Basstravaganza at the Double Down Saloon Wednesday Nov 26, 2025

 

Every year on the night before thanksgiving, Thee Swank Bastards hosts Basstravaganza to celebrate the beginning of the anniversary weekend for the Double Down Saloon, featuring the same number of bassists as the anniversary year - 33 this time out! Swanks leader Jesse Del Quadro plays the entire night (although he took one break to give longtime cohort Jeff Murphy a chance to show off his guitar skills), plowing through the Swanks repertoire of surf classics and heavy metal/punk songs done surf style. The bassists range from inspired beginners to longtime professionals and everything in between, including plenty of guitarists (and other musicians and non-musicians) who pick up the bass especially for the night (myself included). This evening there was the addition of horns, 7 drummers, including a surprise, masked guest drummer, El Bastardo, as well as an incredible array of instruments, from standard bass to 6-string to a banjo-bass to a trash can stand up! 

Everyone gets a couple of songs and does their best with the few minutes that they are allotted. Plenty of drunken and non-drunken sloppiness from pretty much everyone, but plenty of terrific playing, as well, and lots of fun, culminating in everyone blasting out a wacky version of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom".

Unfortunately, I have not been out that late in years and got pretty exhausted by the end and while I tried, I did not get photos of everyone - it doesn't help that my phone's camera does not take very good pictures in low light. Sorry to those who I didn't capture. In any case, thanks again to Jesse for kicking off the holiday season in grand style and thanks to everyone who came out and supported and all those who played! And a big thanks to the great Double Down staff for hosting this and doing such a great job! Here's to many more years of the Double Down!

recommended gigs

                        

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Basstravaganza featuring Thee Swank Bastards and a plethora of bassists at the Double Down

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Messer Chips with Shanda and the Howlers and more at the Dive Bar

Friday 11-28-25 - the return of Water Landing at the Double Down with Mondo Vermin, Crimson Riot and more

Saturday 11-29-25 - Sonolith, Punk'n'Country, Gog Patrol and Skatepark Anthem at the Double Down

Saturday 11-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-30-25 - Bear Supply at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Sunday 11-30-25 - Chemical Tribe and The Minges at Mountain Springs Saloon - noon-4:00 pm

Monday 12-1-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-5-25 - Frank Meyer, the Strains, Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age and the Shakewells at Red Dwarf

Saturday 12-6-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-8-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-12-25 - Water Landing and Femalians at Red Dwarf

Saturday 12-13-25 - Suburban Resistance at the Double Down

Saturday 12-13-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-14-25 Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-19-25 - Mr Dark's Pandemonium at the Double Down

Saturday 12-20-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-21-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-27-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 1-7-25 - Suburban Resistance at Red Dwarf

Saturday 2-14-25 - The Queers and Suburban Resistance at Backstage Bar and Billiards

The Thrill of It All - The Story of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music - David Buckley

 

This is yet another book of ours that I read before I had this blog and so while I was looking for something to read without making another purchase, I pulled this out. While I was always a bit of a fan of RM, we delved more deeply into their discography together and truly dig the early, noisier aspects so we strove to learn more about the band's beginnings.

As the sub-title suggests, this story highlights Ferry and begins with his beginnings, but Buckley brings in the rest of the crew as they join Ferry's loose-knit attempt at a musical project. Since he had no instrumental leanings, he became the singer, but also began writing, although the rest of the gang helped as they joined. Andy Mackay came in first on sax and oboe (!), followed by Brian Eno, an old friend and fellow-avant-garde-ian who was also a non-musician, but was fascinated with sounds and how to create them. From there, it was hit'n'miss with various comings'n'goings until the original lineup solidified. Interestingly, I had forgotten that the original guitarist was Dave O'List who had previously played with the Nice and who claims to have shaped the material of the first album to the extent that he says Phil Manzanara copied all of his parts. 

Buckley, being British himself, talks mostly of how RM took over the British scene with radio and television appearances and a Top 40 single in "Virginia Plain" - which, of course, did not even make an appearance in the American charts. There are some good stories regarding the background and inspirations for certain songs, as well as fine descriptions of the sounds'n'concepts explored within.

Obviously, the chronological history of the band is told and while I knew that Eno left the band early on - right after the release of their second album - I had forgotten that Bryan Ferry released his first solo album that early - with the help of the 18 year old professional musician that he had already tapped to replace Eno in Roxy - much to the consternation of the rest of the band. With the decrease in their oddness and an increase in professionalism came an increase of popularity, as well, even (eventually) getting a hit single in the States with "Love Is The Drug".

It is funny that a reoccurring theme is that they were never able to really, truly find mass popularity in America, but I think the bigger surprise is that they were able to hit big in the UK since they were really a bizarre art-rock band and not exactly an average r'n'r band. Ferry unfairly (un-ferry-ly?) blames Manzenara for not being a proper guitar god, although he does some stunning work with the band, when it is Ferry's material that didn't connect with the masses. I think that the early, wacky work is their best, but I would never think that it would be hugely popular and it's wild that they got as popular as they did in England (although, obviously, that's a much, much smaller demographic).

