Changes
Went to the city last Friday, June 22nd. Went in to see GSX over at Don Hills. I have seen the band a few times and they always put on the show. It was just a good way to wrap up a week that turned out not too bad, It had been a while since I made it over to Don Hills over on the West Side. The last time I had wandered over might have been December 2005. It has been awhle.
The area around it is evolving. I guess all neighborhoods and places evolve, but on Friday night the changes were visible. Just seemed like I had to hunt a little more for parking. And this upscale decorating and furniture store perhaps with these amazingly bright lights outside the showroom windows. Just amazingly bright. And around this furniture outlet or whatever it is, were a series of bars and outlets, all with there velvet ropes and bouncers regulating access into the place and assisting with flagging taxis.
Don Hills, and this neighborhood, are around the corner from the Holland Tunnel and a block or two from the West Side Highway. It appeared this Friday night at least that something was going on.
Don Hills inside just seemed roomier. No more long bumpy couch running parallel to the bar. Maybe the made the wall thinner. On the other side they had eliminated a bar in the back and now just had a thing to sit on and a pole for a lone dancer who arrived later that night. The walls were all with what think was new wallpaper, with sailors and betty boop type characters and who knows what else. In general they seemed to have spruced up the place. Maybe not, Maybe it was just two years since I last past thru.
Also the night started later over. Lately it seems, the bands get started at 9:00 and go till 2:00. I was running late and worried I would miss GSX. I came just as the first band, Hooray for Goodbye, was tearing down. I caught two others acts, Mohagany, and Boyskouts, and finally GSX. The two caught were cool. Mohagany had a violin or viola player and I am always hooked when I see and hear that instrument.
Now the other thing which looking back was hinted at in the name of the event and page on the Don Hills site is that this night was for the gurls, or more to the point for the lesbians. Oh there were a few guys like myself, either friends of somebody tagging along and then another handful of GSX fans and rockers. so it was just interesting coming to a place which offers more than a few bands. Why I saw a few people at one point dancing to the dj music. I have not seen that in a long time. It was just kind of neat to see even hint of a theme and certain crowd come ot and partake of it.
Oh yeah GSX got on and they tore up the stage.They did several songs from Manifest. They started off with a new one and threw in another later on that I was not familiar with, so they are working on new material, which I do look forward to. The band was as tight as ever. It is always nice watching and listening to Chris do his thing with guitar. And Sarah on vocals just keping them all in line and enjoying bits and pieces along the way.
It was cool to get out and see a slightly different scene-the neighborhood, the bar decor, the crowd. Just nice to see how things do change and at the end of the day work out and even rock.
Bob Schaffer
June 27, 2007
