Pajiba Music
Country Music Almost Killed Me
Three Concerts in Seven Days / TK
Lord, am I tired. And deaf. But I’ve got rhythm in my heart and whiskey in my belly, and for that, I am grateful. You see, a couple of months ago I was randomly checking out upcoming shows in Boston and discovered a band I’d been dying to see was coming to town. Then another one. Then two more! All in the same week. All country music or some derivative thereof, so I called my buddy Swervin’ Ervin and asked him to join me. Not being the type of fellow to say no to a good time, he did. And so in the last week we toured local venues and caught some truly amazing shows, even if our ears, brains and livers took a bit of a beating from it. Anyway, here’s the rundown:
Sunday, 11/9/08. The Drive-By Truckers and The Hold Steady. The Orpheum Theater, Boston.
I confess that I went mainly for the Drive-By Truckers, who were the opening act. They’ve been a favorite of mine since I discovered them a couple of years ago. Hailing from Athens, Georgia, they play a gorgeously subversive brand of alt-country, with a heavy emphasis on breaking free from the shackles of small town living and themes of adultery, betrayal and all those other melancholy country staples. Fusing genuine country twang with a love for rock and roll, they’re some of the best of their class. This particular tour was to support their most recent album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark - a decent record, but not their finest (I’m partial to Gangstabilly and Decoration Day). The DBT’s live performances are legendarily energetic and everything I’ve read said I was in for a hell of a time. Sadly, it was not to be. While they were technically sound, their performance was listless and lacking energy. It pains me to say it, since I love them so. Alternating between two frontmen - Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, with occasional lead by bassist Shonna Tucker, their deliveries were clear and the sound was tight. But there was just no oomph! None of their legendary showmanship came through. Their slower, more introspective tunes like “Checkout Time in Vegas” and “Zip City” almost sapped the life out of me (and they didn’t play my favorite, “Late For Church”), although the faster-paced Tucker-led jam “Home Field Advantage” was more successful. While the brilliant, anthemic “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy” was great, it failed to bring the house down the way I expected.
It wasn’t helped by a terrible lighting job that focused on dark reds that obscured much of the stage and a half-to-three-quarters-full theater, not to mention a show on a Sunday night rarely draws a lively crowd. The poor stage production was all the more frustrating since the Orpheum has hosted some of my all-time favorite concerts - back-in-the-day classics like Primus, Living Colour, Fishbone, The Ref Hot Chili Peppers and Public Enemy have all put on fantastic shows there, and more recently I was absolutely blown away by The Black Keys.
The Hold Steady were actually a pleasant surprise — a band I knew very little about, they were sharp, clever and fun as hell. Another band that’s apparently well-known for their live shows, they hooked the audience immediately and easily sustained it with their exuberant, goofy energy. I can’t speak to their set list since I’m unfamiliar with their albums, but their lead singer, Craig Finn, is quite the dervish on stage. Their odd blend of dork-rock merged with country sensibilities (call it Alt-Country Weezer, or “Geekabilly,” perhaps?) clearly casts a wide net and draws in a diverse fanbase. I’m looking forward to digging into their catalog and for that reason alone the show was worthwhile.
Thursday, 11/13/08: Reckless Kelly, Nashville Pussy and The Reverend Horton Heat. The Roxy Nightclub, Boston.
Now things get interesting. This was my first time at The Roxy, and it’s a true rock and roll club — a nice, high stage, with three separate bars surrounding it. A perimeter of comfortable seating wraps around a main dance floor — a dance floor that would get serious usage this night. Unfortunately, Ervie and I were busy drinking at each other in some dirthole bar earlier, so we missed all but one song of Reckless Kelly’s set. It was a good song though, for what that’s worth. Then came Nashville Pussy.
Holy shit. They stormed onto the stage, grabbed the crowd by the balls and never let go. Everyone was immediately whipped into a frenzy as their hard, nasty psychobilly/cowpunk hybrid sound tore the roof off. Nashville Pussy is shamelessly and unapologetically crude, vulgar and hilarious. Since their formation 10 years ago, they’ve consistently brought the ruckus with songs about fighting, fucking and rock and roll. They’re endlessly cheesy, but not even ironically so. Nashville Pussy just wants you to have a good Goddamn time.
