Damon Moon & the Whispering Drifters - The Last Monarchs - Kid Architect -- Velvet Lounge - Feb 24 2010

Kid Architect - Keys, guitar, bass and drums combine for an instant blast of nice loud progressive rock present immediately and throughout the set. The keyboardist could really play, as all of them for that matter, and he sang well. I get a Porcupine Tree feel with a touch of Dungen. Prog is reasonably hot these days and if you add good songwriting, spacey psyche touches, you have something. This Fairfax outfit does and I look forward to seeing them some more.

The Last Monarchs - A couple guys on guitar/vocals and drums and a couple women on cello, violin with vocals each. Folk rock is the genre here with a nice mix of instruments. Unfortunately, the first song was overloaded with cello and drums. Between soundman adjustments and the drummer adding a lighter touch, things improved as the set went on. A nice mix of happy/deep and folk/rock. Nice set. A couple of the songs stood out and the others were simple clean songs that still resonated well. Good set.

photo by asmith

 

Damon Moon & the Whispering Drifters - Five bearded backswoodmen from Georgia set up lots of effects for their two guitars, bass, keyboards and lap steel. They also have a drummer and there is some instrument shifting. I like their simple low lighting they brought in--nothing fancy, but it's a look not used enough. Very spacey psychodelia going on from note one to the last. Vocals in pretty much every song if I remember right, but they mostly help create the psyche ambiance. I enjoyed the sound a lot. I think the songs can be worked on a bit more with a bit more arranging. The swirling noise was great, but it seemed that there can be more done with the instruments on stage. For example, when I saw Spiritualized, my eyes were moving around constantly trying to see what everyone was playing to create the incredible psychedelic mix in my ears. Well, not every Velvet Lounge band is going to be Spiritualized, but it is something to strive for. Until then, Damon Moon and company is still a pretty cool night out.

Quote of the Night: "I want everyone to know that this is my tambourine debut" from Last Monarchs cellist who proceeded to use her off hand to hit the tambourine frame which is kind of the opposite way you should do it. Keep practicing.

Fredrik - Meredith Bragg - Pree -- Black Cat - Feb 22 2010

Pree - A five piece with the usual instruments and one woman adding backup vocals, keys, glock, guitar and more. The music is delicate, but had a good head swaying loose rock feel on more than one occasion that was quite nice. The vocals were a bit soft and came close but didn't descend to the Joanna Newsome/Cocorosie style which is too frequent for me these days. All in all, a nice set by a band that is worth checking out. I enjoyed this and would like to see them again some day. Good luck to them on their SxSW visits soon.

Meredith Bragg - This is one man act--a guy with an acoustic guitar and voice. We've all seen it thousands of times, but he captured my attention instantly with an excellent first song. Very deep with his singing and delicate finger work. He then varied it a bit from a British psyche-folk feel to an Americana type song, to light rock and more. He's not Roy Harper, but any variety in this format when you can write a decent song is a good recipe for a good set. He had a percussionist come out briefly and a cellist for about half the set. That only enhanced things and brought about a well received ovation at the end. Next stop, a few sets at SxSW, as there are lots of bands I am seeing that are warming up for the 2010 version.

Fredrik - Two guys from Sweden are Fredrik. One plays guitar and sings lead. The other does stand-up drumming and electronics. The percussion was mostly maracas on floor toms with a large film reel set up as a cymbal (Reminds me of one of my rare recorded works where I had a home made drumkit with a cookie cover lid as a cymbal. You will not receive further information on this). I thought the sound was going to be very electronica, but it was more of a smooth guitar that went a bit into the shoegaze style, but also rocked lightly and had a good smooth psyche feel. They pretty much strived for an accessible pop rock sound and succeeded. The vocals were more Dead Can Dance light sort of non-word chants with some lyrics now and then. I was just listening to Neu! right before the show, so the percussion reminded me a bit of Neu!'s motortik, but instead of a quick highway beat, it was more of a slow canoe ride in icy waters. Good stuff. They have created their own space and I enjoyed being a part of it tonight.

Quote of the Night: "I just realized I played the one song with swearing on it" from Meredith Bragg after a song that he played that he had introed by introducing us to his pregnant wife and told us to watch our language as his baby was hearing everything.

Mission of Burma - Office of Future Plans -- Black Cat - Feb 20 2010

Office of Future Plans - The band lines up with guitar, bass, cello and drums. A couple guys sing and things start out nicely. After a couple of songs, I was getting a little disinterested as the songs weren't really connecting. The style was in a Fugazi post-punk mode, lively, pounded, jagged guitar, etc. Then, they did a slow number which varied things nicely. The next up-tempo number connected a lot better and I was enjoying it. The cello switched to guitar and the sound did not change much actually. But the songs continued to get better or grow on me. I ended up enjoying a good band in the end. They are from Baltimore so I will likely catch them again some time.

