Gene Ween Band

[Sir Stewart]

maybe he's busy with Moistboyz or something.

 

I was thinking that too - I actually bought their first record.

[mfwahl]

Fishing probably.

Ha ha. Or cooking. He's an interesting dude.

 

I wish I could make it to one of these shows. The fact that Claude won't be playing sucks but this is a great lineup also: Scott Metzger (RANA) and Joe Russo (Benevento/Russo) are great musicians. It will be cool to hear their take on some Ween tunes. I bet this is going to be different than other GWB shows. Before they basically just played Ween songs and covers and didn't sound like they practiced much, basically just like a laid back Ween show without Glenn or Mickey. I would think Russo and Metzger might want to take things more seriously.

[Moe_Syzlak]

Ha ha. Or cooking. He's an interesting dude.

 

I wish I could make it to one of these shows. The fact that Claude won't be playing sucks but this is a great lineup also: Scott Metzger (RANA) and Joe Russo (Benevento/Russo) are great musicians. It will be cool to hear their take on some Ween tunes. I bet this is going to be different than other GWB shows. Before they basically just played Ween songs and covers and didn't sound like they practiced much, basically just like a laid back Ween show without Glenn or Mickey. I would think Russo and Metzger might want to take things more seriously.

Have you ever seen Bustle in Your Hedgerow?

[Lammycat]

How about them pics of the Gener cooking his sauce? Am I right, folks?

[mfwahl]

Have you ever seen Bustle in Your Hedgerow?

WHAT! I have never heard of that before. Holy shit!

[Moe_Syzlak]

WHAT! I have never heard of that before. Holy shit!

Here is a review I wrote for the show I saw in Denver in '07:

 

Well for anyone that isn't in the know, Bustle In Your Hedgerow is a (purely for fun) side project for the Benevento/Russo Duo, Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz and Rana guitarist Scott Metzger. It is an (almost) all instrumental tribute band covering the songs of Led Zeppelin. I had heard about these shows, particularly the ones in my old stomping ground of Chicago and always hoped I'd be around for one of their impromptu performances. While at Austin City Limits Fest last summer I was hoping I might get lucky seeing as though both the Duo and Ween were in town for the fest. Alas no luck (although I did catch a kick ass Duo show at Stubb's Indoors). So when I heard that Bustle... was going to be doing a little mini-tour I grabbed some tickets.

 

First, I'm not sure these shows were promoted at all. I definitely didn't need to buy tickets in advance. The place was probably only about 3/4 full. We hung out mostly on the balcony and pretty much had the whole balcony to ourselves. I'm curious as to whether the Fox Theatre show in Boulder the night before sold out.

 

Now like most people, I'm not big on cover bands, but with these musicians and their approach to the (much loved by me) music of Zeppelin -- not to mention the positive reviews I've heard from friends -- I was excited for this. The show opened with what I've always considered to be a great fucking opener: The Song Remains The Same. It totally rocked and I didn't miss the vocals at all, but it was a pretty straight version of the tune (i.e. no jamming). That was pretty much the theme for the night actually. Some tunes flat-out rocked, but they were so faithful that it at times sounded like listening to a Zep album with Plant's track turned down. Some tunes worked for this approach better than others. Not surprisingly, Kashmir was a highlight and came the closest to a full on jam.

 

One thing that made this a fun night was the obvious fun these guys were having on stage. Benevento and Russo ALWAYS look they're having too much fun, but the whole band was letting loose and seemingly taking a nothing-to-lose, let's-just-have-fun approach. At one point, Russo came out from behind the drums and Page/Lawn Boy-style sang the opening to Over The Hills and Far Away. This moment was just so much fun for everyone. The whole thing reminded me of when I first saw Dark Star Orchestra at Martyr's in Chicago when it was just a bunch of local musicians that loved the Dead getting together to play music that they loved on a Tuesday night. Just fun!

 

One thing I will note is that I was not impressed with Scott Metzger. I have heard that Brendan from UM has filled the guitar slot occasionally. I'd be interested to hear that.

 

In the end, I think the pre-announced dates of these shows created a different set of expectations in my mind. I had a blast, but I think I really would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had been an impromptu set. Good fun. If you get the chance I definitely would recommend catching them, but have your expectations set appropriately.

 

 

Set 1 10:15pm

Song Remains the Same

What Is What Should Never Be

Trampled Under Foot

In the Evening

Four Sticks

Out on the Tiles

Kashmir

Over the Hills and Far Away*

Moby Dick

11:15pm

 

Set 2 12am

Custard Pie

Heartbreaker

All of My Love

The Wanton Song

For Your Life (?)

The Ocean

Thank You

When the Levee Breaks

Good Times Bad Times

Immigrant Song

 

E:

Ramble On

Communication Breakdown>

It's Your Thing>

Communication Breakdown

Bring it on Home>

The CRUNGE>

Bring it on Home

1:20am

 

* w/ Russo on vocals for first verse on Marco's mic

[Moe_Syzlak]

where the fuck is Deaner?

hi guys, just thought i'd post a quick update. we are starting to rehearse again finally, much like the "new look" ween.com soon the world will have a "new look" ween (the band). we are procrastinators though, so just keep waiting for us if you could, thanks. a good friend of mine from way back in the day is writing a book on the history of City Gardens, the legendary (and now defunct) Trenton shithole nightclub where Ween got it's start and played about 100 times. our first ever club gig was on may 3, 1987 opening up for the butthole surfers and the show has become something legendary. there is an excerpt from the book now online here. it is a really funny read, as you will see. also, we are being interviewed for a documentary on spongebob squarepants which will be aired on nickelodeon sometime in the near future. for me personally being a part of that show is something that i'm very proud, we did music for the show before it ever aired without having ever seen an episode and as luck would have it it turned out to be the best cartoon since bugs bunny. later on they ended up usin "ocean man" as the end theme for the spongebob movie. the little kids in my neighborhood are very impressed. lastly, i will be DJing at John and Peter's place in New Hope, PA on Wed. March 18. the evening is billed as "funky dance party with dj mickey", which is me. please come out and throw down, sexy ladies, this means you.

 

- Mickey