The Basement Pics & Reports -- Post Here!

[Ceeje]

Post your pics and reports from the Basement here.

[myohmy]

Well I wasn't there in person...but....

I did get a cellcert from Yak ( you rock girl! )...and got to hear Trees, Low Life Insurance and SAAA....and was amazed how well I could hear the guys!

I could hear the crowd going crazy...sounded amazing!!

[klees]

Ok, I will attempt a review. I have now seen 4 shows on this tour, and each was great for different reasons (Louisville was intense, and it was my first time seeing them in a club--that feeling can never be duplicated! In Cincinnati I got my Marty hug and a pic with him, and they played Velvet! Last night in Indy it was a big stage and a big crowd, and the band was amazing, but I'll let others talk about that show).

I think everything just came together to make this a special night. First of all, I went by myself, but I did not feel alone for a moment. It was so wonderful meeting so many of you--UandMe, Keysunset, Yak, and so many others, too many to list!

Then there were the opening acts. When I heard there were going to be 3, I was dreading it, but I truly enjoyed all of them! They were very different in style than the Lovehammers, and I think that was a good thing.

The venue itself also added to making this show special. It was very small and intimate, kind of grungy and just plain cool. As Billy said to me during the meet and greet, "Small place, big show." It was a great crowd too. I said to Billy that it seemed like they really fed off the energy of the crowd, and he said they definitely did. He also said "Bob kicked ass tonight," and I said "You kicked ass!" For the record, they all did! The band seems like they've gotten even tighter as the tour has gone on. Marty seemed very relaxed but intense at the same time, really in his element.

The set list was different from my 2 previous shows, and I enjoyed the change. I do not remember the order and don't want to leave anything out. They opened with This Town, which really got the crowd going. Some other highlights/surprises for me were the full Ultrasound, Sleeper, Give it Up, Sky is Falling, and Rockin in the Free World. The encore was Let's get Wasted, then SAAA.

I am so impressed with how this band can play any room, big or small and make it their own. Each show has been incredible, and I will never get tired of seeing them! Now I just have to last 8 more weeks til Hammerjam.

[keysunset]

Sorry this took me so long to post. I didn't have access to computer while I was away and didn't get back home til Sunday evening. Hope you guys are still interested ....


My First Lovehammers Concert
by keysunset

I have been patiently waiting, ok maybe not so patient but waiting nonetheless, for the Lovehammers to plan a tour stop in my backyard. Apparently they were not going for the offer of free lodging (air mattresses and futon in my family room) or free food (How about oven broiled pork chops, boiled corn, fresh sliced tomatoes, and sweet tea? I could even make ‘em a banana puddin’ for dessert!) But I was being denied.

SO, since I do not drive long distances, nor at night, it was the result of some very fancy footwork done by my husband, my niece, and myself, to manage to work out being able to travel to Columbus, OH, to see the Lovehammers Get Live at The Basement under Fat Eddie’s Bar last Thursday, August 17.

I had connected with UandMe and ChiTownChick before I arrived in Columbus. My niece, her best friend from high school, and I met the group at the Red Door Tavern in downtown Columbus. Downtown Columbus is going through a revitalization so, contrary to what the name of the establishment might suggest it was a very nice, full service restaurant as well as bar. Besides the .org gals, there were also posters from the Sisterhood of Marty Casey. I don’t post at the SMC but several sisters post at .org. Yakketyyak was one of the people at the Red Door. What a hoot! She squealed with excitement when she found out that I was “keysunset” and I squealed in return when I found out who she was! Some of the “girls” had been there long enough to eat and were getting ready to go get in line at The Basement. My trio took up some of the now vacant seats and perused the menu. For you foodies – I had the Chicken Pesto Panini. It came with fries, which I didn’t eat. I drank water. The sandwich was good, light, not very pesto in flavor, but that was ok. I was so excited that I was afraid if I ate anything very heavy I’d end up being sick and that would be sad.

