8.20.2009 - Ronny's - Chicago
If you’ve been following this site, you know that I love Apocalypse Hoboken. I’ve been into these dudes since I was in high school, and I don’t plan on getting tired of them anytime soon. So when I heard there was to be a “secret” show at a shitty venue like Ronny’s, I was super stoked. By “secret,” I mean they were added to a bill as “Plus Guest.” Everyone pretty much figured it out right away, especially because Todd posted it all over Spacebook. I figured this would make for a pretty large turnout, but surprisingly not as many people showed up as one would think. I suppose they are waiting for the upcoming shows instead. Why anyone would miss out on an opportunity to see the band play in a setting like Ronny’s is beyond me, but whatever.
Let me tell you a bit about Ronny’s, in case you’ve never been. This place is essentially a dive bar with a garage attached to it. The shows take place in the garage. They seem to have put some drywall up to deaden the noise, so now it feels more like being in someone’s basement. Plus, the sound is super shitty. So basically, seeing a band here is the same as seeing one at your friend’s house party. I like that. It reminds me of all the basement shows I’ve seen or played at. I hate places like the Metro or Congress Theater (both in Chicago). I want the band on my level without bouncers or anything like that. I want them to be able to give and take abuse. I want to pay only $7.
While other bands did play before Hoboken, I’m not going to comment on them because I didn’t really pay attention. I know everyone’s thinking that people who only show up for one band and ignore the rest are assholes. I usually don’t do that. But this night I did, so get over it. I’m getting older, and being close to the bar is important.
Of course AH’s set was fantastic. They played a decent amount of songs off of Now’s Not a Good Time, which is my favorite album. In general, they seemed to play a lot of stuff they don’t usually perform at shows. That works for me. Way to mix it up, guys. The same energy I expect from any Apocalypse show was present, and fortunately Todd kept all his clothes on this time around. I’m not sure how tight they sounded, but that’s because everything was all jumbled together. That isn’t their fault; it was just the room they were in. But really, it didn’t matter how well they sounded. The point is that it was an awesomely fun time, fueled by beer and music that makes my ass dance. Thank you, Apocalypse. I like it when my ass dances.
*Sorry about the shitty pictures. We walked to Ronny’s from my apartment, and it looked like it was going to start pouring at any second so I brought my crappy camera instead of my good one. Deal with it.
