The Slackers – Westbound Train – Bloodshot Hooligans – Zombie by Day
The El-n-Gee – New London, CT
December 6th, 2002

I was very excited when I first heard about this show. I hadn’t seen the Slackers since last January, and figured that I was about due to see them again. Then I found out that Westbound Train was on the bill and I started jumping around like a fool. Yes, I said jumping around like a fool, and if you have a problem with that, I’m going to break your face.

The doors were supposed to open at 7:30 and I didn’t want to miss Zombie by Day so I was there by a quarter ‘til eight. There were a few other people hanging out outside, but unless you were in a band, or were delivering pizza, they weren’t letting you in. So we stood there in the cold and made fun of the mannequin in the window and listened to Zombie by Day warm up for a while. Fortunately when Westbound showed up they asked me to help them load in and I was able to get in out of the cold. By the time we finished loading in the club finally opened the doors. Still for all of us that had been outside, it was a good half hour before we could feel our toes again.

Zombie by Day took the stage just before 9 or so and played some great music. Their enthusiasm was apparent on stage and musically they were right on. They played “Rooster” and [I’m going to call it] the Who Likes to Party? song. I can’t remember the rest off the top of my head but it was all great stuff. The only thing that I didn’t like about their set was that they didn’t fill the space between songs very well, so the set didn’t flow as well as it could have. However the band’s only been around for a little while (less than a year if I remember correctly, which I may not) so I expect that the act will become fluid as time passes. Also ZBD is planning on going into the studio pretty soon to lay down some more tracks, so check out their website for new mp3’s and maybe even a new CD.

The Bloodshot Hooligans were up next. My first reaction to that was why is this band here? Having on Oi/punk band on the bill with three traditional ska/reggae bands just doesn’t sound like a winning formula for a show. Personally I think that this show would have been much better with the Speakeasies filling in that spot. I saw Rob and Dookie there and they said something about trying to play that night but the club not putting them on bill. The only benefit that I can see was that the Hooligans brought out all of the skinheads that wouldn’t have otherwise come to show, but the Speakeasies have packed that place both times that I’ve seen them there, so I really have to question that decision.

Westbound Train came out in style, the guys were all dressed up in suits and they came on stage one at a time each picking up their instrument and adding their particular sound to the mix. They played a lot of stuff that I didn’t recognize, which was awesome because I can’t get enough of their music. If I recall correctly they only played about three songs off of ‘Searching for a Melody’, again I didn’t write them down, and I was a little distracted at the time, but I do recall “Donna Blue Eyes”, “My Number One”, “Don’t Cry” (I think that’s the name of the song, the only track listing I have is on the back of the jewel case which I don’t have here). Anyway it was a great set made even better by the presence of my awesome girlfriend. Never let it be said that Westbound doesn’t play some of the best mood music you’ll ever hear. With all that new music, one can only wonder how far away their second release will be. I’m not sure when they’re going to put out anything new, or if they even have plans to record anything soon, but I’m definitely looking forward to doubling my collection of their CDs.

The Slackers were up next, and I’ll be honest, I haven’t been their biggest fan. I’ve shied away from buying their CDs in the past because I knew once I got one I’d have to buy the rest, so the only exposure I’ve had to them is the two previous shows that I’ve seen them at and the occasional track I hear off of a compilation CD. I do recall them playing “Have the Time”, “Married Girl”, “Sarah”, and “Tonight” but that’s all I recognized and remembered. I was pretty tired by the time they took the stage, and they seemed to play forever. I think they got on at about 11:30 and when they finished up their two-song encore it was well past one a.m. I finally gave in and picked up one of their CD’s and it hasn’t left my CD player since that show. I’m going to see them next Thursday, and I’m anticipating dropping lots of cash at their merch table.