After my group ate, we walked over to the venue and stood in line for the doors to open. I really really really wanted to be near the stage for the concert. I really need not have worried too much. As it turns out, and as I had heard, Lovehammers fans are some of the best people in the world. As the word spread that this would be my “first,” I was assured that come time for the Lovehammers to perform, I would be in the front row. I smiled and said thanks, but in my heart of hearts didn’t really believe it would be so.

The Basement is a long rectangle. You enter through doors near one end of the rectangle. The whole room is open, broken up only by support columns, the bar, “conversation areas” made by sofas and stuffed chairs at tables across from the bar, the stage at one end, and a small alcove with a door leading outside at the other. As you enter you see the stage, beyond a metal railing. You have to turn right to go down to the other end of the railing, turn left to walk down a few steps, and there you are! No seats there, just a human energy pit awaiting the bands. My niece noticed the signage and had to break it to me that there would be no crowd surfing. Oh well. I planted myself as near as I could get to the stage, while my niece and her friend moved back a bit where they could sit at the base of one of the support columns near the railing.

About seven, the warm up acts (yes acts, there were THREE) began. They were great! The first one was Curtis People along with another guitarist named “Slim.” Curtis mentioned that he had met Marty in LA and that Marty had become a good friend. I enjoyed Curtis’ performance. I bought one of his cds after the show. A funny – at one point during the show Curtis said that Slim had the coolest hair cut in the business. Slim, who has very long blond hair, had his hair in two braids. In retort, Slim said, “Yeah, beside your David Hasselhoff.” This was indeed, especially from my viewpoint with a spotlight behind his head, what Curtis’ hair looked like.

The next act, Tony Luca (sp?) was extraordinary! He accompanied himself on the guitar and on the keyboard and he had a great voice! The final, and the listed warm-up act, was Joe First and Family. Slim, who had played with the first act, and Tony also played with Joe First. There was also someone who played upright bass and an incredible drummer! They too were really great! The crowd was SO ready to ROCK by the time the Lovehammers came out!

By the time the opening acts were done, I was about three rows back from the stage. However, true to their word, when the stage was set and it was getting close to time for the Lovehammers to come out, one of the Sisters put her hand in the middle of my back and PUSHED me to the front, while others parted to give me a way through. It was surreal. Suddenly I was standing at the railing, maybe two feet from the front edge of the stage! There was another first-timer, a Sister complete with her decorated garter, there and they pushed her up beside me as well. The set list was distributed about the stage and one of the sisters got a photo of it on her cell phone:

This Town
Call of Distress
Ultrasound - Full Song
Tunnel
Sky is Falling
Clinic
Sleeper
Wish you Were Here
Hold On
Give It Up
Eyes Can't See
Riddle
Rockin' in the Free World
Trees
Straight as an Arrow

Finally, although the opening acts had been so good it didn’t really feel that long, the Lovehammers appeared. Marty came out with a jacket on over his white shirt and (at least to me at the time appeared to be) a black tank top. He had on a pair of blue pants. Not the stripey ones, but he is so pretty I’ll forgive him that. However, it was so HOT inside The Basement that very soon into the concert Marty went offstage and put the jacket away.

Then the concert begins to lose correct chronology for me. Several times they played a song then played right into the next one, so that I can’t remember what things happened exactly when. I had decided in advance that I didn’t want to experience the concert through a camera lens, not this time, though I did hope that I’d see concert photos posted online. Photos were allowed during the concert. I also didn’t want to be trying to take “notes” during the concert. So I totally let the Lovehammers pick me up and take me along for the ride.

That said, here are some of the things that happened to me:

All in all (and not counting standing out on the sidewalk to get inside the venue) I stood (thank goodness for my black princess-style Reeboks!) for over five hours – most of that time screaming or singing.

Marty is a beautiful man, MANIC on stage and I love the way he moves around. Although I did manage to tear my eyes away once in a while to look at Dino, Bobby, or Billy, I spent the vast majority of my concert time staring at Marty.

At some early point of the show Marty said, "Well, we're here in the Basement" at which the crowd yelled even louder than we already had been. Then Marty said, "You're going to have to keep it down. My mother's upstairs!"

