Tales from the Shoebox.

The common refrain when one lives in a small town is “There’s nothing to dooooo!”  I grew up in Cottage Grove and FSM knows my friends and I said it often enough.  I’m all growdedup now, and as I look around I see plenty to do.  Most weekends, I head down to the Axe & Fiddle, where my stepdad runs the soundboard, the bartender will 86 the dude who pees on my car (yes, that really happened.  Yes, I’m still a little perturbed), and the band gets the crowd jumping.  The music at the Axe is eclectic, to say the least.  From Anticipate Pie (that’s a video) to Zepparella, one thing Axe-goers can count on is a good time.  Last night was no different.

After Gurglebutt finally fell asleep at 10:00, I got myself ready, grabbed my camera and my phone, and dashed out the door, thinking I’d only catch Half Shark/Half Jesus‘ second set.  Imagine my pleasant surprise when I walked in and Three-Way Stereo’s final song had just started.

Three-Way Stereo

I’m sad I didn’t catch their entire set – they play the musical equivalent of your favorite pair of jeans.  I have their myspace music streaming right now, and I’m tempted to put “Paper Cranes” on repeat for the rest of the day.

I snagged myself a pint of cider and headed upstairs while Fred and the band got the stage ready for Ty Connor’s second set.  Upstairs, where you’ll always find a game of pool in session, even on nights without live music.

Anna pulls a pint. Anna's the best. She kicks out dudes who pee on your car.

Bart. The Axe is his pub. I've never seen him lose a game of pool.

I don’t play pool.  I’ve had patient, loving, caring, intelligent friends try to teach me, and it’s like teaching a giraffe to dance the tango.  I am an intelligent woman, I understand geometry.  Pool?  Just doesn’t happen.  Most nights, I drink my cider and knit something simple and BS with my friends.  I didn’t have time for much of that Friday, because I wanted to be downstairs during the performances.  So when Ty took the stage, I took my cider and sat right up front.

Ty Connor: performer, bartender, comedian, profane, hilarious, slightly creepy.

“This set,” he said, “is all about YOU.”  He punctuated that key word with slams on the bass drum.  He read “Hoboetry,” a transcript of a very loud conversation two people – one of them named Tiffany – had outside his apartment.  “You don’t care about Lefty/You don’t care about anyone/All you care about is BEER.”  Ty combined spoken word, snippets of songs, observations, and snark into 15 very funny minutes of performance art.  He’s the only person I’ve ever seen who can make “You Light up My Life” sound creepy.

After Ty came the reason I stayed in town last night, instead of taking up an offer to hang out in Eugene.  Half Shark/Half Jesus.  I find band names intriguing and a name like that?  Wow.  How could I pass up the chance to see what they’re about?

Jen and her green guitar. She has an awesome name, don't you think?

HSHJ would be right at home on playlists including Veruca Salt and Letters to Cleo. Here they are, playing “Down to the Quick” from Hair on Fire

Chris played the entire time with some sort of impish smirk.  See?

Chris plays guitar and has fun with it

The band took a break from playing to have a raffle.  They gave away multiple copies of both their CDs and, as a grand prize, a VHS copy of Boogie Nights. I’ve never before been to a concert where the band held a raffle.  I hope Jamie enjoys Marky Mark and his prosthetic…part.

The final song of the night, and I didn’t realize this until they were into it far enough that a full video wasn’t possible, was a cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.”  Yes, really.

In short: a great night.  But it always is, at the Axe.  Tonight: Brazilian Ferró and Samba band Macaco Velho.  See you there?