Set:
| Pay the Toll to Ride the Junebug Flow | Modern Day Fairy Tales | Chosen Ones | Casanova | I'm a Bad Mamma Jamma (Who Works at Wendy's) | Found My Boogie | Poet (Who Didn't Know It) | A Junebug Christmas | Last Night | Sledgehammer [Peter Gabriel] | Clone You | Jumpstart My Rocket |
Tonight was Junebug's first show at the 331 Club in Minneapolis. We were joined by Yasen Marie and Julie Puppets, who I may add, are the former band of our Share studio bassist Kai Catudio. So we're all one big happy family. Anthony described this mix of bands as being like a "creamy Oreo." He then advised the crowd not to get any on their jeans, because it crusts up. Indeed.
The 331 was packed. The stage is is tiny little space at one end of the rectangularly-shaped bar. The cramped nature of the place gives it a really nice intimate coziness. Amongst the three bands, there was so much gear that things had to be stacked in strange places to make it all fit. But small venues are great when they're full. That's a fact.
Over half of the material we played tonight is stuff that will be included on our next studio album, Modern Day Fairy Tales. We're dusting it off, working it up, and rocking it out because we intend to record in February. Hold on to your hats, kids.
We have this song called "Casanova," which is to be featured on said upcoming album, in which we often invite a guest from the crowd to come up and do a little freestyle wordsmithing. Tonight it was Russ from the Julie Puppets. Now, something you have to know is that tonight was the Julie Puppets' cowboy-themed show. Russ was a sight to behold. He of course had the five-gallon cowboy hat, some great aviator-like sunglasses, a false trucker 'stache, tight jeans, belt buckle... the whole deal. He brought his own great southern twang to rap improv. And it was beautiful.
As we were telling people to get drinks, even if they're alcoholics, Dustin was playing "Deck the Halls" quietly to himself. That's great music for drinking away your holiday blues. Furthermore, tonight was our annual performance of "A Junebug Christmas." This is a song that we wrote, kind of. The music is basically "Happy Trails," and I (tony) wrote the lyrics. But we only play this song once a year, our last show before Christmas, and the year the 331 Club was the lucky recipient. The video of this performance can be seen below. Warning: may include rudeness and lewdness. Or not enough. Whatever.
Tonight we were trying to push our album, Share. Earlier in the night, Yasen Marie was saying that they needed money to eat. We explained tonight that we also need to eat. Anthony exclaimed that he needed more shrimp for his yacht. I informed them that I needed premium gas for my Rolls Royce. Anthony also needs a new battery for his Rolex. Oh, how far we've come.
I wrote tonight's setlist, and boy was it energetic. Maybe it was just hot in there, but we were all relatively pooped only half-way through. Anthony suggested cutting it short because we were all sweating and breathy, but I said no way! I was having fun. We continued tonight's show with much energy and gusto. So much so that I actually got a sideache during the rock-out section at the end of "Sledgehammer." You see how much I give? Hunred puhcent.
As our set was drawing near to its close, I said, "We've got a couple left if you want to hear them..." There was little response aside from the ongoing murmur of the crowd. Then, one dude said, "Woo!" I said that I'd take that as a yes - that one is all I need. Dustin responded with, "Don't encourage us."
At the close of the show, someone in the crowd showed their approval of our set by exclaiming, "Grease that hog!" I can think of no other more appropriate exclamation.
