Got no car. Got no money.

But I let you down and swollen and small is where you'll find me now with that silver stripping off from my tongue you're tearing out and you'll never hear me talk
- Neutral Milk Hotel's "Where You'll Find Me Now"

Vassar kind of looks like Hogwart's. (Not that I like Harry Potter. I'm not one of those obsessives that can find a reference to that kid wizard (kizard??) in everything. Just making an observation) Big trees, scary buildings, spooky night. It all adds up.

Most importantly, the reason I was there was to see Nodzzz (!) and Wavves (!!). The show was in the basement of one of the buildings. I think it was called the College Center. Whatever it was, it was the biggest building on campus. The basement was a bar and the bartender looks miserable. I guess all old, black bartenders who are working at a college where an arty punk show is happening look that miserable on a weeknight.

The first band that played was Bird Names. They were a five member kind of psychy, kind of folky, kind of poppy band. They call it intuitive pop. I don't call it that. I call it I-like-that-you-have-a-singing-saw-but-besides-one-song-that-sounded-like-a-spazzy-60s-pop-song-I don't-give-a-shit-you-sound-like-band-practice-by-people-on-drugs. The band looked straight out of episode of Pete & Pete. One of the guitarists looked like he should be in the Melvins and I'm pretty sure that the other one didn't play his guitar. It looked like he just shook while standing on the balls of his feet and strummed furiously while hoping the right sounds came out. The second drummer/singer told us that they would trade prescription pills for merch. Well fucking a. I have nothing against people who want to do drugs. Whatever. Just don't be so fucking obnoxious and by obnoxious I mean don't look stoned out your mind all the time and think that everything that comes out of your mouth is hilarious. It's not cute. All that being said the band had a few good tunes. Artie, the strongest man in the world must be proud to call these kids his neighbors. I'm partly a sucker for chanting songs. Basically anything gang vocal-esque is good in my book. They had a couple of those. The last song was especially good.

Nodzzz took over from there and everyone ventured onto the wooden dancefloor part of the room where Bird Names had previously been sprawled across. Nodzzz is only three guys. No bass. No bullshit. Their record is only 15 minutes long. 'Nuff said. They opened with my favorite song, "Controlled Karaoke." That got everyone doing that awkward kind of bend at the knees bop along move that you do when don't really want to/ can't really jump up and down. Plus enthusiasm isn't always cool to show (duh). Nodzzz also asked for prescription medicine. Mostly amoxicillin though.

The crowd was weird. It was a lot like any of the shows that I might be at at home. I mean none of these kids would look out of place at The Market Hotel. You had some boys with skinny pants, plaid shirts, beards and red Steve Zissou hats and girls who refuse to believe that tights aren't pants. (They aren't. I don't care how long your shirt is. It's not okay.) Did I mention how beautiful people at Vassar are? Well, yeah. I'm convinced that prettier people go to schools that I don't go to.

Nodzzz finished in what seemed like 10 minutes. It very well may have been. Wavves was up next. First thing I noticed was the awful/great rat tail he had going on. Second thing I noticed was how small he was. I mean not in a bad way. I'm just usually surprised because I assume that people I've never met/seen are the same size as me. But I am a giant so that is usually never the case. Plus guys in bands are usually small(er). That's a gross generalization. Wavves played stuff from all their releases. Surfy, No Age-y stuff. Got the crowd doing the whole let's sway til we fall over or the one guy who is jumping up and down smashes our feet. This time I was the guy jumping (and smashing, I suppose).

I realized that people love clapping. Little Wavves kept loosing his guitar cable from his guitar during his little rock out session and everyone jumped in with that: clapclap clap clapclap clap. Seriously. Who doesn't love the anthemic drum beats that allow for that kind of clapping. It was happening all night. For every band!

Woods closed the night out. They had a sound manipulator guy on the floor and I really like the band they used to be. But I was just kind of underwhelmed by them. Wavves had me so pumped that I couldn't properly enjoy Woods' mellow pop. I also didn't see the need for the sound manipulator guy although I suppose I would notice his absence. He just looked silly on the floor. They closed with a Dead cover. Milkmen that is. Good on 'em.

I love free shows.