Tuesday Recap: Castanets, Rafter, Fantastic Magic @ Scolari's

It was a late decision for me to head to Scolari's tonight. I was over TV watching, I was over internet surfing, and with the boost of my neighbor paying me for the cable, I had cash in hand, so I showered and headed to the bar, arriving around 10:30. I was pleased to find out that the first band was still on, despite finding a friend outside who was there hoping for "Fast Tuesday" complaining of the "pseudo luau group" playing inside.

That band was Fantastic Magic and they were just fine by me. I would actually describe what I heard as gypsy-ghoul, with the ghostly vocals and the mandolin rocked like a guitar, and the recorder, African Drum, and an accordian like keyboard? Sorry, I don't know what that instrument was, but I liked it, and it was nice that the old dude at the bar offered me a beer despite his been-drinking-all-day breath. Whatever, I didn't make out with him, I just let him buy me a beer.





It was a little funny for me to be at Scolari's for Fast Tuesday, it's like match the punkboarder with the insults they've hurled my way, but actually there were more people there that I knew than I expected, and if any of them have a problem with me or my blog, it didn't come up on this occasion, so it was a chill vibe.

Rafter played second and it was a little weird for me. I've really only seen Rafter as a 4 to 10 piece band, never as just a two piece. His drummer is also his girlfriend who was the former drummer of Red Pony Clock. Sounds like there was some drama there, but I ain't gonna be the one to write that shit out. Nonetheless, Rafter has cleaned up his look, gotten some more fashionable look, and has no problem making out with his girlfriend immediately after the set was done.





Emily (formerly of Rafter, and currently of Bunky) was there and when I mentioned that Rafter didn't play my favorite song ("Fuck You The Sky"), she sang it to me, so I have to say at that point it was a good night.

But then the Castanets came on and it suddenly became a great night. The Castanets should tour with Two Gallants except maybe they sound too similar, only if Cat Stevens was the singer of Two Gallants.






I mentioned in a past blog that they had their gear stolen this summer, and Ray mentioned it again tonight but they sounded great despite the lack of gear or borrowed gear or whatever they had. Ray mentioned that he's been holed up in a hotel room in Overton, Nevada working on new material and how hard it was to transition from not talking to anyone to suddenly seeing so many familiar faces and trying to converse with anyone, let alone 5 or 20 people.

At the end of the set, they recorded and looped their thanks to the crowd, and Rafter and Emily jumped in adding to the loop before it was eventually filtered out by the Fast Tuesday DJs that segued nicely.



Doesn't Emily look pretty?

Anyway, after the bands finished, we closed our night out at the Pink Elephant who, when last call came, played the whole Pink Elephant Parade sequence from Dumbo and made it not feel like a Tuesday night. I could've gone for hours in that place. Nonetheless, it was time to call it a night and now I'm back on job watch 2007 because I clearly cannot be on this vacation forever. I've decided to start making "to do" lists, something I haven't done in years, just to make myself get up at a normal hour on a daily basis. Gotta get back into real life though this has been thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing. As much as I love doing this blog, it just ain't payin' the bills, ya know? Craig's List, Monster, CalJobs, MegaJobs, et al, here I come. With a vengeance.