Little Scene: Baboon Revisited

Originally Posted on MySpace 08/21/2005

Sept. 1st, 1993, The Crossing, Ft. Worth, Tx. I went to see a band called Cupid Car Club, former members of Nation Of Ulysses. The opener, a local band I’d never really paid any attention to, mainly because I hated them, was taking the stage. The group of friends I’d gone with decided we were going to stay, even though the headliner hadn’t shown. Great.

I’d seen Baboon several times before with local bands Brutal Juice and Caulk. All hailing from Denton. They were 3/4 of the famed Fraternity Of Noise, rounded out by fledgling upstart The Whitman Maneuver, or Bush Hog, whichever it was at that time. It definitely was not The Toadies, as one local reporter continues to print. But Baboon, I just never seemed to click with them. “What the Hell is that trombone doing there, it just doesn’t fit”, or “sing/scream… just pick one”. I just didn’t get it.

I’m not sure if it was the stars aligning, maybe my astrological moon was in the right house, whatever goes on with that crap, but it gelled. I couldn’t understand why, it just did. I’ve spoken with several people in the past who had similar experiences. Maybe they need to wear one down for a year or so before it becomes endearing. But once it clicked, it clicked with a vengeance. There just wasn’t enough of them to go around for me.

Over the next six years or so, I must’ve seen them at least a hundred times. And during 97/98/99, they were on FIRE. I didn’t want to see them with the Toadies anymore, because, well, to be frank, they were stealing their thunder. As the opener. But like all things they had problems, and by the beginning of 1999, they’d found themselves expected to be their label’s answer to Korn (which they definitely were not). The drive and excitement of being a band seemingly took a dive. The shows weren’t as intense, the songs had gotten a bit soft by their last release (Something Good Is Going To happen To You (2002)), and it felt and appeared they were going through the motions of going through the motions.

Tonight was the first time I’d seen Baboon in over 2 years, maybe 2 1/2. In the time since I’d seen them, they’ve added an extra guitar, filled out an already full sound, and found their creativity.

Rarely do you want a band to keep playing new material. We all wanna hear the oldies, what we’re familiar with. It was the inverse tonight. In the hour or so they played, 7 songs were new, along with standards Evil, Lushlife, Closer, Night of the Long Knives, and it was revelatory. The intensity was there, the music was definitely there, and the volume was up.

Oh, how I’ve missed the Almighty Baboon. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.

~ by thesynaptic on August 9, 2010.