ROX-TV hits “The Loving Touch” in Ferndale for the Holy Fawn and Sulk show. The venue was great and so were the bands.
Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. We appreciate the returning readers and anyone stopping by for the first time. As many of you may know from the articles, things have been popping lately. The surge of live music is upon us…with concerts and shows plowing through almost weekly now. Am I complaining? Far from it. Live music is the absolute best and even with the limitations of having one body, I’m trying to get out to support the events as much as humanly possible. Why? Because my heart and soul belong to music. You could call it my personal religion and I’m sold. Music enriches us, inspires us, and in my case…completely captivates me. I believe music is the universal language of the planet and although I’ve never physically been in space (although my mind goes there frequently) I’m sure sound and vibration are king there as well.
The last ten days have been fast for me, but that’s only because there is so much to do. I’m guilty of burning the midnight oil and both ends of the candle all the time. It can be a grueling pace but a cause that I deem honorable and worthy of my participation. For the second time in five days, I was blessed by Speakeasy PR with press/photo passes for shows clipping through the Murder Mitten. As many of you may recall, Sunday was dedicated to the Perturbator and Health show in Southwest Detroit, and yesterday belonged to Holy Fawn and Sulk.
It had been a long day for me, working in the fields of Cannabis for the first half and after finishing up, stopping at home for a wardrobe change and a quick bite. I had no time to lose though because the second half of the night was dedicated to covering the Holy Fawn show in Ferndale. The gig was going down at The Loving Touch, with doors opening at 7:30pm. I was tired but I had enough gas in the tank to hit the road again and see what was going down on Woodward near 9 Mile. I had never seen a show at The Loving Touch (22634 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale) but was eager to see what they were about as well as the bands.
6:39pm On the road again
I was making my way down I-75 towards the Motor City. The weather was reasonable and just warm enough to avoid a jacket, but just cold enough to be comfortable. I wait all year for the Fall to show up and I think it’s safe to say that the best time of the twelve-month cycle is once again upon us. As I started out down that long road, you know the one that leads us to where all the things are…I was looking forward to the evening. Traffic was light (at least at first) and there were no Troops on the highway. This meant that I could make some decent time and that’s exactly what I did. For the most part the drive was pleasant, except for two vehicles playing road rage grab ass with each other near Waterford.
You know the people, that drive too fucking slow in the passing lane, and when someone else wants to go faster…they take an extra two minutes to get over, but never fail to actually increase their speed. I hate that. I think some humans are programmed to take offense at getting out of the way and for whatever reason, it affects their pride, which affects their speed. How someone can be going too slow in the fast lane, only to move over and take it up ten miles an hour is beyond me.
That type of thing actually pisses me off and I often wonder how insecure the other driver must be, as if getting passed was a big deal. Hopefully with time, evolution of the human driving experience will see an end to that ridiculous method of operation. While I’m on the subject, that goes for the fucking idiots that ride a car’s ass, knowing full well there is a line of cars ahead of their “obstacle”. Are these people blind? Can they not see that there is nowhere to go? All the squirrelly lane changes and floating left and right will not change the fact that sometimes the roads are congested. Where they learned that bullshit from is beyond me, but I’m assuming they grew up with a parent with no patience and a zeal for ass clown timing and driving. Whatever.
So, as I drifted down to Wayne County, the traffic picked up, but for the most part I was free to get lost in my thoughts. I tried to imagine what the place was like and how the night would go. I just recently got turned on to Holy Fawn and from my research, found that they had a dope sound. Classification? That’s a little more complicated because to me, I don’t know if these new bands coming out fall within one specific genre. I guess you could compare new bands of today, to the new strains of weed coming to the dispos. Not exactly Indica and not exactly Sativa…no… what we have is a hybrid which has some of the best elements both. Holy Fawn and Sulk for that matter could be described in the same way. There is some visual familiarity with the background, drums, guitars, and microphones. As far as audio noise, there may be hints of influence from things that had come before, but the package and sound combined equals something unique and refreshing.
