Tag: The Hotelier

Top Album of 2016

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If Fit for a King‘s Deathgrip was an arm around my shoulder at the edge of a suicidal cliff, The Hotelier were the inspiration to fly away from it. Their album was about hope to me. You can find beauty in life, no matter what. A fawn in the snow outside your room, referenced in “Soft Animal” chokes me up. It reminds me of walking around Little Tokyo for a day. Flying up to Sacramento on my own to see an old friend. Having dreams again when I had hardly dreamt for years. I haven’t revealed this to anyone. The reason I sleep in, above all else, is to continue dreaming. I go back to sleep to enjoy adventures out in canyons, making love to this girl, or achieving my personal goals. I’m not saying this band caused these positive forces but it offered me hope. I can have those things. It’s ok to be sad but I appreciate what I have and experience.

Goodness surprised me. Seeing them live at The Che in June synced us together. They opened with “Goodness, Pt. 2” which really started everything of right. The bass drum and snare intro swelled the energy in the room. When the electricity of guitars kicks it’s the correct timing to release that pent-up energy from the audience. It felt right. I know next time I see them I may lose myself a bit within the crowd. “Two Deliverances” causes the same kind of stir with its poetry. Sometimes my mind keeps me prisoner. I question my decisions and thoughts. Second guessing myself makes me uncomfortable. I don’t feel confident in myself. It prevents you from just moving forward, moving on, or at least figuring out where you are. Maybe there’s deliverance in distract like the song references with night skies and constellations.

My favorite song here “Piano Player” did turn around some miserable days and weeks. I could wake up feeling like I didn’t want to go anywhere, feeling sorry for myself, to speeding on the highway to work. Driver’s side window down, volume maxed out, singing “sustain.”It’s the perfect kind of song for me. There’s space for the lyrics to have their day, time for the instruments to build up and explode. It’s forward moving music pushing ahead to wherever it is we’re going. The final lyrics “and I don’t know if I know love no more” made me oddly hopeful. Don’t know why. The singer didn’t sound sad and I found myself singing this out loud in my car too. I don’t know right now but maybe I will. I want to someday. I have the capability but will I find the bravery? Only I can change that.

The Hotelier were hope for me when I didn’t have much of anything obviously positive. Goodness helped me see what’s always around us, good and bad. I don’t have to die anymore, as they said. I don’t want spend my days dying anymore and I fucking won’t.

Soft Animal

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Photo by Chloe Muro

I hadn’t been to the Che Cafe in almost 3 years or so. The venue survived a near shutdown from the University of California San Diego and stayed opened just of campus. Coming back refreshed my memories as a concert goer as a teenager and young adult. It doesn’t feel tarnished by times past with my ex or old friends. The Che, after all this time, still stands and hosts bands I want to see in a tight space. I went with some good friends to see The Hotelier last night. I wasn’t too familiar with them other than their Home, Like Noplace is There and briefly browsing them on YouTube. They’re on tour promoting their new record Goodness which the press has praised thoroughly.

The band didn’t seem too energized but performed a great setlist of new and old songs. They ran through a strong portion of Home playing “Your Deep Rest”, “Among The Wildflowers”, and “Life in Drag” early. I had hoped for these listening to their discography and got my wish. It’s pretty rare for bands, in my experience, to play songs off their records in order, unless they’re playing a full record. I felt myself falling into the Wildflowers singing the words I knew. The mixed crowd of kids and adults murmured as well. After they quieted down, Hotelier broke into “Life in Drag” inciting their ferocity into the front stage crowd. Finally some motion, some energy, some connect from band to audience, fans to artists. I knew this was what I missed about going to shows.

Hotelier’s best moments came during a new song “Soft Animal” in middle of the set. It’s a beautiful song and to experience it live validates my affection for the lyrics and pulse. Going through all my tragedies over the past year, especially recently, “Soft Animal” helps me put myself into perspective. Life is beautiful when you look outside of yourself. There’s more to existence than our own. The lyrics speak about encountering fawn in the winter, probably in Massachusetts where Hotelier is from. When I think about the wonder of earth, and all it homes, the words “make me believe that I don’t have to die” heals the wound in my chest. Like two hands rubbing warm water on my body. It was therapeutic. The Hotelier had a solid performance. As a new fan I can see they’re building on a connection with their scene. Goodness will serve well them well for the next two years or so on tours. This is a group I will look to see again on bigger stages with bigger crowds.