I got involved with Squared Off and Smear Campaign back in March of this year. We were booked with Smear Campaign and got to know them — Cactus Matt offered me a gig that we ended up playing like 4 months later. I also met Hoser that night — his band (Squared Off) wasn’t playing then but he mentioned that he booked shows at a club called Memories. I had never heard of it. Later I came under the impression that it was located in the town of Cicero, I guess this was some confusion with the Street (Cicero Ave.) upon which this club sits. As a side note, I mention that this was my first meeting with Hoser. Unbeknownist to me, I had met him a year or 2 earlier when his previous band FID played at the Fireside Bowl with us as well (as well as bassist Dan, who at that time was musically unemployed, but is not in Smear Campaign to add a final twist).
I often pressured Matt and Hoser to get a show going at Memories with just our 3 bands. Well eventually Hoser came thru and although the bill was longer, I knew this was the show I was waiting for and luckily we were able to take it. It was to be a party for Hosers b-day party which was to occur 3 days later. Smear Camp was not on the bill, but Squared Off and Low Profile were accompanied by out of towners The Tradesman (an Oi! outfit), Burnside Bridge (who we were at the time booked with at another show in total coincidence) and I Attack, another local group who I knew Squared Off had played with before.
I arrive with Hilger, Lisa and Rob and we were the first ones there. I had been to Memories once before to see Squared Off and Smear Campaign (with original Smear Camp bassist Wally). The place seemed a bit cramped (but was that due to the facilities or just a massive crowd, I wondered). I also remembered that they had a decent stage going. When I walked in there were maybe 5 locals there, a huge pool table in the way, and no stage. There was some wood piled up in the back though…hmmmm….
I think it was Corey from Burnside Bridge who was one of the first other people to arrive. He knew as much as me as far as what to do (nothing) and we decided to wait for the big boss (Hoser) to call the shots. He soon arrived and I realized that the stage was collapseable. They have large sheets of plywood (carpeted) and tons of milk crates out back to support it. Joe from Squared Off, myself and an old gentlemen with what appeared to be 1 tooth total threw down the crates and assembled things as well as moving the pool table and a bunch of other shit out of the way. The lineup was soon decided and Rhyno attempted to give us the ‘bad news’ that we had to play first — which I gladly accepted. That night the slot actually hurt us, as a much huger crowd showed up later on. Some people had already showed up tho: Weber from Ratbag Hero (he said he came to see Burnside Bridge though and had no idea we were playing, although I had given him a flyer for the show the week before at Bigwig), Hilger’s sister Amber and her friend Laura (pictured here and here with Rub-a-Dub doggie, who is getting some groupie love). Betty and Johnny from the Burbanks showed up, but late and they missed our set. Also of course Cactus Matt was there, and later Jimmy, Smear Camps drummer and Chris their ex-2nd guitarist as well.
At some point while killing time before 9:30 when we were scheduled to go on, I was outside and a person I later identified as the singer/bassist for The Tradesman rolled up (onto the sidewalk) in a vintage Silver Vespa scooter and matching old school silver helmet. He tried to rip on it and say it was a piece of shit but I thought it was pretty tight. He said he was just coming from some scooter convention or something. I asked if he rode the Vespa all the way from Erie, Pennsylvania and he laughed and said no.
We went on to a thin crowd and opened with a sure fire way to alienate the crowd: an 11 minute, 8 part medley. Including #7 ‘A Barell With Poles’ which consists of only guitar and vocals. I wasn’t feeling the show and if you read the previous 10 show reviews, I don’t think I say that even once. I don’t think anyone there was feeling the shit at all. I don’t fucking know.
After the set Hilger changed shirts (so did I, as always, it was pretty sweaty). We stepped outside and his shirt was unbuttoned and it was flapping in the wind and I scored this pic, then I made fun of him for trying to cop such a ‘sexy pose’. Later on Rob noticed some chick with the low-riding jeans that rode a bit low and the ass crack was exposed. Now I’m often known in many circles as a Paparatizi for taking crazy pics of people without their permission. I was at a festival in tha RG recently and snapped a pic of another similarly not-that-hot chick with a thong fully exposed. I took a pic of that and almost got into a little trouble, physically, but got away with the pic. Well anyways, I felt obligated to take a pic of this ass crack and I was nervous to use the flash, althuogh I knew I needed it. I had had this same problem with the thong pic, I took one real quick and checked it and it was mostly useless (even after I brightened it later on my comp), so I immediatley took another with the flash — and thats how I got myself into trouble. Well in this case I bitched out and I only have the one pic, which is barely visable after being lightened by my super high-tech comp warez. Enjoy.
There were 4 more bands after us and I stayed until the end. The Tradesman played traiditional punk/Oi, with the guitar solos and everything it reminded me of Warzone. I attack was more old school thrashing punk rock, alot of smashing mid tempo beats. Very loud. Squared Off was great as usual. We played our Squared Off cover ‘My Turn’ for the 2nd time at a show with them. Squared Off then played it in their own set and Hoser made a point to not only point out to me, but to rub my face in it, that I was playing 1 note 1/2 step off. I made a mental note on that and Hilger looked and realized it to. Ny bad dude. I didn’t drink at all at the show because I got pretty wasted the night before had to get up ‘early’ for practice before the show. The funny thing is that as much as I say I wasn’t feeling shit, I’m sure all the other bands did and I’ll bet the whole crowd did too. Weber stressed to me that it was the best of the 2 or 3 sets hes seen us play. I guess we played well enough. I’m going to cut this review now before I rip on myself more. Good show.
