Coming to a neighborhood near you

PROPAGANDA!

We're dropping some hooray bombs on Seattle, folks.

This is one of those weird points of debate among bands trying to build their fan base. Does postering work? I highly doubt anyone has ever been to an H Is for Hellgate show after seeing one of our delectable fliers, but there's something to be said about name recognition....and battling communism, as was the original intent for the above artwork. But we at H Is for Hellgate are less concerned about the fall of capitalism and the adaptation of a classless society and more concerned about increasing the number of punk asses coming to our shows, buying our music, and telling their friends about this new band that's almost as difficult to describe as Menomena. We love you, punk asses.

It's either this, or we all drop to 120 pounds, wear skinny jeans, and start sleeping with a lot of people. It was a close call, but ultimately, David wants to save himself for marriage.

Rock n' Roll Is Dangerous

As much as I would like to brag that H Is for Hellgate finally engaged in fisticuffs with a person deserving of a few blows, I'm sad to say that 2 of the 4 of us didn't get bruised and bloodied by some obnoxious drunk, but rather Ben's Modulus bass.

I'll tell the story of last night at the Nectar Lounge in Fremont with a photo essay.

We had a lot of time to kill before the show. Emily, Ben's special lady, was really feeling the effect of the free time because she is usually seen knitting or drawing. Constantly. So, we made do. She drew on the majority of H Is for Hellgate and We Wrote the Book On Connectors.

Marie and her pony.

Me and some clouds raining diamonds.

Teresa's sexy librarian.

The Kindness Kind and Emblematic rocked tight sets. We were up 3rd and did our best for a Hooray-happy audience given that we were a little rusty after our one-month hiatus.

Then, on the last song, trouble began. Somehow as I was moving about the stage in a fashion that would indicate that I was "into" what I was playing, the head of Ben's bass made quick and blunt contact with my face, causing my glasses to fall to the ground and me to scramble in a Thelma-from-Scooby-Do-style fashion to find them again because I am very, very sight-impaired and couldn't even see my guitar well enough to play it. Here is my awful, awful wound.

Yeah, I know. Oww, right?

Ben is also in this band called We Wrote the Book On Connectors. As usual, they were entertaining those who dare be entertained and had thrown an inflatable beach ball into the audience for us to amusingly toss around. They were having a beach/Hawaiian theme - that's just how they do. This is them rocking.

Matt Brown, being the fun chap he is grabbed said beach ball and gave it a good, firm toss towards Ben. Coincidentally, Ben, while dancing around with his bass, somehow managed to ram it into his face, specifically, his nose. He stopped playing and then there was blood. A lot of blood.

This is Matt Brown assisting Ben while thinking that his mach speed beach ball toss had done Ben in.

And this is the impressive aftermath.

According to Ben, he received a lot of conflicting information on how one treats a broken nose. Apparently, there wasn't a doctor in the house.

So, let's review.

Before:

After:

Friends in high places. (Or, friends with access to update high-profile websites.)

My friend Jordin Silver (and song crafter of The East End) is a DJ at 107.7 The End. Sometimes I'm her "Producer". Sometimes = once, but hopefully again I'll be able to push lighted buttons and get today's hits lined up for the radio listeners in the greater Seattle area.

She put us on their club calendar. I think it's awesome...and kind of hilarious because I believe we've been played on The End exactly once. Chris Travis on the Young and the Restless show spun Belt Of Lights after our record came out in February. But, I suppose they are supporting local music by having the club calendar in the first place.

Tonight we have our first show in over a month. Practice last night ruled. It might have been the best ever. I like this band.