 Mission of Burma - Three of the biggest and best post-punk bands out of the Boston area have all reunited in recent years to much acclaim. There are the Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., and Mission of Burma. Only the last two have actually made it an enjoyable full-time operation with new releases and extensive touring. Nothing wrong with just doing it for the one-time bit of fun (and of course, just a bit of $$), but it has been more enjoyable for me to see the latter two bands on multiple tours and hear lots of good exciting music. Burma has a great style of loud somewhat clashing sounds pulled together in an almost garage-band style of post punk attack. Very tuneful they are, and lots of sound coming from just the three guys on stage. The soundman is their fourth member who did play bass on one cut and worked a magic box plugged into the mixing board. He has been a key member of Burma which is fair as their sound is the key to their success. But without the songs, they would fall back into obscurity. And they delivered again to a very full Black Cat crowd. Still plenty of life in this band as long as their guitarist's ears hold out (their initial breakup was due to severe tinnitus).

Quote of the Night: "The dog said 'I don't deserve this.'"

Yell County - The Courtesans - Secret Pop Band -- The Red & the Black - Feb 19 2010

Secret Pop Band - The farewell show for them, as their drummer is headed to Japan. They were giving away their CDs and wanted to go out with a lot of friends and family present. So there is not a whole lot of point to me going into much detail here. They were a pop band and none to secretive about it. The guitarist/singer reminded me of a friend of mine I worked with at FHA who was in a covers band, but was of course much older than this chap. Anyway, simple decent music here. A good enough start for my night.

The Courtesans - They are another trio and share the same drummer as the Secret Pop Band. So, it is their last show as well. I enjoyed their set more as they rocked out a bit more in a loose, fun fashion. Maybe some of these guys will pop up again some time or they move on to their normal lives which can be lucrative, but oh so dull...
 
Yell County - Not only is this band not breaking up but they added a second guitarist. That obviously filled out the sound a bit and they are likely working on doing some different arrangements as it seemed to be an early show with this line-up. This band is very enjoyable. They play a good hook oriented, steady rock music with roots in punk. It's accessible and fun. Definitely one of the better bands around these parts. Tonight was a bit off unfortunately due to a borrowed bass amp cutting out a lot for a couple of measures every now and then. So I will wait until next time to see how everything comes together for this interesting bunch.

Quote of the Night: After playing their pro wrestling song, the bass player shows a bloody finger to his drummer "Juicing!". "Yeah, I bled the hard way".  Nice use of the vernacular, you smart marks, you.

Little Bigheart & the Wilderbeast - Red Sammy -- Velvet Lounge - Feb 18 2010

Red Sammy - Apologies to the opener as I had theater tickets for the Studio Theater's presentation of "In the Red and Brown Water" which was quite good. I have also seen the Folger's "Orestes" which I enjoyed and "Antony and Cleopatra" presented by the best theater company in the world, the Synetic Theater. If you have never seen their work, by all means go. They do stunning visual and audio presentations that make for innovative and accessible theater. Exciting stuff, but back to the music...
 
Little Bigheart & the Wilderbeast - This is my second time for these young upstarts and they were again able to perform a set I enjoyed. The sound was off early with too much bass and not enough lead guitar and inconsistent vocal microphones. But the soundman was on top of that and everything was corrected. I still enjoy their harmonies and find some of their songs quite inventive. They are all good players and have a really good start on putting together a package of progressive rock with lots of dynamic shifts from quieter pieces to heavy rockers. It's not Canterbury prog, but I was thinking often of some lesser known UK acts like Quintessence or Gravy Train. I can only hope they keep working up to the former's level as Quintessence is one of the little known jewels of the late 60s/early 70s. They closed with "Metropolis" which has some kind of King Crimson like counter lines surrounding the main melody. Good stuff. The crowd dug it, although it was loaded with friends as is often the case for younger bands and that is a good thing. The newcomers will slowly work their way in to see this band and the many other good local bands that keep playing out around town. At least I hope so.

Quote of the Night: I did not really get there in time to pick up anything, so I will mention my new gig as a CD reviewer for a Dutch on-line magazine that mostly covers the folk scene. I will provide a link and more detail when the next issue comes out. I am always available to review CDs or MP3s both for this site and that magazine. Just get in touch.