Also at the early part of the show, Marty jumped really high straight up in the air (how DOES he do that!) and I swear he hit the top of his head on the ceiling! The ceiling was very low in this venue. He carried on with his performance so I hope all was OK. Later before he jumped he put one hand on a lower part of the ceiling and put his other hand where the ceiling went up slightly and positioned himself to jump where he had more space!

Marty would walk right up to the edge of the stage and put his foot on the padding on top of the rail at the front of the crowd. Since I was at the front, and near the spot where he would walk up, just to my left seemed to be the favored spot for him to put his foot. Then he would bend his knee and lean forward onto his thigh to sing out into the crowd. I cannot begin to count the number of times during the concert that this would happen and I would be inches away from his foot and leg.

Twice during the concert I received the “baptism of Marty” – being hit by dripping sweat as he spun his way through some part of a song or waved his arm out over the crowd. The first time it happened it was just a drop and I actually looked up at the ceiling for a moment in confusion before I realized what it was. The second time it happened was more of a spray of droplets. It still surprised me, but I knew what it was then.

Somewhere in the concert after Marty shed the white shirt, and leaned forward on his thigh to sing, he put his arms straight outward to the sides. When I looked up at him, and that armpit just within reach, I really did think how tempting it would be to tickle him. But I restrained myself.

There are those who say that “Bobby is hot.” I’m still a Marty girl, but Bobby was SMOKIN’ hot on the drums! Fantastic! I really enjoyed Billy’s performance as well – his “Rockin in the Free World” was really cool.

And Dino! So cute. At some point during "The Riddle," I think when they sang "... there has to be something more to the middle ..." I had managed to drag my eyes off Marty (I hadn't had MY eye-f**k yet, so I was pretty much staring at him constantly .... ) and looked at Dino. During that phrase Dino, very cutely, did a whole body shrug -- up on his feet a bit, shoulders up, eyebrows up, elbows out a bit. Sort of Charlie Chaplin-esque. It made me smile!

During “Trees,” Marty came over and was staring at the first-timer beside me. I was staring at Marty’s face. When he got to “combination for DISASTER” he looked at ME for “disaster” with that wide blue eye (my vision is such that I tend to look at one eye or the other, not both at once) and in that pause just after “disaster” lifted his eyebrow to open that eye just slightly larger. The whole time, I realize afterward, I have been slowly breathing IN and slowly leaning farther and farther backward, so that if it had not been for the Sister behind me when Marty moved on to the next face in the crowd, I might have fallen over backward. When Marty did move on, both the first-time Sister beside me and myself looked at each other like “was that what I think it was” and the Sister behind us said “You girls have been truly eye-f**ked!”

Then, since Marty had in effect made the first moves – singing to me, sharing sweat, doing that eye-thing – the next time he put his foot on the rail I did finally touch his leg, just the ankle and a little above, but the thought that passed through my mind was “this material is sort of coarse” and “his leg is very skinny, he needs to eat.”

I did wait for the Meet and Greet, which since I was at the front of the crowd for the concert meant I was at the back of the line for the M&G. By the time I was getting close to the band, we were being rushed a bit. In addition, they were NOT allowing any photos in the M&G. So my plans of having niece just take a casual photo of Marty and I was thwarted.

After I got past the merchandise table, you turned a slight left into the alcove at the back of the venue. The Lovehammers were sitting on bar stools behind a tall table, which effectively meant I was practically standing on tiptoe to be able to be seen. Maybe not quite that bad, but close.

My niece and her friend took my MC&LH and MOMM cd liners through the line for me, ahead of me.

Dino was first at the table. As I walked up, I said, “I know you hear it all the time, but you guys were fantastic.” He said, “I never hear it enough.” So I said, “Well you were fantastic, wonderful …” “More,” he said, “tell me more.” “I had heard how great you guys were live and this is my first concert. It was true,” I said. I mentioned Nancy and he said, "She's my girl," in a very loving tone and made a sweet smile at her name. Someone barked “Move it along” so I made an apologetic smile at Dino and then it was Marty.

