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Issue # 63 Oct 2004 thewigwambam.com |
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| Ignoring Objectivity Since 1998
WIG WAM BAM “Albuquerque zine of music & nepotism” “..if we’d have sat down and calculated that we
were going to make history I’d have certainly worn a better outfit…”
– Noel Gallagher(Oasis),
Live Forever (movie, 2004)
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| LOCAL SHOWS Local venues, bands from here or there |
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| Alibi Fall Crawl featuring the Dirty
Novels, the Foxx, the Mindy Set, Of God and Science, and the Detonations;
the Foxx, Headlights, the Orphans, Romeo Goes To Hell, The Potty Mouth Sherrys,
The Black Keys, Neko Case, The Handsome Family, Nels Andrews & The El
Paso Eyepatch, FOMA, Lousy Robot, Romeo Goes To Hell, Acoustic Showcase @
Ed Burch's house, the Gris Gris, The Foxx, Michelle Collins, Darlington Horns,
Michael Moore, The Foxx |
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| LOCAL RELEASES NM bands, any label |
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Abandon All Hope s/t EP [CD 2004] submitted by Dee Snarl |
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| THE LOST MARVEL-APACHE FILES |
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| Memphis Apostles, Texas Terri, Crawling
Hand by Apache Chief Red Planet, the Foxx, Love Overdose, the Crawling Hand by Marvel Girl |
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| LOCAL SHOWS |
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Alibi Fall Crawl 8/28/04 @ downfuckingtown, bro Price up, attendance down – coincidence? I think not. Me, I happened into a free drink and free “band” wristband within thirty minutes. Blame the first on a faulty zipper (ask Zac, not me) and a bosque pyro (name withheld until the trial’s over). Previously, I had figured I’d just stick with Burt’s Atomic Tiki Cantina since who the fuck wants to pay $20 to get into places that never charge a cover? I guess they were half-heartedly checking for wristbands anyway but now I could enter with impunity. First order of business however was the newest (what again?) Dirty Novels line-up on the 6th Street stage featuring “Switchblade” Dandee on bass. They done good, with some arrangements so changed I mistook ‘em at first for new numbers but the soundboard mix was horrific, doing service to no one. If you hadn’t heard them before, you’d have thought the Novels were a crap bar band. Soon after I caught both the Foxx and Mindy Set at Burt’s, up to their usual good standards but since I’m actually writing this a month later I can’t recall details except people drank, people danced, the band played and we listened. Wow. Clip this, its one for the press packet! I do recall the set of Of God And Science at the Atomic which impressed me because I was expecting I dunno what but not the alt.rock goodness they turned out. The frontman reminded me of a poppier Ed Kowalczyk (anybody remember that band called Live? No? Good.) and the cover of the Rolling Stones’ Heart of Stone was shiny bright. The big buzz (at least with the local hipsters anyway) was Keith (Drags) Herrera back in town and drumming with the Detonations at the Tiki. Of course every review complains that they don’t sound like lo-fi kings and queen the Drags but why should they? He’s the drummer for godsakes. As far as I could tell, CJ and Lorca ran the show back then anyway. And never ever forget that drummer-fronted bands are notoriously bad (Ringo’s All-Star Band anyone? Phil Collins? Keith Moon’s solo LP? Kill me soon, please.) The Detonations rocked better than expected and not in that nu-garage way but like they actually enjoy screaming rocknroll without the retro or the (gag) Strokes factor. As for ex-Albuquerqueno Herrera, his drum kit and his movements are spare while still managing to drive his bandmates. Good loose rockin’ and rollin’, worth a listen or three. Or eight, what the hell. the Orphans, Romeo Goes To Hell, the Potty Mouth Sherrys 9/4/04 @ Burt’s This is one of those shows that reminds you of why you ever liked punk rock in the first place. I’d heard about Potty Mouth Sherrys for quite some time now and finally made it to a gig. I like their outlook and posture but musically it was disappointing: PMS play in the pre-, pre- Bikini Kill atonal