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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

Texas Is the Reason is responsible for the recording of one my all-time favorite EPs, and yet it was something the band casually refers to as their demo. To actually get to see these songs reproduced live, over a decade after the fact, was an opportunity I couldn't pass up, even if it was a mere two to three songs I was most excited about. And yeah, I may as well admit Do You Know Who You Are? was more than a solid note for the band's career to close with, so filling out the set with it would be an overall treat.

A friend of the band, Ian Love, opened the show. The Rival Schools guitarist played a different sort of fare than that band, a singer/songwriter anchored blend of wandering ambience, folk tinges and the occasional Saddle Creek twang, not unlike Owen. He had three band members to back him up: a bassist, keyboardist / occasional guitarist, and pianist/keyboardist, and they all did their part, adding lush, atmospheric touches to Love's sweet, endearing vocals. He/they played 10 not-too-long songs, and then it was time to figure out just who we were.

Irving Plaza hangs a large projector screen in front of the stage to play strange, trippy, manipulated videos on while bands set up in between sets. Upon Texas Is the Reason's setup completion, a slideshow of pictures began to play on the screen while the gentle twinkle of the studio version of "Do You Know Who You Are?" came over the PA. The crowd erupted in immediate applause viewing the decade-old photos, which concluded with a simple band logo. The screen rose, and Norm Arenas, Chris Daly, Garret Klahn and Scott Winegard walked onto the stage smiling and taking hold of their respective instruments.

With the ending chords of "Do You Know Who You Are?" ringing, the band busted into "Back and to the Left," and the show was officially on the road. Everything just about clicked; it didn't seem like the band missed a note until a somewhat sloppy transition in "Antique" -- and that was during the encore. Likely thanks to all the time spent in New Rising Sons and Solea, Klahn's voice didn't sound a bit rusty, reproducing his signature nasal tone as heard on the band's small number of releases. He was also genuinely speechless; he tried to offer statements of gratitude at several points, but was usually stumped for words. The first time, early on in the set, Klahn spoke into the mic "This is..." and simply stopped. "...Awesome!" finished an audience member. Clapping and acknowledging laughter appropriately ensued.

One curious moment was the band's cover; I'm not sure if most people who attended the show still know what it is. Labeled "ROCK N ROLL [sic]" on the set list, the song literally resulted in one audience member audibly yelling "What band was that?," another adding "We want to like what you like!" Neither Klahn nor the rest of the band answered, even though the questions were so clearly spoken they had to have heard them.

Of the two or so "new" songs given, which the band wrote 10 years ago, the first was most memorable. It was certainly a sensible progression from Do You Know Who You Are?, but also featured beautiful/heavy verses á la Sunny Day Real Estate and what sounded like would be a big, great chorus -- that is, if it was repeated at all, which it wasn't. It also made it seem like the band was really finding its proper footing in dynamics, which makes it all the more a pity they broke up without even managing to stay together for a second LP.

What seemed to be most pleasing is how happy Klahn looked, with Daly and Winegard seemingly enjoying themselves too. Arenas looked predictably content, hopping up and down and getting into the occasional excited groove. I certainly wouldn't say he looked to be hating it.

Set list (according to the paper, mostly accurate I believe; one of these is "There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out of This One"):

  1. Do You Know Who You Are? [played over PA]
  2. Back and to the Left
  3. Dressing Cold
    4. -----
  4. Johnny on the Spot
    5. -----
  5. "ELGD" [?]
  6. If It's Here When We Get Back It's Ours
    7. -----
  7. Nickel Wound
  8. Magic Bullet Theory
    9. -----
  9. "DRINKING" [?]
  10. Something to Forget
    11. -----
  11. "RAFAEL" [?]
    12. -----
  12. The Day's Refrain
  13. "ROCK N ROLL" [cover]
    14. -----
  14. A Jack with One Eye
    15. -----
    Encore:
  15. Blue Boy
  16. Antique
If you promised me a year and a half ago that by the end of 2006 I'd have seen Kid Dynamite, Lifetime, Gorilla Biscuits and Texas Is the Reason I'd probably have laughed in your face and offered some unimaginable sort of monetary compensation. A lot of people detest reunions, and for some agreeably good reasons I'll admit; however, getting to experience something you never had the chance to the first time around is a great, self-fulfilling feeling. Texas Is the Reason met all my expectations, and if any more bands want to reunite with results this successful, shit, I am all for it.

