Less “Nasty,” More Nestor!

Interview with a headbanger Part 1

By Jordan D. Mertens
Contributing Writer

If you’re a fan of music, and I’m betting you are, there’s a chance you may be neglecting possibly the most diverse venue in town. The Nestor may be a name we’re all familiar with, though chances are, many of you have snubbed it as a result of here-say. Like a victim to a stalker, if the “Nasty” Nestor wishes to due away, once and for all, with it’s unjust reputation, it has only one refuge; out gun the would-be condemner. (What else? Wait for help from those who’s duty it has been assigned to serve and protect? Please.) Thus the pub has opened it’s stage’s doors to a variable myriad of talent.

When a fan notices one of their favorite acts is putting on a show, they aren’t going to pass up that show due to what they might have heard about the venue from someone who is most likely not of a similar mind anyhow.

Shamefully, even yours truly was unaware of the Nestor’s capability to host such diverse and interesting acts until just recently some of my favorites are going to be playing there; metal icons, Kittie, Spineshank and American Head Charge.

For part one of my two-part interview installment, I caught up with the Nestor’s talent buyer, Bryan Grob, to help clear the air and paint a more accurate picture of the infamous, not-so-hot spot.

High Plains Reader: Bryan, first of all, thank you for agreeing to speak with me. I know you’re a busy guy, so let’s jump right into this, shall we? You’ve opened your stage to some acts that are rarely seen in this area: heavy metal acts. What can you tell us about the Nestor’s interest in them?

Bryan Grob: Well, as far as The Nestor in general goes, we host multiple genres every single week; from Dubstep to Outlaw Country, to as varied acts as Accordion Punk bands and Freakshows. The “metal” side of it comes from not only trying to support the original metal scene in Fargo, but that scene is also what I grew up with, so I am a little biased. That’s why we have brought in bands such as Bobaflex, Green Jelly, Faster Pussycat, Motograter, Black Dahlia Murder and Seasons After. Those are bands I have listened to for years. We at the Nestor like to do everything we can to help sustain a scene that most venues view as being a waste of time and not profitable. So we happily do what we can to prove them wrong.

HPR: Do you feel the Nestor is a necessary venue for giving local artists a voice?

BG: It is absolutely necessary. Some of the acts that you find at the Nestor on any given day, whether local or national, wouldn’t have a venue to play if we were not here. The Nestor and my approach is to be as open minded and easy going as possible to accommodate the new bands and the older, established bands, to give everyone a chance to step onstage and for a few minutes get to share what they have created with the people in attendance. The Nestor is what it is: a beaten up barn with a bad reputation - a place a lot of people snub because of the preconceived notion that it is a rough bar. It was 10 years ago, but the bars new owners and staff have worked endlessly to change the atmosphere of the place. It will always be “The Nasty” to some and they will miss out on some amazing music out of sheer misinformation.

HPR: Are their any local artists who’ve particularly caught your attention?

BG: There are so many local artists that amaze me on a constant basis and from so many different genres. The Lost Angel Crew is one of the most overlooked local acts - a 3 piece Hip Hop act signed to Sen Dog from Cypress Hills label. A Dying Tide is one of the absolute best local Hard Rock acts - very Alice in Chains sounding and about to put out their first CD that will blow everyone away. Go Steve Jones is always overlooked in the local scene, but the GSJ guys are one of the funnest bands in the area. Chaos in Question, 02, Immune System, Ride The Cliche - the list goes on and on. We are very lucky to have such an amazing music scene in the F-M area.

HPR: While speaking with you, you’ve expressed a great deal of enthusiasm toward a band called Gemini Syndrome. What should our readers know about them?

BG: Gemini Syndrome is a five piece band out of Los Angeles that we have had at the Nestor and the Mainline in Downer this past month. They actually just signed to Warner Brothers. They signed and faxed the papers for the deal from the Mainline then spent the next night partying at the Nestor with us. They also just got the Wayne Static tour and are about to be announced as part of a huge tour that will send these guys into the stratosphere. If you get a chance, check them out.

HPR: How, so far, have the crowds been and what are your projections for the future?

BG: The crowds have been great. Some nights are better than others, but that’s the nature of it all. I see it continuing to get bigger and bigger as we bring in bands like Kittie, American Head Charge, Texas Hippie Coalition and a whole slew of others over the next few months. We will win people over one person at a time and hopefully in the end, helped to create a few memories of some great shows for the people that truly love the music.

HPR: Which upcoming shows are you most excited about?

BG: I am excited to get Culture Cry Wolf back to the Nasty. American Head Charge will be amazing, Spineshank…I can’t wait for the new Seasons After album to come out so we can get the guys back.

HPR: Who are you listening to these days?

BG: I spend a lot of time listening to some softer stuff with my fiancee, 30 Seconds to Mars, AFI, and I really like the new Black Veil Brides. I listen to everything. If I had to suggest some bands to check out, of course Gemini Syndrome, Culture Cry Wolf, Seasons After, Stitched Up Heart, Evolove, Izzy Dunfore, the list would take up half the page.

HPR: Well, Bryan, I suppose I’ll let you get back to work. Thank you again for answering my questions. Before we depart, is there anything else you’d like to say?

BG: Just thank you for taking the time to notice what all we have been trying to do. It makes it all worth it. And to those of you that have never been to the Nestor, stop out and see some of the best in all genres of music.

In part two of my interview installment, I’ll speak with Tommy Decker, drummer for Grammy nominated heavy metal band, Spineshank, about their upcoming tour, forthcoming album and other random nonsense I haphazardly thought to ask in my fan boy-esque stupor.

Trust me, you do not want to miss that.

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IF YOU GO:

Who: Kittie w/ Dirge Within, Diamond Plate, Kill The Sky, Fallback, Rivkit, Ride the Cliche
Where: The Nestor Tavern, 1001 NP Ave., Fargo, ND, 58102
When: Friday, Sept. 23 at 5 p.m.
Info: 21+ $15 tickets in advance available at Orange Records and both Mother’s locations. $20 day of the show.