Category Archives: The Awesome

Cleveland, Good Eats, Interview, Photography, The Awesome

Interview: Matt Fish – The Man Behind Melt Bar & Grilled

28 November, 2010 Brian Mc 8 Comments

Being from Cleveland, it’s kind of hard for me these days to not think of Melt Bar & Grilled when someone mentions the words “grilled cheese” in a sentence. Anyone who has had the privilege to devour one of the many gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches can probably agree with me – There is just something about a gigantic sandwich of comfort that is ever so addicting (oh, and the fries are pretty damn good too).

Matt Fish, proprietor/founder/pro-Clevelander/friend to all, is the man behind the grill(s) at Melt Bar and Grilled. It was he who took an idea and made it in to so much more than a place to grab a sandwich and a beer. He took a simple childhood favorite and turned it into a guilted-gourmet delight of stomach-bursting proportions.

In only four years, Fish now has two locations that have received an abundance of local attention as well as national. Wait times for a table alone reach upwards to two hours on the weekends meaning only one thing: Melt is kind of a big deal.

Recently I had the chance to catch up with Fish. The man is such a busy man it pretty much took two weather changes for this interview to finish, but in my opinion it was well worth it. Read on to get to know the man who is responsible for raising cholesterol to many Cleveland-ites, one sandwich at a time…

Kindly introduce yourself to the folk that have not had the privilege of meeting you yet.

Hello everyone. My name is Matt Fish and I am the owner of Melt Bar and Grilled in Lakewood and Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

What was life like for Matt Fish before Melt Bar & Grilled existed?

Definitely a little less crazy. I have always been a busy person so I was ready for the challenge of restaurant ownership. Life before Melt was a bit more relaxed though. I did more things that gave me personal enjoyment without having to worry about the restaurant all the time. The one thing that I did before Melt and I miss the most was play music. I have been playing in bands as a drummer since 1989 and I had to give that up to open Melt. Music and food have always been my passion but music has always been first. I will hopefully have time to get back into it sometime in the future.

How did the idea of gourmet grilled cheese come about?

There was no real epiphany or voice from above that gave me a vision. It was really just an innocent idea that I had. I wanted to open a restaurant that completely different than anything in the city at the time. Grilled cheese was always a big part of my life and I had always dabbled in making unique grilled type sandwiches with tons of great cheese. Bread and cheese have always been two of my favorite foods on earth. My last meal on earth will hopefully include some great artesian bread a some really sharp cheese.

How big was the original menu when you first opened about 3 years ago?

We have actually been officially open for 4 years now. Our anniversary will be on September 22nd. The menu when we opened is only a little smaller than the one at Melt today. My goal when opening was to offer 30 different gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and over 100 different beers.

Did you think Melt was going to take off like it did?

Hell No! not even my a long shot. I had no idea that the restaurant would be as popular as it has become. I thought I was opening a small little bar that served great beer and also had this really silly and unique gourmet grilled cheese menu. Right after the first opening weekend I realized that I had something pretty special.

Those sandwiches are not exactly health friendly. How is it that you are still so slim?

I actually eat Melt food at least 5 days a week. I have always had a pretty high metabolism rate but I fear that it is slowing down now as I approach 40! I still work at least 12 hours a day and I try to find time to work out a few times a week. I find it to be a great stress relief for me.

Do you have a favorite sandwich? I am a huge fan of the Big Popper and loved the last couple sandwiches of the month including the Soul Vegetarian and the Guitar Gyro.

I think my favorite sandwich on the menu right now is The Godfather. I am a freak for Italian food and that sandwich is really awesome. It combines all the elements of food that I really love. Great bread, pasta, sauce and cheese. It is so huge though that I can only eat one about once a month.

When did the whole sandwich of the month idea start?

