Nerd Dad's favorite Minneapolis band, LIKEHELL, have a show at the Uptown VFW on Friday, January 13th. The band's drummer (and realtor extraordinaire) Tony Oliveri was nice enough to answer some questions about the band's history, processes, and plans for 2017.
I haven't seen LIKEHELL since 2014 at First Avenue. The members of the band, each with real "grown up" jobs, have only been able to gig about once a year for the last handful of years. Oliveri said they're "currently writing new stuff, and hope to put something new out this year."
The band:
Nick Eldorado - Vocals
Matt Bockley - Guitar
Frank Thorpe - Bass
Dave Feirn - Guitar
Tony Oliveri - Drums
All original members since 1994, except Feirn, who joined in 2003.
Before I was Nerd Dad (Nerd Drunk?), I took many friends to shows in bars in the late 90s-early 00s to see Eldorado's stage antics, backed by what First Avenue calls "a merger of such genres as heavy metal, glam, psychopunk, [and] '70's anthem rock." Eldorado is hard not to watch.
Oliveri said, "You never know what to expect from Nick. When we first started touring he'd go out in the crowd during our song "Bingo Night" and break dance in a circle in front of everyone. I never knew he was such a good break dancer." As always, I look forward to see how he takes the stage on Friday the 13th. His entrance is always a spectacle, and totally off-the-wall.
LIKEHELL's rehearsal schedule "depends on what's going on. It's a lot harder to get everyone together." I asked if they're all-business when they get together, or is it more laid back?
"Very laid back! We take it seriously in the sense that we want to play as well as we can, but still have fun. If we're having a moment with a song, we will mess around with it for a bit- we won't let it ruin the day and will just move to the next one."
When asked about putting together a show set list, Oliveri says, "There's a total art form to putting a good set list together. Starting and ending strong, good flow throughout, not too much time between songs, but it's important to let the audience exhale too. It's tough choosing when you have a large library of tunes."
Having been around for 22 years, I knew there had to be some fun/crazy stories. I was afraid I'd hear about some drunken moment that I don't remember from back then, but I was a consummate gentleman at shows compared to this stalker-story:
Our first time in Ft Worth Texas. After the show we were loading our gear out and found Frankie handcuffed to the front grill of the van and a girl whipping him. We asked "are you ok?" And he said "yes!" Everyone from inside was watching. The next night we played in Dallas and that girl was there again wearing a winter over coat in the middle of the summer. She came on stage without our consent, and took her coat off wearing just pasties and underwear, and started to dance. People thought she was part of the act. I remember her back was fully tattooed like sheet music-all green with flesh tone notes. Anyways the next morning she showed up again with her bag packed and told us she was coming with us out to LA. We said that unfortunately that wasn't going to work, and she was bummed and left. But in true full-ninja fashion she snuck in the van and hid under the covers in back. We barely pulled away when our little stowaway was discovered and promptly asked to get out.I hoped that story would end with, "And that girl was... Amy Winehouse," or something; but I guess it was just a random Texan looking to party.
Learn more about the band in the mockmentary, LIKEHELL: The Movie; narrated by The Current's Brian Oake, and featuring cameos by even bigger names.
Bigger than Brian Oake?
Dude. Much bigger.
It's difficult to ask a sitter to start at 9:00 at night, so I'll be attending solo. Let me know if you want to go, and we'll work something out. If you haven't seen them, you owe it to yourself. I'll get you in.
If I don't know you, I'll be the guy drinking coffee at the bar.
1.13.17
James Ballentine "Uptown" VFW - Post 246
2916 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408
LIKEHELL @ 11:30
Porcupine - featuring Husker Du bassist Greg Norton @10:30
Toxenes - all girl band w/three members from L'Assassins @ 9:30
21+
NO COVER
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