There are certain bands that come around every so often and leave a lasting impact in a short amount of time. That short amount of time and the legacy that carried on is what makes those bands special. One of the bands that I’ve always thought of in that category is the band Snot. Their debut album Get Some, was an absolute force of nature and came at you with an attitude that got right in your face and pulled you in. The story of Snot is tragic yet the surviving members have carried on but kept the torch lit for their old band and singer. Over the years there have been a couple time when Snot has come back. I was lucky enough to open for them years ago when they had a certain singer in the band who will remain nameless. I could tell then that these guys really loved this band and music. And the crowds too were still into it. Of course as time goes on there comes a new breed of kids that discover the band and that is a great source of reinvigoration to get it going again. And let me tell you, SNOT IS BACK!!!
The wait for the right time came just as the right person came along at the right time. All the stars had to be aligned in order for this to come back in this way. And on this particular Saturday night in none other than Santa Barbara, Snot’s hometown, in a rather intimate venue, the fans made sure to make this night special. As they took the stage to a roaring applause the moment those first notes hit, it was go time! Blazing through their debut album with delight on their faces, Snot ripped through the greats including my favorites “Joy Ride,” “Snooze Button,” “Get Some,” “I Jus’ Lie,” and of course the one that kicks it all off “Snot.” For their encore they brought out the Strait Up version of “Choose What” which tonight was “Starlit Eyes” (originally sang by Serj Tankian of System Of A Down) and closed it out with my absolute favorite “Absent.” Watching the band play for the 80ish minutes they were up there was so awesome. It’s not every day you get to see a band you love reunite and it sound as good as it does. <br><br>The dual guitars of Mikey Doling and Sonny Mayo are signature to them and them alone. That sound they have together and how they play off one another is quite special to watch, plus it was a blast to see them see if they could beat each other who could jump higher while playing. Sonny won! Then you have that thunderous low end of John “Tumor” Fahnstock. That tone alone I bet registers on the richter scale. Behind the drums is the one and only Jaime Miller. Jaime is an absolute beast on the drums (as well as pretty much every instrument). His playing and style in Snot should be studied as he makes it look a lot easier than it is. Now those 4 elements make up one hell of a sounding band. The only thing missing was the right guy and they found him in local Ventura County based singer Andy Knapp. I’ve known Andy for a long time and when it was announced it was him, I couldn’t have been happier. Plus Andy is a long time Snot fan and considers Lynn Strait to be one of his major influences. And when he took the mic and the show started, it was on!!!
What a comeback for Snot. This one was a long time coming and it finally aligned the right way. With the resurgence of music from their time, it’s only fitting that one of the originators of that style come back and show these youngsters how it’s done and should sound. The possibilities of new Snot music is on the horizon and I welcome it. Cheers to Mikey, Jaime, John, Sonny and Andy! And as always R.I.P. Lynn Strait and Dobbs!
Review and Photos (sorry for the quality- I was too into watching the show) by: Brian Lacy
