Fresno Famous

Depending on perspective, reunion shows of this sort can be either: a sad sort of nostalgia fit, or the super-glorious reliving of the best times ever.

If your perspective leans toward the former, you probably chose to stay home instead of seeing Pinkeye on Christmas-eve eve, because everyone who showed seemed to really enjoy themselves straight through to closing time. 

Our set: We played it big for the holiday, with Christmas lights, decorations and costumes (I was a skinny Santa). There was even a guitar wrapped up like a present. We opened with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, then slammed through a dozen of our songs, (shameless plug alert) most of which have been put to tape (or computer chip or whatever) and will be available soon. It was an early crowd, so even as openers we had a nice amount of people up around the stage and further out toward the bar.

Fay Wrays: The Fay Wrays did a set of almost all new material, songs we'll all hear on the new record, which they are working on now. They were missing a bass player, but that has never really hampered the band. They did what they do well, which is deliver loud, boombastic rock.

Kat Jones: This was a sort of homecoming tour stop for Jones, who is travelling the west coast from Nashville (where she now resides). Whatever she's been doing out there, it's working well for her. With the Fay Wrays (plus Paul Chesterton) as her backing band, Jones came across as a wailing wall (a beautiful, powerful wailing wall). I remember her being more subtle, but this suits her more than fine.   

Pinkeye: Pinkeye has done several reunion-type shows over the past couple years, with varying levels of success (some seemed more thrown-together than others). Here they were in fine form, playing through the have-to-hear classics (Ravishing, Laundry Day, Library Girl, Mil Mascaras), an old American Sloth tune and a new something from (singer/guitarist/band leader) Bad Andy's collection (called Kill the Lights, I think). It wasn't a true reunion in that guitarist Chris Eckes was absent (I know, he WAS on the flier in Peanut form), but it was close enough for everyone piled in on the dance floor, sweating our asses off until 1:30 a.m.