"i 'M NOT GONNA TALK ALL DAY , BUT , I WANT YA TO GET THE FEELIN'..."James Brown.
In recent years , I passed on some gigs that were so rare , they should'nt have happened. Mainly because I did'nt feel like taking the train and bus(es) to the venue , esp. in the middle of winter , when that was often the case.....I missed Simply Saucer , Death (The Black Protopunk cult group from Detroit , not the better known "Ritualistic" Metal band.) , Teenage Jesus and The Jerks , and and others . Some nights , I just don't feel like dealing with The CTA .....THAT'S NO EXCUSE. Those gigs were at Empty Bottle , a venue I do NOT have a beef with. I was going there 20 - odd years ago , before it was Hipster Central.
But , Double Door , don't get me started ! All their good shows are in the summer (Can't avoid that , sometimes , I know) , but they have no A.C. , and it gets up to 100 degrees or more at an oversold show (I'm told they have a small A.C. set up , now , but , I don't know.) . X played 4 nights straight , once. I planned to go to at least two nights , but , gave up on that idea after the first night (John Doe said , "HEY , IT'S HOT AS FUCK UP HERE !!!".). Radio Birdman played on a brutally hot , horrendously oversold night , BUT , it was'nt likely to happen again. It did. The following summer . I DIDNT BOTHER. I saw The Buzzcocks do two gigs there , one mid -summer.I was told the then - new drummer securedhis gig that night for keeping his sweat - drenched long - sleeve shirt and tie on.... They returned for a thirdtime, performing their first three LPs in full , I said , enough of this shit. I'D HAVE SEEN THEM , THERE , IN NOVEMBER , WHEN THE FLESHTONES PLAYED TO 30 PEOPLE . There ARE venues IN cHICAGO WITH GOOD SOUND , GOOD SIGHTLINES AND(HORRORS! HOW UNCOOL.) A.C. , BUT , Double Door is'nt one of 'em.
