A New York "hood"core band who graced the Cha-Cha with their stinky, fuckhead presence last week sealed their reputation as thugs by getting into a brawl with a woman at the bar. Witnesses say band members draped themselves around the joint as if they owned it, making sure everybody knew they were somebody special by waving their tired-ass laminates (they'd just played a show) in the bartenders' faces. Several drinks later, near closing time, a fight broke out; and according to numerous accounts, one of the band members (I'm not sayin' who) socked a female customer in the eye so hard it could be heard over the Cha-Cha's crappy sound system. This was no skinny punk -- the guy was huge. Seattle Police Department media spokesperson Pam McCannon told It's My Party that officers were called to the scene, but by the time they arrived, "the suspects" were nowhere to be found. The victim, who wished to remain nameless, declined to press charges.
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Why I was up at such an ungodly hour relates to my own private hell, but I was awake to see KOMO broadcasting live from Experience Music Project -- at 5 a.m.! Why all the hard hats and hoopla? Because EMP was set to announce -- at 9 a.m., for cryin' out loud -- that the honkin', multi-colored splash of birthday party vomit known as a Frank Gehry design will be open for beeswax on May 23. I don't know about you, but I'm gonna be first in line for the Jam-O-Drum... who wouldn't? According to a press release: "The futuristic Jam-O-Drum circle glows and pulsates to the rhythms played on its surface. With each beat, the giant drumhead reacts with dynamic psychedelic graphics that light up the surface and project up onto the ceiling... [conjuring] the early rhythms of our ancestors playing around the fire that lit up the ceiling of their dwelling." Hmmmm... wasn't Jason Finn in that band?
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Pearl Jam has announced its summer and fall American tour dates, and those who get excited about such things will have to wait until November 5 to see the band in Seattle. The venue hasn't been announced, but ticket prices, before service charge, will range from $26 to $30. New album Binaural will hit stores May 23. (Now, where have I heard that date before? Nah, no gossip there -- the band kicks off its European tour in Lisbon that day.) The single "Nothing as It Seems/Insignificance" will be released on April 11, the day before Pearl Jam is scheduled to perform on the Late Show with David Letterman to help the host celebrate birthday #53. Other Pearl Jam/Binaural tidbits? (Yes, it's a slow week.) Drummer God Matt Cameron contributes to the songwriting; Eddie Vedder plays ukulele; there won't be a fancypants, enhanced CD to crash my cruddy computer (unlike the new Murder City Devils disc -- thanks, guys); and once again, NO GODDAMN VIDEOS. However, the band does plan to continue its beloved "Monkey Wrench" radio broadcasts, so all is not lost.