I think the sandwich of the month started sometime during our first full year of operation. It was something that I wanted to do from the beginning but I realized that I was just too busy to pull it off at the very beginning. I worked open to close, 7 days a week for the first 2 years of the restaurant so finding time to create a special was difficult, but I eventually managed. I think the very first special was in July of 2007 and it was the Firecracker Chicken.

Has Melt always catered to vegetarians and vegans?

Being very vegetarian and vegan friendly has always been part of the Melt concept from the beginning. We are actually becoming more vegan friendly than ever. I make it a point to try to create a vegan version of every special that we offer. The vegan version of the Gyro Melt was incredible!

Who’s brilliant idea was it to put the menu on a vinyl album cover?

That was an idea that I came up with right before opening in 2006. I was looking for a very unique way to present the menu. All the ideas that I had were basically boring and over used. My father’s girl friend at the time (now his wife) mentioned that she had been to a restaurant that somehow used records to present the menu’s. That was all the information that I needed to start the ball rolling. I was trying to figure out how to do it the very next day. I actually raped my own record collection for the first two generations of the Melt menu’s. Michael Jackson’s Thriller was the first menu that I made!

Earlier this year, you opened a new location in Cleveland Hts. How exciting was it for you to finally expand your baby to share it with the other half of Cleveland?

It was a complete thrill. Like I mentioned earlier I never intended for Melt to be popular at all. For me to have the opportunity to open a second location in Cleveland in less than 4 years from opening the original is just a dream come true. I feel very privileged to be able to be open on either side of town in two very awesome communities.

You seem like a very hands on person at Melt. In fact when I see you most of the time you are in the kitchen. How tough is it to operate two grills now? I know your staff is amazing and all but I was just curious if you wish you could be on location at both spots all the time.

I definitely wish I could clone myself and be at both locations at the same time. Maybe make 3 of me and the third clone could be sleeping. It is very difficult running 2 restaurants sometimes but I have a fantastic staff and they really keep both places going very well.

Do you ever have a day off? What do you when you’re not working?

Days off for me are very rare. I am such a busy person and workaholic that I hardly ever stop. In fact I am answering these interview questions late on a Friday night instead of going home to relax and recharge for tomorrow. The only days off I have taken recently has been to travel to a wedding for a weekend. I try to take a few hours a week for myself to take care of personal things.

Can you tell me about some of the bands you used to be in?

The first real band that I was in was called Whatever… We were a punk band from Parma that released 2 full length records. The second was on Dr. Strange Records from Alto Loma, CA. Dr. Strange was one of the biggest independent punk labels in the mid 90’s. The last more popular band that I was in was The Chargers Street Gang from Cleveland. We were a garage-punk band that released 2 records on Get Hip! Records from Pittsburgh, PA. Get Hip! is still one of the major independent players in underground garage rock. I loved my time playing in recording and touring rock bands. Sometime I wish I could give it all up and go back to that free lifestyle.

Any special projects going on these days as far as bands go?

Nothing right now, simply not enough time. Last year The Chargers got back together to play the annual x-mas show at the Grog Shop. We practiced once a week for 4 months before the show. It was great fun and I really miss playing and hanging out with those guys. They are truly my best friends on earth.

How did it feel the first time you saw yourself on The Food Network or The Travel Channel?

It was quite odd. I really did not know what to expect so I hoped that I did not make a complete ass out of myself. I was very happy with the way both shows came out. I happen across the reruns every now and then on late night cable and it still a bit weird.

Who was cooler, Guy Fieri or Adam Richman?

That is like choosing between Gene and Paul or Ian and Guy or Steven and Joe or Mick or Keith. They are both pretty cool in their own right. Both pretty different but both heading for the same common goal. Who would I rather do another shoot with? Probably Guy.

As many of my friends and readers know, I was at that Man Vs. Food taping. Was that not the longest day ever? Did you think he was going to be able to kill the Melt Challenge?