7:15pm Alive on Arrival
The drive down was about forty-two miles and by the time I got off the highway at 9 Mile, you could say that I was ready to relax a bit. In my mind, I had envisioned Ferndale being overcrowded and hard to find parking. It turns out I was wrong on both counts. The jog down 9 Mile wasn’t bad and after a turn down Paxton and a quick right, I was pulling into the parking lot behind The Loving Touch. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Sure, it was a Thursday but still. In that moment I made my mind up to return at some point further down the road and enjoy a nice meal on the main drag.
So…I pulled into a parking space and of course parking was not free. I can deal with paid parking most of the time, but then I realized that I would have to pay for the time on a machine and was annoyed briefly. It didn’t last long and the parking meter thing worked on the first try. I guess what got me bent out of shape was having to deal with the Machine. I was born in 1980 and came of age in the 1990’s. I was fortunate to see American life prior to the internet, cell phones, and social media. If I could hit a magic button and send us all to 1989, it would be done.
Technology to me is something along the lines of “new is not always better”. Another way of looking at it would be “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. I know I sound like a jaded Rip Van Winkle but so what. I’ve experienced American life both ways, and I’m here to tell you, life was more real when humans weren’t living in their screens. That is all. Moving on…
The doors hadn’t opened yet, but there were fans lining up down the side of the building. The ancient line is great, and I was glad it was there. There is something about the excitement of getting ready to see a show, the like-minded individuals gathered around for the same reason…I guess if a person has done it enough, it becomes part of the ritual. I’m fine with this. I was riding solo, which isn’t always a bad thing in any event. When a person is travelling alone, there isn’t really much to consider when making decisions to eat, drink, move, etc… If the idea strikes you, then you just do it. There is no need for debate or anything else (unless you have multiple personalities), so things boil down to the ring of simple.
I opted to sit on the curb and listen to the small talk of people nearby. From the sounds of it, there were a few musicians in the group talking about drummers. “I’m from Denver and there are like twenty drummers in the town” one guy said. I didn’t get the whole conversation, so adding context to that statement might be impossible, but as I half listened while taking in the full view of the scenery, I was comfortable in the moment. I could have stood in line but opted to sit on the curb. I wasn’t in a rush, and it was nice.
7:30pm The opening of the door
The gate to the show had been symbolically and physically opened. The door guys were scanning tickets and doing an excellent job at keeping things moving. I chose to remain seated on my little curb for a few minutes longer and view everything from about twenty feet away…at least for a bit. In no time at all, the line was checked in and I was free to move about the cabin. I got up, checked out the parking lot for the last time in the fading sun light, then be-bopped my way in.
Although I wasn’t drinking, it was easier to show my ID and get a wristband, then explain to a stranger why I didn’t need it. I had a stash of Nitrous in the trunk and would be celebrating later in the evening. When I got to the man checking tickets, I said I was looking for the press/photo route and held my breath. Although I knew my name was on the list, I always have a flutter of anxiety. “Ok cool, you’re on the list and you are all set. Please feel free to take pictures of anything you want” the man said. Fucking sweet. Thank you, Monica.
I slowly drifted by the merch table and did a quick scan of the goods. Holy Fawn and Sulk had it going on, and I promised myself to visit the table when the line had died down at a later point. I took the opportunity to float around the room like a ghost (it’s my best move) and observe. So much in life can be interesting when we just take the time to look about, I wish more people thought like me. Heads up, phones put away. You’d be surprised at all the things hiding in plain sight both at shows and life in general.
I made my way around the room, getting a feel for the joint. The lighting was dark, and I was fine with that. I’ve spent most of my life in the shadows and found the atmosphere of The Loving Touch to be very agreeable. I sat down for a bit on the edge of the room, but when I noticed an older couple looking for a place to take a load off, I offered them my seating area. It’s the right thing to do and I was happy to do it. Back on my feet again, I drifted towards the stage and inserted myself in the group forming in front. The fans were laid back, interesting, and cool. It was my kind of vibe for sure.
