Ben's Recs: Concert Hangovers

By: Ben Haager, General Manager

Concert hangovers are very real. Much like an alcohol-induced hangover, the physical symptoms (ringing ears, bruises, inability to move your legs, broken glasses from overweight crowd surfers) are rather easy to overcome given time and proper tools. The tougher symptoms are those which begin to consume your everyday life (listening to entire discographies on repeat, watching every music video the band has to offer, scouring the internet for set lists, deciding which photos are worth showing the world). 

The following are a few bands that have induced some of my most inhibiting (yet delightful) concert hangovers of recent memory:

1. Frightened Rabbit 

This band currently consumes me. Frightened Rabbit absolutely one of the tightest sounding bands I have ever seen. Somehow I managed to resist the urge to buy all of the band's LPs at the show (I still bought Sing the Greys there), but that resistance didn't last much longer as I purchased its 2013 effort Pedestrian Verse two days later. These guys must be from some other world, as their lyrical honesty is unprecedented to my ears. Although that world is no fairy tale, it's a world where everyone's lives and relationships are just as shitty (and occasionally wonderful) as the rest of ours.  

2. Nico Vega 

The stage presence of lead singer Aja Volkman is astounding. Seeing that beautiful lady completely lose herself onstage while belting the lyrics to the band's tunes rendered every artist not named Nico Vega useless on my iPod for weeks. She rules. 

3. The Cave Singers

Holy hell, these Washingtonian indie folk rockers are good. Peter Quirk sure knows how to work a stage with his killer dance moves and howling vocals as the band (which now features former Fleet Foxes multi-instrumentalist Morgan Henderson on bass and flute) backs him up with rolling licks and some groovy beats. I certainly can't help but mouth lyrics, bob my head and throw in the occasional hip shake when walking around town with The Cave Singers blaring through my headphones. 

4. Apocalyptica

Four classically trained electric cellists playing Metallica covers and original compositions. 'Nuff said.

5. Buddy Guy 

Buddy is the best guitar player out there. He is 77 years old and still pumping out killer blues albums. When he's on stage, he is ageless as he struts his absurd guitar and vocal abilities. Plainly put, the man has swagger. And I've had the blues everyday since seeing him.

Ben's Recs: BenFest (No Holograms Allowed)

By: Ben Haager, General Manager

During this past week's installment of ACRN's Best Gosh Darn News Show hosted by Chris Dobstaff, Scott Smith and myself, Scott posed the question of what six bands Chris and I would have headline a festival (reuniting bands included). No holograms allowed since they are dumb. In fact, there may be a Disco Demolition-type public destruction of all hologram technology at my festival.

B. B. King and Buddy Guy: Is having two artists as a headliner a way to cheat the six band max? Absolutely. But I don't care. I just wanna see B. B. And Buddy jam together before it is too late. I've already seen Buddy, so B. B. would do just fine on his own. But the two bluesmen on the same stage would be phenomenal. 

Rage Against the Machine: Rage has been performing sporadically over the past couple years, so this is a possibility that I'm definitely willing to entertain. They would be required to play, at the very least, one new track because we all know they have some.

They'll begin with this: 

Violent Femmes: This would be a tough reuniting, since singer Gordon Gano and bassist Brian Ritchie clearly have some issues to work out. But hey, it's not like they're Creedence. And the Pixies have reunited multiple times. 

Soundgarden/Temple of the Dog/Pearl Jam: Soundgarden is back and Pearl Jam really has never left. So this is what is going to happen: Soundgarden is going to play a set. Then Eddie, Stone, Jeff and Mike will reunite with Chris and Matt (that's right, I'm on a first name basis) on stage for some Temple of the Dog songs. Then Chris will leave and Pearl Jam will play. It'll be a re-enactment of the formation of Pearl Jam. Also, Matt Cameron, who drums for all three, might die from exhaustion.

Watch the Throne: Need I say more than Kanye West and Jay-Z? One stipulation: they can not perform “Lift Off.” Although Beyonce will be allowed on stage for visual appeal.  

(Apparently Kanye has decided skirts are in)

Metallica: My brother has seen 'Tallica play and I haven't. That will be fixed. Lou Reed is not allowed within a 100-mile radius of the festival to prevent any Lulu temptations. Also, no St. Anger.