The Scene – Snookers at Night, April 18th

Jay "Zig Zag" Mottle being a goof

Jay "Zig Zag" Mottle being a goof

After Record Store Day I headed to Zig Zag‘s to hang out for a bit and check out his additional music project. I chatted with Bobby for a bit during the practice and came to find out, Travis had other obligations that night and wouldn’t be around for the show, and earlier they had been practicing three piece arrangements for that evening. Enjoying the new band’s tunes but exhausted, I headed home and took a well deserved nap, a late Friday night of shows and an early afternoon show meant I was going to have to conserve energy if I wanted to make the Jose Docen, Harpoon and Innocent Uprising show that night. Emerging from dreamland I realized I had only about an hour to get down to Snookers, never having been there before, I harassed my brother for directions. Deciding a night on the town was more exciting than a night of on-line poker Tim came along as my navigator, rather than give convoluted directions through the back alleys of Providence to my destination. As we got closer to Snookers we started to play the “OMG Street Spot” game. It goes something like this:

Me: “OMG Street spot, lets park here its free”
Bro: “Nah, we’re 17 blocks out Dan, I swear we’ll get closer and you won’t have to pay”
Three blocks later
Me: “OMG Street spot, lets park here its free!”
Bro: “mmHMMM bro, we’re still 14 blocks away, just DRIVE.”
Me: “But it’s the only open spot I’ve seen since the last one miles back!”
Bro: “BUT nothing, it was three blocks ago, not miles, we’ll get closer”
Ten blocks, two alleys, and through a factory parking lot later
Me: “OK Where the fuck are we?”
Bro: “We aren’t a lost Indian tribe”
Laughing
Both: “Dad Joke!”
Me: “OK, there’s a lot right there, its only $10, we’re TAKING IT!”
Bro: “So help me god if you pay for parking I’ll pimp-slap you, keep driving”
Me: “I never get parking downtown at night, there isn’t going to be anything near it, we’re entering the club zone, the CLUB ZONE! Don’t you hear that ridiculous BASS!”
Bro: “Make a left here, dodge that pot ho…THUMP…le”
Both: sighing “awesome…..”
Bro: “Take this right, ok park here”
Me: “OK what’s that sign say, anything about no parking, hippies will be towed? Where is this place”
Walking two car lengths and turning right around the block.
Bro “Snookers is right THERE, Oh and LOOK three more spots in FRONT of the fucking building.
Me: “OK fuck-face, I get your point, you win again”

Jose Docen at Snookers

Jose Docen at Snookers

We arrived in plenty of time for all the acts of the evening. Jose Docen was still warming up and sound checking, we ordered some cocktails and started to mingle throughout the room. I noticed a couple devouring a quesadilla ,remembered that I’d forgotten to eat that day and quickly inquired if the kitchen was still open. Securing my own steak quesadilla for the near future I returned to the crowd to introduce my brother to some friends. It happened to be Gerard’s birthday (score someone other than myself with which Tim could go shot for shot all evening), as they secured their drinking buddy bromance (tm LNWJF), I made way to the cozy couches and reclined to watch Jose begin his set. Off the bat he impressed with his soulful vocals of great range and driving rhythms, I happened to notice I was seated with his fan contingent as they new every word. His first track sounded good on the floor but apparently he wanted to fine tune the sound before breaking into a heartfelt version of “How Long (I Hope You Know)” as shown below:
Jose Docen 4.18.2009 “How Long (I Hope You Know)

All night I think he used a drop D tuning as the top E had a more open twang (*points at self* no musical abilities whatsoever, I could be completely wrong), throughout the set his matched his vocal stresses to the tones and twangs of his guitar, singing both forcefully and passionately. He chose a Nick Drake song as a cover for the evening, one with which I’m unfamiliar, he performed it well in his own style (actually since I’ve tried to find my Nick Drake CDs to no avail). Having a great presence he actively sought audience participation, chatting us up and prompting us to clap along at parts. Finishing his set the thanked the crowd, polished of his ‘Gansett’ and handed the stage over to Harpoon.

Jeff Souza of Harpoon

Jeff Souza of Harpoon

Andrew Moore and Mike Deraleau of Harpoon

Andrew Moore and Mike Deraleau of Harpoon

As usual I take set breaks and lineup changes as an opportunity to pollute my lungs and level out the nicotine in my bloodstream. Snookers had a great smokers porch, complete with outside bar (not open for the season yet) and digital TVs. I made some new friends and noticing that Harpoon wasn’t setup yet, we decided to go for a stroll for another butt. After a walk around the block we returned to Harpoon getting into their set wrapping up an original number. They were very southern rocky, I thought of Lynard Skynard and The Allman Brothers Band with a funky twist, appropriately so as next they broke into a sick version of “Whippin’ Post.” The crowd went nuts. Jeff Souza was blazing on lead guitar all night. Andrew Moore laid great rhythm guitar, some lead riffs, and lead vocals, with everyone contributing some great harmonies. George Morse did a bang up job switching between funky and bluesy bass-lines all night. Mike Deraleau stroked the skins with finesse and power, taking command of the kit. About this point Travis rolled in with his gig bag in hand, guess he get got out of his commitments just in time. They broke into an original number:
Harpoon 4.18.09

George Morse of Harpoon and their friend Mike

George Morse of Harpoon and their friend Mike

After which, inviting their friend Mike on stage they did a good rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” that secured the crowd grooving further. All in all it was a great set, I look forward to seeing them again, definitely at Love Money Day if not sooner. Breaking down their equipment it was time for another cancer stick and I made way to the smokers porch. Again I struck up a conversation and made some new friends, finished my butt and delighted in further conversation. At this point Tim stumbled out to the porch with a disgusted look on his face (being a non-smoker for 4 months I guess he’s adjusted to actually smelling them again,) and informed me that I’d already missed a tune from Innocent Uprising. I cut my conversation short and made my way back to the live venue section.

To be continued further with details from Innocent Uprising’s set

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