assault mode with the samesamesame tempo throughout. But attitude? these ladies got it in spades and certainly live up to their potty mouth name (as for PMS, I can’t say and wasn’t asking). I might’ve had more fun if I was drunk though. I hope they get the early riot grrrl style out of their system soon and come up with some solid melodies which I bet they’re capable of. Romeo Goes to Hell have gone from the bottom of the ABQ punk pile to the top of the heap with sharp hooks, No-Doz energy and pulse-pounding capital F-U-N like a band made up of half-Ramones, half-Buzzcocks. Rexx’s DIY shirt had him looking like Tommy Gnosis of Hedwig, Levi was all suave in that wide silver tie, Rachel’s attire is more subdued all the time (though not her bass action) and I could barely see Noelan, a whirlwind of spot-on lightning-fast fills & rolls. Despite some complaints from the audience I really think their famous check-check-checkin’-the-mic song ought to be pressed on 7” vinyl. I suggested cool blue but Rexx figured it ought to be red since that’s their color (besides black I mean). Next up, from L.A., the Orphans. They seemed like a quiet bunch…until the very second the music began. They shot out like a grenade launcher after a Tomahawk chopper, like musical terrorists in full assault mode, like a stampede of foaming-at-the-mouth rabid monkeys. Frontwoman Jenny wriggled all over the stage, pleasing all the boys with her ass-shakin’ moves, and voice like a Patti Smith /Jayne County duet. Its snarly punk rock and there’s a Ramones influence but best of all, its implied rather the typical overt Hey Ho Let’s Go rip-off pop-punk. Wade is as crazy as bass-players get (which when they do, look out!).He grabbed someone’s half-full Corona from the stage wall, chugged it down and broke(shattered!)the empty bottle over his head, then right back to his bass, all in one smooth move. I’m glad I didn’t wake up with his headache the next day. Speaking of which, hard to say when he woke up ‘cause it was 5AM before I left Rexx’s house where _ of the Orphans were still going strong, only Jenny having the sense to shower and find a (semi) quiet corner of the practice room to crash. the Foxx, Headlights 9/11/04 (house show) Apparently, if we rock, the terrorists win… No first warning, no request to keep the noise down, but five (five?!) APD squad cars with nothing better to do than bust in and bust up a party .The state fair is in full swing with imported hookers & dope dealers, out-of-town derelicts & charlatans and these cops have nothing better to do? Five officers to handcuff our hostess Monika, all 5-foot-1 and ninety-eight pounds of her, to subdue Edward Foma who doesn’t outweigh Monika by all that much. The question is Why? The hardest drug observed was Red Bull and the only certain under-ager I identified is having her twenty-first birthday in two weeks. And its not like the whammy-glammy Foxx are tattooed thugs or father-rapers nor was there a dire threat from Champaign Illinois’ Headlights who sound like (no offense) wimp rockers Lush, Cranberries, Rainer Maria and Ivy put together. Formerly the so-so (emo!!!) Absinthe Blind, Headlights were superb with an amazing sound mix no one would have thought possible in the cramped basement of the former Pilot To Bombardier house. A four piece of guitar/bass/drums and keyboards, they sometimes turned into a brilliant four piece of drums keyboards/keyboards/keyboards but not overdone and certainly not ? and the Mysterians cheese but tasteful and orchestral. The Foxx set was sloppy-good, like an overstuffed meatball sandwich, sauce & mozarella running down your shirtfront. But mid-set a pre-emptive strike by Albuquerque’s finest invaded, looking to turn the decibels down on the auditory weapons of mass distraction. The occupation lasted until the new world odor was restored and the party emptied so the streets would be full of angry drunken revelers all getting in their cars at one time. After much haggling, Monika was un-cuffed and given a citation. Hostage negotiations were still ongoing with Ed in cuffs when the stragglers (including myself) left, being told that our continued presence would result in his beheading--oops--I mean arrest. Eventually he got cited for "obstructing an investigation of a noise ordinance violation" and, with, Monika must make a court appearance. Month later update: the charges