Ironically, they quit while they were ahead but after some disappointing solo records, they reformed for Manifesto and more hit songs and tours. Of course, this music was also much more generic and uninteresting than anything that they had done previously. Things feel apart and came together over the years with varying degrees of original members and Bryan had hits on his own, but nothing of the quality of early RM.

As usual for me, the later years are less interesting than the band's beginnings and Ferry's solo works never truly resonated with me other than peripherally so a good portion of the book does not grab me particularly. But still, it's a good source of info on the group and their works over the years, but really just for true fans.

recommended gigs

                       

Saturday - 11-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-22-25 - the Minges, Decaying Tuger and the Lollys at Grey Witch

Sunday 11-23-25 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-24-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Basstravaganza featuring Thee Swank Bastards and a plethora of bassists at the Double Down

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Messer Chips with Shanda and the Howlers and more at the Dive Bar

Friday 11-28-25 - the return of Water Landing at the Double Down with Mindi Vermin, Crimson Riot and more

Saturday 11-29-25 - Sonolith, Punk'n'Country, Gog Patrol and Skatepark Anthem at the Double Down

Saturday 11-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-30-25 - Bear Supply at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-1-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-5-25 - Frank Meyer, the Strains, Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age and the Shakewells at Red Dwarf

Saturday 12-6-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-8-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-13-25 - Suburban Resistance at the Double Down

Saturday 12-13-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-14-25 Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-19-25 - Mr Dark's Pandemonium at the Double Down

Saturday 12-20-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-21-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-27-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 1-7-25 - Suburban Resistance at Red Dwarf

Saturday 2-14-25 - The Queers and Suburban Resistance at Backstage Bar and Billiards

The Gospel According to Al Green - Documentary

 

I've been a fan of Al Green's sweet soul music since he came out in the 70's but I just became aware of this documentary from the 80's and found out that the complete film is on YouTube so had to check it out. As the name would suggest, this story is based on Green's conversion to Jesus and his difficulty in reconciling his new found faith with his secular career.

The story is told via an interview with Al in a studio, along with interviews with his producer, as well as a then-current gospel show at an Air Force base, of all things. He's actually still great, with a funky gospel band, although, of course, he does not sing his old hits. He's very personable and charismatic in both the interviews and the concert, and they even show an entire (apparently) church service - which is at least as electrifying as his concert!

Any fan of soul music in general or Al in particular should definitely check it out!

recommended gigs

                      

Saturday 11-15-25 - Pulp Fiction Tribute with Thee Swank Bastards at Jive Turkey

Saturday 11-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-16-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-17-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-19-25 - Unoriginal Unfits at the Double Down

Saturday - 11-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-23-25 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-24-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Basstravaganza featuring Thee Swank Bastards and a plethora of bassists at the Double Down

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Messer Chips with Shanda and the Howlers and more at the Dive Bar

Friday 11-28-25 - the return of Water Landing at the Double Down

Saturday 11-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-30-25 - Bear Supply at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-1-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-5-25 - Frank Meyer, the Strains, Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age and the Shakewells at Red Dwarf

Saturday 12-6-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-8-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-13-25 - Suburban Resistance at the Double Down

Saturday 12-13-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-19-25 - Mr Dark's Pandemonium at the Double Down

Saturday 12-20-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-21-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-27-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 1-7-25 - Suburban Resistance at Red Dwarf

Saturday 2-14-25 - The Queers and Suburban Resistance at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Yoko Ono - Music of the Mind - exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art

 

I have never been overly familiar with Ono's artwork in the past but my lovely wife has studied her work and learned more about her over the years and when she saw that Chicago would be the only city in the States to show this exhibit, we booked a trip around this.

Obviously, Yoko is known these days for her relationship with John Lennon, but she was an renown artist in her own right for years before they met (the poster for her show where they met is shown below) and had worked with musical and artistic giants like John Cage, LaMonte Young, Rauschenberg and many more. While she worked in multiple media, she was mostly known as a performance artist with famous pieces such as "Cut Piece" (which was shown on video) and "Bag Piece" (which in this exhibit allowed the visitors to enclose themselves as their own piece). She also conceptualized physical pieces, in which the galleries could create their own works based on her descriptions - these were shown in the exhibit, as well as some of the creations) or the visitors could create their own works based on her prompts.

There was much more humor than I would have initially expected but also plenty of deeper thought pieces, at least somewhat influenced by Buddhist practices. Of course, some were simply silly and some were a bit much one way or another, but most were entertaining and there were many interactive bits, from simply listening to audio to immersing yourself in a bag to repairing broken pottery to playing single-color chess to pounding nails to drawing and much, much more.

