Boom Ticket and the Reson-H-Beamers

East Nashville
The 5 Spot
Three bands that I know well
how many times have I seen Boom Ticket
The Resonators
and H Beam

The Facebook reminders
like a pile of electronic fliers
on my laptop windshield
I guess there was just no way
no way I could miss this one

Boom Ticket screamed out
their first line
IT'S TOO LATE
ironically, right on time
Adam (from Boom Ticket) and crew
pumped up and heavily miked
New pickups in the Strat
apparently means turn it up
even more

Some new songs
some old songs
bongos and congas
as if the prince of darkness
was in concert on the beach
with pina coladas
Set Bobby Free
to bang it out
without mosquitoes buzzing about

More guitars
mean more parts or just
the same line an octave apart
the harmonies in threes
not quite masters of the art
maybe a little more vocal
in the monitors please

not much new
to speak of here
more polished more mature
more confident

Duncan on the other hand
has switched lead guitarists and
in the process reinvented
the Resonators band
with new guitarist Scott Alexander
old friend from Rub
plays not as many notes
but with more wonder

Curt and Tony
still bring the beat like
ebony old school students
of Sly and his family
and on bass Bootsy May

new direction for the Resonators
new songs new writing teams
Duncan Scott and Curt
together finally
this should
be good

H Beam
the show is the thing
long winded characters
puppets and costumes
acting with lines and themes
and in between
songs that rock with a band
supreme

Russell Wright
rode off into
the family sunset
replaced highly
by Frank from Guy Smiley Blues Exchange
yeah he got it right

the music rocked
the skits went on
and on
and on
sometimes i just wish
for another song
but i know it's their thing
so i go pee and wait
wait for the next one

you go H beam
the only ones
who do YOUR thing
well
truly unique and far-out
the right band
for your time and place
some might say
some might say