against the Dynamic Duo were dropped on a plea of Spurious & Ludicrous Charges but APD is satisfied they put down the rebel insurgency. the Black Keys @ Paramount Nightclub Neko Case, the Handsome Family @ Lensic Theatre 9/14/04 Satan Fe, NM The Black Keys have nothing to offer but more recycled ad-nauseum blues/garage swill that the uninformed view as authentic. I’d never heard their stuff before but the buzz surrounding them was deafening. If you really want some raw guitar/drums duo blues-howl, you’d do well to seek out Alabama’s Immortal Lee County Killers (ex- Quadra-Jets) or even Boston fem-duo Mr Airplane Man. Tonight, the Keys’ one inventive moment was covering the Beatles’ She Said, a move which seems so obvious in hearing their version but not in listening to the original 1966 acid tweak. That and one other softly played Mississippi John Hurt-like tune were the sole worthwhile moments. The rest was typical white-boy electric blues that always overlooks the subtle delicacy of the genuine article with the slimly possible exception of John Mayall’s Blue Breakers, Crusade-era. Perhaps even more nauseating were the locals dancing to the Black Keys. It doesn’t matter what the fuck music they dance to, Santa Fe hipsters all move like Phish hippies. Oh, and Paramount management are idiots. They made openers the Cuts go on at about 9:45, leaving over an hour gap before the Black Keys took the stage. The real crime here was that there were plenty of people from both Satan Fe and Albuquerque planning on hitting the Paramount after the nearby Neko Case gig who were forced to miss the Cuts entirely and hear only the criminally short Black Keys set for the non-reduced price of twelve fucking dollars. The Neko Case show (and the Handsome Family) at the Lensic cost about sixteen bucks but was worth every dollar. The Handsomes had to stall and stretch their set to take up the slack for the late-arriving Case but Brett & Rennie Sparks are pro’s and hammed it up on stage like a dysfunctional George Burns & Gracie Allen. I’ve seen them before but this time in the Lensic’s sit-down-and-shut-up environment it became more apparent how twisted their material actually is. It can be summed up as a lonely death in the WalMart parking lot but with a twang and sense of humor. Neko Case review next issue. Nels Andrews & the El Paso Eyepatch 9/16/04 @ Ford Pavilion, NM State Fair I guess it was wrong to expect beer sold at the Ford Pavilion (alcohol and cars together? what a great idea!). Still, it was an excuse to go to the Fair which -- although the band didn’t believe me -- was the only reason I went this year. After checking out the petting zoo, the livestock and the caged funky chickens (besides Indian Village, the only worthwhile things in the place, believe me) I had no idea where the Ford Pavilion was (right by where we entered duh) but my escort and I finally found Nels & the Eyepatch by ear, literally listening for their soulful country sound above the din of carnies, the squealing Midway and gangstaz shooting each other. A nice set, a good time was had by all twelve people in attendance including the carnie who bought a CD. Yup. Exposure! That’s the name of the game in show biz. FOMA @ El Rey Lousy Robot, Romeo Goes To Hell @ Golden West 9/17/04 Caution: geezer reminiscence ahead. If I’d still been eating acid back then, I’d have sworn tonight I was having a 1995 Albuquerque punk flashback when I saw Lousy Robot’s drummer Jeff. That’s Hutch Brown Sayngwich Jeffrey; Scared of Chaka’s original stickman who I saw sitting in that very same spot as the Chaka boys opened for Chicago’s Pegboy, back when the Golden West was the ‘burque’s top punk-rockin’ joint. It all came flooding back. A Chaka show in the alley at Vassar or Princeton or something. Drop Out Records on Harvard. And of course in-stores at Mind Over Matter... it was there I picked up their first LP that was in Tasha’s words “flying off the shelf” (yes, Tash, that’s an exact quote. I clearly recall wandering into the shop and asking you about back issues of Love & Rockets comics but getting sucked into the music scene instead; sneaky punks!). Jeff was surprise number two because number one I had no idea who the heck Lousy Robot was but got to wondering when I noted Chuck and Dandee setting up. Are they the new Golden sound-dudes? Did they have a new side project? Naw! It’s