My mind went to mush. I think we shook hands. He asked me my name. Then I said, “I have something for you.” I gave him the photo of my child with the signed poster received as the prize for the "Rain on the Brain" video. Marty gave a big smile at that. Then I said, "I know you guys didn't write this song, but I hear that you sing it sometimes, so I was hoping you'd sign a copy of the lyrics for me" and passed him the copy of "Alan" I printed from Leper House. I wish y'all could have seen his expression. Priceless! :-D He did sign it, though he asked me if that was his copy and why didn't I bring him a copy. I did feel bad about that. :-( I didn't think of that! And then he started singing while drumming on the table with his fingers, "Alan, whatever happened to Alan." I've not heard Leprosy (the band that Steve and Moist and Sid and etc. were in) sing it live, so I can't compare, but it sounded pretty fine coming from Marty!

Then I had to move along. We were being really rushed by then, and my head was all a-buzz, so I’m afraid I shorted Bobby and Billy with my comments and compliments. I’m sure they understand. One of the comments I did hear that Billy made to someone who went through the line ahead of me was, “Small venue. Good crowd.”

We went on outside. A group of us loitered a bit hoping the band would come out before we had to move on. I had decided to go ahead and give Marty the lyrics he had wanted, but it was not to be.

Finally, really feeling dead on my feet and floating on a cloud at the same time, I told niece and her friend I was ready to go.

Back at the in-laws, my niece said it was a great concert and "won't it be DA BOMB when they come to our town!" as we were collapsing onto the sofa bed.

Except for a little of Rockstar:INXS, which niece didn’t watch regularly as I did, this was her first exposure to Marty and definitely to the Lovehammers as a whole band. Her friend had never heard of them at all before. So, when niece and her friend went out together on Saturday, I sent along my MC&LH and my MOMM cds. They were able to listen to MC&LH and niece’s friend said she likes “Trees” and “The Riddle” very much. Since her criteria for buying a cd is if she likes at least two of the songs, she’ll buy the cd, she is planning a trip to Borders to use a gift card to purchase it. I hope she does.


I’m sure I’ve forgotten things, put some things out of order, probably gotten some things just plain WRONG. I enjoyed myself immensely, though I have some regrets about things I couldn’t do or didn’t do. Overall, I was very satisfied with my Lovehammers concert experience, and I can hardly wait to do it again!

[rockfan]

Great review, Keysunset. A very memorable first-time for you. Thanks for sharing that experience .

[keysunset]

Thanks, rockfan!

If anyone has any additions or corrections, please post. I even keep remembering other things!

[dizzysham]

awesome review...thanks for typing all that up, i enjoyed reading it!!!

[ndavis021410]

What a GREAT review....Thanks My Key for making us all feel like we went on this trip with you...Awesome experience...

Dino said what?....Awwww.....Smiled huh?...Awwww........So cute.....Thanks again for the review, loved it....Later Nancy

[keysunset]

ndavis021410 said:

What a GREAT review....Thanks My Key for making us all feel like we went on this trip with you...Awesome experience...

Dino said what?....Awwww.....Smiled huh?...Awwww........So cute.....Thanks again for the review, loved it....Later Nancy

He did, he did, My Nancy (hee hee)! I could just feel the love from him when he said it!

OH, I guess I should have mentioned, since this was an all ages show there were ... all ages! And the younger people were really getting into the music too! One poor gal though was soooo tired by the time the LH came out that even when Marty was "in her face" trying to sing to her, I'm not sure she even looked at him. Finally, he went offstage for a moment and got something in his hand and came back and gave it to the mom. Guitar picks maybe? Then I thought they left, but niece told me that the mom and daughter just moved back to the conversation areas where daughter could crash while mom got to hear the rest of the concert. Marty is sooo sweet with the kiddies!

