Pins Of Light, The Birth Defects, Dirty Denim
February 27, 2016
Benders
San Francisco, CA
Early To Rise
Going from rusted to ruined can feel seamless sometimes, at this age of mine. I’m not that old (I keep telling myself) but shit, dude, old enough to feel Yesterday in my bones each morning. Definitely after days like last weekend. So much fun and so much inspiration it can drain a man. But I’m getting ahead of myself, having yet even begun.
The day started early with my friends Dino and Conor. I was lifted from my crib at 9 in the AM to go up to where skateparks abound amid the drunken vines of Wine Country. The Napa Skatepark’s too fucking crowded so we went to Sebastopol to act only mildly Foolish. That park’s really fun, even for a crew of post-golden has-beens. (Psh, like I ever was. Anyway.) After that we went to this weird-ass park in Monte Rio with a colorful crew of dwellers. They sat, they watched, they talked politics over open 40s (they were Feelin’ the Bern, so they at least had some sense) and they would take the occasional 7-ply’d run around the park. One of the rippers’ had his nethers clad only in a pair of long johns that fit like a reverse mullet: tight down below and baggy up top. He seemed comfortable though, and was a much better skateboarder than I, so I refrained from judging and was content with mere bafflement.
After that we headed back to the city. We were worn and beat and I had a show to meet my wife at. So I ignored my dirty clothes and weathered demeanor and skated down to Benders. There was an early show care of Noise Pop. My timing was impeccable and the night’s opening band, Dirty Denim, started moments after I retrieved a beer and took to the floor. I was a fan from the first notes.
Each of their singers uses her voice with a clearly beloved talent, the lead-est of which (Katie Rose) sounding like a piece of silk that blankets a weathered edge. They reveled the crowd with songs of strength, power, encounters of love and yard sales all to a reverb-y twang and a wisp of punk rock. At one point the lead singer and drummer (Niki Kangas) swapped hammers and built a few songs in reverse.
I loved their set and look forward to seeing them play again.
After Dirty Denim finished, I gallivanted around until I found Candice alongside our dear friend from Michigan, Holly. They had a table staked out with a crew of friends/usual suspects and we all uplifted the merriment upon suds of beer. The second band, The Birth Defects took the stage and began their raucous set. They elevated the vibe with their screams and jubilant demeanor and shit started getting squirrely. I remained at the table cause I didn’t feel like negotiating the crowd. Remember, I was old and tired that night.
Last but not least was Pins of Light, whom have become a mainstay in Candice and my show-goings.
I always love seeing music at Benders because it kinda feels like watching a band at house party. The stage is low, leveling the hierarchy, and the duality of Crowd and Band becomes one common blizzard of heavenly chaos. Pins Of Light, as is always the case with them, lead the crowd to an intoxication that went beyond the copious amounts of alcohol in their bodies. Nah, dude, we were all afloat on the energy of their music and movements; and I suspect the feeling was mutual.
It’s always great when a band who’s been amazing from conception just keeps turning it up and evolving. Bravo, Seriores.
The show let out at a reasonable hour for us elderly folk and there was talk of seeing The Dwarves at Thee Parkside. But I couldn’t tell if A) That was actually happening or not, or B) I had even close to the energy to partake. Turns out it was happening. As fun as that woulda been, I had some resting to attend to. In other words, Candice and I went the fuck home, to the mosh pit of geriatrics: Bed! Thanks for the great show Noise Pop and so on. We’ll be seein ya.
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