Well, mission accomplished. Frontman Blaine Cartwright set the stage quickly, strutting up to the microphone and wailing away at his guitar. Meanwhile his bass player (Karen Cuda) and lead guitarist (Ruyter Suys, also his wife), dressed in bodice ripping trailer-park glam, accompanied him with lewd hip-thrusting, guitar necks high in the air as they played their leopard-print asses off. They played most of their best tracks, including “Pussy Time” and a scorching rendition of the call-and-response heavies “Come On, Come On” and “Go Motherfucker Go.” Truth be told, it all merged together into a raw, nasty sonic assault that was pure, unadulterated party that included some of my personal favorites, most notably “Hate and Whiskey.” Despite their trashy appearance and crass song titles, the band members are all quite talented — Suys’s screeching metal solos are particularly impressive, and Cuda gives their tracks a thumping, breathtaking pulse with her pounding bass grooves. Even with his scantily clad bandmates drawing the crowds stares, Cartwright is a master at keeping the crowd into it. Never letting off the gas and keeping the in-between banter to a minimum, he’s truly the ringmaster in this banshee hillbilly circus. When he bridged Suys’s solo with a ragged scream in “Say Something Nasty,” the whole crowd went completely nuts. Their act alone made my night.
But then came The Reverend. With the houselights down and the stage pitch black, the crowd alternated between chants of “J! I! M-B-O!” and “REVEREND!” And then, magically, they were there — The Reverend Horton Heat, Texas natives and veterans and trailblazers of alternative country.. The Reverend Horton Heat, otherwise known as Jim Heath (guitar, vocals), Jimbo Wallace (upright bass, vocals) and Paul Simmons (drums) have been rocking and rolling for over two decades now, bringing their unique blend of rockabilly, surf rock and punk to shows across the nation. They tour relentlessly, have released 10 or so albums and are one of the greatest live acts I have ever seen.
Keeping the trend that Nashville Pussy started, they played and sang at a breakneck pace, barely giving the crowd (or themselves) a chance to breathe. Starting right into the Dick Dale-esque “Big Sky,” they whirly-birded their way through a steady diet of their psychobilly roots. Songs like “Baddest of the Bad,” “Big Red Rocket of Love,” and the crowd-pleasing “Jimbo Song” and “Wiggle Stick” brought the crowd to new heights of feverish madness. Heath, dressed in a Western-cut jacket, is not a young man anymore, and he’s certainly showing his age - he’s puffier and a lot more weathered-looking. But he hasn’t slowed down one bit, still kicking and shimmying and whaling on his guitar like it called his momma a dirty name. Jimbo Wallace, as usual, blew us away with his bass, rumbling and thumping his way through the show. Finally, with their breathtaking finale, they staggered off the stage, leaving the audience gasping for breath…
… only to return minutes later with Blaine Cartwright of Nashville Pussy to perform an absolutely blistering cover of Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades.” It was at that moment that I’m fairly certain that I achieved nirvana.
Saturday, 11/15/08: Murder By Death with William Elliott Whitmore and J. Roddy Walston And The Business. Cafe 939, Boston.
Despite my ravings over the spectacular Thursday night show, this was actually the one I was most excited about — Murder By Death and William Whitmore are two of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. Club 939 is a relatively new venue, a project put together by the Berklee School of Music. It’s a remarkable exercise in simplicity. A large, red-hued room, with a couple of couches on the sides and back… and that’s it. A soundboard in the back, some lights, and a stage. Barely any decor, no bar, no food, no tables, no nothing. It’s a music club with a Spartan aesthetic, and it’s pretty unusual — in a good way. While there is a cozy-looking coffee bar/cafe in the lobby, the lack of booze makes for an unusual concert-going experience. After a couple quick, uncomfortable drinks at the popped-collar and Ugg-boot filled Cactus Club, we made our way over and in.
The opening act, J. Roddy Walston and The Business is a band I’d never heard of. They were actually pretty entertaining, a four-piece southern-fried rock band that you could tell probably never had a slow night. If they lacked anything in technical ability, they damn well made up for it in enthusiasm. Their long-haired, mustachioed bass player thrashed and bucked his way into the crowd’s heart, and the lead singer, alternating between guitar and piano, played like he was Jerry Lee Lewis’s and Mick Jagger’s lovechild. Overall, a raucous, enjoyable performance.