OH and at the end of the concert, Dino threw out his drum sticks and the Sister beside me, the first timer like me, got one, and dropped it. Everybody around her just stood back and helped her find it. LH fans are some of the best around, for sure!

[rachael]

KEY!!!!
How exciting!!!! Loved it all!!!! So many details.....I felt like I was there with you!!!! What wonderful people LH fans are to make your first LH experience memorable!!!

eye****

I am so happy for you!!!

Wonderful!!!

[yakketyyak]

A beautifully described "first time" review Key....You know how happy I was to meet you, I hope we meet again at another LH concert!!!!
...I am crappy at reviews so I am not going to try. The Columbus concert was my "last" (besides October HammJam) and Marty DID have his finest performance at The Basement, at least his finest of what I have seen...My brief "tour" (6 cities) with the band has come to an end, but they have filled me with such great memories, new friendships (Lovehammer fangirls make great friends) and a well-deserved respect for such a kind group of hard-working, joy-and-energy spreading boys...

Thank you Lovehammers for giving me one of the best summer/August good times in my life that I shall cherish in memory forever....

[beachgirl]

Key, that review was lovely! I'm soooo happy for you!
Thanks for sharing.

[needy]

Key..... That was a great review. I'm so happy for you. Get's me all warm and fuzzy inside when I think about the LH fans. They are the best . I sure it made the experience even more special to be surrounded by great fans who were rooting for you when you had "your first time concer moements".

[angie]

Thanks girls, great reviews!! I wish that I had been there with you.

[keysunset]

Thanks for all the kudos, y'all!

I'm still walking around in my "lovely blue bliss" dream here ....

I did manage to remember that at some point in the concert at The Basement, Marty walked on top of and OVER the railing at the stage and came out into our human energy pit. I couldn't really see him, but my niece was farther back in the crowd and up a bit. She said it looked incredible. I believe she was pretty impressed with "our band - LH."

I hope you don't mind that I keep remembering things to post here ....

[henry]

Great reviews ladies!

Key, oh, Key. I am so choked up right now. You were a genious to bring those lyrics! How cool that must have been for him - he had to be impressed that you knew that!

Yes, LH fans are incredible. I've witnessed them giving others their spots when they know they've never experienced LH before. (Maybe I should lie at the shows and say I'm still a LH virgin so I can always get up in front. )

Sweat and the eye ****? What a great experience for you. Beautiful. You touched his ankle and leg? I'm surprised - I really thought you would go for the shoes!

So, when they come to NC, if we follow them there, will you make all that southern food for all of us too! ;D ;D

[myohmy]

keysunset said:

Thanks for all the kudos, y'all!

I'm still walking around in my "lovely blue bliss" dream here ....

I did manage to remember that at some point in the concert at The Basement, Marty walked on top of and OVER the railing at the stage and came out into our human energy pit. I couldn't really see him, but my niece was farther back in the crowd and up a bit. She said it looked incredible. I believe she was pretty impressed with "our band - LH."

I hope you don't mind that I keep remembering things to post here ....

Mind???

If it weren't for people like you posting such fantastic reviews....I don't think I would make it til the next time I get so them perform again....so thank you for preserving my sanity.....and sharing your experience as a first timer especially....

[myohmy]

yakketyyak said:

A beautifully described "first time" review Key....You know how happy I was to meet you, I hope we meet again at another LH concert!!!!
...I am crappy at reviews so I am not going to try. The Columbus concert was my "last" (besides October HammJam) and Marty DID have his finest performance at The Basement, at least his finest of what I have seen...My brief "tour" (6 cities) with the band has come to an end, but they have filled me with such great memories, new friendships (Lovehammer fangirls make great friends) and a well-deserved respect for such a kind group of hard-working, joy-and-energy spreading boys...

Thank you Lovehammers for giving me one of the best summer/August good times in my life that I shall cherish in memory forever....

And thank you Yak for being a special Lovehammer fangirl friend to me indeed...

I will treasure what you did for me while you were at the Buffalo show....(oh, thank you Marty too! ) .....always....

