Heading to Ronny’s tonight for the Eulogies show, I must admit I was a bit apprehensive having never been there before and basing my expectations on the less than favorable Yelp! reviews I had read.  Needless to say, I was not all that surprised when I walked in.  The main area of Ronny’s Bar is a strange mix of dive bar and grandma’s basement, complete with a strange odor, low ceilings, excessive wood paneling, and a variety of video poker machines lining the wall.  Personally, I love a good dive bar so I took to the place right away and actually quite liked the joint.  The “garage” portion where the “stage” is located, however, was a bit of a different story.  As it turns out, Ronny’s Garage (the area that houses the live music) is quite literally an actual garage, but the “stage,” on the other hand, is quite far from anything resembling an actual stage.  Which is to say that there really isn’t a stage at all, rather the band performs at ground level in the tiny, concrete-floored room with the fans basically standing as close to the performance area as they would like.  Bear in mind that this isn’t a knock on the place at all, just a comment on how strange the setup is.  I actually quite enjoyed it; I mean, it’s not every day that you get to see a great band perform in virtually the same setting as your friend’s band in high school that used to play Weezer covers at keg parties.

The show itself was actually, well, awesome for lack of a better word.  There wasn’t much of a crowd, about 15 people including myself, so given that, the size of the room, and the proximity of the fans to the band it was an incredibly intimate environment.  In most cases I would say it was like seeing a band play in your basement and mean it as a simile, but in this case I am saying it and meaning it quite literally.  Perhaps even cooler than the setting was the way that Eulogies’ music comes to life when performed in a live setting, and particularly the way that frontman Peter Walker goes to town on the guitar.  Songs that seemed mellow and soaring on the album suddenly become pulsing rockers thundering into your eardrums.  Though the set was short, it was packed with highlights such as the incredible rendition of “How to Be Alone” running seamlessly into “Bad Connection,” the stunning closing combo of “This Fine Progression” and all-out rocking “Eyes on the Prize,” and the impromptu birthday poem (the same poem that Judge Smails reads in Caddyshack when he christens his “sloop”) that bassist Garrett Deloian read to guitarist Drew Phillips.  Needless to say, I left wanting more and will be sure to catch them again next time they are in town.

Given Eulogies’ furious tour schedule, it’s likely they will be coming to a town near you soon.  I suggest making your way out and catching their set for yourselves; you will not be disappointed:

3/25 – Ferndale, MI, USA @ Magic Bag*

3/27 – Pittsburgh, PA, USA @ Thunderbird Café*

3/28 – Arlington, VA, USA @ IOTA Club & Café*

3/29 – Baltimore, MD, USA @ Metro Gallery*

3/31 – New York, New York @ Piano’s

4/2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall**

4/4 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern**

4/6 – St. Louis, MO, USA @ The Firebird**

4/7 – Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge**

4/8 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge**

5/1 – Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House***

5/2 – Albany, NY @ Valentines***

5/4 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom***

5/5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s***

5/7 – Washington D.C. @ Black Cat***

5/8 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel***

5/9 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop***

5/10 – Columbus, OH @ Skully’s***

5/11 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick***

5/12 – Chicago, IL @ Lakeshore Theater***

5/14 – Colombus, MO @ Blue Note***

5/16 – Denton, TX @ Hailey’s***

5/17 – Houston, TX @ The Warehouse***

5/18 – Austin, TX @ Parish***

5/22 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah***

5/23 – Echo Park, Ca @ Echoplex***

5/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent***

5/26 – Portland, OR @ Douglas Fir Lounge***

5/27 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café***

* = w/Middle Distance Runner
** = w/Bad Veins
*** = w/The Dears

And in case any of you forgot, Citizen Dick ALWAYS gets the setlist:

And because we love you, here is another mp3 from The Homespun Sessions:

Eulogies – “The Fight I’ve Come to Like” (Homespun Sessions)