The change of pace when William Elliott Whitmore took the stage was jarring. With no backing band, it was simply him, a banjo or guitar, and a microphone. For those that don’t know Mr. Whitmore, please for the love of God look him up. His brand of rough-hewn, whiskey-soaked blues is simply gorgeous. Playing relatively simple melodies on the banjo and guitar, using his thumping foot to keep the crowd in rhythm, his voice is a deep, sumptuous bass that’s mixed with hoarse, gravelly cries that sound like genuine pain. Just 30 years old and hailing from Lee County, Iowa, Whitmore is a true blues/folk/country son, yet clearly has serious punk rock roots — perhaps not in sound, but in thought and ideology.
If I had one complaint, it’s that the set was too short — I’d be surprised if it clocked in at more than 40 minutes. But he did manage to hit many of his best tracks, particularly the beautiful “Dry,” an almost meditative version of “The Chariot” as well as “Midnight,” which was likely his best piece of the night. Perhaps the most powerful piece was the opener, “Cold and Dead,” which he performed in near darkness, without any instruments. Whitmore’s affable, disarming demeanor is, while somewhat incongruous, a fitting accompaniment to his melancholy, bittersweet tunes . While I was disappointed not to hear “Diggin’ My Grave” or “Lift My Jug (Song for Hub Cale),” one of his more boisterous tunes, William Elliott Whitmore still gave a mesmerizing performance.
After a week’s worth of hard-to-define bands, Bloomington, Indiana’s Murder By Death is perhaps the hardest. An oddball four-piece band consisting of a guitarist/singer, a bass player, a drummer and a cellist (who occasionally plays keys as well), they’ve merged a madman’s mixture of country, punk, morbid Gothic and Western themes into a lush, power-driven mix. Singing songs with topics ranging from the Old West, to games with the Devil to zombies and robots, Murder By Death is a charismatic, enigmatic band. They are four albums into their career together, and their most recent effort, Red of Tooth and Claw continues their evolution into strange, hypnotic, yet fierce music. I’ve seen them once before, sandwiched between alt-metal acts Clutch and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, and theirs was a furious, shredding performance that, while riveting, didn’t really feel like it did their studio sound justice. I was curious to see how a smaller venue might change their approach.
Well, it didn’t change by much. They once again put on a rowdy, guitar-heavy show that flew their punk rock colors proudly, while still managing to let their country and Gothic roots seep in. The slow-building “Until Morale Improves, The Beatings Will Continue” bled from a melodious, cello-heavy beginning to a more intense, heavy climax. The bouncing, bass-heavy “Boy Decide” got the crowd to stomp their feet (thankfully, because I must admit the crowd was a bit… dull). The faster-paced “Comin’ Home” ended up being a unruly, pleasantly cacophonous romp, and “Ball and Chain” allowed cellist Sarah Balliet to flex her muscles a bit. Lead singer and guitarist Adam Turla has a bellowing, powerful voice that is able to ring loud and true above the robust bass and guitar. Honestly, my chief quibble this time around was that Balliet’s lovely cello was drowned out frequently — whether this was due to poor soundboard management or acoustics or something else, I don’t know. While some tracks, like the swinging, nasty “Sometimes The Line Walks You” aren’t as cello-heavy as others (instead relying on subtle piano in the background, which Balliet didn’t use this time around), in other songs she was simply drowned out. Regardless, their show was, as it was before, a visceral, passionate experience.
So there you have it. Three concerts, nine bands, seven days. It was utterly exhausting and amazingly satisfying. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to turn on Whitmore’s Ashes to Dust and settle back and relax for a while.
TK can be found wandering aimlessly through suburban Massachusetts, wondering how the hell he got there while yelling at the kids on his lawn. You can find him raising the dead in preparation for world domination at Uncooked Meat.
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Comments
YAY for the first music post!! I'm still very excited about this...