Valencia

[keysunset]

henry, I was very tempted to go for the shoes, honestly. But I was just too self-conscious about it.

And I would be glad to "fix" you any Southern food y'all's heart desires!

xxoo

[Rachel]

Columbus, oh, the basement
this thread is for anyone who is going to, or anticipating see the Lovehammers live.. If you think they might not be good enough, or the band will be total jerks and blow you off because your just a little fan... think again..
My friend Maxine and Lyd and I went to the concert with me! OMG it was so amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant even discribe it in words, barly, or i wouldnt even be writing this note, lol. Seriosly, it was thurs. night, its freakin sat. afternoon, and i still cant believe i went! ok, We got to columbus like 6:30, and the music (well the opening bands don't start till 7:30) so we all went out to eat. And we were leaving the restuarant and theses two guys inpirate costumes were outside, i waved but they didnt wave back....bitches!, lol. But we (LYd, Max, and I) enetered "The Basement" around 7:30, some litle two guy band was playing, but they were good. but the place was really tiny! Like there was juat a ok sized pit, no seating, and the stage, and some railing you could lean against. But us three went down into the pit, we were like 4 (human rows) from the stage!! OMG the opening bands lasted untill 10pm! thats 2.5 hrs of them, but they were awesome! this one hippie-like giutar player played this AMAZING solo, a huge face melter!! lol. But then the Lovehammers came out and we all just went f**king crazy. I swear they played from 10-12:30, and the whole time I was screaming and jumping around, singin along, you guys would have NEVER reconized me, i even surprised my self. They were amazing, it was so loud! and we were so close, Marty would lean out and reach for us, and we all for him, it was really cool. And one of the highlights, he actually jumped down into the pit, and was singing, like right next to me and i grabbed his arm. but it was all good. It was pretty histericar, there was thid HUGE, drunk lady standing in the front, and she kept yelling song titles, when marty was trying to talk, and he just looked at her and was like in his words "Hey, Shutup, im not a human jutebox" I was singing along the whole time! It got pretty hardcore tho, like they have some, really, weird loud songs, and the whole pit is like headbangin and just yelling, as was I, I still dont have my voice back! OMG then they sang a really good, Wish you were here and me i had my pink floyd shirt on, so i thought that was juat great. I would like wait until it got really qiute as they were getting ready to play another song, and then just scream. I was freaking crazy! It was pretty funny, Marty 6'2 and he tried to jump on stage and almost hit his head, o and we learned Dino almost missed the bus that morning, and marty can read the future, but he later confesed that he couldnt, and the double belt idea( lets not go into that), and also, his words, (you guys keep it down, because were in the Basement and my moms upstairs" lol, it was so great, and of coarse the "mad conductor came out , and when they were singinf Trees, us, the crowd got the whole mic, and sand like half the song!!!!!!!lolThen it was over and we were all just going f**king crazy, cuz it was so amazing, and we called for an encore, and we got one, well, really 2, they sang two more songs. but them it was over, and i was like screaming any vioce i have left, w/ both my hands giving the rock sign, it was great!!!!!!!!!!! So we went and got a drink, this place was really like in the middle of a bar! And Max was totally diggin um, but Lyd was a little taken aback, but I got a shirt and i got the whole band to sign it. I got to talk to the whole band, well, their bass played Dino, wasnt that freindly, I told him, like "You guys were amazing, it was my first show ever, and...." but he never said anything, but Marty, was like " It was really your first show?" and i said yeah, and introduced Lydia, and I gave Marty a hug! It was so cool, and Bobby the guitarist, was totally getting on me about tmy Pink Floyd shirt, he was like do u know who Pink floyd is? And so i told him their whole life, and that a freaking love Pink floyd! but bobby and marty were really cool, the other two, ehh!! but i will definatly never forget it it was so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They were better live than there Album, The band was so sweet adn took time to sign and gives hugs.... lol. Marty made contact with his eyes with almost every fan in the crown. thay are very fan orinted. he gave us the mic to sing allong, and let us into his mind. It was a night I will never forget ever!