Hank/Bogue/Easy Action @ the Gold Dollar 06/09/2001

It's always fun to discover that one of those sayings that you keep hearing all your life really isn't true.  For example, "Money Can't Buy you Happiness" - not true at all.  In fact, I found out that $5 will buy you plenty of happiness when it includes your cover charge for the Easy  Action show at the Gold Dollar.

I skipped out of the very painful sight of watching the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup and left early for the Gold Dollar, my only consolation being the hope that  Rob Blake or Joe Sakic will be wearing a Red Wing jersey the next time they play hockey.  I drove by the Magic Stick and was happy to see a big crowd piling in to celebrate the White Stripes CD release and headed for the friendly atmosphere of the Gold Dollar.  Hank, a very energetic 4-piece was already raising the intensity level in the place.  They played an excellent set, as well as bringing an enthusiastic group of fans with them, and I look forward to more great things from them.

Next on was "Bogue", which consists of two guitarists and a drummer.  Their brand of stripped-down bluesy rock had everybody clamoring for more.  Everybody was now impatiently clamoring for the return of Easy Action.  I was happy to find out that their excellent debut CD is now available on vinyl and I quickly snatched up a copy (another example of money buying more happiness).  The Easy Action show can be best compared to being  caught in one of those tornadoes that seem to frequent the better trailer parks in the area.  The band is so intense that you can't believe you're actually going to sit through this in one piece.  Each song builds builds on the others as you go from "Do it Cuz I Can" through "Do or Die" and finally culminating in the incredible onslaught  of music known as "Can't Tell No One" which lead vocalist John Brannon was doing with Negative Approach years ago.

But the crowd still hasn't heard enough.  Easy Action returns once again with a plea to borrow a guitar from one of the other bands.  The guitarist from Hank obliges and Easy Action closes out the evening with a couple of more hits.  I finally get out of the Gold Dollar, say my good byes to everybody and head home.   That was certainly the best $5 investment that I had ever made !!!!!