the artists-formerly-known-as Hey Dandee! who are full of (among –ahem--other things) more poppier goodness than before, like a breakfast cereal with a new mascot on the box and free prize inside. Speaking of repackaging, the Romeo Goes To Hell set was another winner. These guys & gal make me actually like punk rock again, no mean feat. Over the years, seeing the word “punk” applied to everything from the Offspring to emo vomit to witless Maximum Rock and Roll snobbery and finally Avril fucking Lavigne, I’d had quite enough, thank you. Until now. Yay Romeo! Old Home Week continued when a former Dingo Bar waitress (you know who you are) intro’ed herself me after I kept looking over wondering where I recognized her from. I wasn’t hip enough to actually know Jennifer back then (or Jeff or the Baca sisters or Scott Parsons or…) but kept my mouth shut, watching the scene swirl around, getting educated. But these days..? let’s see: CJ and Lorca Drag have a four year old son Milo, the Eyeliners (Psychodrama) play the Warped Tour (beats working at Subway or Circle T Burgers I guess), and since Dave/Cisco/Yanul Hernandez plays bass for the Shins (Flake) who guest-star on The Gilmore Girls, I guess its not so weird that Jeff is drumming (very well I might add) with a top-pop band. And no I’m not yet done wiping the tears of nostalgia from my eye: this was also a landmark night since the door from the Golden West to the El Rey was open (where a poorly attended anti-Dubya show was going on) and you could walk back and forth un-harassed drink in hand just like --you guessed it-- in them old days. Can’t say I saw much good punk on the El Rey stage back then but plenty “alternative” acts like Letters To Cleo (surprisingly good), Sponge (horrid), Ned’s Atomic Dustbin (rubbish) and Jewel about twenty minutes before she got famous. Soon however the GW/El Rey owners couldn’t take it and shut down the punk shows in 1996. There’s been a few isolated attempts now and again but they’re much more comfortable with hack country and metal bands, the kind that draw people who just want to keep buying drinks rather than unruly punks who spat theirs at Dave Hernandez……yeah like a ’97 show where management hired half-a-dozen security guards who were swarming the place and even --seriously!-- closed the door to admissions as the looming threat of northwest cuddlecore cutie-pie darlings Cub were on stage. And on the subject of darlings, there wasn’t much of a crowd left by the time Foma closed the show but we were a vociferous drunken lot who enjoyed every minute from the opening Don’t Burn Babies to the end when the band stubbornly refused to play their set all over again for us. As usual my complaint stems from the mix more than the band --as in Ariel’s voice and cello were barely audible --but the set was still a delight for all present. I went home happy but couldn’t help thinking since the ex-drummers of the Drags and Scared of Chaka have made re-appearances in the ‘burque in the past few weeks, how cool it would be if the incredible stickman Trey Miles (ex- Jacobins) will show up again before the month is out. I’m not holding my breath but… Romeo Goes To Hell, Lousy Robot 9/25/04 @ Atomic Acoustic Showcase @ Ed Burch's house The Romeo kids and the Robot boys are an unlikely but good match on the same bill. Romeo Goes To Hell is raucous with hooks (a recipe hard to beat!) and Lousy Robot snaps, crackles and pops like a bowl of Rice Krispies with gobs of sugar on top. I had to ditch before the corpse-core Creepshow set for an entirely different animal altogether: an acoustic cocktail party at Ed (Foma) Burch’s place. A fine host Ed is, what with finger food and a full bar, people laying around on the floor for a good mix of acoustic originals but mostly covers. The common thread however was that everyone -- people used to making loud obnoxious music under bright lights-- seemed nervous about stripping it to the bare bones and playing for no more than a dozen people. Guess its always more difficult to play a quiet intimate set than a loud and howling one in front of drunken revelers. Edward kicked it off with some sweetly Foma-like material which gives some idea of the incubation of their stuff and I think an Elliot Smith cover (Smith never did much for me although I thought his pre-fame band Heatmiser was ok). Mark (Brixton Ex, Anchorman) revealed his