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers - Toby Walker -- Birchmere - Feb 16 2010

Toby Walker - The show gets rolling with a solo guitarist fingerpicking his way through a classic sounding blues song with great style and flair. He is playing fingerstyle or maybe it's clawhammer-strum as Allan Taylor called his similar style. Whatever you call it, Walker clearly is a master player and a good showman. His set has some standards like "Spoonful" with some originals which were also good and featured plenty of pyrotechnic playing and a decent voice. There are plenty of people to have open up a blues show, so it helps to make an excellent choice like this--a guy who can play, who has a sense of humor and a flair for pulling the audience in and getting everyone revved up for some up-tempo blues. Toby Walker is a great choice for that.

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers - 77 year old John Mayall quickly bounds up on the stage. I looked around to make sure that was really him as no 77 year old should be that spry. He does one song solo before bringing out his band. The band hits the stage and is fairly lean featuring drums, bass, keyboards, and electric guitar. Mayall handles all singing, harmonica, keyboards and plays guitar on one song. Mayall had lots of classics and songs from his lengthy back catalogue. Every time I tried to think of the song I used to hear on the radio in the seventies, I kept hearing Steve Miller Band's "Living in the USA". Thankfully, he closed with the song "Room to Move", so I now can complete my memory with a sound. Although this version was a bit extended and varied from the original. The night mostly featured keyboard solos even more than guitar solos, but on this final number, the bass player came forward and delighted the crowd with a pretty amazing solo. The drummer briefly did his thing and then the band left to a rousing ovation. Everyone was talented and I really do not believe I just saw a 77 year old performer bopping around the stage, never taking a seat or a break and carrying as much of a load as anyone out there. Heck, he even had enough hair to tie up a pony tail. The only signs of age were a heavily reverbed voice and one senior moment where the other keyboardist had to help him with a preset on his keyboard. But even with that, I think if you had no knowledge of Mayall, you would probably guess the guy was no more than 60 based on what you saw. How long can this guy go? We shall see as he shows no sign of slowing down with 62 dates through June and four more in August. I need a rest just thinking about this.

Quote of the Night:  Mayall recounting a comment about his harmonica playing-- "Sonny Boy Williamson thought I was shit."

The Residents - 9:30 Club - Feb 7 2010

The Residents - Walking about a mile through 2 feet of snow only plowed at some points, was the task before me prior to a date with the Residents.  Being that tours are infrequent (they did not happen for at least a decade back in the day) for this band that has been around for 40 some years, the snow difficulty was a small price to pay. The fireplace and beat up lounge chair on stage looked inviting. They also had the three circular projection screens set up that I saw the one prior time I saw them in the mid 80s. Three Residents hit the stage, one in an old man half-mask complete with bathrobe. The other two looked like rastafarian cyborgs. They flanked the stage on guitar and keyboards/electronics.  The old man went by the name of Randy and the others were Chuck and Bob. He explained Carlos had retired which was fine as they did not miss his ten minute drum solos. Of course all of this only exists in their bizarre world, as their real identities have always been a mystery. They have done such a good job of secrecy, they will be able to keep this band going for centuries. Perhaps in the early days it would have been tough recruiting people into their very strange and singular music, but they have paved the way for many other bands that do this sort of thing. Still, as I listened, there is just something about their peculiar style that makes you feel their brand of weird and fun music. They mixed musical short stories with songs of varying tempos, even a couple that rocked a bit. Light humor, dark themes, good staging, very similar to the previous show with an entirely different set of songs. There was good slide guitar work, strong electronics and even a harmonica that would fit in Once Upon a Time in the West. All surrounded the active vocalist who had a lot to say and a lot to sing. No eyeball heads, alas, but the Residents do move on (as is obvious if you follow them musically). A refreshing show from my past which resonated just as well today.

Quote of the Night: The usual door routine-- "Could you pull (your hood out of the way so I can see your face)", "What I really look under 50?", "Yeah, not a day over 16". Oh the fun of dealing with the 9:30 workforce.

Retribution Gospel Choir - Last Tide - Shapiro -- Rock'n'Roll Hotel - Feb 4 2010

Shapiro - A local five-piece with a couple of guitarists, rhythm section and lead vocalist with keyboard. Both guitarists used small synthesizers, quite often as it turned out. The vocals shined brightly and were at the forefront of the sound along with the keyboards. The drummer offered some good backup vocals as well. The band was solid and in a good indie pop-rock style that leaned more toward pop. The sound was a little soft at times, but a propulsive rhythm section kept things moving nicely. The last number rocked hard and there were nice changes in that song and others. I do appreciate that they play with their songs in a different way and not go into too many cliches. Nice job, well received by the crowd.

