Sharks and Minnows have been reviewed on EvilSponge eleven times over the years. There are very few bands that we can say that about, but this is the first review since January of 2005. In fact, this show was six days shy of the sixth anniversary of the last time we reviewed them. In the time between then and now, Sharks and Minnows were on hiatus. This, then, is their reunion show.
So how do they sound after six years off? I was deeply anticipating this show, while at the same time kind of nervous about it. Reunions do not always work out, and besides, isn't this kind of like living in the past, like The Eagles or The Who doing their Xth "Farewell" Tour or whatever? Nostalgia is a confusing thing.
We stopped by the East Atlanta coffee shop to caffeine up before the show, and then headed to The EARL. As we stood at the bar in the dining room waiting on a round of draft beer, i looked up at the TV that shows what is happening on stage, and Sharks and Minnows were already playing at 9:30! What the heck? I am all for The EARL running shows in a timely manner, but most importantly they need to be consistent. We grabbed our drinks and headed back to the concert room, and the door guy told us that they were still playing the first song, so we didn't really miss that much.
...it's like five years ago, all over again!
And so i stepped into the back room of The EARL, and it was like i stepped back in time. Sharks and Minnows sounded exactly like they did six years ago, tearing though Cleopatra Song and even a few tunes off of their debut EP, Julie, ETC, which, they joked, was released before many of the people in the crowd were old enough to drink!
Christopher Simony seemed happy to be performing again.
They played for half an hour, including a few new songs and a few songs they had recorded before breaking up.
Chad Spangler, rock star bassist.
They sounded exactly like i remembered, cranking out good, loud, post-punk pop. If you liked what they were doing in the first half of the last decade, then you will like how they sound now. I am glad to have them back, and really enjoyed this set.
Dummer Dan Heisl.
We stuck around to see the next act, who took the stage quickly. They were a three-piece act from North Carolina called The Venables, and they proceeded to play a set of fast-paced punk rock.
The Venables do that smoky mountain punk rock.
There was one song that really reminded me of early Dead Kennedys, and a slower song with Southern-accented vocals that seemed to be what The Replacements would have sounded like had they been from the Smoky Mountains instead of Minneapolis. We stayed and watched about six songs, all of which were enjoyable.
Is it just me, or does this vocalist look kind of like Alan Sparhawk?
However, EvilSponge wanted to chat with Chad and Christopher from Sharks and Minnows, so our schmoozing duty called us away. Overall, this was a great night, and i do hope to see Sharks and Minnows again, and sooner than six years.
Rare good drummer photo.
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