8ish Sulk takes the stage
The four-member band included three guys and a female drummer. They simply walked up and got ready to go. No flashy non-sense or over the top presence needed. They started to play and I was right in front to see it all go down. Their music was really interesting, and I was spellbound during their set. For me personally, there was a whiff of familiarity. It kind of reminded me of the feel of “Pyscho Killer” by the Talking Heads at points, but they had their own sound to be sure. I really enjoyed their performance and their stage presence. It was subdued at times, but they also let it rock out as well. I wish I could tell you more about which songs they did, but since I had just found out about them, the best I could do was listen, observe, and enjoy. The singer (there were two) told the crowd that they had just dropped a new release and that it could be located back at the merch table. At least I think that’s what he said. Before wrapping up their set, they played a few more numbers and I liked them all. By the end of the night, I had given the drummer my card and told them I’d love to interview them for the website. We shall see…
9ish A different kind of gas
In between sets, I watched a guy cruise around the room. He had a cool mustache, plaid pants, and boots. The guy stopped near where I was standing and began talking. “You know what man? I’ve been farting everywhere as I walk around” he said to me. I told him that was interesting, and that it was probably a good strategy in a crowd of people because assessing blame for offensive odors would be hard to do. I suppose everyone has encountered something like that in a public space. For whatever reason the guy decided to let me in on his secret. I wished him luck in his endeavors and the cat started wandering around again.
Holy Fawn sets it off
It was the moment that most of the people in the building had come to see, Holy Fawn was ready to take the stage after Sulk finished off their set. I was excited to see and hear them play. After a quick set up and sound check, the band was ready to get moving. The stage was washed in blood red light, which was interesting because during the Sulk set, the stage was bathed in blue light. For some reason this reminded of a scene from House of a Thousand Corpses, when Otis is yelling at one of the ladies they took hostage. The screens alternated in red and blue light during that portion of the movie. The stage lights reminded me of that, as well as 3-D glasses from the 1980’s. Where one lens is blue and the other is red.
“The traditional 3-D anaglyph glasses use one red lens and one blue (cyan) lens. Many other color combinations work, too, like red and green, but red and blue were used most frequently. The blue lens filters out all the red light, and the red lens filters out all the blue light, so each eye sees a slightly different image.
When the 3-D movie is projected on the screen, two images are displayed: one in red, one in blue. Since each lens of the glasses has a filter, only one image can reach each eye. The brain merges both images together, which results in the illusion of an image popping or jumping off the screen”.
-Debra Ronca
https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/why-arent-3d-glasses-red-and-blue.htm
So, the music got going and I started taking some pictures of the band in action. I must say that I really enjoyed Holy Fawn’s sound and their stage presence as well. It was almost like they had this dark rain cloud floating in the air, just above the stage, raining just for them. I love all things gloomy. I love all things morose (Author’s Note: While I enjoy the darker side of life, which includes the gloom and doom, it still has to be done perfectly or it comes off cheesy or dramatic. Holy Fawn was completely authentic and that’s the best and only way to be) This band had the darkness on their side and the music to match it.
The lighting really added a whole other dimension to the music. After playing a few songs the members of Holy Fawn addressed the crowd. “This is our first National headlining tour…and this is the final stop” and the crowd applauded. I thought that was really interesting too. I’m normally a guy that shows up for the beginning or ending of things, so I guess I was right where I needed to be. As the music progressed, I slowly drifted to the side of the room and then backwards. I like getting different perspectives from the crowd view…and eventually I floated all the way back to the merch table.
I believe very strongly in merch, especially physical copies of the music. To my delight, both bands not only had physically hard copies of their music, but they also came in my favorite forms: cassette tape and vinyl. I brought a tape and some prints from the Sulk side and then picked up a special edition vinyl release from Holy Fawn. It was a great moment and I only wish I had more money on hand for the band’s shirts. They were all dope and needed to be in my closet. Oh well, next time gadget (thank you 1983 and Inspector Gadget).
So, the final summation of the night was this: The Loving Touch in Ferndale (Woodward near 9 Mile) was a great venue to catch a show at. The place had great atmosphere, the staff was cool and accommodating, and the layout was very agreeable. The band Sulk really struck a chord with me, and I want to know more about their music. I reached out to the band for an interview so we shall see. Holy Fawn, the tour headliner was really worth the time. I like that darker sound, and although it’s hard for me to completely describe what I would classify their music as (genre), it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that the vibe was correct, and the performance was worth driving down for. Thanks again to Monica for the opportunity. Well that about does it for this show review. Keep coming back for all things unique and interesting. Until next time….
Signing Off,
Mike Shepard
ROX-TV Head Writer
shepard2909@hotmail.com