Last Tide - Another local five-piece with the same instrumentation as above without the extra keyboards. The vocals were buried early but the soundman righted that problem as the night wore on. A guitarist sang most with the female keyboardist filling in nicely and doing a couple leads herself. I always find it nice when you get varied vocal styles in a band. There was a muddy garage sound that clarified itself as the songs went on. But it was good mud, very dense with good psychedelic feel. All three axemen had lots of pedals and switches but retained a solid rock sound. I really liked this band a lot. I am not sure they are a break-out band destined for stardom, but they have a great command of psychedelic rock and good variance in the songs and I will be happy to see them at any show.

Retribution Gospel Choir - Two members of Low make up 2/3 of this band. All that changes here is that the guitarist's wife is not here on drums. Instead they have a guy who also contributes backing vocals. I have seen Low and they are a smart, talented band--very good songs that rock out, but keep the focus on the song. Well, that structure has been amped up big time with this line-up. I was not prepared to how amazingly heavy this band would be. Tough, muscular playing, gutsy, powerful. There were great psyche sounds coming from the guitarist who did some looping to fill it out even more. The bass playing was fluid and excellent and the drummer pounded away nicely. They sounded more like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club I thought, but even more rocking. The songs were as also as good as the overall sound. This is a fantastic band that has moved up very high on my list.

Quote of the Night: "Greetings from Lake Superior". Oh yeah, I forgot that these guys are from Duluth, the city where both myself and Bob Dylan were born. Maybe that's an added connection.

Alberta Cross - Hacienda -- Black Cat - Feb 3 2010

Hacienda - From San Antonio, comes a four-piece with the usual players and a full time keyboardist. They all sing with two primarily in the lead position. The sound is kind of garage rock and I like the swirling organ in the opening jam. There is a feel for some of that old time Texas garage rock which is pretty powerful stuff, even beyond the well known bands. The rhythm was a bit primitive and the songs did not really vary a lot so I didn't get anything that really stood out for me. But I did enjoy the quality and the sound, so it was a solid opening set.

Alberta Cross - This is the second time for me seeing this band. I was quite surprised and impressed the first time I saw them as an opening act. Apparently I was not alone as the backroom was jam packed with fans, many admitting to seeing them the last time in town. They cover a range of styles in the indie world with a bit of Americana, rock and folk in the brew. The songs are so strong, it does not beg one to spend time on categories. They are loud and quiet, driven by guitars or keyboards, whatever they choose. And I am not sure I believe my ears. Is that a mellotron they are touring with or something similar? Wonderful, great sounds, good creativity and just plain great songs. Recommended for music lovers everywhere.

 

Quote of the Night: Well, actually during the day at home: After the evil creature shouts "I'm your Id!!", the response is "You don't scare me with your big words" Huh? I am too embarrassed to mention the source on this one.

The Gerunds - Golden City - Milk Machine -- Red & the Black - Jan 29 2010

Milk Machine - All the normal rock components were here, but some were a bit twisted. There was the bass tuba, the rhythm accordion, and the lead trumpet (with some glockenspiel). But put a guy on a drum kit behind and bang out some songs with attitude and you have good rock music. Cool stuff and fun, gutsy attitude throughout. I liked that they smiled at their few flubs and just kept going and churning out the tunes. The crowd dug them and it was a big one for this club filled out with far more than just friends of the band.

Golden City - A little slow on the start as two members took (bathroom?) breaks while they were standing on stage. It looked like a crowded airplane in this small club. But then we get underway and had a two-guitar four-piece playing good fast rock music with pop hooks--perhaps a bit straighter and stronger than power-pop. I was detecting a trace of the Undertones which was in part due to the singer's voice which wasn't as extreme as Feargal Sharkey, but it had a bit of that tone along with Ben Deily (early Lemonheads). One song had a fantastic break with staccato guitars that resembled some of the creative moves Social Unrest did long ago. Good set and enough quality to separate themselves from the herd in this vast field.

The Gerunds - Second time for me with this band, still at the Red & the Black. I enjoyed the first one a lot and this one hooked me as well. The songs are really good and the players know their stuff. The drummer has a strong precise attack. The bass player is smooth and quick. The two guitarists grind out the chords and fills in grand manner. The two vocalists play off each other very well. There is nothing not to like here. That is to say I find myself enjoying their music very much (if I may speak with a gerund). As a bonus, they invited Bad Religion's Brian Baker up to perform four (!) Dag Nasty songs which was Baker's band back in the 80s with Gerunds singer, Peter Cortner. A very nice highlight and there were a fair number of old-timers like myself who enjoyed this treat. Do see this band when you get a chance. Like the guy I was chatting with who didn't know them, you will be impressed.

Celebrity Sighting: I may be the worst celebrity spotter on the planet, but if you wear a suit of question marks, you are either the Riddler or Matthew Lesko. It appeared Lesko was enjoying the opening band with his wife. I am not sure if there is a child in the band or they just love tubas.  Or perhaps he helped get their band a government grant? This reporter did not try to find out.

