Hi everyone

It was a pleasure playing the Duke again last Saturday night. The night was a good one – great line-up of bands, solid crowd, good sound, and even a little unexpected excitement to close it out.

On the bill:

The John Holmes Club
STRAWMAN
Waxmen
Prodigal Son

We really enjoyed ourselves, and got to test drive a couple of new songs, and a cover to close out the evening. Our setlist was (* new songs):

The Hangover*
Isolated
Locked Doors
Saffron
By Design
Think of Me
No Better Time
End the Romance*
Bullet the Blue Sky (U2)

Check out End the Romance:

Videos of the show can be found at our youtube channel. Unfortunately I didn’t get any video of Prodigal Son, who almost literally burnt the place to the ground. Halfway through their set the ’smoke machine’ went off, except the smoke machine was on the other side of the stage…..Apparently one of the power amps melted down and the smoke plumed, accompanied by the stench of burning plastic. Those of us with the sense of smell bailed as it got a little to ripe to stick it out. Quick thinking saved the day – killing the power and bathing the offending amp in extinguisher foam saved the 100+ year old Duke from seeing it’s final days!

We’d like to thank everybody who came out to support, all the other bands on the bill, George and Jimmy from the Duke, Jezla of Smash Productions and Co-op Studios, Robb Doyon for working the board, and Bonhomme from Bonetrigger for volunteering on the lights. We love the Duke, and we’ll play there again, if it doesn’t revert back to it’s country and western roots. Or maybe STRAWMAN will go country – whadya think, y’all?

DUFF

STRAWMAN is back at the Duke this Saturday! Forget what you heard and seen last time. Be ready to experience what’s been brewing behind STRAWMAN’s mask.

Here is a clip from our last performance at the Duke.

There’s not much on the radio that makes lyrics worth listening to. However, the English band MUSE, has released a few toe tapper’s. But more importantly, if you listen, you’ll hear a strawman-esque message ….REVOLUTION ….REVELATION! It seems that MUSE views the world the same way STRAWMAN does: the suppression of truth, the depression of the populace…an agenda driven by culture creators for thought control over their brothers and sisters.
Check out the lyrics and videos for two songs (UPRISING & RESISTANCE):
Uprising –video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KQmps-Sog
Uprising –lyrics http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/muse/uprising.html
The paranoia is in bloom, the PR, the transmissions will resume
They’ll try to push drugs, keep us all dumbed down and hope that
We will never see the truth around…

 
Resistance-video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPE9uSFFxrI
Resistance-lyrics http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/muse/resistance.html
Kill your prayer for love and peace, you‘ll wake the thought police
We can‘t hide the truth inside…

What needs to be said to preface the game today?  It’s the final, and a team that has never won it before will emerge as the victor.

Spain v. Netherlands

Spain returned to world number 2 form in their semi-final versus Germany, winning 1-0 but looking dominant and controlling the ball with the ease and flair that has had the bandwagon jumpers in full flight (hello MR. ERICA).  The Netherlands had a tougher time with a spry Uruguay team, winning 3-2 with the aid of a seeing eye goal off the foot of Sneijder.  I believe the Dutch will face the same troubles as the Germans did in battle with Spain – simply wresting the ball away from Spanish players will be a task let alone generating scoring chances.  This game should be won at midfield, where both teams are world class.  Spain’s engine has been Iniesta, setting the stage with great vision and precision passing, while the Dutch have the aforementioned Sneijder who has emerged as one of the stars of the tournament, and seems to be charmed when it comes to making something happen.

What they need to do to win:

SPAIN – play like they did against Germany.  Keep the ball away from the Dutch, pick their moments, and get the ball to Villa who is deadly at any range.

NETHERLANDS – take a tip from Paraguay – get in the passing lanes, which will create turnovers and help to frustrate the Spaniards.  I hate to say it but Arjen Robben has to keep up his simulation dives, which has garnered the Dutch some nice set play position, and that may be the only way the Dutch will score, since the Spanish defence is so strong.

In light of their last games Spain has to be the favorite, and if they win I am sure the score will be 1-0.  But then again, I had a dream, and in that dream the Oranje hoisted the golden cigarette lighter at the end of the tourney.  Not sure how they will do it, but they will find a way.

FINAL – Netherlands 2 Spain 1
FLEAROY – Spain 2 Dutch 0
MR. ERICA – probably something silly like 4-0, but he’d say Spain

Betting odds:  Spain +100 (even odds) Dutch +300 (lay $100 to win $300)