Sebadoh-like roots without (to his credit) actually imitating Lou Barlow. Close to the end, John Brophy and Megan harmonized on a few tunes I didn’t recognize but wouldn’t mind hearing again. Four performances stood out for me tonight. When Isaac Bonnell pulled out the Richard Thompson cover and some Syd Barrett-esque material, all I could think was holding out on us hiding behind the rock stuff when you were capable of lovely strummers all along?! You bastard! Some of that stuff ought to be committed to binary code, man! Sans imitation but with endearing interpretation, “Switchblade” Keri covered Dylan’s 1966 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues and more than made up for no Al Kooper piano but sadly demurred further (I’m holding you to that promise of a Desolation Row cover, Keri [a simple but subtly beautiful Dylan tune, complemented by Charlie McCoy’s gorgeous masterful Spanish-like acoustic guitar] ). Keri’s voice is in a thin high register and affectingly perfect for her choice of material. Not many people recall that Dylan’s voice (or lack of) was a topic of heated discussion at a time when Herman’s Hermits and Tom Jones still made it onto the charts. Also leaving me wanting more, another gal named Meagan covered Gillian Welch covering Neil Young’s Albuquerque which was another great choice (although Young himself declined to play it when he was here in 2000. Welch & David Rawlings did so in ’99 but it was a Santa Fe appearance so no one in the crowd gave a shit). Like Keri before her, one song was not enough so I’m hereby submitting demands for more. Maybe because he’s kinda new to town and didn’t know everyone, the most confident set tonight was from Billy Weapons (ex-Portales now Albuquerque band Weapons of Mass Destruction, and WMD ‘side-project’ the Belmont) who made no excuses, apologized for nothing but just got up there and played two or three ultra-clean numbers, originals and very, very well done. I think there were one or two more folks I forgot but things were getting pretty drunk later on and the next thing I knew, I was at the Frontier just before sunrise scarfing enchiladas with a few show participants, not a bad way to greet the day. the Gris Gris, the Foxx @ Burt’s Michelle Collins, the Darlington Horns @Launchpad 10/1/04 From California, the Gris Gris lived up to their rep (that’s pronounced gree-gree, not griss-griss as I heard in the crowd; Creole gris-gris as in swamp voodoo): a proto-psychedelic aural assault unit. They sounded to me not so much like Roky Erickson and his13th Floor Elevators but the Velvet Underground versus the Standells. It was a good way to wind down the evening (before the after-party that is). Previous to Gris-Gris, I wandered in just in time for the Foxx’s wham n’ glam danceable goodness. Over at the ‘pad, I’d just heard A Shine Cherry instead of The Shine Cherries. Sans the rest of the band, Michelle Collins laid out a fine swaying acousti-set of deceptive fragility --deceptive ‘cause they only seem fragile but Michelle’s lyric-writing abilities push through the sweet hush-a-bye little girl voice. And opening my night were the always rockin’ Darlington Horns who whooped ass in part due to the big sound that the ‘pad has to offer (everyone sounds big on this stage) but mostly due to their let’s-drink-and-rock attitude. It ain’t polished a bit but it shines like a motherfucker. Michael Moore, the Foxx 10/10/04 @ UNM Pit Not to be a bitch but I wouldn’t have gone to hear Moore’s rants if it wasn’t for the free ticket in the VIP section and the Foxx’s opening set. I have nothing against Moore (I already agree with the guy) except that he’s so over the top that I cringe when he unmercifully bashes Nader supporters or says “fuck” a lot. You can hear the undecided conservative votes drain away. What’s really sad is that everyone’s getting so excited over voting for a gobshite like John Kerry. Moore can’t say so directly but its just a simple question of arithmetic: voting for anyone but Kerry won’t get Bush Junior out of office. That said, Moore’s Slacker Uprising Tour was pretty funny. The man’s a showman, a pitchman, and a film director after all. I hope he never seriously considers his fans’ pleas to run for office. The Foxx set (Moore’s publicist heard them on the NY leg of their summer tour) was an event for two reasons: the size of the crowd and the lack