Nick Oliveri - Ambition Burning -- Velvet Lounge - Jan 25 2010

Ambition Burning - Last minute addition to the bill when the original opener was too ill to work. I had seen them recently and thought there was potential amidst the rough spots. Since then, they have been rehearsing acoustically only, so they were happy to get a chance to cut loose with the volume. All in all, not much has changed. There was some good basic thrash that was mostly hardcore with metallic touches. Nice call and response vocals between two different voices. The bass player had to tune a bit much for a bass player, but the guitarist did well aside from a brief unplugging or switch off or whatever. Nice chaotic Who style ending with drums toppling over and axes swung around (but smartly not smashed as they weren't getting a lot of funds from the 12 people in attendance).  The headliner applauded them and the small crowd enjoyed the effort as did I.

Nick Oliveri - This is not exactly someone I would expect doing a solo acoustic show. However, the former bass player for Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age did a very nice job playing his brand of Acoustic Death. There were covers from his former bands, an amusing take on Dee Dee Ramone's "Endless Vacation" (as if there is any other way to play that other than amusing) and lots of power strumming and hard-edged vocals. He had his girlfriend sing on a couple of numbers which gave a little variety (and proved what his road manager said that Nick at 6'2" is the shortest person in the tour car). He even did a Roky Erickson cover, so he gets extra credit points from me. I enjoyed his good natured attitude about just having fun with the not quite 20 people that were in the room. He said somthing about a band he was joining that just finished recording in Norway. That may be a better way to go long-term, but I enjoyed this between band solo outing just fine.

Quote of the Night: "I was really bummed that I missed seeing Tad when they opened for Primus in 1991". That was from the road manager at the merch table. And when I overheard that, I had to go over and chat as I was at that tour in Denver and was amazed that he remembered the year. I may have gotten the decade wrong if pressed. Anyway, it was a nice chat with a guy who works in the business but is a fan at heart which is always nice to hear.

The Cornel West Theory - Hume - Imperial China - Buildings - Big Gold Belt -- Black Cat - Jan 22 2010

Big Gold Belt - The Sockets Records showcase begins with a Brooklyn duo--woman with microphone, man with guitar and mac. They had video as well. Lighter music with more of a dreamy soundscape with some dance and psyche touches. Good vocals and very light, tasty guitar sounds filling in with the electronics and drumbeats. A good opening set.

Buildings - An instrumental power trio with gutsy indie rock in more of a post-rock vein I would say. Busy, active playing yet playful and interesting keeping things a bit more upbeat than downer. A bit of a Feelies feel to the set at times. Spirited, well played, enjoyable set. I would be happy seeing this band on a bill with all sorts of different style of bands.

Imperial China - Another trio, but more electronics and synthesizer and switching between extra percussion and guitars and occasional bass. More sonic landscapes but sharper edged in the percussion, guitaring and vocals. Propulsive rhythms were the driving force for their sound and it worked well for the most part. Another solid DC band here.

Hume - A four-piece this time playing a jagged Feelies sort of rock with soft vocals underneath. Two guitars that played together more than dueled. A couple of the early songs had a little bit on an over-reliance on annoying pauses all over the song. An old friend of mine, Ron House (Great Plains), used to say how much he disliked songs that did that. I don't mind nearly as much, but I see his point when it is overdone. But I am getting picky here. The band played on with a good indie rock feel, sometimes in a Modest Mouse vein or other bands of that ilk. The last few songs were janglier with some interesting rhythms and ended the set on a high note for me. There is some quality here for sure.



The Cornel West Theory - A collective of musicians and rappers doing hip hop with an interesting soulful rock backing. Rather than metal guitar work, there was only drums, bass, keys and synth-electronics which created a very nice backing to the vocals. The sound varied from fluid neo-psyche rock to a classic soul backing and some funk. It was never overwhelming but created a great bedrock for the vocals which was the usual sort of thing with some female voices joining in as the set went on. Singing and rapping also kept the songs varied and interesting. A very good DC act here that puts a lot of thought into the music as well as the lyrics. Well worth checking out.

Quote of the Night: "...University of Utah... ...Rick Majerus..." Huh? During the opening set, there was a loud conversation next to me fairly near the stage. The guy kept going on and on and I don't care how little you care about the band on stage, there is no reason to discuss anything about Utah at the Black Cat. And Majerus has not been there in over ten years although I may have misheard that one. Frankly, the only low point of the night was the really loud and constant conversations going on during all band's sets. I was constantly moving around to avoid this until I got hired to watch someone's coat for about a half hour.

