Triple Rock Memories: Adam
Legendary venue the Triple Rock Social Club closes this month. As a memoriam We’re each looking back over the next few weeks on some of our favorite shows/memories from the venue’s storied history.
Lifter Puller (6/6/2003) with The Mountain Goats and Monarques / Lifter Puller again (6/7/2003)
I had probably only been to the Triple Rock bar once or twice (I remember one night on the patio at least) before it was announced that Lifter Puller would reunite to play the opening night. Having been my intro to local music in 1999 or so I probably saw 6 Lifter Puller shows in their last 6 months of original existence, all of which I drove up from Mankato to see. The bar stocked a cooler full of 40s that night. Slug roamed the crowd (but unfortunately did not jump in on Math Is Money). It was a perfect opening night. We went to night two as well but missed Sunday’s all ages finale.
If you squint hard enough at the 2003 technology quality video of this show, you can see me somewhere between Craig and Tad. I have a setlist written on a folded out bass string package in a box somewhere.
Sun City Girls (5/9/2004)
I went to this show on a work night on reputation of the band alone. I wasn’t ready for what would become one of my favorite bands of all time years later. Free jazz jams into Isley Brothers covers. I’ll forever have the vision of Charles Gocher setting up his drums with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth.
Sunn0))) (7/4/2004)
I remember this as a maybe half full room on a hot 4th of July. Sunn0))) would play a full Walker with Boris a year or so later plenty of bigger venues later on. There were none of the dramatic lights and barely any fog machine but a back wall of stacks still crushed the Triple Rock’s show room in volume.
Converge and Cave In (10/21/2004)
Cave In had just started playing old songs after cutting them all out during their Jupiter era tours. The kids at the show didn’t appreciate any new songs and sat on the floor until they played any old song with mosh parts. As a Jupiter fan, I enjoyed them bumming out the kids for at least half a set. Converge played and Nate from Converge kept yelling at the crowd that they weren’t getting crazy enough. Someone threw a garbage can.
Charles De Gaulle’s first show (2004 or 2005)
I honestly don’t remember what year this was but thanks to whoever decided my first real band here was ready to play a show. We were loud at least and filled up a good third of the set with a cover of Wipers’ “Youth Of America” designed specifically to fill in that amount of space. Sorry to any of my friends who I got to go to this and rightfully decided they shouldn’t trust me to come see my bands ever again. Mike Guenther played too.
The Ex (2006)
While I may forever lament not joining in on the legendary The Ex / Shellac / Fugazi show of 2001 in Chicago, I was able to see The Ex’s only Minnesota appearance of all time. STNNNG and the Agenda opened and DJ/rupture managed to throw some Missy Elliott into the mix. The Ex felt like something completely transcendent, knowing you were witnessing something you’ll probably never witness again. GW Sok left the band a few years later so we luckily got a special performance.
King Khan & BBQ Show (11/1/2008)
After a wild set in a sparkly outfit and large wig, King Khan emerged from backstage wearing a snake outfit and somehow things got even more wild.
Lightning Bolt (7/15/2010)
By this point I’d seen Lightning Bolt in most non-standard locations: under the First Avenue stairwell, across from the bar at Big V’s, an abandoned department store in Omaha. What I hadn’t seen was Lightning Bolt on a stage. Somehow that made the crowd even wilder.
Playing a Bonnie Raitt cover opening for King Tuff (7/17/12)
To close a series of questionable musical choices I’ve been involved in, Voytek answered a joke internet dare and played Something To Talk About in front of an all ages crowd waiting to see King Tuff. It went as well as you’d think. I also had to take off early from my job to load in at a very un-punk 5pm.
Everything Else
Most of all I’ll miss the atmosphere. Being able to pop by the bar side to escape the show for a minute. Late running happy hour so you can sit down and enjoy some food before the show. Pete the doorman remembering who I am the last few years. It’s gonna be hard for any club to match what the Triple Rock was to us.
Reviler’s 1st Anniversary show with Mother of Fire in 2010