10 Minutes Down toasts band mates at the Big Easy
Kyle Bradford has ditched 10 jobs, filed for bankruptcy and canceled an engagement – all for his band, 10 Minutes Down.
And now, Bradford is doing something for himself; he is leaving the local ska-punk-pop powerhouse to focus on his personal life.
Add another to the list of outgoing 10 MDers: After hosting countless house parties for the band, trumpeter Sean McKenzie, too, is exiting to focus on his non-band life.
While 10 MD is used to shuffling the deck – at least eight members have changed since the septet formed in 1996 – the loss of bassist Bradford and McKenzie is especially personal, said 10 MD’s Ted Teske.
“It feels like I’m graduating high school. You know you’re going to see your friends again, but it won’t be the same,” Teske said.
Though 10 MD is one of Spokane’s leading all-ages bands, it has only played a few shows this year while in transition.
Bradford and McKenzie will be launching their bodies off the stage with their band buddies for the last time tonight when 10 MD hosts a send-off party for them at 6:30 p.m. at the Big Easy Concert House.
Support acts include Seatttle pop-punkers The Morning After and Gonzaga University indie rock band Seaweed Jack. Admission is $5.
Replacing Bradford and McKenzie are trombonist Tim Lienhard and trumpeter Sean Kane, both music students in college, who will perform on a couple of numbers toward the end of the set. The shift in personnel sees Teske sliding from trombone back to his original bass job.
“We don’t have to worry about (Tim and Sean) spending time learning new parts. I’m probably the weakest link. I’m sitting in my basement at night going at it on the bass until my arms hurt,” Teske said.
Fans won’t notice a lapse in performances, since the new guys know the material so well.
10 MD also is in the studio working on a live double EP – a split of an acoustic show at The Shop and a live show at the Big Easy. Bradford, who plans to continue producing shows locally, and McKenzie have contributed to the EP.