Plush Recap

The Lower Than Angels show at Plush Cafe in downtown Fullerton went well last Wednesday night. We had a good crowd out to see us, Ryan Webster's band, and a couple of rock bands from Biola University.

It was a bit tough because it was the first time all five band members had been in the same room at the same time. About an hour before the gig I sat down with Bob Hartry and went over his parts so he could remember them (it had been a couple months since he had last played with us). Unfortunately, we have some pretty complex arrangements and it's not that easy just to jump in. So, that was a bit stressful.

Also, it was my brother-in-law Mike Harrison's first gig with us. Mike did a great job and sang his parts well, too. So, that was fun. I know he was pretty stressed out about it, not wanting to screw up. Mike asked how I thought the gig went and I characterized it as "uptight." Because it was Mike's first gig and Bobby's first in a couple of months, I think there was a lot of anxiety about not screwing up parts. So, there were very few times when it felt like the band relaxed.

I also realized that it is difficult to fit LTA's big sound into such a small venue as Plush Cafe. Three guitarists doing intricate parts, loops, and atmospherics, as well as two- and three-part harmonies create a pretty crowded sound palette. We'll probably continue to do those gigs because they are fun and local. But, I hope to branch out to some other venues soon.

Oh, and I asked one of the band members of another band (who will remain anonymous) to take some photographs, but 99% of them turned out horribly. So, unfortunately, we don't have any good photos of the night (I may post one of them later).