admin
22 December 2023
I done got passes for this show because I’ve become Mr. stellastarr* here at tastes like chicken HQ, what with my review of their first full-length album and interview with their topless drummer, Arthur Kremer. For this September 22nd show, I had the sassy and powerful Night Watchman as my +1. But I digress.
The show was at Vnuk’s Lounge in Cudahy, Wisconsin. Watchman was driving as we followed my shitty, blatantly incorrect Yahoo! directions-- but it’s so convenient! We passed what looked like someone’s grandma’s house.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if that was it?” I joked with Night Watchman. We fucking laughed our asses off and high-fived hardcore, for real!
So, of course, the grandma-lookin’ house turned out to be Vnuk’s! BWAHAHAHA!
We parked the world famous Night Watchmobile of Love right by the bands’ tour buses. I imagine they were thinking the exact same thing I was as I walked past the yellow house with doily curtains in the window of what appeared to be a kitchen.
Inside it was a nice lil’ concert venue, complete with a bar and kick-ass blue walls! And, most importantly, lots of cute girls in black boots and skirts, which both Night Watchman and myself declared to be "hot". There was also a twitchy old former hipster dude with slicked back hair, a black suit over a Hawaiian shirt, and dirty white tennis shoes,.. who I feared was a future version of Night Watchman. Ol’ Watchman, however, said he was the Coked-Up Werewolf from Late Night with Conan O’Brien (in human form, of course).
ON TO THE BANDS!
Kittens For Christian were up first. I’d pretty much written them off, due to their name featuring the words “kittens” and “Christian”-- “for” is okay, though. Hey, I just realized that the initials to their name is “KFC”. I love fried chicken. Mmmm,.. eleven herbs and spices. Excessive? No, no,.. brilliant! Anyhoo, KFC proved my initial fears wrong by being one hell of a fun live band, kicking off a distinct neo-'80s vibe that would rule the night. After their set, Night Watchman chatted ‘em up, introducing me politely as I wandered over. They asked me what kind of music I spun. I told ‘em “acid house”. I’m not sure what “acid house” is. I’m a liar through and through.
Next up: stellastarr*! They didn’t disappoint. It was the soundtrack to the movie John Hughes never made, but fucking should’ve instead of Baby’s Day Out or whatever the hell. I meant that in a good way! They were as good, or better, live than on their album, which is saying a lot. The fella that popped my interview cherry, Arthur Kremer, rocked the drums shirtless and be-asterisked. Frontman/guitarist Shawn Christensen was charismatic and into the music 100%. Michael Jurin kicked it for real on guitar, whilst bassist Amanda Tannen-- besides being a talented bassist with a sweet Kim Deal voice backing up Christensen’s manic Black Francis-- was also real cute. Isn’t it lame how straight(ish) guy writers always comment on the girl’s attractiveness, but not the guys? Yeah.
Anyway, after the set we chatted it up a bit with Arthur, who was nice. And approximately 12-years-old. Seriously. I had no idea. Looked like a lil’, fresh-faced kid.
Okay, so, then the headliners, The Raveonettes, took the stage. I’ve really dug what I’ve heard of theirs on the radio and MTV. Unfortunately, and I’m not sure whose idea this was, they had their guitars and feedback cranked up so high that their voices were completely covered up. This might’ve been on purpose, all feedbacky and arty, but I wasn’t down. What came through was the almost identical drumbeat to every song and some fuzz. The Coked-Up Werewolf got even more spastic and a bit threatening during their set, whipping his body around and around in front of me and Night Watchman. Funny,.. in a scary way.
In the end, our ears ringing, Watchman and I both agreed that KFC and stellastarr* rocked, while The Raveonettes live weren’t our cup o’ tea. I’ll probably check out their CD, though. Good show, good times.
CHECK OUT KITTENS FOR CHRISTIAN HERE, STELLASTARR* HERE, AND THE RAVEONETTES HERE.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
The show was at Vnuk’s Lounge in Cudahy, Wisconsin. Watchman was driving as we followed my shitty, blatantly incorrect Yahoo! directions-- but it’s so convenient! We passed what looked like someone’s grandma’s house.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if that was it?” I joked with Night Watchman. We fucking laughed our asses off and high-fived hardcore, for real!
So, of course, the grandma-lookin’ house turned out to be Vnuk’s! BWAHAHAHA!
We parked the world famous Night Watchmobile of Love right by the bands’ tour buses. I imagine they were thinking the exact same thing I was as I walked past the yellow house with doily curtains in the window of what appeared to be a kitchen.
Inside it was a nice lil’ concert venue, complete with a bar and kick-ass blue walls! And, most importantly, lots of cute girls in black boots and skirts, which both Night Watchman and myself declared to be "hot". There was also a twitchy old former hipster dude with slicked back hair, a black suit over a Hawaiian shirt, and dirty white tennis shoes,.. who I feared was a future version of Night Watchman. Ol’ Watchman, however, said he was the Coked-Up Werewolf from Late Night with Conan O’Brien (in human form, of course).
ON TO THE BANDS!
Kittens For Christian were up first. I’d pretty much written them off, due to their name featuring the words “kittens” and “Christian”-- “for” is okay, though. Hey, I just realized that the initials to their name is “KFC”. I love fried chicken. Mmmm,.. eleven herbs and spices. Excessive? No, no,.. brilliant! Anyhoo, KFC proved my initial fears wrong by being one hell of a fun live band, kicking off a distinct neo-'80s vibe that would rule the night. After their set, Night Watchman chatted ‘em up, introducing me politely as I wandered over. They asked me what kind of music I spun. I told ‘em “acid house”. I’m not sure what “acid house” is. I’m a liar through and through.
Next up: stellastarr*! They didn’t disappoint. It was the soundtrack to the movie John Hughes never made, but fucking should’ve instead of Baby’s Day Out or whatever the hell. I meant that in a good way! They were as good, or better, live than on their album, which is saying a lot. The fella that popped my interview cherry, Arthur Kremer, rocked the drums shirtless and be-asterisked. Frontman/guitarist Shawn Christensen was charismatic and into the music 100%. Michael Jurin kicked it for real on guitar, whilst bassist Amanda Tannen-- besides being a talented bassist with a sweet Kim Deal voice backing up Christensen’s manic Black Francis-- was also real cute. Isn’t it lame how straight(ish) guy writers always comment on the girl’s attractiveness, but not the guys? Yeah.
Anyway, after the set we chatted it up a bit with Arthur, who was nice. And approximately 12-years-old. Seriously. I had no idea. Looked like a lil’, fresh-faced kid.
Okay, so, then the headliners, The Raveonettes, took the stage. I’ve really dug what I’ve heard of theirs on the radio and MTV. Unfortunately, and I’m not sure whose idea this was, they had their guitars and feedback cranked up so high that their voices were completely covered up. This might’ve been on purpose, all feedbacky and arty, but I wasn’t down. What came through was the almost identical drumbeat to every song and some fuzz. The Coked-Up Werewolf got even more spastic and a bit threatening during their set, whipping his body around and around in front of me and Night Watchman. Funny,.. in a scary way.
In the end, our ears ringing, Watchman and I both agreed that KFC and stellastarr* rocked, while The Raveonettes live weren’t our cup o’ tea. I’ll probably check out their CD, though. Good show, good times.
CHECK OUT KITTENS FOR CHRISTIAN HERE, STELLASTARR* HERE, AND THE RAVEONETTES HERE.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
artid
1720
Old Image
6_2_stellastarr.jpg
issue
vol 6 - issue 02 (oct 2003)
section
entertainmental