Of course, Lennon is mentioned, but cleverly, at the end of the exhibit so that he does not overshadow her work, and there is a small section for the records that she did on her own and with John. 

There was much more than I can remember or that I took photos of and on the day that we went there were separate interactives for kids (2 youngsters from my family accompanied us), which they quite enjoyed. 

If you find yourself in the Chicago area between now and February, this is highly recommended if you have any interest in Yoko or just the avant art scene of the 50's and 60's (and beyond). And, the museum and staff were all super helpful and personable, as well.

recommended gigs

                     

Friday 11-7-25 - the snares, the violet minefield, the Shakewells at the Usual Place

Friday 11-7-25 - Bogtrotters Union, Hard Pipe Hitters, Desert Island Boys at Red Dwarf

Saturday 11-8-25 - Suburban Resistance, Femalians, at Hola Habibi

Saturday 11-8-25 - My Body, My Choice or My Foot Up Your Ass benefit for Wild West Access Fund at the Double Down with Tippy Elvis, Womb Raiders, movies, burlesque and much more!

Saturday 11-8-25 - Iron Vermin at the Dive Bar

Saturday 11-8-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 11-10-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 11-15-25 - Pulp Fiction Tribute with Thee Swank Bastards at Jive Turkey

Saturday 11-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-16-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-17-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-19-25 - Unoriginal Unfits at the Double Down

Saturday - 11-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 11-23-25 - Generic Surf Band at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 11-24-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 11-26-25 - Basstravaganza featuring Thee Swank Bastards and a plethora of bassists at the Double Down

Saturday 11-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-1-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-5-25 - Frank Meyer, the Strains, Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age and the Shakewells at Red Dwarf

Saturday 12-6-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-8-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-13-25 - Suburban Resistance at the Double Down

Saturday 12-13-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 12-19-25 - Mr Dark's Pandemonium at the Double Down

Saturday 12-20-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 12-21-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 12-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 12-27-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Monday 12-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 1-7-25 - Suburban Resistance at Red Dwarf

Saturday 2-14-25 - Suburban Resistance at Backstage Bar and Billiards

The subhumans, 1876 and the Minges at Grey Witch Friday Oct 31, 2025

 

The subhumans were a bit late for me, as I was already getting away from most punk rock by the time that they came around and moving on to other styles, but my lovely wife is/was a fan and there was surprisingly little going on this Halloween night in Las Vegas, so we skipped out on the trick'or'treaters early on and trekked to the opposite end of the county to check them out at Grey Witch.

Even leaving as early as we did, we managed to miss some of the local openers, the Minges, set (starting at 7:30!). We've known singer Jesse for ages (since she met us at a Swamp Gospel gig at the Dive Bar), and know guitarist Joe from Stagnetti's Cock (among others), but this was the first time we got to see this incarnation. We walked in on them covering the Stones' "Star Star", which was a surprise to me as I didn't expect them to have a hip, 70's rock'n'roll edge. But there was plenty of punk rock energy as well, as in their take on Ike'n'Tina's version of "Proud Mary", which they turned into a punk'n'roll tune, along with a cover of "Surfin' Bird" and the Dead Kennedys, among others. The originals tended to have kinda silly/dirty lyrics, but overall, they were plenty'o'fun!

We learned a little bit about 1876 before we went to the show and discovered that they consist of Indigenous people from several different native tribes and the lyrics tend to reflect indigenous struggles/issues. They dressed up for Halloween, including the singer in a fuzzy Axolotl outfit, so we're not sure what they're visual style normally is (although I get the impression that it's pretty much jeans/t-shirts) but they are serious about their messaging and they do mix in some native sounds with their version of hardcore punk. I was pleasantly surprised that a lot of their music was enjoyable to me - more punk than hardcore - although, being considerably younger than me, they do have some rap influences, along with a bit of more hardcore stylings. But there were plenty of melodies'n'vocals and we appreciated their messaging as the singer engaged the audience in-between songs as well as with his lyrics, and dug the extra percussionist with the tribal drum, along with their overall passion'n'power. Not sure that I would buy anything of theirs but they were quite enjoyable in concert.

Naturally, the Subhumans closed the night and, unfortunately, the sound devolved as the night went on and by the time the Subs started, it was just a muddy wash, pretty much wherever you were in the space. The bass was way too loud and causing the PA system to have a rumbling feedback throughout their entire set. The guitar was practically inaudible and the vocals were barely intelligible, especially as all of the mics kept breaking down. The singer, certainly no youngster, was still angry'n'passionate, still political after all these years and still quite animated on stage. Unfortunately, it was pretty much impossible to tell what the band sounded like and for someone like me who was unfamiliar with their songs, and even numbers that Melanie played for me just before we left were pretty much indistinguishable. 

                                         

Hopefully, Grey Witch will figure out how to get the room sound under control as I hate having to say anything negative about a much-needed new venue on the scene.