We Are Scientists - Uninhabitable Mansions - Black Cat - Jan 21 2010

Uninhabitable Mansions - My second viewing of this five-piece from Brooklyn. And without looking at the previous review, I think the result was pretty similar tonight. They play a really nice ringing sort of pop music that sometimes steps up the pace or has some subtle lead noise from the lead guitarist. Good vocal interplay between a male and female voice, although the female voice was a bit soft partly due to her style and maybe a bit of soundboard issues. It did get a bit better, so the harmonies ultimately worked. Some songs were just a little too soft, lush pop which had my mind wandering more than I would have liked. Those songs were just as good, but seemed for fitting for a college radio show. Still, a good set by a good band that I cannot help liking.

We Are Scientists - Two straight nights of power-pop born out of punkrock, or something like that. This time it is an American version. We Are Scientists delivered the goods with vocal driven songs featuring plenty of riffing, inventive bass lines, and a good pop from the drummer who was doing his second show with them. The band is clearly smart and funny as their stage banter was well above average. I especially liked the guitarist mishearing (or maybe not) audience comments and twisting them into odd phrases. Very catchy songs and a very appreciative audience that almost filled the club. My home listening leans toward brooding, powerful stuff far too often. That is why it is always a pleasure to go out and just rock out, smile, and have some fun with a band like this.

Quote of the Night: "I just heard someone say about our drummer 'he's Mark Twain!'" -- as mentioned above.

The Cribs, Adam Green & the Dead Trees - 9:30 Club - Jan 19 2010

Adam Green & the Dead Trees - I thought this was going to be two different acts and from what I gather, it often is. But tonight, NYC's Adam Green fronted Portland's four-piece, the Dead Trees. The Trees had a garage rock sort of steady sound somewhere between Canned Heat and the Shins. Green had an Ian Curtis delivery that was closer to Warsaw than Joy Division. Green is gabbing semi coherently between songs explaining how loaded he is which explains much. He has energy, but a really bad habit of dropping the mic down on the ground with a loud pop, far too many times for my ears. Some songs are pretty good, the band is solid, but the singer annoyed me way too much. I've seen Guided by Voices already. There was much worse behavior there, but better music. It was not worth the sacrifice this time.

The Cribs - What used to be a three piece pop-punk band (all brothers) from the UK is now a four-piece with ex-Smith, Johnny Marr adding some strong guitar work. This is a far better gig for him than it was with Modest Mouse, in my view. The Cribs have a strong power pop sound born out of punk, perhaps, but sounding of any modern era. They have plenty of harmonies and strong, catchy songs. Sometimes, I felt it was a little too steady and lacked dynamics, but they did some nice twists and turns toward the end of their set to give me my fix of variety. Speaking of Joy Division, they mentioned playing the Black Cat the day Tony Wilson died. So Manchester rules the evening and rules it well. Good set for a good crowd that had a good time. Me too.

Quote of the Night: "Look up at me please" from the ID checker at the front door. Apparently she was trying to detect if a 45 year old man was using the ID of a 50 year old man to sneak in. Fortunately, I resembled my drivers license enough to gain entry. Or perhaps I just look 20 years old when my head is down. Are these people trying out for Airport Security jobs?

Upcoming show: Sockets Records, a local DC label, is celebrating its fifth year in existence--no minor feat these days. They have a show at the Black Cat this Friday night. The music is heavy with electronica and pop, perhaps a bit in the Animal Collective universe. Support local music is still a good motto when in doubt.

Joan as Policewoman, Carol Bui - Black Cat - Jan 14 2010

Carol Bui - The usual rock instruments with a cello, second percussionist and a second female vocalist accompany Ms. Bui on stage. They start with really cool ethnic dance tunes with lots of pace, power and melody. The second song went into some unholy triad of Smithereens, Silver Summit and the New Christs (post Radio Birdman). What the hell have we got here? Songs settled to a point where they were not messing with my brain into some really nice rock music with singer/songwriter feeling and good rhythms. There is some really exciting stuff going on and I am enjoying this much. But then a colossal bummer happens when Ms. Bui announces she is leaving DC and headed off to the state of Washington. Our loss as I would love to see more sets like this.

Joan as Policewoman - Kind of a big act with good press getting the downstairs stage at the Black Cat. So it is no surprise that is packed with a lot of fans. Joan comes out with a keyboard-vocalist and a drummer. I had not realized that she was as integral in instrumentation for her sound as she turned out to be with her guitar and keyboards carrying her songs. I knew her voice was the main draw and she used it well in her songs where she was able to show the same intensity in the louder rock songs as she did in the quietest of passages. Great dynamics, smart stylish pop songs well delivered tonight. Even a cover of Public Enemy delivered in a non-rap style. I enjoyed the set a lot more than I thought I would and am a believer in the critical success she has had.

