”people, I wanna bring my third opera "hyphenated-man" around the u.s. again cuz there's some towns I missed last time… we promise to play our our brains out!"
So begins and ends Mike Watt's announcement that he and his Missingmen are going on tour, grammatical mistake and all. This is good news; the part about them being on tour.
I've been doing band interviews on and off since 2008, without any qualifications. I'm happy to announce that now, Four years later, the quality of my interviews still hasn't improved, and the need of said "qualifications" has become evident. But, what am I supposed to do, get a degree in journalism? Might as well major in unemployment. No, I am a scientist, and therefore I stick to a more masochistic lifestyle.
I had the great chance to interview Mike Watt several years ago (highlighted right here on Ground Control), and it's an interview I remember clearly to this day. In fact, it's probably my favorite interview I've ever done; probably because it had such an impact on me, but also because it makes for a great story to tell people. It's still fun to recount what it was like to get inside Watt's van (or "boat" as he calls it) and speak with him for an hour, then catch his set, then ignore Dinosaur Jr. and go home and stuff my face with grapefruit or whatever obscene act. Obscene because of the grapefruit, not the Splenda I used on it. I am not a barbarian, you see.
Anyway, Watt's live set was truly remarkable in the sense that I had never seen anything like it. Not because the musicianship onstage was top notch – though it was clear that Mike Watt and the Missingmen were at the peak of their ability – but because the band completely ignored their entire catalog on their setlist. That tour – the Praccin' for the 3rd Opera Tour – was meant to be a rehearsal for the recording of Watt's third album. So, instead of "praccin'" those actual songs live, it was like being at an embryonic band practice; for a half hour, the audience was treated to covers of songs many of us had never heard before as well as songs from Watt's Minutemen songbook (which, yes, I had very much heard before). It was great – though I have to admit I joined the rest of the audience in their confusion when the band left the stage to let us digest what we had just seen/heard.
Fast forward to the present and the third opera has been released, so it goes without saying that it's high time it was brought to the stage. The time for rehearsal is gone. The time for action is now. Mike Watt and the Missingmen are on tour!!! You should see them!!!
Artist:
www.mikewatt.com/
www.hootpage.com/
www.myspace.com/wattfrompedro
www.facebook.com/wattfrompedro
www.twitter.com/wattfrompedro
Tour:
Dates for Mike Watt's new tour have been confirmed. Here is the list:
Fri 09/28/12 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
Sat 09/29/12 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Sun 09/30/12 – Spokane, WA – A Club
Mon 10/01/12 – Missoula, MT – Zoo City Apparel
Tue 10/02/12 – Boise, ID – Neurolux
Wed 10/03/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
Thu 10/04/12 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Fri 10/05/12 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
Sat 10/06/12 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
Sun 10/07/12 – Saint Paul, MN – Turf Club
Mon 10/08/12 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
Tue 10/09/12 – Toledo, OH – Mickey Finn's
Wed 10/10/12 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
Thu 10/11/12 – Philadelphia, PA – North Star Bar
Fri 10/12/12 – Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House
Mon 10/15/12 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
Tue 10/16/12 – Rehoboth Beach, DE – Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats
Wed 10/17/12 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Thu 10/18/12 – Albany, NY – Valentine's
Fri 10/19/12 – Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
Sat 10/20/12 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
Sun 10/21/12 – Cincinnati, OH – Motr Pub
Mon 10/22/12 – Athens, OH – Union Bar
Tue 10/23/12 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar
Wed 10/24/12 – Nashville, TN – The End
Thu 10/25/12 – Atlanta, GA – The EARL
Fri 10/26/12 – Birmingham, AL – BottleTree
Sat 10/27/12 – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone Cafe
Sun 10/28/12 – Fayetteville, AR – George's Majestic Lounge
Mon 10/29/12 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald's – Downstairs
Tue 10/30/12 – Austin, TX – Red 7
Wed 10/31/12 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory
Thu 11/01/12 – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Brewing Company
Fri 11/02/12 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
Sat 11/03/12 – Las Vegas, NV – Vinyl @ Hard Rock Hotel
Mon 11/05/12 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
Tue 11/06/12 – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brew
Wed 11/07/12 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill
Thu 11/08/12 – Oakland, CA – The New Parish
Fri 11/09/12 – Santa Barbara, CA – Velvet Jones
Sat 11/10/12 – Long Beach, CA – Alex's Bar
