Scene and Heard

The Fresh & Onlys at a gay biker bar

Photos by Jenz » With help from Thee Oh Sees, Wooden Shjips and The Magnetics

Text by Blake Gillespie
Posted on September 22, 2009

With The Fresh & Onlys' debut out last week, the band celebrated its exceptional record Thursday night with future tour buddies Thee Oh Sees at The Eagle Tavern. Most nights The Eagle Tavern is a pit stop for the intimidating, yet notably docile big gay bear. Thursday the bears hibernated, knowing that frail rock kids never have the honey.

With only the champagne of beers on tap and a grilled cheese from lunch in my lower intestines, I was browning out mid-set of Wooden Shjips. Now I have to wait a month until I can see Thee Oh Sees again, for the first time. Go fuck yourself, High Life.

When a lineup boasts three of SF's elite junk punkers in Wooden Shjips, The Fresh & Onlys and Thee Oh Sees sharing a tiny room, while a member of Girls wanders the beer garden, well, it just feels like the City has not lost its way and never will. Apologies to the French duo that opened. I thought the band name was The Magnetics, but I can't find proof.

The Fresh & Onlys' debut Grey-Eyed Girl is out now on Woodsist. Expect a follow up on In The Red before the year's end.

In order to experience the browning of the leaves, Thee Oh Sees and The Fresh & Onlys are heading east on a two month trek. All dates are with Thee Oh Sees, except where other bands are indicated.

September
22 Denver, CO, Larimer Lounge
23 Lawrence, KS, Jack Pot Saloon
24 Memphis, TN Goner Fest
26 Bloomington, IN, Uncle Fester's
27 Chicago, IL, Schubas
29 Fort Wayne, IN, Brass Rail
30 Detroit, MI, Magic Stick

October
01 Toronto, ON, Wrong Bar
02 Ottawa, ON, Babylon
03 Montreal, QC, Pop Montreal w/ Golden Triangle & Thee Oh Sees
05 Providence, RI, The Dark Lady
06 Allston, MA, Great Scotts
07 Middletown, CT, Wesleyan
08 New York, NY, Mercury Lounge
09 Brooklyn, NY, The Bell House w/ Golden Triangle & Thee Oh Sees
10 Pittsburgh, PA, 31st St. w/ Box Elders
11 Chicago, IL, Hideout w/ Box Elders
12 Omaha, NE, Brothers w/ Box Elders
13 Denver, CO, Bender's w/ Box Elders
17 Portland, OR, Scion/Vice Event
18 Seattle, WA, Funhouse w/ Dan Melchoir
20 Oakland, CA, Stork Club w/ Dan Melchoir
21 San Diego, CA, Bar Pink Elephant w/ Dan Melchoir & Thee Oh Sees
22 Los Angeles, CA, Echo w/ Dan Melchoir & Thee Oh Sees
24 Merced, CA, The Partisan w/ Dan Melchoir
25 San Francisco, CA, Bottom of the Hill [Budget Rock]