Quote of the Night: "Oh they are done" mentioned by one of the gabby people a good 45 seconds after the opening band finished. Glad you were paying so much attention (Truth in Journalism--this quote was from the last time here, but it was better than the one I had tonight. Although tonight's opening band was much better than before, so perhaps I should not be so harsh).

Caustic Casanova / Daddy Lion / Broken Buttons - Velvet Lounge - Jan 13 2010

Broken Buttons - This IS a new year, I show up a couple minutes late and find a Velvet Lounge show actually started on time? I did not miss much and quickly got into the spirit of this first of three trios this evening. Vocals were prominent and well sung as delivered by the bass player. The guitarist some times stopped playing his angular, jittery post-punk notes to move over to a Moog. The rhythm was rock-steady with a PiL like bass sound (but faster). I am hearing some Bauhaus and Joy Division in here, so we have a classic post-punk sound, well delivered. The songs vary to where I wondered whether the guitarist is closing in on Bernard Sumner (Joy Division) or Dick Dale? No matter, a set I enjoyed and I promise to be on time next show.

Daddy Lion - Both axemen were singing in front of solid pop songs that rocked out nicely when the desire was there to take it up a notch. The first song had some really nice oddball breaks that came out of left field but that is a compliment. I did sense some good song writing in this young band. They still did three covers of songs by the Sonics (yes!), Del Shannon (fine) and Modest Mouse (well, I can't win them all--although the song was fine). Good harmonies, nice grungey undercurrent and rock moves popped in and out in this enjoyable set. The band was having fun and did a nice job of promoting their music and future show and just hanging out after the set.
 
Caustic Casanova - This DC band has some records out and t-shirts, so they have been around a bit. They began with a slow building psyhe-fest that ended loud and faster in a Kohoutek manner. Ergo, the Velvet Lounge is the perfect venue for this sound. They varied things a bit between psyche and hard rock with arty vocal moves reminding me a bit of MX-80 Sound (yes, I've used this reference at least three times previously, but it explains things nicely even if they are obscure).  The bass sound fuzzed out a bit too loudly at times, but it settled. His playing was quite good which acted like an extra guitar at times. They also reminded me a bit of a really nice band I've seen many times, Entrance Band. Good show all the way around tonight.

Quote of the night: "You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go DOWNTOWN". Yes, that was Petula Clark bellowing out one of my favorite songs from my youth before I knew what rock'n'roll was. Good between band music, but it really got me thinking about forgetting about my cares? I understand the sentiment, but were it so easy, Petula.

Zlam Dunk / Detox Retox - Black Cat - Jan 10 2010

Zlam Dunk -  A vocalist/percussionist is supported by guitar, bass, drums, and keys. He does a melodic punk style with tight pounding rhythms and guitaring and cool swirling keyboard playing. Really nice attack with a good 80s dance style added with the keys. A lot of sounds and subtle style shifts underneath keeps this music very interesting with each song. Nothing profound, just subtle shifts and altogether fun attitude from the band. Quite fresh and there was even an Akron/Family style a capella break in one song. These guys are from the Austin area which could help them on their way if they don't get lost in the shuffle. I hope they stick to it and keep having fun on the road.

Photos by Stas Casa

Detox Retox - There was a very large percentage of women in the crowd which had me puzzled, although when this band kicked in, I think I had my answer. The four-piece had a very pop-rock sound with attractive hooks. There was a dingy sound at first that had me disoriented a bit. It kind of helped with the rock aspect, but it was not clear to me what the intent was. The sound eventually gelled a bit better as the night went on and perhaps I got more used to their style, too. I heard an Echo and the Bunnymen vibe at times. The songs were decent enough and although I enjoyed the opening band a bit more, I would put my money on this band for a bigger audience down the road. But I am not very good at handicapping these things--which makes me the perfect A&R guy for a major label. That is, assuming that position even exists anymore.

Observation of the Night: I believe I saw someone texting with thick gloves or mittens on. Or perhaps his phone had an app that channeled directly into his brainwaves? I admit to not keeping up with these trends.

The Capstan Shafts / Cheniers / The Octagon - Black Cat - Jan 7 2010

The Octagon - This band was a little tricky to figure out. One song they had some great catchy pop moves in a grunge setting which did not seem to work. Other songs were grungy rock which sounded good. Then came some average pop sounds. Ultimately, I saw enough smart songs to make it work, but the sound never quite gelled. Good effort, perhaps another night with better sound may work even better.

