Twenty years ago today I took my son Andy to his very first concert at the 9:30 Club. He was ten years old and we went to see Bis, a wee little indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. The quirky threesome featured Sci-Fi Steven on vocals, guitar and synthesizers; John Disco on vocals, guitar and bass; and Manda Rin on vocals and keyboards. Their claim to fame was being the first unsigned band to ever appear on the BBC Television show, Top of the Pops. The band conveyed a playful, cartoon-like persona by plastering their CD’s with anime-styled artwork and filling them with music that was a cross between disco, techno, punk, riot grrl, and indie pop. The emphasis was on fun, and frenetic dance moves, catchy lyrics and joyful sing-alongs. Bis was the musical embodiment of a youthful rally cry that flew in the face of overly serious musicianship and slick production techniques: the perfect introduction for Andy to experience the joy of attending live concerts with his old man, or as he said himself when I reminded him of the 20-year anniversary: “and a music lover was born.”
It was two decades ago, but I can still remember smiling as I looked down at Andy sitting on the floor in the balcony at the 9:30 Club with his legs hanging down through the bars of the railing, swinging in time to the music. These days he stands at the rail alongside me and continues to be a stalwart ally when it comes to checking out new bands — often sight unseen and sound unheard. Really, what more could a music-loving father ask for?
“Kandy Pop” is the Happy Medium Song of the Day by Bis, and it comes from the 1996 EP titled This is Teen-C Power. Consider it a tribute to 20 years of concert companionship. Just don't let the music stop!
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