glad people are checking out the videos I shot; I had pretty close access to the bands, and excellent lighting and sound conditions within which to work

I want people here to know I ran all of the LAIKA videos past the band before posting

the reason? these guys take their presentation very very seriously.

they would remember 'mistakes', or 'miscues', or where the sound dropped out, etc. in each song from each set

so when I ran by them what songs I shot videos of, they consulted amongst themselves, and then told me what they would appreciate I post, and what NOT to post

I respect them as musicians and friends, so they would never find me posting something against what they requested of me

the show in TROY NY at REVOLUTION HALL was just great -- the perfect way for me to end my 4-day blitz; both bands were sharp as Hell

for this show, I shot 10 videos!!!!

hope U can find the time to check them out:

let's start with LAIKA + THE COSMONAUTS, and I will post links now for the songs in order as they appeared

first, here's the set list:

OK, let's rock.....

CROSSTOWN CANYON
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulpCsvjJbMo
or
http://tinyurl.com/6f49ut

EXPERIMENT IN TERROR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx-CWzSDn4o
or
http://tinyurl.com/65gwke

LANDS END
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VknDQ1PvG8k
or
http://tinyurl.com/56f97j

DO THE LAIKA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ypmDIEL7M
or
http://tinyurl.com/5aj4l2

VENDETTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8fLFazqHeY
or
http://tinyurl.com/5b8uta

BAJA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAQ4Bls6gk
or
http://tinyurl.com/5aafps

I am confident fans of the band will luv these

then there are 4 more from LOS STRAITJACKETS:

CASBAH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21WGGOg-lVQ
or
http://tinyurl.com/6lly48

MIDNIGHT COWBOY THEME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgWaukS4wvc
or
http://tinyurl.com/6xj7zb

SQUID
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCXblV_HdAA
or
http://tinyurl.com/67svab

ROCKULA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlVWImHLqag
or
http://tinyurl.com/6yqbhx

I attended the show with LEWD DUDE and STEWD DUDE of THE SURFALICIOUS DUDES, who live not too far from Troy, NY

here we are:

sorry, what did you say? I cannot hear you, my shirt's too loud!!! anyway I hope that picture did not cause too many acid flashbacks!!

the 4 evenings I spent with these 2 bands were truly unforgettable; it is an honor to be friends with musicians that I am crazy about -- I think it is a blessing, and I feel very lucky to have all of this in my life...I am filled with gratitude

I promise to put together a FLICKR file as soon as I can (maybe tomorrow night?)

here's a stray shot of MIKKO that I luv

was cool to run into JOHNNY RAAB from THE NEANDERTHALS, BILL MILHIZER from THE FLESHTONES

I hope people purchase the COSMOPOLOUS CD from LAIKA AND THE COSMONAUTS -- it is a great record!! A terrific retrospective of their 20 year career:

http://www.yeproc.com/artist_info.php?artistId=617

God Bless MIKKO. MATTI, TOM, and JANNE --- they have given me so much joy, my soul is so full from their unique blend of styles....it is a true tribute to a band when they can say that NO ONE SOUNDS LIKE THEM

whatever the guys in LAIKA AND THE COSMONAUTS decide to do after the tour is over, I hope that maybe their plans will include an occasional reunion tour, or that these guys work together, with each other, or solo, and keep producing music

with gratitude, bliss, and a full heart,

UNSTEADY FREDDIE

http://www.facebook.com/unsteady.freddie

Does anyone know what kind of guitar amp Mikko was playing through?

Eric

IvanP
Mikko played like a surf-guitar god that he is. He played his '82 Squier JV-series Strat equipped with Seymour Duncan Antiquity '50s pickups into a small homemade 1x12" (Jensen) AC30 clone amp, and using about half a dozen pedals (delay, overdrive, tremolo, tuner, reverb?, don't know what else).

Will

"You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater

The Luau Cinders

WOW!!!!

What a great time!! Sorry for the delay in getting to this... had to find my way back to earth after a GREAT trip. I drove up to DC with a good friend. We left EARLY in the morning, got there in the early afternoon, and like true nuts, immediately hit the road to meat Eddie Katcher, Atlanta Surf Nut Bill Racer, and Mom_Surfing Carol at Action Music. What a great store! We must have sat in there talking shop for 2 hours. I'm sure that the non-players in the group were silently strangling us! Matt is a really nice guy... I only wish I could have bought something from him! After a quick dinner and the many joys of D.C. traffic, we met up with everyone at the Dogfish Head Brewery Restaurant. It was really great to meet new people and put some more faces with names. Good people indeed.... really added to the whole trip!

Then, after experiencing some more of the joys of D.C. traffic (I thought Atlanta traffic was bad...whew!), we get to Barns at Wolf Trap, and get ready to have our asses handed to us by an incredible night of music. Ivan gave a perfect review, and I will not try to top it now. What he said. Agree! Agree! It was my first time seeing Laika, and it was every bit the treat I was hoping it would be. This is the band that really got me in to this music. I've been chasing the Laika sound since the mid-90's. They are truly one of my main influences in music, period. I had a small fear that 9+ hour drive wouldn't be worth a 50 minute set of music. It was completely worth it. I got lost in it, and I'll never forget it. Oh, and for the record, I’ve seen them a bunch of times, and I’ve never heard the Straitjackets ever sound so good. They had a tough act to follow, and they rose to meet the challenge. I’m looking forward to hearing the new album!!

After the show, Eddie, Carol and I got took the opportunity to do a little impromtu jamming at their hotel (still not sure who’s room that was… hehe). Midwest Surf Guy, Bill Racer, and my friend Beth were in tow, and seemed to enjoy the merriment, even at the late hour. After that, I went into a nice coma-like sleep, danced in “surf-rock dreamland” for a while, then got up and walked what seemed like the entire District Of Columbia. We ended the day of sightseeing by meeting up with Ivan and his friend (Fred? I’m terrible with names :-() to watch fellow 101er Joao Erbetta tear up the house with some great Dixieland Jazz. What a super-nice bunch of guys. I’m so glad we took the time to end our night there. Good conversation & good music. I hope we get the chance to all get together again. It was great to meet you Joao. If you ever make your way to Atlanta, please let me know.

Skeeter: Great to meet you! I wish I was in town that 1 extra day! I would have driven to Baltimore to see the Atomic Mosquitos in a SECOND. Hopefully, I’ll have another chance.

Staredge: Glad you made it home OK. I know you were spent. Email me and I'll get you that picture of you with the Laika guys.

Ivan: Thanks for endulging me with all of the worldly discussions. I’d been dying to chew your ear off since Ohio. Glad I had the chance.

Carol: It was so nice to meet you. Thanks for the shirt. I had a lot of fun jamming with you. Hope you can make it to Clarkston next year (if not before)!

Eddie… you get enough of me yapping in your ear here in town, so I’m sure I’ll see you sooner than later.

Here are some pics of the evening, including a really nice group shot with a couple of (very kind and gracious) Straitjackets. It’s a good crowd. The venue did not like people taking pictures so I had to do it on the DL… sadly it shows. Some of the other Laika pics on here are WAY better, but I thought I’d contribute anyway.:

• Jamie
  SSS Agent #181
  Cartoons drenched in reverb!
  The Mystery Men?
  El Capitan & The Reluctant Sadists

Last edited: Apr 08, 2009 17:43:49

In the photo, in case you're interested:

FRONT ROW, left to right:
Woody (Woodz dog), Staredge, Chris Bess (Killer Filler and formerly SCOTS), Mark Noone (Slickee Boys and many other bands)

BACK ROW, left to right:
Craig and Paul (skeeter) (Atomic Mosquitos), Ivan P, Carol (mom surfing), Midwest Surf Guy, Danny Amis, Eddie Katcher, Mad Scientist, Teen Beat (Jason Smay), Bill Racer? (hopefully I got that right)

Paul
Atomic Mosquitos
Bug music for bug people is here!
Killers from Space

My bad..........that's Mad Man's pix. Thanks to Beth for shooting it. And thanks Ivan and Jamie for your great reports.

Atlanta's number 1 surf music fan and supporter, Bill Racer (that might make a cool handle, "Racer Bill") and I took the easy route. We flew to DC. Then we conned MomSurfin' into picking us up at Dulles and driving us all over the area in search of a great time and we found it! I too think it was an exceptional show and experience. I had never officially met Danny A or Teen Beat and found them to both be super guys.

Laika just blew me away and their super low stage volume has started me re-thinking my approach to playing. LSJ rocked and were the best I have heard them since that first show I caught at Atlanta's Star Bar ten or so years back.

Met up with all those great 101-ers picutred above and really enjoyed the chance to hang out and talk shop.

One funny note is that while hanging out at the Atlanta airport prior to departure, Bill and I were "recognized" by a couple of local Atlanta surf music fans that regularly show up at events here. They were flying out to catch the Laika/LSJ show in New York!

I guess that the love of this music runs deep.

Reverbs from Atlanta!

Ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

mom_surfing
laughing at myself.....i kept thinking i was seeing the former keyboard player for southern culture on the skids. now i know it wasn't lack of sleep.

Yep, he has an all-instro band now called Killer Filler and they're really good!!
http://www.myspace.com/killerfiller

Paul
Atomic Mosquitos
Bug music for bug people is here!
Killers from Space

Killer Filler had signed on for Clarkston Surf Fest 2008, but had to pull out and couldn't make it. Hopefully they will be able to join us in May!

Eddie K

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

WOW - went to the show last night in Northampton, Mass., and it was one of the best shows I've gone to in YEARS - every bit as amazing as you all have been reporting. I brought my 18-year-old son, who is not easily impressed. He was up half the night with his guitar when we got home!

It was great to see several fellow NESMA folks there!

I wasn't really familiar with Laika and the Cosmonauts outside of this thread, but now I'm a fan for sure. Their originals were engaging on a first listen and the familiar tunes and surf classics they played really got the audience going. What a sound the lead guitar guy got from his Strat!

And it was awesome to finally see LSJ in the flesh - they brought the house down. I'm hoarse today from all the "whoooo"-ing.

http://www.aquatudes.com
http://www.facebook.com/theaquatudes

as promised, I have created a FLICKR file of my pictures from the 4 concerts I attended (Maxwell's World Cafe, Revolution Hall, Southpaw)

this is the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unsteadyfreddie/sets/72157608513038608/

UNSTEADY FREDDIE

http://www.facebook.com/unsteady.freddie