–satan165
Low Profile live at Memories
Saturday August 30th
w/ Squared Off, I Attack, the Tradesmen and Burnside Bridge
We practiced at 5 on this day and went thru the set real quick. Then me Williams and Lisa went and made copies, scanned photos, updated the site, filled out the CD inserts and smoked weed to kill time before we had to leave for Memories.
We were the first ones there. But soon after some of the members of Burnside Bridge arrived. We just sat around and chilled. I ordered a Rolling Rock and sat at the bar. Then decided to play some songs on the jukebox cuz it was way too quiet and we had some time to kill.
This jukebox is awesome. I played some Crue, Scorpions live, Halen, Bob Seger, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, etc. It has a lot of good shit in it so I was amused.
So my sister Amber and her friend Laura show up. Jessica showed up. Weber from Ratbag Hero shows up to see Burnside Bridge but got to see 4 other awesome bands so that was very cool. Matt, Jimmy and Chris show up. Hoser walked in and I walked up, wished him a happy 12th 21st birthday and gave him 10 pics I’d picked up when I went to the guitar shop. I wanted to get him a pick holder and give it to him full but they didn’t have any. Oh well. It was lookin good though cuz the place was fillin up and the drinks started to flow.
Hoser, Joe and Williams started getting shit organized. Setting up the stage and the PA and monitors and all. I just sat back, drank a few and chilled. So awhile after that, Williams comes up and says that we play first which was cool with the three of us. So we helped Rob load in and we had Hoser and Rhyno hook us up since we were using their amps. Our set was something like this:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Sex Party
Excited To Die
Folsom Prison Blues (originally by Johnny Cash)
48
Hot Mom
My Turn (originally by Squared Off)
After Excited To Die, I remember saying something that our set was almost done and Cactus Matt yelled out that we’d only been playing 20 minutes and to me it seemed like an hour. It was kinda weird. I wasn’t tired or anything, time just seemed real weird that whole night.
Folsom was received well as it always is. My sister asked both me and Williams if we’d play it so we thru it in the set. Weber told me that this was the best time he’d seen us out of like 3 or 4 times and then said that seeing us play the song 48 really made his day. So that was real cool to hear. My Turn was good and fast and exciting. But we later learned that we play a change a lil wrong. Hoser pointed it out to us when they played it correctly during their set. Sorry bout that.
Johnny and Betty walked up to me while I was standing around after our set. Johnny says “nice set” and I’m like oh yeah, thanks. Then he gives me a big hug and says “sorry, we totally missed u guys. but we could hear u while we were driving around trying to park” Thanks a lot u 2. No problem though cuz u have to sit thru our set this coming Sunday at Bigwig. Just kidding. Don’t even trip about it. We listened to the CD u gave Williams while in my car chiefing.
Burnside Bridge were up next. They had real nice gear. The one guitarist had a bunch of pedals all nice on a board and played a left handed vintage Rickenbacker. Josh, the other guitarist played a real nice SG. And the chick bassist played a nice black on black Ernie Ball bass. Props all around. Their sound was good. I liked their songs and got into them but we went out for a session during the end of their set and ended up chilling outside cuz it felt so good after playing a hot and tiring set. We later walked in and watched the Tradesmen who totally rocked and impressed me a lot. Very fast, energetic street punk. They sing about the working blue collar class and about the union. Williams and I later talked with the lead singer/bassist and he said he was a union pipefitter. Oh and they r from Erie, PA and said that Memories was the smallest place they’ve played in a while but they had fun anyways and after their set they were ready to get drunk. Good luck with the rest of the tour guys.
I Attack were next. I knew that Squared Off had played with these guys at least a few times. They were great. Super fast, high energy, yelling punk rock. Glad I got to play with and finally see these guys. They gave Hoser a pinata for his birthday. It was pretty funny. It was soon smashed and in pieces all over the floor. They ended their set with an Ozzy cover and the singer didn’t know all the words but improvised and I thought he was gonna collapse on the floor. It was so fucking hot in there at that point.
Squared Off got were up last. Hoser was pretty drunk at this point. People were buying him shots and he was just havin a good ole time. Their set was great. They opened with Made In America and had a bunch of us right up front singing right along. They played My Turn and Hoser made sure to point out what we play wrong. OOPS!!
They played Two Way Street, Sue You Got, Porcelain, I Want One More, etc. They covered We Can Dance and then played Seeing Red by Minor Threat with either a very hoarse Joe singing or his vocals were just quiet cuz we couldn’t hear him. Oh well. It was good anyways.
It was a real fun night. Thanks everyone involved.
Happy 12th 21st birthday Hoser!!!!!!!
-ERIK