Cheniers - Local band that is perhaps named for local Wizards announcer Phil Chenier? I know this band never saw him play like I did, but they did choose a nice googlable name at least. I was hearing good grinding, churning moderate pace pop songs with a bit of punkrock style that was not unlike Wire. They are not anywhere near the upper echelons with Wire, but their choices in song and playing were good and quite enjoyable. And for any band that list Swell Maps as an influence, let alone even knowing Swell Maps, well they are my kind of band.

The Capstan Shafts - Apparently this guy named Dean from Vermont has quietly churned out a bit of music over recent years well below the radar. He has put together this band of a couple guitarists and a rhythm section and they are playing together for the first time here (not sure if any of them have worked together in other combinations). Anyway, the vocals were good and delivered good hooks in the pop-rock style. The rhythm section was solid and the guitars were fascinating. One played garage chords as distorted as you would like while the other did some of the most oddball leads and fills I have heard. It had the jarring effect of a Tommy Hall electric jug or Pere Ubu home made synthesizer. Well, not that extreme, but it made me look up and try to make sure I was seeing and hearing a guitar. Good stuff. My notes say "Daniel Johnston backed by the Zeroes?" Maybe, I am not a big Johnston fan but it has the right poptone here, but much more control. Very enjoyable set.

Quote of the Night: From an exchange from a fan and Dean from Capstan Shafts (with apologies as I didn't hear the song title exactly.

Fan: "Fire xxxx"
Dean: "Fire, isn't it illegal to yell fire indoors?"
Fan: "Fire xxxx"
Dean: "Oh Fire xxxx"
Fan: "Fire xxxx... plus there's a fire!"
Dean: amidst laughter "Now that is illegal"

Adam Franklin & Bolts of Melody / The Jet Age - DC9 - Jan 6 2010

The Jet Age - Three piece with an active drummer, solid bass player and guitar vocalist that shined a bit more as the guitarist. I liked the sound with some good effects and good rock playing. Vocals were decent but lacked confidence at times. I was reminded a bit of Awesome Color who I like quite a bit. I sense these guys are young and still working it out, but they have got a really nice start at it. Stay at it, stay strong!

Adam Franklin Bolts of Melody - I have very slowly become a big fan of the former Swervedriver singer. His solo career is going well with a couple of albums and a couple of US tours. His music is almost a perfect formulaic balance of psyche, shoegaze, rock and pop. Only a modest turnout tonight, but a strong base of fans for him. Many people were very enthusiastic, as was I. I really enjoy his songs and the subtle jamming done around them. Every band member has touch and taste and it is such a pleasure to see them. No cynicism tonight, I will just continue to gush here.  I appreciate his work effort as much as his songs and wish him much more success.

Quote of the Night: from the opener- "...Now's the time to get your refund, but Adam Franklin is up in 45 minutes, so you may want to stick around." Please, Mr. Jet Age, show some confidence. This would be funny if it was coming from Rat Scabies or someone from that era, but dig in, rock out, have fun and apologize to no one!

Gogol Bordello / The Extraordinaires - 9:30 Club - Jan 3 2009

The Extraordinaires - Four guys with neatly trimmed beards, a funny hat, fish shaped guitar... OK, smart and funny band with eclectic style opening for an eclectic headliner. This band was good and did not grate at the nerves at all despite my cynical expectations. Nothing really grabbed me either, but it was fun with catchy enough songs and good playing. They are from Philadelphia.
 

Gogol Bordello - I have heard the buzz for some time, but this
is my first chance to catch them live, as they should be heard
and seen on stage. This was the second of two sold out shows
and the final show of a lengthy tour. I was not surprised to
see they had plenty of energy to burn as that is a major part of
the act. But first the lights dimmed and then they played almost
fifteen minutes of entrance music. Now I am a fan of cool intro
music, but this was a bit excessive. I heard the Pogues, a gypsy
song, reggae, a hardcore song (Wasted Youth? I am really
pissed I couldn't figure out who) and another song. So they laid
out a long recipe of what they are about in case you had not
figured that out already. Finally, they jump into the set and did
an excellent job. Seven of them bouncing around with a couple
of female backup singers popping in and out. The crowd dug
it as expected and I enjoyed it as well. However, there was
something just a little rehearsed and formal about the
presentation which kind of defies the formula a bit. Whether
that is due to playing big club (gee that has never happened
before) or just a certain comfort and limitation of a rock set,
I don't know. At least they did not line up and do a Rockettes
kick or anything like that. I find bands that are born out of
the Pogues to be a little tricky for me to fully get into and
these guys had some Boiled in Lead stylings in here too, so
in spite of their originality, it is a form where other bands
have also excelled at. But I am being a bit picky. This was
fun and the band is worth seeing for a whole lot of varied
music lovers out there.

Quote of the Night: from a line... "She's trying out for a triathalon and training with a guy who is on her kickball team." Huh?