a better & better crowd in New Orleans each time they play. Deny It played to a very sweet & appreciative audience, and it was Brice's 34th birthday! After ALL THESE YEARS (hahaha) he's still doing his part keeping Nowe Miasto warehouse going and putting out records for his friend's bands. Also I'd like to claim that I put on the blackest punk show in the country, with a whopping four black musicians participating--and all women!
Pensacola really delivered. We had our show at this house called 309 that's been a punk house for like 20 years or maybe even longer. I've known so many punks from Pensacola over the years, and for whatever reason, that scene produces some particularly bad ass women. Kelsey, who lives at 309, set up our show for us and I feel like she totally tapped into the spirit of diy punk rock feminism and made some amazing shit happened. First of all, she started a band with her friend Lara called Feral Pride so that she could play with our band. I know that everytime a group of girls gets together to play music, someone cries out "riot girl!" but I swear this time it's true! They switched off on drums (just toms and snare, no kick) & guitar. All the parts were super simple and their attitude was fearless. Kelsey doesn't seem to have a shy bone in her body. They sang their songs together (let there be a new trend of unison singing!) "Girl, yr hair's so soft/Why'd you go and cut it off?" The first band that played was also stellar. They were called Solanas Judgend, that also formed to play our show. They started off with a sound sample from my favorite movie, BORN IN FLAMES. It was the part where Zella Wiley, played by Florynce Kennedy, is amping the Women's Army up to take arms & start a revolution. She says something like "You've got to have the right time and the right place and I'm beginning to think that THIS IS IT!" and at that very moment, screaming staticy vocals and noisy guitar took over the room. Somewhere in the middle of their set, which was about 6 minutes long, the guitarist starts reading aloud from the SCUM manifesto. I know this sounds like something I would dream up, but I swear it actually happened. Can't wait to make it back there to play with those bands again. Pensacola, keep up the good work!
Thanks to Veronica, Erin, Trailer Space Records, Kelsey, 309, everyone who came to our shows and even Jacob for an amazing and eye-opening tour experience!
Houstonites, get in touch:
No More Fiction Shows: nomorefiction@gmail.com
Deny It: www.myspace.com/denitynola
 |
| Takiaya, sax player in Deny It |
Takiaya who plays sax in Deny It travels most of the year, but she told me & Candice that she'd be back in New Orleans during November and December to work on band stuff. As soon as she got back to town, we practiced as much as possible, recorded a 5-song cassette and set off in my 1990 Honda Civic hatchback named Perl on a tiny little tour that took us to Austin, Houston, back through Nola, and then to Pensacola, Florida.
I set up the shows in Austin and New Orleans. For Austin, I got in touch with Mutating Meltdown who helped us get on a show at Trailer Space Records. This band called Metal Bunnies opened for us. Two boys in weird costumes playing instruments and three girls singing songs in unison about weed and getting their pussies licked. It seemed like the sort of band born out of friend hangouts and inside jokes, and I think I heard that the members were all teenagers. The multiple girl singer & minimal music thing reminded me of Delta 5 (even though they sound nothing like them) and it was refreshing to walk in and see a different kind of band setup. I feel like punks don't experiment nearly enough anymore. Three singers singing in unison sounds good! Dare to be different; try something new! We had also asked this band from Monterrey, NL, Mexico called XYX to play that show with us, but one of the members couldn't get time off from work. Booo! Also, when we got there, Mutating Meltdown said they couldn't play cuz their keyboard player, Chad, was sick, but then after we played, they decided to go for it anyway, with a friend filling in on keyboards. Mutating Meltdown put out my favorite 7" this year and I am so inspired by Veronica and Erin who have been in one solid band after another: The Carrots, Finally Punk and now Mutating Meltdown. Erin also plays bass in a two-piece called Hatchet Wound, and I just found out that Veronica is the one who makes all those cute matching outfits for the Carrots. Is there anything those ladies can't do?
