Brew Ha Ha Two Ha Ha Rules Ha Ha (w/video)

[inline:1]One thing can definitely be said for the folks behind Furthermore Beer, they sure do know how to choose the right music to complement their beer. On the heels of a very welcome annual tradition started in 2007, last night Furthermore hosted a "Brew Ha-Ha" at the High Noon to launch a new beer. This time they launched the potent (8.5 percent ABV) "Make Weight" with the help of the equally potent Black Eyed Snakes. "Make Weight" is a Triple Pale that is appropriately complex and will sneak up on you if you let your guard down for even one second. I let my guard down for a full minute, so you can probably guess how that translates the morning after. As for the taste (I'm not a beer writer, so bear with me) the upfront taste says New Year's Eve champagne, but then the Belgian, who you have been making eyes with all night from across the room, sees that you've maybe had one too many swigs from the champagne bottle, uses the opportunity to come over and give you a big hug, and says "I love you." Deep down inside you know the pillow talk is simply meant to get in your pants, but that's all right, because little does this beer know you actually want it in your pants, but you just can't come out and say "Get in my pants!" because then what kind of proper woman or gentleman would you be? (see? Not a beer writer.)

As for the music, by bringing Alan Sparhawk's Black-Eyed Snakes Furthermore provided Madison with a rare treat. The Snakes are the antithesis of Sparhawk's main and most well known project, the masters of slowcore, Low. The Snakes are loud and bluesy, taking multiple pages from both Jon Spencer and R.L. Burnside. According to Snakes percussionist Brad Nelson this is the first time the band has played together (outside of a handful of shows in their hometown of Duluth) in nearly three years. The lack of regular live performances didn't show on Saturday as they reached into the often stuck in the mud Madison show going audience and infused it with a healthy dose of foot stomping and hip swaying.

Decibully opened for the Snakes and continue to prove that they are likely one of the top five best bands from Wisconsin. While missing a member on Saturday they were still able to fill every nook and cranny of the High Noon with their earnest chamber pop.

Below are two videos captured on Saturday. The first is of Black-Eyed Snakes and the second is of Decibully: