My old high school buddy Dave Downey is a singer in multiple punk rock bands and the longtime owner of Sacramento's famed
World's Best Comics on Watt Avenue. https://www.facebook.com/wbcomics
http://matsune.com/
Dave was always an interesting sort of artsy guy that use to doddle little figures called, "Dawks or Birt Mgee" on my book covers while we sat in class in high school and he once went to school dressed up like a yellow coloured Devo member and gave indications that day of how much he liked new wave music and punk rock. We both graduated from VacavilleHigh School in 1980 and after all these years of losing touch, we stumbled across each other on the fbook thingy and we have been communicating for some months now, getting caught up in the history of our lives. This past month, Dave knew I was up from Chile to visit California, and so he sent me an invite to see his old band, Pounded Clown's at their 25 year reunion at the downtown Sacramento underground music club Casa de Chaos. The Casa de Chaos is an old venue set up in a large house for the music scene in Sacramento and the people that live there offset their rent with the cover charge to get in to see bands like Pounded Clown. It is a pretty low key area complete with backyard smoking section, mini bar(?) and a sound proof room where bands come and go wrecking ears all the time
Before the show started, Dave quickly put on heart shaped sunglasses and a neon halo and then led the assault up front with his provocative rapid fire vocals and humours poses and gestures with the band backing his every move. Pounded Clown rocked for twelve songs while their old posse of followers and friends rocked along with them out for a half hour. Great Show Dave and was great to see you after all these years and I find it fascinating that you are a local icon in both your comic store and as a punk rock singer. Awesome!
Dave told me that the band members were, "Vincent"Double De" Fiore-Donald Trumpet, Rick "Too Sick" Edwards some crazy horn, Ed "The Hunter"-GeeTard, Mike "Stays Crunchy in Milk" Kellogg-Bass player, Hal"Ever Buddy's Pal" McLean, repercussionist, and Dave "Uppin" Downey Yowler."
The band warms up.
Dave slowly transformed from a mild mannered business owner and family man...
...right into a Full blown punk rock singer.
I shot a little video of the band performing as well.
Dave toys with the crowd and poses for the cameras.
His other band members were every bit as good as Dave and they were all 'dialed' in together in a really tight band.
A mosh pit formed behind me as I took pictures and the room became a very tight mass of bodies, the pungent smell of B.O. and leather rockers.
Dave played for the audiences emotions and many of them knew this band and Dave for many many years.
Posing; the look of disgust?
Dave got close in my face or did I get into his face? I do not remember but the shots are sort of cool.
No comments:
Post a Comment