So first off, I need to say that I am in no way a Drowning Pool fan. It's unfortunate that at the height of their success, the band lost its front man. But they have a platinum selling album, they've sold out arenas, they've toured with Ozzfest on the main stage. Not too shabby. So why, why in God's merciless name would they be coming to Mankato, to this void in the heartland? And why are they playing at the What's Up Lounge? Yeah, the same place Writers' Bloc is held--that narrow, second floor bar above the Oleander that measures some 800 square feet. Can you imagine being in a band that's toured the world, played to thousands of screaming fans in venues that can accommodate thousands of screaming fans, only to make a stop in the midwest's armpit to play a club(?) that uncomfortably fits fifty?
Is that a sign that this band is on the downward spiral, that the What's Up Lounge is the best they can hope for these days? I mean, they have a new song on the radio, and I checked their tour schedule: they'll be playing the Canopy Club in Urbana--not a bad venue at all. So is the Mankato show for charity? Did they lose a bet or owe some dude here a favor?
I've actually considered checking out this show. It's tonight, and I think tickets are only fifteen bucks. I'd like to see what their reaction will be to the What's Up Lounge. I'm wondering how many people will show and if a lot do, I'm curious to see whether or not the second story floor will support the weight of all these Drowning Pool fans. Heads up, Oleander.
4 comments:
Some bands do that, and it's usually a sign that they like their fans. For example, Less Than Jake has played tiny venues just because they like the town or something. Maybe they know someone here or one of the members has family here. I saw AFI (I was there for the local bands, not AFI--I really don;t like them) in a tiny bar in Springfield once.
Or, maybe, the band is a big Vikings fan and they'll be here for the training camp.
Ja...this reminds me of December 2003, when Mushroomhead and Avenged Sevenfold came to the Du Quoin American Legion Hall. This just before Avenged Sevenfold became, for whatever reason, mainstream-popular.
I think a band like Drowning Pool can draw a crowd in Mankato because they play off the booze-fueled fantasies of every armpit in the midwest.
One of my favorite bands called Lucky Boys Confusion played the Whats Up Lounge the first year I was in Mankato. The biggest problem I had with it was that nobody really knew about them too much. I don't even think the place was sold out -- though they sell out places like Des Moines and Minneapolis all the time. It's sad seeing a good band not play to a big crowd... at least not a crowd that appreciates their music.
My cousin played trumpet on "Dumb Pop Song," for LBC's first demo. He went to high school with those guys.
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