I'm not gonna say "Fuck Houston" even though I really want to because I feel like there's gotta be some kindred souls hiding out somewhere in that city. First of all, I know no one in that city personally which makes setting up a good show kinda difficult. Candice got us on some benefit show at The Mink. This dude Jacob that set up the show told her that we'd be going on last and that we were the only outta town band on the show. Already, it sounded fishy to me. Even though setting up a good show for a touring band should be common sense, it just isn't. I would never put a touring band last unless they're a well-known band that everyone already knows about and loves. Duh. Anyway, we spent the entire night watching dude band after dude band (literally 10 bands and not a single woman in one of them! How is that even possible?) We were supposed to go on at 12:30am but everything was running behind. 2am arrived, the Pavement cover band called Davement brought the house down, we still hadn't gone on, and Jacob told us we had no time to play. Booooo on you, Houston. We sat thru DudeFest 2009 for nothing. Houston was the only show my old band played on a two-month tour where no one showed up. And hey, wasn't that letter-writer who called me racist a couple issues ago also from Houston? What's the fuckin deal?? I do think that Houston can be redeemed. Plus, it was cool seeing so many Latin kids in bands. Up the brown punks! If you're in Houston and you think you can help us out with a different experience, please e-mail me! Positives from Houston: 1. Hip-hop duo, Blackie, that used Black Flag sample "Gimme Gimme Gimmee!!", 2. meeting Sean Padilla of the Cocker Spaniels, 3. Getting out of all-lady lala land and realizing how important & necessary girl/queer punk shows are, 4. Realizing that even though we had a shitty experience, there was nothing else I'd rather be doing with my time. 5. Deeelicious Vietnamese tofu sandwiches for $2.50.
Next day, back home to New Orleans. Another No More Fiction event! It probably wasn't the best idea to play a show that you're putting on while yr on tour because you get there and you can't just like hang out and let things happen, you have to make things happen. Set up the PA! Make sure someone's at the door collecting dollars! Run back to the practice space and get more mic stands! It was hectic but fun. Ixnay, all-girl folk-pop trio, opened up the night. Kicktease from Baton Rouge was second up. I've written about them before. Adee calls them black Black Flag, and they're getting a better & better crowd in New Orleans each time they play. Deny It played to a very sweet & appreciative audience, and it was Brice's 34th birthday! After ALL THESE YEARS (hahaha) he's still doing his part keeping Nowe Miasto warehouse going and putting out records for his friend's bands. Also I'd like to claim that I put on the blackest punk show in the country, with a whopping four black musicians participating--and all women!
Pensacola really delivered. We had our show at this house called 309 that's been a punk house for like 20 years or maybe even longer. I've known so many punks from Pensacola over the years, and for whatever reason, that scene produces some particularly bad ass women. Kelsey, who lives at 309, set up our show for us and I feel like she totally tapped into the spirit of diy punk rock feminism and made some amazing shit happened. First of all, she started a band with her friend Lara called Feral Pride so that she could play with our band. I know that everytime a group of girls gets together to play music, someone cries out "riot girl!" but I swear this time it's true! They switched off on drums (just toms and snare, no kick) & guitar. All the parts were super simple and their attitude was fearless. Kelsey doesn't seem to have a shy bone in her body. They sang their songs together (let there be a new trend of unison singing!) "Girl, yr hair's so soft/Why'd you go and cut it off?" The first band that played was also stellar. They were called Solanas Judgend, that also formed to play our show. They started off with a sound sample from my favorite movie, BORN IN FLAMES. It was the part where Zella Wiley, played by Florynce Kennedy, is amping the Women's Army up to take arms & start a revolution. She says something like "You've got to have the right time and the right place and I'm beginning to think that THIS IS IT!" and at that very moment, screaming staticy vocals and noisy guitar took over the room. Somewhere in the middle of their set, which was about 6 minutes long, the guitarist starts reading aloud from the SCUM manifesto. I know this sounds like something I would dream up, but I swear it actually happened. Can't wait to make it back there to play with those bands again. Pensacola, keep up the good work!
Thanks to Veronica, Erin, Trailer Space Records, Kelsey, 309, everyone who came to our shows and even Jacob for an amazing and eye-opening tour experience!
Houstonites, get in touch:
No More Fiction Shows: nomorefiction@gmail.com
Deny It: www.myspace.com/denitynola
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