Bands: Hater, Life Like Feel, Veer.Venue: Sub Zero (formerly the Off Ramp), Seattle.
According to Caryn Rose: Tonight's show was at the 'Sub Zero Cafe', otherwise known as the Off Ramp. Doesn't look much different to me, except that the bathrooms are now tolerable. The showroom only holds 299 -- prominently posted as we walked in. They were very tight tonight, Ben was obviously sober and obviously in a very very good, congenial mood. Yes, I just used the words "congenial" and "Ben" in the same sentence. Brian Wood [of Devilhead, with whom Ben played earlier in 1997; he's the guy in the photos below singing without the cowboy hat] showed up and sang a few songs, but spent most of his time lounging behind McBain's monitor, cadging cigarettes from audience members, and lying on his back reclining on the bass monitor. No real surprises setwise, from what we've seen in the recent past. But the songs are definitely evolving, Ben's guitar playing is drastically improving. Matt even 'treated' us to a few small drum solos. Ben stomped and jumped and crouched and kicked water bottles and traded sly grins with McBain and Matt constantly. Ben also told jokes (most of which were inaudible at the front of the stage, behind the speakers, wearing earplugs) and Matt made a cryptic remark mid set along the lines of, "We'd like to thank Stuart Hallerman for not coming."
Below are scans of several photos from the event; each photo is copyright its original photographer, noted beside each image. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, borrowing or lending is strictly prohibited.