Photo credit: This dude.



People who liked this also liked:
Down to Nothing - The MostAgainst Me! - As The Eternal CowboySinking Ships - DisconnectingDear Tonight - We're Not MenCapital - Signal CorpsSpitalfield - Stop Doing Bad ThingsLatterman - ...We Are Still AliveNo Trigger - CanyoneerRocket from the Crypt - R.I.P. [CD/DVD]Polar Bear Club - Sometimes Things Just Disappear



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    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 1, 2006 at 12:34 AM (EST)

    "If the [sic] wasn't actually on the setlist it should be outside of the quotes. Just FYI."

    The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, Rule 5.2(c) states that [sic] should follow as closely to the mistake as possible, inside quotations or out.

    Although most citation manuals tend to contradict each other, so you can never be quite sure. Where'd your rule come from?

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 11:33 PM (EST)

    If the [sic] wasn't actually on the setlist it should be outside of the quotes. Just FYI.

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-11-30 14:36:55
    My Score:

    the bulge in the picture kind of reminds me of david bowie's bulge in labrynth, no?

    score is for Labrynth.

    Posted by benz on 2006-11-30 12:50:11

    This is awesome.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 10:54 AM (EST)

    out of all the punk crap ive sold (at least 500 cds,250 7",150 12") ive kept this cd. and, why do i play it soooo loud.

    Posted by wyzo on 2006-11-30 05:06:11
    My Score:

    the bulge in the picture kind of reminds me of david bowie's bulge in labrynth, no?

    "If you haven't seen a bulge at this point of your life, I feel sorry for you"

    Will Ferrell

    Score is for the bulge.

    wyzo

    Posted by kenjamin on 2006-11-30 01:40:38

    so lets talk about why this band broke up.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 12:17 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    ELGD = Every Little Girl's Dream; a song they wrote toward the end of the band and never recorded.

    DRINKING = "The Drinking Song" is the subtitle for "There's No Way Can..." so that's it since you were wondering.

    RAFAEL = a cover song. Originally by Seam, who is really good if you like TITR and Samiam.

    ROCK N ROLL = another song that they wrote toward the end of the band and never recorded.

    They played every song they ever wrote plus the Seam cover. It was outstanding.

    Posted by greyicewater on 2006-11-29 23:15:55

    the sad thing is i had the chance to see braid, sunny day real estate, and at the drive in. but i for some reason didn't go to the shows. how stupid am i? and i thought about driving and seeing the last i hate myself show, but didn't do that either. i'm basically just an idiot.

    Posted by damo on 2006-11-29 20:42:21

    dream reunion?

    88 fingers louie

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 4:58 PM (EST)

    dream reunion:

    mineral.

    i've already got braid and lifetime crossed off.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 2:30 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    score is for jejune.

    Posted by logan on 2006-11-29 08:42:27

    Jejune would be pretty good. I still listen to This Afternoon's Malady on occasion...

    I'd really love to see Jawbreaker and Rites of Spring ... never had the chance. As well as a local band that I grew up kind of idolizing .. Blake.. would be awesome as well.

    Posted by Laurier on 2006-11-29 08:17:31
    My Score:

    Dream Reunions
    Botch, Snapcase, Jawbreaker, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Curl Up And Die, Left For Dead, Rocket From The Crypt, other classics.

    Posted by primeevil7 on 2006-11-29 03:40:17

    Dream reunion:

    Minor Threat.

    Posted by kenjamin on 2006-11-29 00:40:07

    Archangel, if you took out Bear Vs Shark and put in Drive Like Jehu, we could be friends.

    Posted by Archangel on 2006-11-29 00:23:18

    Are we doing our dream reunions?

    Pavement, Botch, Bear vs. Shark (once wasn't enough!), The Dismemberment Plan, Saetia, American Nightmare, Orchid, Sunny Day Real Estate, and the usual run (Jawbreaker/At The Drive-In etc.)

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 11:57 PM (EST)

    The slower track of the two is called "Every Little Girl's Dream." The more upbeat track of the two is called "When Rock 'N' Roll Was Just A Baby."

    and it was a cover of a Seam song as someone mentioned below.

    fyi, this info gleaned from texasisthereason.org

    Posted by mashole on 2006-11-28 21:29:11

    i heard about this band not long ago, and when i found out they were playing for a one time reunion i thought hell i might as well go to this and checkem out. i might never get the chance to see this band again. im so fucking happ i made the right choice, this show was sooo much fucking fun. i was in awe the whole time wacthing them, thinking no one else is going to see this.

