The Thing in the Spring is up ahead in the distance, all four glorious days of it; and at the end, one giant cheeseburger from Bowling Acres. That, with a pint, is my celebration of successfully riding that wave that is each edition of The Thing. Every year, it’s a new map, replete with footnotes for the in-between moments, albums to buy, people to see. Once all the ground has been covered, a dip in the river, and then on to the bowling alley. So with this architecture in mind, let me guide you, over the next several weeks, through each day of this year’s festivities.
Thursday, June 9: A couple years back, we added Thursday to the mix because we felt a louder show was necessary. Having booked countless punk shows over the past 20 years, I definitely missed having a loud element to the weekend. So this year, we’re presenting perennial Boston rockers Pile.
I’ve written about them in this paper before. Pile has the power of Nirvana and the Jesus Lizard, but with the nuanced and tender songwriting and vocal possibility of Paul Simon. I’ve gotten to travel quite a bit with guitarist/singer/songwriter Rick Maguire, and getting to hear these dense tunes in a stripped-down manner has only enhanced my love for the full band’s offering. These folks are still careening around the world like their younger selves and it really comes out in the music. Sure, there’s always that potent nihilism and sneer imbued in the darkness of this kind of music, but with it, a hope and a lightness that comes with the optimism of a clean bathroom, free drinks and cheap gasoline.
In the two spot will be State Champion, a band of epic pedigree. Hailing from Louisville, Chicago, Nashville and Jeffersonville, Indiana, they collectively are the hardest working bunch of folks in the Midwest. So many musical projects between them, and all done with such love and enthusiasm. They sound like Townes Van Zandt with an electric band, and violin! Ragged and heartfelt songs about dropping out and being left behind, but still, just picking up and stomping on. It’s the truest country music out there, played on this scale.
Opening up the show, which by the way will be held, as always, at the Toadstool Bookshop, is Digital Prisoners of War, which is the vehicle of Supriya Gunda. Ms. Gunda’s songs have a delicacy that is perfectly contrasted by her super thick electric guitar. It seriously sounds like the fuzz of a hundred amps, and she channels it ably, and almost nonchalantly, while delivering pointed and thoughtful lyrics with an awesome sarcastic lilt.
As with all of the Thing in the Spring shows, we like to have a pre-doors set. This helps us to start on time, while also giving the community an opportunity to engage without committing to buying a ticket or getting too close. Imagine, if you will, some exotic animal outside of the zoo that you could pet for free. No strings! Anyway, Portland, Maine’s Family Planning will be your wild giraffe for this show. Disjointed and awkward in the best possible ways, they twist, toss, and turn through a strange but insightful songcraft. You will certainly have not heard anything like it.
Before this show, climb the steps that lead to Tim Donovan’s Launch Gallery above Nonie’s. We partnered with Tim to present work by Christopher Myott and Ian Nelson. The gentlemen will be dressing the rooms in the gallery with paintings and furniture. Both have an even style that has that American sawdust and exhaust vibe, beautiful and substantial. They each seem to carve away the extraneous so that each finished piece shines as it was always meant to.
After the concert at the Toadstool, head over to Harlow’s where we’ve got the greatest honky-tonk band north of the Mason-Dixon line, Brattleboro’s Rear Defrosters. The band is basically Wooden Dinosaur with Sam Moss on fiddle. It’s a trip, and a gift to hear the songs of Hank Williams and Little Jimmie Dickens, among others, shot back into the universe with such love and authenticity.