The Fringe: Opening Night of "The Sanitarium"
FUSE Contributor Matt James takes in a hot show at a new outpost in the rising North Texas punk and rock scene
The FallstownFUSE is proud to debut an ongoing feature — The Fringe — a community of contributors taking in shows on The Fringe, musically, geographically, and ideologically. When they report back with photos and relate their experiences, we’ll share them with you here.
Opening Night at The Sanitarium
by Matt James
It was a Sunday. I was at home, inside with the curtains drawn and the AC blasting. After an afternoon of playing games with my sons, I stepped out my front door. The heat was a slap in the face. I hadn’t realized it was going to be a triple digit day. But there was no going back—I had told the boys we were going to a show. It was the first show, in fact, for the venue at 106 W Cash in Iowa Park under the new name “The Sanitarium.”
After a short drive from Wichita Falls, we rolled past it. The front door was wide open and there were enough merch tables set up on the sidewalk and even in the street to look like a small bazaar. We parked just around the corner. Stepping on to the street, it somehow felt even hotter in Iowa Park than it had in Wichita Falls. So much for the traveling acts (The Ongoing Concept from Idaho, and Oyarsa from Colorado) bringing a cold front with them. With more than 2 hours until sunset, I confess, I was a little nervous about the heat. As we rounded the corner on foot, I was glad to see that the crowd, wearing mostly black, was finding ample shade under awnings and trees.
Inside there was no sign of air conditioning, but also no direct sunlight. Importantly, many large fans were angled to keep air moving through the building. I was surprisingly comfortable for such a hot day, and there were plenty of water bottles on ice to keep us hydrated. We had arrived too late to see any of the opener, Gamma Goblin, which meant the show had started right at the posted time. I was disappointed but glad that if I had to miss a band, it was at least one I’d seen before. (Gamma Goblin, however is not to be missed, so I will have to make a better effort next time! I’ve resisted the trend, but these guys are actually worth finding my old tape deck so I can enjoy their last release on cassette.)
The crowd had the nervous energy of high expectation. I visited a minute with the owner, who seemed every bit as excited as his patrons. The infectious enthusiasm was getting to me as well. It was a cheerful crowd though, and the man next me assured me that the next set was sure to be sick.
Indeed it was—The Ongoing Concept were the headliner (though playing second) and they exploded into action from the first song. The driving post hardcore riffs and vocals were punctuated with occasional melodic passages with clean vocals. The singers and guitarists swapped instruments and mics while the bass and drums held it all together. With no stage of any kind, the band and audience intermingled a few times, reminding me of all-ages shows I saw as a kid. I’ve read this band recorded an album with instruments they made themselves, but I didn’t notice any handmade equipment that night. All told, a very exciting and at times beautiful set.
Between bands, the store close by was indeed a convenient place for a cold one (for me) and some cold cuts (for the boys). I think the bands had agreed to share equipment and instruments, because there was very little time without live music. Skeksis soon had people bustling back into The Sanitarium.
No less exciting than The Ongoing Concept, Skeksis would settle into a good groove more often, making for a nice change of pace. I might have missed Gamma Goblin, but I got to see their keyboardist, Joel Abeyta, play guitar in Skeksis. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve seen Skeksis, but I think it was before Joel joined. The intimate setting of the Sanitarium let people get up close and personal with the band (and amps), and they wrapped us up in some heavy, moody vibes.
We only stayed for one more band, and I’m glad we did. Oyarsa’s van AC had just broken, and they were, out of necessity, committed to driving only after sunset. Like true creatures of the night, they did not start playing until dark, and theirs were probably the darkest, trippiest tunes of the night. At times quieter instrumental post-rock, Oyarsa easily got as loud and heavy as anything we’d heard previously. As high energy as the first two bands were, Oyarsa got absolutely frenetic at times, practically bouncing off of the walls. (I was sitting up near the rafters at one point and was still nearly stepped on by the bassist.)
Just the three bands I saw were an excellent booking, with our local Skeksis doing us proud. I had suspected I’d get hot once bands were playing, but every act was so engaging and high energy, I never thought about the temperature again. It was a great night for live music in north Texas, with or without air conditioning. The Sanitarium was definitely worth a short drive. — Matt James
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