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Temple of Low Men were at the peak of their powers in 2004 and seemed poised to take over the world when their new album, likely titled 'Swing', was released. And then life happened. 

Album sessions at the Parasol building and the old bank building connection to the current Two Main building in downtown Champaign had yielded some incredible takes of concert staples like "Loose From The Race," "Level," "Snocone" and more. This left overdubs and finishing touches to be completed.

On August 30, 2004, TOLM entered Mark Rubel's famed Pogo Studios to do a live recording to also be broadcast live on WEFT Sessions, via the cable run out the Pogo console, out the back door of Pogo and down the block into WEFT's front door on Market St. This still remains one of my greatest moments in 20yrs of booking WEFT Sessions.

Listeners were treated to a set of mostly unreleased songs. Only two came from 2001's 'Degree of Slither' and one from 2003's 'Normal As Can Be EP'. That left seven songs that have never otherwise seen the light of day. (Until Anthony Gravino decided to take a fresh pass at 'Snocone' in 2022.)

Selected here is 'Concentrate', which I love so much that I included it in my Great Cover Up set -as- Temple of Low Men. It's a blistering salvo with Brandon T. Washington's voice coming straight for your throat. This is a LIVE TAKE y'all. Every member is operating at peak performance.

This whole set deserves a release, TBH.

Considering this week's devastating loss of Mark Rubel, it felt appropriate to dust off one of the greatest recordings ever captured there. (Also check out the Morris Minors track on here, recorded at Pogo!) Mortality has been all of our minds lately with so many losses in the C-U music scene, and the announcement of Ian Shepherd (drummer on this very track; seen in that vest-with-no-shirt combo in the photo) being diagnosed with cancer. His GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ian-shepperd

Guitars: Andy Lund, Anthony Gravino
Bass: Josh Walden
Drums: Ian Shepherd
Vocals: Brandon T. Washington

Full setlist:
01 - Scream
02 - Concentrate
03 - Loose From The Race
04 - Snocone
05 - Cinnamon Lover
06 - Level
07 - Outside
08 - Normal
09 - Half A Step
10 - Fire Escape
11 - Hold Yr Fire

Absent from that era's songs: 'Infinity Daylight,' 'Feeling Sideways,' 'Swing,' & 'Stone Cold Ho' (all recorded at Parasol) and '15/16' which was never fully laid down to my knowledge.

Live at Pogo Studios (WEFT) 2004-08-30

Temple of Low Men - Concentrate (Live at Pogo Studios) (2004)

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Highlighting the best music from Champaign-Urbana, past and present. Re-posting great current stuff and uploading amazing older tracks.

Temple of Low Men - Concentrate (Live at Pogo Studios) (2004)

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