It was an extremely long day but actually not as long as the DDD (Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives) shoot. Plus the DDD shoot was 2 killer days in a row! I had a really good feeling that he was going to kill the challenge. I watch his show pretty often and I have seen Adam destroy much more food. Not that much cheese though – that was certainly a first!

I really want to give the Melt Challenge an attempt- one day. How many people fail it? Have more people been ordering it since the premier of the episode?

The challenge has become very popular since the airing of the MVF episode. We probably serve at least 2 challenges a day in either restaurant. There is still about an 80% failure rate for the challenge. It is a lot more food that you think.

Has business increased because of it?

Business has definitely increased because of the MVF episode and also from the DDD episode. It really exposed us to people that may have never heard of Melt otherwise. We saw a lot of out of town travelers in Melt over the summer because of the shows.

What is the furthest someone has traveled to try Melt?

We see travelers coming into Melt from all over the country every week. The furthest I know about was a couple from Green Bay that just came to Cleveland to try Melt. I know that there are farther travelers but I am not sure exactly from where.

Back to the Cleveland Hts. location. How many other places did you look at before you chose Cedar and South Taylor?

Cleveland Heights was my first choice for the second Melt location. I knew if I really wanted to cement myself in the Cleveland restaurant scene I needed an east side location. Cleveland Heights was the logical location for the second Melt. Very similar city to Lakewood with a very diverse demographic and a very solid hometown feel.

That place used to be the Rhythm Room and a Peabody’s at one time. Had you ever attended a show there?

Yes, I actually attended a few shows there back in the early and mid 90’s. I really don’t remember much except the stage being in the basement. The huge hole in the floor is really all most people remember from The Rhythm Room.

How difficult was it to cover up that huge hole?

It wasn’t really difficult but it was a bit time consuming. Our walk-in coolers now occupy a majority of the basement area. We needed to actually build the coolers first and then fill in the hole second. Looking at the room now it is hard to believe that there was a 20×25 ft hole in the floor.

I need to comment on your staff. They are all wonderful and very personable people at both locations and appear more friends than coworkers. I love how Melt is not full of skinny fake model looking folk which is such a relief, leave that for the W. 6th district. The idea that they are all different one way or another from appearance to attitude is also a nice touch. Is this something you look at when hiring someone?

We actually look at personality first and work history second. I really want the entire staff to be filled with very interesting individuals with a strong personality. You can teach and train most people to do what you need them to do but you can’t teach someone to have an outgoing personality or a strong work ethic.

Was it your idea to have mostly retro movies playing and a constant stream of good music?

Yes. I believe that the atmosphere of the restaurant needs to be as interesting and colorful as the food and staff. I wanted to visually overload guests with fun things to look at and listen to. Melt is all about comfort and nostalgia.

Did you think that many people would actually get a variation of the Melt logo tattooed on them for life?

I never dreamed that the tattoo promotion would grow as fast and large as it has. I originally thought that maybe 20 people would do it and then it would fall off. We are up to over 160 family members so far in just over a year since the promotion begun. I really think that is incredible! The idea came from my favorite band Rocked From The Crypt. They have a rocket logo that they began suggesting their fans get tattooed to get into shows for free. It has grown into a world-wide tattooed fan base with hundreds and hundreds of tattoos. They created a family around the tattooed fans. I always loved that idea and I actually have a RFTC tattoo that I got many years ago. I wanted to capture the same family idea for Melt so I launched the Melt tattoo promotion in Sept 2009.

Has the question “If I get 2 Melt tattoos can I get 50% off” been asked yet?

Oh yes! We hear it quite often. No matter how many Melt tattoos you get, you still only receive the 25% off. I will however consider a larger discount for a full Melt body suit.

So do you have one (Melt tattoo)?

A very common question asked to me and the answer is no. In the tattoo world getting the name of your parents, significant other etc… is bad luck. I choose to not get a Melt tattoo for that very reason. I do not want to welcome any bad luck onto Melt.

This might be too early to ask but any expectancy on adding a 3rd Melt anytime soon? Maybe Akron?

The plans for a 3rd Melt location are already in the works. I am searching the city right now for a location. I plan to stay in the Cleveland area with the 3rd location and then hopefully branch out farther to cities such as Akron. Keep your fingers crossed!

If someone has never been tried Melt before how would you describe it to them?

It is like reliving all your favorite childhood memories again… Only better! The ultimate comfort food fantasy land where all your grilled cheese dreams become a reality!

For more information about Melt Bar & Grilled, head on over to their website and see what you have been missing out on!

Country, Folk, Interview, Music, Music Video, Rock, The Awesome

Interview: Henry Wagons

7 November, 2010 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Once upon a time – a couple months ago actually – I met a man. I met a big, tall, Aussie man who gave me a towel.

His name was Henry Wagons. He was the opening act at a Those Darlins show I attended and caught me completely by surprise, not just because he gave me a towel but also because he was an amazing artist.

Throughout his set he talked about his band back home, Wagons, that he had to leave behind due to the cost of traveling.

I was intrigued and wanted to hear more of this band, so after his set I grabbed myself a copy of The RIse And Fall Of Goodtown. Henry was happy to sell me a CD and also chatted with me throughout the night. Turns out he is a big deal in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia.

Henry was a cool cool man and I should add that CD I purchased from him was amazing.

Recently, I was able to catch up with Henry and talk about him and complete randomness:

BHP: The name Henry Wagons is not that well known in the states yet but that is a different story in your homeland correct?

HW – Its true. I think I’m on the D-list back at home. My band does quite well in Australia and I’m a presenter on a TV show so I have enough of a profile to expect to get invited to celebrity filled premieres, but never actually get invited.

Tell me a little bit about yourself…

I’m a Gemini. I like to go to the movies. I’m organized but not a neat freak. I love holidays sipping pina-coladas on a hammock but rarely make it out onto the sand.

Good enough, so how did you get your start as a musician?

I started playing music quite late. I only got into playing the guitar after I finished high school. I became friends with stoner Pink Floyd fans at college, and they couldn’t really talk, so I learned some licks.

In the early days I played in a couple of noise/jam bands, then kinda wanted to try my hand at more traditional song-writing, so found my way through my Mum’s record collection and became fascinated with the likes of Johnny Cash, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart and other manly singers.

Can you give me a brief history on how your band, Wagons, was united?

I went to school with most of them. I was the only one who did my homework.

I started Wagons as a kinda throw away recording project, making a little tape of country songs in which I played all the instruments. I cut and pasted the covers together. Really lo-fi 4 track recordings. I wanted to play them live at a local open mike night at a metal/hardcore pub. I asked my mates to help me out. We got offered our first gig out of open mic night and there seems to have been enough momentum and good times since then to keep it all going. Who knew?

We all take it quite a bit more seriously now and are thankful that people still want to hear us play. I think it really helps to have humble beginnings and relatively low expectations to keep things in perspective.

How would you describe Wagons to someone who has never heard of them before?

Imagine if Elvis, Johnny Cash, Nick Cave, Dick Clarke, John Wayne and John Forgery all had a child together, and that child was a fat, over-excited nerd. How cool would that be! What was the question?

No idea. Who are your major influences?

See the proud parents above.

When we spoke outside of the Beachland Tavern weeks back, you mentioned a few things that had me thinking. First off, you were talking about a Visa is needed in the states to perform?

Its true. A lot of bands slip into the country under the radar, but we did this last trip on the books. The performance visa cost us $2.5K. That’s a lotta burgers.

Luckily we are in a position to afford that kinda outlay, but I feel sorry for smaller bands wanting to play in the States for the first time, before you have too much happening at home.

You also mentioned that your homeland helps pay for performing out of country? How exactly does that work?

There is so much red tape you could bind and gag Elvis’ entire fan club.

You basically fill out forms and prove you are a real band, doing good work and, thankfully, government arts funding is there for you.

I understand you left your entire band back home because it was too expensive to fly everyone out. Did you save up for this? Will you be able to do it again, maybe with more of the band?

I definitely want to be able to bring the band over. Wagons music is made to a pretty grand scale, so it would make sense to have a beat behind it.

It is expensive to come over to the US. You can imagine the flights themselves for five band members is thousands and thousands of dollars, let alone transport, food and accommodation.

I’ve come over as an ambassador for the band, to get a feel for whether our stuff might work. I feel good about it. I think, provided I don’t cover my floors in plasma screen dancefloors we will be able to bring the rest of the boys next time.

How important is this solo tour for you?

As much as I love having the boys around, I do love playing solo. I can settle into a long and boring story on stage with a guitarist telling me to shut up.

What was it like going from big crowds in Melbourne to opening for bands like Those Darlins to smaller crowds? Did you feel you were right back where you started?

I try to give my all no matter how many people are there. I’ve felt that way since day one. When it comes down to it, I feel it’s a honor to have anyone’s attention. I’m always going to respect that by putting on a show for em.

Besides, I’m always playing Madison Square Garden when I close my eyes.

What is so different about the American lifestyle you like / hate?

The excellent junk food is a constant source of pleasure and horror. There is nothing I like better than sinking my teeth into the local junk food specialty, be it Chicago pizza, Philly cheese steak, Portland Voodoo donut etc. You guys do guilty pleasure food soooo well it kills me. Problem is, it is also killing me.

What are some of your favorites here in the states?

My favorite roadside chains are: Cracker Barrel, Chipotle, and Starbucks.

Each of these guys brought me so much joy for different reasons.

How are the accommodations during your visit?

Accommodation has been great. I has gotten to know the Day’s Inn franchise very well across the country. When I see those weather beaten white glowing signs out the front of a 70’s yellow brick motel I feel like I’m home again.

In your opinion, do you think Americans dress funny?

Ronald McDonald dresses pretty weird.

How did you get hooked up with Those Darlins? I understand the Cleveland show was the first night you played with them. Who were you performing with prior to that show?

I met Those Darlins at SXSW last year, and we were going to do a tour with them. It was all locked in…we even did a photo shoot together and were on the covers of magazines back home in preparation for the shows (ask Matt to give you the pics!!). Then Nikki broke her arm and had to pull out of the show!! Was a great shame it didn’t work out. But, despite the adversity, Wagons and Those Darlins have been friends ever since.

Before Those Darlins I played a few shows with Justin Townes Earle and Bobby Bare Jr. Both amazing American songwriters and performers!

How long was your trip to the states? How many cities did you play?

I was in the US for about 3 and a half weeks, visiting 13 towns all, across the country. Planes, trains and automobiles. I gather it’s not a massive tour by US standards, but we got around a bit for our first time here.

How have the crowds been during your opening performances?

I was a little worried about playing the opening slot. I haven’t been the warm up guy for quite a while. I was hoping I hadn’t lost my mojo for getting the crowd to be quiet and listen to what’s going on. As it turns out, everyone has been great and quite respectful. Maybe everyone is straining to understand what the hell it is I’m saying in my weird accent. Whatever the reason….I’m not fussy.

Was there any one city that seems to favor you over another?

Justin Townes Earle’s bass player Josh gave me a bag of bacon and choc chip cookies in Bellingham, WA. That city stands out for that reason.

I understand you headed to the UK? What went on over there?

Mostly fantastic Sunday roasts with Yorkshire pudding, Jammy Dodgers, Jaffa cakes, soggy but good fish n chips, pear ciders and cold weather. Playing a couple a gigs in London too. It’s mostly a holiday, but I’m playing over here a little bit before a run of shows back in Australia over Summer. Gotta record a record over New Year’s sometime too!

Is there anything here in the states you look at and shake your head at? Meaning are there major cultural differences you have noticed?

