Tag Archives: april

Frognot is out. Baby Jane Hudson is in.

Posted on by
Reply

Thursday and Friday of last week were spent moving a client’s data center from a make-shift first floor location to a newly-built second floor server room. As might be expected, we ran into lots of last minute headaches and had to make at least three or four trips to Altex to buy cables, screws, or other odds and ends. There’s still a lot more work to do but things are online and working.

We finished up Friday night just in time to head down to Deep Ellum and check out a new band called Baby Jane Hudson. The drummer, April Samuels, was a member of the recently demised band, Frognot. Based on seeing only one performance of each band, I’d have to give my vote to Baby Jane Hudson. Maybe it’s the girl-band thing, or maybe it’s more my kind of music but I thought they were much better than Frognot. And, if you don’t like the music, you can have a blast just watching the bass player – she makes the most bizarre expressions while she plays, several of which look like she’s attempting to do an impression of Popeye the Sailor Man. She’s definitely the sort of bass player you’d want for live performances or music videos. They played a 45 minute set of original material – not bad considering they haven’t been around that long. I tried to convince April to play a cover of a Devo tune but no luck – I’ll keep trying though. Maybe a cover of Devo’s Space Girls, that would be ideal for an all-girl band I would think.

Like all performances in small clubs, the vocals were completely drowned out by the amplified instruments, so I can’t comment on the singing or lyrics. I’d much rather have the music turned down a few db and hear the singer but every live band I’ve heared play in small clubs seems to have this problem. I’m told it’s because the bands have to rely on a cheap, house PA system for the vocals whereas the other performers have their own amplification. (hmmm… I’d think the solution there would be to buy a mike and an amp for the singer? It’s probably not that easy or someone would have done it by now.) Anyway, definitely check out Baby Jane Hudson if you get a chance. See their web site for future shows.

Frognot

Posted on by
Reply

Last night Susan and I stopped by the Liquid Lounge in Deep Ellum to hear a local band called Frognot. It’s not the sort of music we usually listen to but the band’s drummer, April, is a web designer at a company NCC has been doing some consulting for lately. Frognot plays original music in a style they describe as “alternative groove-funk rock”. Liquid Lounge is a very small place. It’s a single small room with a bar in the back, some randomly placed, red vinyl benches scattered along two sides of the room, a tiny, triangular stange in one corner, and a small open area in the center for those who want to dance. The walls and ceiling in the corner behind the stage were covered with a red and white surplus parachute. The parachute and red benches added some color to the otherwise flat black room. The stage was so small, that April had to climb over and through the drum set to get into position to play. The bass and guitar players had to limit their movement to a couple of square feet so they wouldn’t bump into each other or fall off the stage.

Susan and I obtained some samples of the liquid refreshments from which the club derives its name and, after being introduced to the other band members, we found an unoccupied red bench and waited for the show. There was another band playing after Frognot so they played a fairly short set – maybe 45 minutes. They stopped midway through to introduce themselves to the audience and toss out a few Frognot condoms and glow-in-the-dark toy frogs. A suprising number of people seemed to be needing glow-in-the-dark frogs at just that time, so it turned out to be a happy coincidence that they had wandered into the one Deep Ellum club where they were available that night.

The lead singer is also a web designer so, needless to say, they have a website. They have MP3s of a few songs online. They also have Real Audio files along with a Real Video file of a video they’ve done, for those who have the non-free Real stuff installed. Anyway, if you like alternative groove-funk and Frognot comes to a venue near you, check ’em out. Frognot’s name, by the way, is geographical rather than amphibious in origin.

Meanwhile, our GTE DSL installation has taken a turn for the worse already. First I got an email from GTE confirming the installation date. Then I got a phone call in which I was told it would be a do-it-yourself install (which is good since the stories I’ve heard from others indicate that installers get freaked out by people who have multiple computers or boxes running Unix). Yesterday, however, I got a postcard from GTE saying that they were sorry but DSL was not available in my area. So, the question is, does a positive phone call and email outweigh a single postcard? Do I get DSL or not? Based on previous experience I suspect not but only time will tell.