This is a quick banger, for ya.

My dog Jack and I lived in 19 homes together.  Some of those homes left a permanent impression on my mind.  I remember every square inch of those properties.  One of them being the bungalow we stayed in with Wallace, in Boise.  

The open floor plan was filled with instruments, cd’s and talismans.  The kitchen lined the back wall, its cupboards packed with bulk foods.  A black floor mounted heating unit took up one corner.  Wallace slept in the loft, which he reached by ladder.  I had the bedroom in the back, and the only bathroom connected to it, which led to some awkward moments.  The pleated folding bathroom door folded like an accordion, like something you’d see in a 1960’s jet airliner.  The cramped bathroom had a very French-style shower, and a small window above the tiny sink needed to be opened for ventilation. It faced a long dirt alleyway.    

The neighborhood is best described as a bohemian art community.  Creative projects were always in development.  Local hangouts were close enough that we used bicycles to get around.  One morning while taking a shower, I heard an accordion being played.  I went outside afterward and met Jimmy.  He had an imposing figure, but a warm and friendly personality.  I believe he said he was a school teacher, though I might be wrong on that.  He told me he’d just begun learning the accordion, but he primarily played bass guitar, in a band called New Iron Front.  I explained I’d moved there to try and establish myself with local music acts, and record their concerts.  So, he invited me to the upcoming gig they booked for Halloween at a venue called The Shredder, and I accepted.

The night of the show, I arrived and started setting up.  The place had limited lighting, and no mixing board I could pull audio from.  I had another serious disadvantage, however; living in a new city, I had no crew to help me shoot it.  I got creative, setting up multiple cameras on tripods around the stage.  Fortunately, the plan was to focus on just one song, and I knew I’d have plenty of material if I covered the whole set, and put it in a pile to mess around with.  Midway through the video, you’ll see a time-lapse shot of a camera panning across the band. That wasn’t intentional.  The vibrations from the bass and drum kit gradually shifted the tripod over the length of the show.  I got ready to toss that clip, when it occurred to me to speed it up.