of the out-of-town Juliette. Bravely stepping up with about 22 hours notice, Mark (Brixton Ex, now itself an ex-band, damn it) jumped in and pulled it off like a champ although his guitarwork sadly couldn’t be heard very well from my (ooh, ahh) first row seat. Our biggest disappointment however was that he didn’t wear a cute little skirt and boots or at least bright red lipstick; from far away he might have passed for “the chick in the band”. Let’s see some leg, man! Playing well together, its to his credit though that the band sounded so good despite the rumbling acoustics of the cavernous Pit. Most amusing was the video screens flanking the stage that presented the Foxx in actual size: except for a few close-ups of Isaac there was absolutely no difference between looking at them in the flesh and onscreen, not helpful if you’re in the nosebleed section. Hilarious! It was unnatural though to see them on the stage so far removed from the crowd and no imbibing dancers right up front (Erik, we’re looking your way here). But for sheer showmanship, Zac wins hands-down, marching around the stage like no bass-player in recent memory. On the drum stool, Ryan’s sorta got an excuse but c’mon guys: ya gotta move around and make the crowd watch; even Britney knows that. Well, okay, maybe Mark didn’t need to move in favor of concentrating on the set he learned in the first six hours of practice. Hmm even though I didn’t intend it when I started this paragraph, that leaves Mr Bonnell. I was sad to see he didn’t drop to his knees during the leads. But it was pretty damn classic to see the close-up of his hands behind him while he smoked out some solos. It was like seeing Journey at a stadium or something. |
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| LOCAL RELEASES |
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Abandon All Hope [ s/t EP CD 2004] De Rok Records www.killorbekilled.net/derok, www.killorbekilled.net/abandonallhope submitted by Dee Snarl This Albuquerque band has some good shit going on, and this EP captures it nicely. Four originals, an intro, and a cover, of interesting, musical, intense metal. The vocals are straightforward but harsh, screamed but not silly, and the whole effect is somewhat akin to unsung heroes Motherload. My favorite moment: vocal break at 2:55 into Hell Is A Nice Place To Visit But You Wouldn’t Want To Live There (“It’s been so long…!”). There’s lots of little guitar runs and harmonies to keep things interesting, and drummer Eben is truly a force of nature! The cover, Zombie by the Cranberries, (a band I don’t particularly like), even does more than the usual “take a pop song… and make it heavy!” approach, fashioning an entirely different (better) song. This is a good effort from an honest, meaty band. Looking forward to the next one, guys. A full-length? |
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| THE LOST MARVEL-APACHE FILES |
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Marvel Girl and Apache Chief now reside in Detroit [or to be accurate, Ypsilanti but c’mon--its way cooler to say Detroit. Its like living in Queens but telling everyone you’re from New York City.. technically correct but…] so I was saddened when the e-file they’d sent weeks and weeks ago while still New Mexicans was found to be corrupt (apropos somehow) and they had no back-up copies. But, lo! I found I indeed had a back-up buried deep in my digital recesses. So better late than never, forthwith is… Memphis Apostles house show 6/26/04 submitted by Apache Chief Not that I’m a big fan of straight rockabilly, but I know when something rocks. This rocks. Arriving in the middle of a blinding downpour (you know the kind, floods roads and overturns cows on its way down the mountains but dissolves before it makes it into the city), the Duchess and Marvel Girl chatted calmly, but I was a little nervous about attending a house party thrown by respectable adults. But oh my god, in lieu of the standard warm box of PBR in the fridge there was a truly gourmet spread of home-baked bread, imported cheeses, a spinach and chick pea soufflé and many other tasty delights! we mixed up our White Russians and hit the makeshift dance floor. The band had to move indoors but that was all the better for me. Louder, more personal. What a huge sound! Nothing like playing in a trio with two guitars to help you appreciate the