6B = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MUSIC
THURSDAY,NOV.8,2001
Bands go 'loco' for popular punk
By Andy Gassaway Jayplay writer
On an unusually warm Sunday night in November, downtown Lawrence is a vision of placidity. Few cars drive down the street, the sidewalks are empty and a gentle breeze sends leaves slowly down the street.
JAMIEROPER/KANSAN
However, inside Coco Loco Mexican Cafe, 943 Massachusetts St., the scene is anything but gentle.
"We wanna see blood!" shouts bartender Quincy Rosemond as vocalist Rob Gillespie of the band Esau dives shirtless into the jagged remains of a shattered beer mug, adding a dose of shock to an already blistering set.
Many Lawrence residents know Coco Loco for its Mexican food served during the day and the Latin dance scene harbored at night. But last May, the establishment began playing host to local and nationally touring punk and hardcore bands.
Kitchen manager Mike Appleby, who works with Rosemond to book the bands, said he was prompted to start organizing shows because other Lawrence venues began booking fewer aggressive, hardcore bands
Coco Loco books bands with other styles such as hip-hop and reggae, but Rosemond and Appleby retain an allegiance to hardcore music.
"I've worked here for three or four years and I've bugged the boss since the beginning to book shows," Appleby said. "The Replay used to be the best punk bar in the tri-state area, but now it's nothing but indie rock. We felt we could get our boss to book these shows, so we did it a couple of times and made him some money.
"Now we get three or four calls a day from bands wanting to play. We give gigs to bands who might not otherwise get coverage."
Although Coco Loco also books nationally touring bands, Appleby said he and Rosemond generally tried to book local bands on the same bill.
Kelfel Aqui, owner of Coco Loco, said he was pleased with the venue's effect on the local music scene.
"We always do try to include local with the touring bands." Appleby said. "We included three different local bands at the Sloppy Seconds show. It's good to have local bands play with the national bands. It brings more people in."
"I'm a musician and since I play in a band, I know how hard it is to have a gig." Aqui said. "People come here from Wichita and Topeka for their first gigs. The place is starting to become a hangout for musicians, and I like that."
Although Coco Loco is one of the
last venues in Lawrence professing an emphasis on hardcore and punk bands, musicians and Coco Loco staff said patronage sometimes has been scarce.
Local and national punk bands have another Lawrence venue. Esau performed at Coco Loco, 943 Massachusetts St. Sunday along with the Sense of Self, Heroin Sheiks and Cutthroat.
"We have a hard time here getting the draw we should have," Rosemond said. "But since we're known for Latin dance, bands at other venues get four times as many people."
miles as heavy rock performer. For local musicians such as Paul Brookes, drummer for Lawrence's Filthy Jim, the trick to drawing larger crowds is to simply "promote the rock."
"It's a good place and it's a good idea to have these bands play here, but it needs more promotion," said Steve Hammond, guitarist and vocalist of Filthy Jim. "It would be much better if people took it seriously. People need to recognize this as a real venue."
There may not be capacity crowds at every show, but those who have dared to venture into Coco Loco's shows say the experience is worthwhile.
"The crowd) is a decent size, and the sound is a lot better than I ever thought," said 28-year-old University of Kansas graduate Kirk Rhorer. Contact Gassaway at 864-4810
LAWRENCE AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICS INC.
842-8665 2858 2858 Four Wheel Dr.
JAMIE ROPER/KANSAN
Rob Gillespie, vocalist for punk band Esau displays his bloody back during the band's set at Coco Loco Mexican Cafe. In addition to Esau, Sense of Self, Heroin Sheiks and Cutthroat also performed Sunday at Coco Loco.
WINTER AND
SPRING BREAK
BEACH & SKI TRIPS
On Sale Now!
www.sunchase.com
1-800-SUNCHASE
Tear this out and pin it up all week so you'll never miss a special!