I shook my head when I was crossing the border into Canada and they asked if I was carrying any weapons.

You have a certain upfront humor that I loved but could offend someone easily. Has anyone taken your jokes the wrong way yet?

Someone once asked me the same question as you, with the addition that he was almost going to ram me into the drum-kit behind me. ‘Almost’ was the operative word. A lot of people almost get offended.

Do you have any fun stories you wish to share?

I’m an avid Tweeter and Facebooker – I wear glasses…I’m a nerd. I have shared a lot of my stupid happenings on there. Befriend me! I swear virtually befriending me is probably better than the real thing!

Why should someone check out Henry Wagons and the music he makes?

Because they have finished their daily chores, logged off their email, called their mom, walked their dog, starting to get bored and are looking for something absolutely fucking mind-blowing to do.

Check out Henry Wagons on FACEBOOK and MYSPACE and even TWITTER.

Music, Music News, Punk, The Awesome, Vinyl

The Baddest Bad Religion Release Ever

19 October, 2010 Brian Mc 1 Comment

So I know you are sitting there wondering what to get the Bad Religion vinyl loving fan in your life for Jesus Day 2010. Well wonder no more…

Behold, the mecca of all Bad Religion releases:

The Bad Religion 30th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set. At a cool $199.99 this can be yours. All albums specially pressed in red vinyl. Can you say The Awesome???

From King’s Road Merch:

HOW ELSE DO YOU CELEBRATE 30 YEARS AS THE WORLD’S LONGEST RUNNING AND MOST PROLIFIC PUNK BAND? YOU CELEBRATE WITH A LIMITED EDITION BOX SET FEATURING EVERY STUDIO ALBUM EVER RELEASED BY THE BAND PRESSED ON RED VINYL.

THIS SET FEATURES THE FIRST OFFICIAL EPITAPH PRESSING OF INTO THE UNKNOWN IN 27 YEARS, THE FIRST PRESSING OF GENERATOR IN ALMOST 12 YEARS, THE BAND’S ATLANTIC ERA WHICH WAS EITHER NEVER PRESSED OR HARD TO FIND, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE CHRONICLE OF BAD RELIGION’S STUDIO OUTPUT.

JUST IN CASE YOU NEEDED THE LIST OF WHAT’S INCLUDED, YOU GET ALL OF THESE RELEASES INDIVIDUALLY SEALED ON RED VINYL:

HOW COULD HELL BE ANY WORSE?
INTO THE UNKNOWN
SUFFER
NO CONTROL
AGAINST THE GRAIN
GENERATOR
RECIPE FOR HATE
STRANGER THAN FICTION
THE GRAY RACE
NO SUBSTANCE
THE NEW AMERICA
THE PROCESS OF BELIEF
THE EMPIRE STRIKES FIRST
NEW MAPS OF HELL
THE DISSENT OF MAN
***THE FIRST 500 ORDERS GET A FREE BAD RELIGION FLAG***

If anyone would like to pre-order one of these for me I will be your best friend forever…

Babble Blog, Blog On, Good Times, Live Shows, The Awesome

Talkin’ Bout My (Black Shirt) Generation

9 October, 2010 Brian Mc 3 Comments

Chances are if you have been to a concert, you are like me and have purchased a concert shirt. It’s a way to support a band while at the same time show everyone who it is you listen to. It is almost a bragging right if you think about it – there is nothing more satisfying then sporting a concert shirt the day after the show. If you are lucky, someone will notice it and ask you how the show was (face it, you love it when this happens).

It’s a form of expression. People will judge you for the shirt you wear. Trust me, I know this.

The concert shirt, for me, has become almost a staple in my life. I have tons of them and they all carry certain memories. For the longest time, I made sure that I purchased a shirt at every show I went to. It was an obsession, an addiction that I just adored. After having counting over 400 shirts one day I decided it was time to chill on the addiction and even pack some up and donate to Goodwill.