Posted by: jamiepants at November 17, 2008 5:12 PM
Dude, you missed out on Reckless Kelly. One of the finest bands out of Texas touring right now. Now,that said, they are way mellower than Nashville Pussy or the Reverend, but they still put on a helluva show.
Posted by: Forrest at November 17, 2008 5:19 PM
Wow... what a fucking weekend. I think I've seen the Hold Steady live more than any other band. They're not my favorite band, but without a doubt they put on the best show I have ever seen.
Also, I didn't know what to expect from the new music section (intro was kinda vague) but so far, so good.
Posted by: joe at November 17, 2008 5:21 PM
Yay!
"Buttholeville"!
Posted by: bucdaddy at November 17, 2008 5:23 PM
I swear by the Hold Steady. Never heard them called country before, though. I think they're more of a bar band/classic rock type band that owes their existence to Springsteen. Their entire catalogue is amazing, but if you're looking for a few songs to whet your appetite, I suggest "Cattle and the Creeping Things" off of Separation Sunday, "Chips Ahoy" off of Boys and Girls in America, and "Stay Positive" and "Slapped Actresses" off of Stay Positive.
Posted by: Nate at November 17, 2008 5:34 PM
Dammit to hell, I wanted that to be at the top. $%&*^% 10-year-old PC/Windows 98.
Anyhoo ...
Sounds like you got the Truckers on an off night. Very sad. When they're hot and playing a full set (which can go on for 2 1/2 hours or so), they're the best live rock and roll band I've ever seen (supplanting the Iron City Houserockers in 1979, at the height of their power and glory).
And if they weren't Nashville Pussy just might be.
Now if THOSE two bands ever toured together, shit would get DONE.
Did the REv. do the "history of music" medley that includes "Greensleeves," "Paranoid" and Nirvana?
Posted by: bucdaddy at November 17, 2008 5:37 PM
I may just have to revisit my deep hatred of all things country.
Posted by: admin at November 17, 2008 5:39 PM
I saw Nashville Pussy & Reverend Horton Heat just a few months ago. It was a fantastic, energetic, kick-ass show and I would have gone back to see it again the very next night if I could have.
It was actually the fourth time I've seen the Rev live. I always have a great, exhausting time.
*They did the history of music medley at my show.
I've never really thought of the Rev as country.
Posted by: Joni at November 17, 2008 5:51 PM
Admin, there was a thread a while ago wherein TK quite admirably defended his love of good country, not the contemporary shit peddled as country. I myself avoid the genre like the plague for musical and lyrical reasons (and I don't feel like filtering 98% shite to find 1% good and 1% other), and my hatred for country not only includes the music but also how it holds such a religious following in "flyover country", red states, and seems virally implanted in some of the most closed minds in the country. So country gets a knock not only because of what it is but because of who listens to it, and that's pretty hard to recover from. But. Since I respect TK's opinion and reasoning, I'm willing to listen to (some of) what he recommends just to see if it's any good in my books. Probably not, but I give it the chance, you know?
If I remember correctly, though, you live in the heart of country territory and I can imagine that overexposure has come close to sending you over the edge. My sympathies.
Posted by: lordhelmet at November 17, 2008 6:04 PM
Now, I was unsure about the new Music section of Pajiba... but then you had to go and review The Reverend Horton Heat. I want to have babies with all three members of that band, and I make it a point to see them whenever they come to Austin. I'm always covered in bruises from the Pit, and one time I lost my shoe, but those boys put on a helluva show.
Funny note though: the lead shot and the video show two different drummers, neither of which are with the band anymore. The new guy has braces, for the love of Godtopus!
Posted by: Mandacat at November 17, 2008 6:07 PM
When you guys announced that you be doing music postings, I really thought I wouldn't give a shit about any of them. But I admit I was wrong. I love the Reverend and I'm lovin the Reverend love! Thanks!
Posted by: VeinsRHiways at November 17, 2008 6:12 PM
When you guys announced that you would be doing music postings, I really thought I wouldn't give a shit about any of them. But I admit I was wrong. I love the Reverend and I'm lovin the Reverend love! Thanks!
Posted by: VeinsRHiways at November 17, 2008 6:12 PM
RHH is easily one of the best bands I've ever seen live. They are fantastic.