    Posted by justahippie on 2006-11-28 18:54:06

    I predict a "partial US tour" and a "special edition reissue" in this bands future. And for once that would be a good thing.

    I'm still waiting for a Mineral reunion. Sweet Jesus that would be great. July, Unfinished, Take the Picture Now, 5 8 and 10, GJS? parking lot? wow...

    Posted by damo on 2006-11-28 18:08:34

    great band but the reviewer makes the band sound like are they are soft gets who don't like being on stage. strange if that's true

    Posted by wearestillalive on 2006-11-28 17:49:38

    wish i could have been at this shit

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 4:36 PM (EST)

    A Braid UK tour would be nice.

    Limeys have hearts too.

    Posted by Scruffy on 2006-11-28 13:52:09

    If Jejune played near me, I would surely go.

    Posted by maverick on 2006-11-28 13:40:00

    I'd like to see Jejune, myself, but I doubt many other people still care about them.

    -Scott

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 12:58 PM (EST)

    i'd say off that list hoover because they were fucking amazing, dahlia seed for tracey's voice, garden variety for just being incredible live, and i'd like to add the legends unwound and maybe even jawbox once in a while to do some of those great songs...plus there was this great band called sideshow that i miss quite a lot.

    Posted by espergaerde on 2006-11-28 10:48:54

    i saw hoover play in southampton about a year and a half ago, dunno if they still play occasionally. was pretty underwhelming tbh, really no stage presence at all. scores for texas the reason

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 9:52 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    bands i loved in the late 90's that need to get back onstage again....Hoover, Dahlia Seed, Born Against, Garden Variety, Shift and of course Jawbreaker.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 7:58 AM (EST)

    nobody's mentioning the horrible buzzing sound that plagued the entire show. it wasn't the band's fault, but it really put a damper on set.

    Posted by insinceredave on 2006-11-28 07:03:57
    My Score:

    Great review, I would have loved to be there

    Posted by Jacktheskipper on 2006-11-28 04:24:55

    OK, I really sadly need to see some footage from the shows or hear a bootleg, please tell me there`s some?!?!

    Posted by Cos on 2006-11-28 03:55:02

    I think all the bands you mentioned are doing reunions for the right reasons: just for the fun of it. With the exception of Lifetime, none of them are doing new material, they're just having fun playing in front of people. The Gorilla Biscuits show is the most fun I've had at a show this year because it was the right combination of fans and the band losing their minds.

    I've never really heard Texas, but it sounds like this show was amazing.

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-11-28 02:23:25
    My Score:

    Nice review

    Posted by Scruffy on 2006-11-28 02:04:49

    Per that last paragraph, when's Jawbreaker gonna suck it up and do a tour for the fans?

    Jets To Brazil could open. With The Promise Ring.

    Posted by wyzo on 2006-11-28 01:33:59
    My Score:

    "There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out of This One (The Drinking Song)"

    Would have loved to hear that one.

    wyzo

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 1:26 AM (EST)

    I'm still waiting for "The Smalls" to have a reunion show...

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 1:19 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    amazing show. definately a night i'll remember for quite a long time.

    great review brian.

    Posted by maverick on 2006-11-28 01:06:11
    My Score:

    1. "There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out of This One" is "DRINKING" on the setlist -- the full title of the song is "There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out of This One (The Drinking Song)."

    2. Based on what people are saying on their myspace page, "Rafael" was the cover, not "Rock N Roll." "Rafael" is a Seam song.

    3. I still can't believe every possible backup plan I made to get to these shows fell through, each at their absolute last minute. I just wasn't meant to see these shows. Alas.

    Score's based on the footage I saw online.

    -Scott

    Posted by onegirlarmy on 2006-11-28 01:00:12
    My Score:

    That was an awesome review Brian, perfect compliment to what was, in my mind, a perfect show. I'm still in awe at how well Texas played.

    Posted by dreux on 2006-11-28 00:59:26

    Really pissed I missed this.

    Garrett is wonderful. I really like his work on the S/T Solea album.

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-11-28 00:39:27

    I would kill and pickle a person to see/hear "If It's Here When We Get Back It's Ours" live that song is wicked classic, wicked.

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