Rye Coalition, Live!
Published November 21, 2002
I don't know if those are song lyrics, but the T-Shirt was printed by some entity called Sensual Underground Ministries.
Added Bonus Number 2: while waiting between sets, I heard 2 Johnny Cash songs come over the Jukebox. It made me smile.
R.C. took the stage without much fanfare and proceeded to blow the house down.
If you have heard the album, you know R.C. comes at it hard and fast and doesn't stop. The lead singer, Ralph G. Cusegllo, is a front man, and he acts the part. He did everything, including hanging from a beam in the ceiling, to get the crowd into it.
Watching him sell merchandise before the show you could never guess the volcano that erupts when he takes the stage. Same for the rest of the band, they don't look "hardcore." They look like my neighbors. It makes the show that much better.
Interview Bonus: I talked to the most of the guys from R.C. before the show started and Ralph admitted that most of the lyrics were tongue in cheek. Go here for my earlier CD review.
They opened with a much harder version of "Vacations" from their newest album, "On Top." And I think they played about 5 songs off that album. They also played some older stuff and an unreleased song.
Seeing a band like R.C. is hard to describe. It was a close setting, and there were maybe a 100 people there. They played like they were in a stadium and there were 50,000 people there. Their stage presence was enormous and they played tight and comfortably together.
They took a big risk with the closing song. It is the last song on "On Top" and the longest song on the album. The people there probably expect a song to last maybe three and a half minutes, tops. R.C. let this one go on. Guitar solos, the whole bit. It worked.
Maybe Ralph had won the crowd over, maybe the crowd knew it was the last song and tolerated it, or maybe, just maybe, it was because R.C. is a great band and people just enjoy hearing a great band.
Final Analysis: Tremendous show by a great band.
Go see them when they come to town. You can afford it and R.C. deserves it.
Here is a list of the rest of the tour dates:
Thu. Nov 21st: St. Paul, MN @ Big V's (w/ Soviettes & Songs of Zarathustra)
Fri. Nov 22nd: Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
Sat. Nov 23rd: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
- Rye Coalition, Live!
- Published: November 21, 2002
- Type:
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Alternative Rock, Music: Hard Rock
- Writer: Chris Cotner
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- Chris Cotner's personal site
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Eric -- I would've, but this one of those deals that you just show up and pay at the door. I emailed the record company guy. Maybe I'll get a free shirt.
Seeing them in a venue like that, including the other bands, makes me wonder how these guys make money. The math on the door only works out to about 2 dollars a band, and there only about 150 people there. I didn't see a whole lot of merchandise changing hands. I realize, for some bands, OKC is a loss leader to generate a fan base. But, man, little bands on the road are the last bastion of true capitalism.
So true - you can see why they need all he help they can get, and how the Internet can play such an important role.
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Great job - dude, you're not old, I'm not even old, Mick Jagger is old. As far as the ticket list, I have learned to NEVER trust what anyone says. I always call to venue before I go to make sure they have my name - better still is to get hard copy tickets in advance.
Real glad you liked the show, sorry they screwed it up.