CASSAVETTES

When news hits of a band split, assumptions are made right off the bat—there must’ve been artistic differences or poisonous egos that caused a schism, right? For Cassavettes, popular rock act and local live show institution since 2005, the negativity stemming from a band breakup doesn’t apply here. There’s no Yoko-worthy gripe at play this time around. If anything, the reason why Glenn Yoder, Mike McCullagh, Scott Jones and Matt Snow are bringing their time together to a halt is because the group of Tex-pats have too much of a good thing going, and they feel comfortable bringing their talents to new projects—be it a surf-rock band for McCullagh and Jones, a return to Americana for Yoder or new projects waiting in Nashville for Snow.

For Yoder and McCullagh, childhood friends who provide the vocals and guitars of Cassavettes, the end, though nigh, is a natural progression. “We could really see [Cassavettes] stretching on for years and years,” says Yoder. “In the past 12 months, things kind of became a little more clear. For the first time, we could sort of envision what the ending would look like. Not to sound dramatic, but what was once an unimaginable, distant, horrific little nightmare kind of thing just became a realistic and not too scary reality.” McCullagh agrees, and thinks that their final show couldn’t find a better home than the Middle East: “It was kind of a relief when we realized we were all on the same page, and we thought, hey, the Middle East was the first club that really gave us a shot.”

As OK with the split as they are, their friends and superfans are all sad to see local venue schedules devoid of Cassavettes shows. Kier Byrnes, frontman of rockabilly party act Three Day Threshold, helped bail Cassavettes out when their van was about to be towed outside a show of his. “With every door that closes, another opens up, and they’ll all be playing music still, which is the important thing,” Byrnes says. “They’ll always be a click away on my playlist.”

Jeremy Gottlieb, self-described superfan and bartender at Toad, plays Shake Up the Sun on heavy rotation, but admits it doesn’t compare to their live shows. “They definitely played some gigs here where it’s really rocked, like, the roof is shaking and I’m behind the bar pouring beers, running around because it’s busy and I’m still banging my head and jumping up and down and going kind of nuts like I’m at a rock show and I’m not working, like I’m one of those people up by the stage.”

Madeline by cassavettes

Ward Hayden, of Girls Guns and Glory, Cassavettes’ “brother band,” will miss touring with them, especially. “Cassavettes have more fun playing and hanging out than just about anyone.” [The anecdote Hayden shared is a little racy even by Dig standards, so we’ll just say it involves Tabasco boxer shorts, a toy shark and an attempt at buying a handle of Jack Daniels off a bartender for $20.—Ed.] “The first time we played with them, Scott was swinging his bass around so much I kept waiting for him to catch Glenn or Mike in the teeth with it. It never happened, but man did it add to the excitement of the show.”

Yoder and McCullagh’s chompers are safe—for now. The guys haven’t ruled out a reunion down the road, and if the kind words from their friends are any inclination, Boston will be clamoring for Cassavettes down the line, Nashville and new projects aside.

CASSAVETTES
WITH THE LUXURY AND THE AUTUMN HOLLOW BAND
SATURDAY 12.18.10
THE MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS
472 MASS. AVE.,
CENTRAL SQ.
CAMBRIDGE
617.864.3278

8PM/18+/$12 ADV, $15 DOS
MIDEASTCLUB.COM