I can not tell you how difficult that was for me…

Sure, a lot of the shirts were ones I hadn’t worn in years and were by bands that were meaningless to me, but there were a few that held such fond memories I just could not let them go even though I knew I would never wear them again.

I took about 50 or so of them and jammed them in a giant Rubbermaid tub and put them in my attic. I’m no pack-rat, but I know sometimes you should not get rid of something when it holds a fond memory of a good time…

I know I am not the only who shares this addiction / ritual. There is at least one other person I know who does. Her name is Sara and she started the blog Black Shirt Generation. The site is great in that she shares the same love for the concert shirt but has turned it into a project, if not a mission, to find out all the fellow concert tee lovers out there as well as collect their stories.

Rather than sit here and tell you why she started it, I figured I would give her the honors; so Sara, take it away:

Black Shirt Generation is an idea that’s taken me some time to figure out. A long time ago, someone, on some drunken night downtown, put a little idea into my head that one day I was going to “write teen anthems”. Not believing him for a second, I quickly dismissed him…but I must admit, almost 10 years later, I still thought about it.

A few months ago, I was standing in my closet, trying to figure out what I was going to wear, and I started cracking myself up. I have probably 100 black band t-shirts in my closet. I only wear a dozen or so of them, and it STILL takes me forever to pick out one of them.

It got me thinking about how many other music fanatics were out there with the same issue. Closets and drawers chock full of nothing to wear – but also full of memories and stories of days gone by.

From there, the ideas started coming in about maybe THIS is what I was “meant” to do. This was going to be my outlet to the world. It might not be a “teen anthem”, so to speak, but it’s definitely the voice of a generation. My generation, my voice, my story, my memories…

That being said, I wanted the scoop on others’ takes on their love affair/obsession with music as well. Punk rock, rock n’ roll, tattoos, booze, fighting, heartbreak – everything that comes with that uniform of black cotton with your heart and soul silk-screened on across the front.

So I’m looking to you, your friends, their friends and anyone who wants to make it known why they love that holey, frayed shirt that was black at one point in time…and why you or they never got rid of it – even though it would never be worn again.

Thanks Sara. Very cool idea.

Got a fond memory you want to share? Head over to Black Shirt Generation and let her know!

Cleveland, Country, Garage, Indie, Live Shows, Music, Punk, Review, Rock, The Awesome

Concert Review: Those Darlins / Turbo Fruits / Henry Wagons – Beachland Tavern – Cleveland, OH – 09/21/2010

22 September, 2010 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Face it, the Beachland Tavern was really not that heavily packed last night, but every music lover that set foot in that bar for the Those Darlins / Turbo Fruits / Henry Wagons show all were treated to an amazing evening of music.

Three bands with three different backgrounds played the small stage not caring one bit how many tickets were sold. They were there to rock out and have fun with their fans, and that is exactly what happened.

It’s been about a year since Nashville’s Those Darlins graced Cleveland with their beauty, not to mention their amazing music making abilities. The ladies had a rough start to the summer when one of the Darlins took a tumble at a Southern Ohio music festival breaking her arm. This was just a small set back but their ladies (and drummer Lynn) had to take an unwanted break. Just a few months later the band regrouped, recorded a second album to be released in 2011, and hit the road doing what they love to do best.

If anyone knows something about the man behind BHP (you know, the guy who writes all this stuff) it is one thing: BHP hearts Those Darlins. I saw them 4 times alone last year. Overly impressed with their sound and live show-woman-ship, I never missed a show. Needless to say when I discovered they were coming back to the Beachland, I made plans to be there. I was excited to see them and hear perhaps a new song or two (more on that in a bit) but what I did not expect was the surprise that was the opening act, a man named Henry Wagons.

The moment I walked into the tavern I looked at the stage and there he was, a 6-foot tall Australian man with an acoustic guitar in hand. With shaggy hair, glasses, mustache and a sweet green headband he was already playing a song to the minimal crowd that seemed to suckle around the edges of the bar. He sung with an outlaw country vibe that immediately caught my attention. I felt I was listening to an Aussie version of Waylon Jennings but also had an amazing sense of humor. He called out the crowd a few times, made reference to the longest walk ever he experienced at Cleveland-Hopkins Airport and ended his songs with comedic heavily acted strums to his guitar.

Playing his own rendition of Kenny Roger’s “The Gambler”, or so he said, the crowd went crazy for it. I laughed when Henry Wagons said just before playing the song , “I wanna be like Kenny Rogers in another 10 to 15 years,” and also commenting that he lacks the silver-lining at the current moment. Another track he played had him screaming “Willie Nelson” over and over, it was amazing.

The winning song of his set to me was a cover of “Never Been To Spain”, a classic Elvis song that was in fact, not written by Elvis. While playing his set he commented that he was just one man from his band back home called Wagons and that it was his first trip to the states as well as his first night with Those Darlins and Turbo Fruits. After taking to his manager, who was touring with him later in the evening, I learned that they could not afford to have the whole band come over this time around but hope to change that next time they go on tour. After buying a Wagons CD after his set and listening to it on the way home all I have to say is this: I can not wait till Wagons plays the states. The CD is incredible.

Up next was another Nashville act called Turbo Fruits. They were a blend of Nashville and Detroit that was overly impressive, think Hank Williams meets Detroit Cobras. They had 50’s riffs in some songs and dipped into a blues feel during other tracks that had me almost overanalyzing them at times. My conclusion of them was simple though, they were a kick ass band that really put on a show. I especially enjoyed “Dreams For Sale” and “Volcano” and even went so far as to grabbing their LP after the show to check them out some more.

Finally the headliners of the evening, Those Darlins, took to the stage. This time around there were five folk on stage, the three Darlins, drummer Lynn, and some other dude. One would assume that they have a touring guitarist to help out with their shows or perhaps even help Nikki Darlin with some of the guitar duties seeing how she did break her arm in half as mentioned earlier.

Regardless, Those Darlins wasted no time jumping into their set starting off with “Who’s That Knocking At My Window”, a familiar track to most of the crowd. They sounded just as amazing as the previous times I saw them, if not better. They looked happy to be up on the stage and aimed to make sure all were going to have a good time.

Things soon changed for the good when the band decided to play a series of new songs from their upcoming release. With no setlist guiding their performance the girls would shout out the names of the songs and jump into them. Playing tracks like “Boys”, “Be A Brother”, and “Waste Away” it was clear that their sound had taken a turn from the country/punk feel their first album displayed so well.

Their new material mixed up 70’s rock with indie rock yet did not drop the sound where they came from. It was a good sound that all in the house went crazy for. I know I am not the only one excited for their upcoming release. To make matters even better, Lynn was providing back-up vocals on some of the tracks while Nikki focused on her singing duties losing the guitar. Every time the girls announced a new song was being played the crowd just stood their in great anticipation for what was going to come next. I can honestly admit that there was not one new song they played that I did not like and I was not the only one who felt that way. These girls were turning heads at the Beachland and it was not just from their good looks.

Wrapping up their set they played “Red Light Love”, “Wild One” and “Night Jogger”, a new track off their recently released 7″ split with Funsticks, a Jesse Darlin and Lynnwood side project. Making things even more fun they played the Funsticks song that appears on the 45 as well. Yeah, I might have picked one of those up al well…

This was one of the better shows I have been to as a whole seeing that I enjoyed all three bands that played. I can not even tell you the last time that I was this entertained by acts I had never heard of before. I went in there looking for a country/rock night and left with a whole other experience. Henry Wagons and the new material by Those Darlins were the major winners for me.

To think I almost skipped out on that show too. I am so glad I talked myself out of it. Totally worth it.