All Ages Highlights I: Hot Water Music (May/2011)

Jason Black (left) and Chris Wollard (right) jamming. George Rebelo on drums
as he was going back and forth between Hot Water Music and Against Me!

Felipe M

I have not done a Concert Review in ages as other projects have taken up a lot of my time.  Thought now would be a good time to play some catchup and quickly highlight the last shows I've had the good fortune of attending. 

May 22, 2011: Hot Water Music @ Turner Hall Ballroom--Milwaukee, WI.

As you may or may not know, Hot Water Music is one of the more influential bands in the punk/hardcore community.  Their work speaks for itself with punk rock staples such as "Rooftops," "The End of the Line," and "Paper Thin."  Up to this point, Hot Water Music had not released an album since 2004's The New What Next as they went on hiatus back in 2005. The show last year was part of a short reunion tour in the spring, which included a stop at Bonnaroo (2011).

That is indeed Chuck Ragan.  Stupid
Blackberry phone.

Since the band's hiatus, Chuck Ragan has been super busy with his solo career, where he plays folk music, fused with bluegrass elements and a punk runk ethos.

Chuck Ragan (left) playing guitar.
Jason Black (right) plays guitar.

Meanwhile, drummer George Rebelo filled in for Against Me! when ex-drummer Warren Oakes decided to open up a Mexican restaurant in Gainesville, FL. Bassist Jason Black was playing in the band Senses Fail.

Not to be outdone, Chris Wollard, the other main vocalist in Hot Water Music, has also had a respectable solo career and even went on to form another band with the other band members of HWM called The Draft.

The real treat: getting Chuck Ragan and Revival Tour
violinist Jon Gaunt's autograph before HWM's set.

Highlights: Buying a t-shirt from Chuck Ragan and getting his autograph along with Jon Gaunt.  Ragan proved to be a very nice guy and had a short conversation with him. The look on Gaunt's face when Ragan explained to him that I wanted his autograph was one of bewilderment.  Don't know if he was shocked that someone asked for his autograph or if he wasn't in the mood to give them out, but either way, he signed my ticket stub.... The band playing a majority of their songs from landmark album No Division.... Since listening to it live, I've grown to like the song "Not for Anyone."

Lowlights: Having to drive to Milwaukee on a stormy, rainy day... having to deal with yet another annoying Milwaukee crowd... losing my Hot Water Music t-shirt... not getting Joe Ginsberg's autograph to complete the set. He too was in attendance at this show, but just didn't find the right time to ask for his signature...having to take pictures with my crappy Blackberry phone.  Sorry about the pics being of poor quality.



Click here to read about Chuck Ragan's headline show during Cinco de Mayo 2011 in Chicago.

2011 BIRTHDAY FORTNIGHT: PART IV: Chuck Ragan

(From left to right)
Joe Ginsberg, Chuck Ragan, and Jon Gaunt performing live at the
Mayne Stage on the north side of Chicago.

Felipe M

Former Hot Water Music member, Chuck Ragan is one of the more revered figures in punk rock and it's not surprising that even though he's remade himself into a folk/bluegrass/country/acoustic singer, fans of the band and the punk community still come out to support his shows.  Even though the music might not be punk music in the traditional sense, there's still a punk rock attitude and ethos that dominates every one of his shows.  

MAY 5, 2011: MAYNE STAGE, CHICAGO, IL--Cinco de Mayo in Chicago is an unofficial holiday and it might just be as big as St. Patrick's day.  Just like everybody is a bit Irish on March 17th, everybody is a Mexican on May 5th.  So what does Pathological Hate do celebrate Felipe's Mexican roots?  How about going to a show on the north side of Chicago?  That's what I did as I dragged a couple of co-workers to come with me to see the great Chuck Ragan. 

The last time I saw Chuck Ragan perform was a couple of years ago at Reggie's Rock Club as part of his Revival Tour.  To summarize this wonderful touring act, it's basically the Warped Tour of acoustic/folk music.  That night, Chuck Ragan performed a solo set in the middle of the show (there is no headliner on this tour), as Jim Ward was the one who received the honor of ending that show (although the show continued impromptu style at the bar adjacent to Reggie's).  Past members of the Revival Tour include Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem), Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio), Frank Turner, Austin Lucas, Audra Mae, and Tim Barry (Avail), just to name a few acts.

Chuck Ragan doing guest vocals with Sharks--
"but for now I'm finding myself/
Up here standing on a rooftop SCREAMING!"

On this night, Chuck Ragan and U.K.'s Sharks took advantage of a day off on their tour in support of Social Distortion to perform at the Mayne Stage in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the north side of Chicago (there's a "good" side of Rogers Park and a "bad" side.  Thankfully, this venue was located on the good side).

Sharks looks like the male version of The Runaways if they were to clash with, well, The Clash.  They're a very young band, but their melodic, street punk sound actually makes them look and sound older than they really are and you can't help, but continue to root for their success.  The obvious highlight of the show was when Sharks were finishing up their set when Chuck Ragan decided to show up and make a cameo appearance and sing-a-long with one of the band's songs.  The coolest part was when during the middle of Sharks' song, they mashed it up by adding the first verse to seminal, underground punk rock anthem of the last decade "Rooftops."  If you don't know the song "Rooftops" do yourself a favor.  Might just be Hot Water Music's defining song.

Chuck Ragan then went on stage along with stand up bassist Joe Ginsberg and cult legend, fiddler Jon Gaunt and were simply amazing.  The crowd was pretty tame as I was hoping for an Against Me!, acoustic set crowd, but crowd was pretty civil and continuously moving which was pretty ideal for this kind of music.  Most importantly, the crowd was very supportive of Ragan, despite being a small crowd, they were very boisterous as requests flew from the audience like ballistics shooting at a besieged city and Ragan was too happy to oblige them (i.e. playing "Rye Whiskey," "Ole Diesel," and "Do What You Do" upon request).  Meanwhile, Ragan played what seemed to be his entire solo collection.  "Do You Pray," "Valentine," "The Boat," "For Broken Ears," "Rotterdam," Let it Rain," and "California Burritos" all made it on the setlist that night and each song was sang with a passion and desperation that only Chuck Ragan can deliver--like he's constantly screaming from the "Rooftops" for the whole world to hear and listen to the message he's trying to portray.  It is a thing of beauty when a musician wears his heart on his sleeve and truly believes in the art that he has created on his own and sharing it with an all-too-willing audience who constantly begged for more.

Also on the night, Ragan played new music from upcoming album Covering Ground.  My best estimation is that he played three songs from the album and they all sounded epically amazing and I left that night thinking that I just heard his best composition to date.

The real gem of the night however was exploring a new venue as the Mayne Stage is a beautiful, small, intimate establishment for live music with a great view of the stage, no matter where you're standing.  It's unbelievably clean and fancy on the inside, while the neighborhood outside has all the amenities and aesthetics of an ideal and imagined urban setting.  

This show is definitely a front-runner for Show of the Year--2011 (and maybe top 3 favorite show of all time) and I am constantly looking for the next time Chuck Ragan stops in town once again.  

To read the 2010 Show of the Year wrap-up, click here.

To read more articles on the band Against Me!, click here.