With so many talented local acts, like Fishboy and Shiny Around the Edges, and touring acts, like Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Moth Fight, it's really difficult not to let the insanity that was Monotonix's packed-out show at Hailey's overshadow all the other bands that played NX35 on Sunday night.
Everyone's heard about bands that are "a force of nature" or a "train wreck", but until you actually see Monotonix live, nothing you've heard about those three long-haired Israelis can prepare you for seeing the real thing.
After Monotonix's set, Michael Seman of Shiny Around the Edges boldly
declared, "That was the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life.
Ever."
Sunday night's performance was the kind of memorable show that in five--or maybe ten--years
from now people will still be saying, "Remember when Monotonix played
at Hailey's?"
From the minute the conferette's schedule popped up on the NX35 blog,
Sunday's lineup always looked, well, special. Of all the nights of the festival, Sunday's show list looked the
least like a regular night in Denton--and the most like a
can't-miss-night of touring acts.
Naturally, some shows, like Monotonix, drew much larger crowds than
others. But, for the most part, all the venues had turnouts rivaling
Saturday's levels.
By 9:15 p.m., Rubber Gloves' parking lot was
completely full--I've never seen anything like it. Inside nearly, 250 people kids turned out for Black Gold,
Play Radio Play, The All Get Out and Lydia. But, to be honest, very few
of the crowd had wristbands.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away at Andy's Bar, less than 20 people caught
San Francisco's The Botticellis. Fishboy drew a pretty good turnout,
though the sound in Banter last night was ear-splitting, and several
people informed me that sound issues caused a bit of havoc during Sleep
Whale's set at Dan's, too.
But, sound glitches aside, if the final night of NX35 was like the
icing on the cake of the whole event, then I guess acts like Monotonix
and The Show is the Rainbow were the cherry bombs on top.
In next week's North of the Dial, we'll bring you a final write up about
how the conferette went. But, honestly, I'm not sure how one should
gauge the success of something like NX35...
We won't know any of the
financial facts and figures by the time the piece goes to print--but is success based only on the
number of wristbands sold? Or the amount of walk-ups? What about drink
sales? And, how will this year's NX35 increase the city's level of
commitment to future events? Should the level of positive feedback from
the bands and attendees be taken into consideration?
We'll have to wait and see on those.