Weekly Specials
ASTROS
$2.50 16oz. dom. bottles
ASTROS
BADA BING
CADILLAC RANCH
COCO LOCO
EMERSON BIGGINS
TONIGHT!
JACK FLANIGANS
JAYHAWK CAFE
$2.25 Dos Equis pints
HARBOUR LIGHTS
$2.00 beers and wells
Live dancing
$1 big beers &
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$3 premium draft,
$3.50 frozen Margaritas
J.B. STOUTS
JET LAG LOUNGE
$.75 draws, $1.50 dom liters.
$2.25 almost anything.
$1.50 u-call-it, DJ &
dancing, 1/2 price burger
$1.50 big beers,
$2.00 wells
$1.50 Miller Draft Pints
$2.50 Mirco Brew Draft Pints
$2.00 well drinks
FRIDAY
$3.75 pitchers
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing
$2.50 pitchers, $2 wells, retro night
2 for 1 Margaritas World Class Dance Party
$4.75 Biggin's size margarita on the rea
$1.50 Miller High Life bottles,
$3.00 22oz. Rolling Rocks
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing
$1 anything
$1 Capt. Morgan, Retro Dance Night, $2.50 Big Beer
Great Specials World Class Dance Party
$2.99 big beers
$1.50 Bud / Lt bottles,
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OLD CHICAGO
RAOUL'S VELVET ROOM
SET EM UP JACK'S
$3.00 Coronas
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105.9 Lazer Dance Party
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pint draws
$2 bloody marys/
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$1.50 import drafts
$3 Biggin's size Labatts draws
2 for 1 margaritas
$1 Busch & Miller Hi Life cans, $1.50 wells, $2.75 doubles, live music
$2.75 Long Island Ice Tea, free pool
$2.00 Red Bull & Vodka
Simplexity
$1 dom draws, $1.50 micro draws,
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Ride the bus to ALL KU home games
Home football games
$2.00 Boulevard draft pints
$2 Smilmoff Ice / Twisters Bobby Keys
$2.50 Jackartias, $3.50 S.
Hurricanes, DJ/Dancing
$3.00 Biggin's size Shiner Bock
$2.00 beers and wells Live dancing
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$2.00 Boulevards
$2 domestic bottles
$5 pitchers, choose winning team = free dinner buffet
$2 Wells
$1.75 dom. bottles, $3.25 micro beer
liters, $3.75 premium liters
$3 Biggin's size Bud Lt.
SIN Night, $1.50 Bud/Bud Lt.
Pints, Free Pool, DJ, Dancing
NASCAR party during race, $2 16oz draws Bud/Lt
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WEDNESDAY
$6.95 margarita pitchers
$2 Coronas, $ .50 tacos
$1.50 big beers, $4.00 20oz
Long Island iced Teas
$2.50 Boulevard Drift Pints
$2.25 Margaritas
$2.50 20 oz. COFFEE
$2.00 house wines, wells,
domestic beers
$2 Margaritas & Coronas,
$1.50 25 oz. big beers
$2.25 Dom. Fat Boys
$1.50 Bud/Bud LT. pints
$2.50 16oz Bud & Bud Lt bottles
$2.50 imports
$2.50 20 oz. Miller Lt
$3.00 Martini / Cosmopolitans
$2.00 beers and wells
Live dancing
$1 anything
No Cover for Ladies
Karaoke!
$2 Mexican Beers
2 for 1 burgers and $2.00 domestic big beers
2 for 1 on most drinks
$2 big beers $.25 wings
$3 premium bottles, $2.75 call drinks, $4 double calls
Import night $2.00 import and micro beers
$2.00 pints domestic
and micros
Import night $2.00 import
and micro beers
$5 pitchers Bud & Bud Lt
$1.75 all Dom. Beer Bottles
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$2.25 Rolling Rock and Captain Morgan drinks
$2.00 double calls,
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$.30 wings
Check out Kansan.com for more drink, food and entertainment specials with profiles of Lawrence's bars and restaurants.