sonic potential of three part harmony on stringed instruments, not to mention three vocalists! (all of them more than capable I should point out). Also I have to step back and appreciate the amount of time it takes to get a full 20-song(!) set down as solidly as these guys did. Quite impressive! Texas Terri, Crawling Hand 7/21/04 @ Launchpad submitted by Apache Chief After some technical difficulties, both Crawling Hand guitars were up and running. Tonight’s thin but attentive crowd found a slightly more rehearsed and energetic Crawling Hand. Apparently their farewell performance, augmented by the addition of a rambunctious young lad on vocals. The original tunes came through more clearly this time and the choice cover tunes, Sonic Reducer and newbie Holiday in the Sun were far more confident and rockin' this time through. Sure-fire crowd pleasers for the Texas Terri fans. Terri's new band featured Ricky Rat (formerly of Detroit's Trash Brats) on guitar, "ultimate LA rocker dude" on bass and "competent side-man" on drums. Terry ran around pouring water on herself and disrobed to such timeless classics as the Stones' Jumpin' Jack Flash and the oft-covered that night Sonic Reducer. Many young'uns were truly getting down and jumping around and a couple lame-ass old men just came to take photos of Terri with her shirt off. The band truly seemed to appreciate the enthusiasm of the audience and tore through a long set with no loss of energy. Good fun for all involved. Red Planet, the Foxx, Love Overdose, the Crawling Hand 7/2/04 @ Launchpad submitted by Marvel Girl Crawling Hand’s set was by far the most interesting band I’d seen in a long time. Their mostly instrumental set showed hints of such diverse influences as the Ramones, the Hot Snakes and the Speaking Canaries. Their songs varied from outright punk-influenced rock your socks off to intricate and intimate indie-influenced melodies. The three piece set-up, with one heavy-sounding rhythm guitar, one clear and precise lead guitar and a drummer was perfect for the overpoweringly beautiful music they played. Though they floundered a few times I forgave them after Soni Reducer informed me that she had only learned two of the most complex songs a few days ago. I can’t wait until their next show. Love Overdose repeatedly get a bad rap around town, but this is the second time I’ve seen them and the second time I’ve liked them. They play a cool, steady rock beat with Johnny Rotten style vocals. These guys aren’t pretty boys, they just are who they are and play what they love. That’s admirable. The Foxx aren’t really my thing, but one can consistently look forward to and enjoy are Isaac’s snotty vocals. In the spirit of ignoring objectivity, I thought it was inconsiderate of the Foxx to play such a long, loong set, leaving only a few tired stragglers to see Red Planet. After a brief hiatus Red Planet returned and rocked the few stragglers remaining like they were playing for a crowd of five thousand. Their new album was a little soft for me at first listening, but when they played the new songs live it was the same old Red Planet- synchronized kicks, crazy guitar solos, and all out fun. The thing about Red Planet is they’re all amazing musicians. They play their instruments with the same ease that you and I might put a record on the turntable, without a second thought. Also striking about Red Planet is their love of music. When the lead guitarist is soloing he often just closes his eyes and across his face spreads an angelic smile. Red Planet reinforces the theory that rock and roll is in the heart. Cherry Tempo 7/16/04 house show submitted by Marvel Girl With Cherry Tempo being composed of 3/4 of Mistletoe I was pretty sure I knew what to expect. I was wrong. Cherry Tempo is better, more complex and more indie rockin' than Mistletoe ever was. Perhaps the backdrop of downtown's sparkling night lights helped to create the feeling of peaceful joy that this music left me with, but I tend to think it was really just Brian, Jav and Weston's musicianship. |
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Wig Wam Bam (by Captain America PO BX 4865 Albq NM 87196 captainamerica1941@hotmail.com) |
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| Wig Wam Bam is written by Captain America |
po box 4865 | albuquerque, nm 87196 |
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