Posted by: samantha t at November 17, 2008 6:13 PM
Everyone's right - the site is a lil screwy today.
Posted by: VeinsRHiways at November 17, 2008 6:14 PM
lordhelmet I despise contemporary country for exactly the reasons you allude to. However my loathing has another layer below the creamy whipped dookie topping. You see I work for.....Farmers. Lots and lots of farmers. And while they are mostly good folk, country music (shitty country) reigns supreme. I simply cannot get away from it.
I was so happy that that Tool video was in the Pinocchio post, I turned that shit up loud. My 350 pound country lovin' mustache wearin' assistant almost deuced her XXXXXXXXXL drawers (in her defence its glandular and she's a kick ass assistant.) The music I like isn't exactly appropriate for work, much like the bands above. I feel a policy change may be in order.
Posted by: admin at November 17, 2008 7:12 PM
I saw the Hold Steady at Pitchfork last summer. I'd never heard them before and ended up wandering into their set halfway through, but barring Animal Collective's transcendently mind-blowing set (they played "Comfy in Nautica"!) was the best time I had at the festival. Craig Finn was having so much fun. Every little while he'd look out at the massive crowd and would get this look of amazement at all the people. I've never been able to feel triumph and earnestness like that from a band before, and it was incredibly infectious. I found myself with both hands in the air, singing along to songs I'd never heard before.
You should get Boys and Girls in America.
I wouldn't call them country, either, though. More like a super-poetic Springsteen.
Posted by: gatesong at November 17, 2008 7:28 PM
I saw the Hold Steady at Pitchfork last summer. I'd never heard them before and ended up wandering into their set halfway through, but barring Animal Collective's transcendently mind-blowing set (they played "Comfy in Nautica"!) was the best time I had at the festival. Craig Finn was having so much fun. Every little while he'd look out at the massive crowd and would get this look of amazement at all the people. I've never been able to feel triumph and earnestness like that from a band before, and it was incredibly infectious. I found myself with both hands in the air, singing along to songs I'd never heard before.
You should get Boys and Girls in America.
I wouldn't call them country, either, though. More like a super-poetic Springsteen.
Posted by: gatesong at November 17, 2008 7:28 PM
In general, you'd have to tie me up and set each of my limbs in cement to make me listen to anything resembling country. Of the videos here, I could just about stomach the last one. Hey, at least I'm trying?
Posted by: Cindy at November 17, 2008 7:30 PM
Well, I already trashed The Hold Steady in the other column (and no one even took the bait!) (last time I get your back on arty English bands, man!) (yeah, that's probably not true at all) so that's already covered.
I have to say here that Nashville Pussy is one of the biggest disappointments I've encountered in the last ten or so years. When "Let Them Eat Pussy" came out, there was a ton of local hype and glowing reviews, and I bought it, with its mylar wrapped cover and quickly thought "damn, this guy's gotta let his wife sing". Blaine just sounded like a screechy baby that's already been screaming for twenty minutes. It was never played again. He was at the Star Bar here a few months ago and karaoked "She's A Lady". I was mortified at his butchery. MORTIFIED. I was bound to defend Tom's honor by singing "Thunderball" later that night. Singing it, which the man has no truck with.
Pa-pow! I challenge you to a duel!
(the three behind him, including the old fire-breathing bassist Cory Parks, kicked it right out of the gate though. That was the real sadness)
The Reverend's good stuff though. It was quite a night at the Georgia Theatre back around the time "Liquor In The Front" was released, including a slow cover of "Jezebel". Plus, he was a guest star (as a crazed reverend) on an episode of Homicide that all took place at a motel with "In Your Wildest Dreams" acting as a recurring theme. Big points for that. "Git, Satan! Git!!" You do indeed make me nostalgic for the honkytonkabilly both local and national in those glorious days.
I'm gonna go cry and bitch to myself about how the Old 97's chaaaaanged, maaaan.
Posted by: Jay at November 17, 2008 7:46 PM
I could really take or leave most alt-country. I have enjoyed the few Hold Steady songs I've heard, and that Murder by Death tune wasn't too bad. Regardless, I think that your enthusiasm for the experience and your descriptions of the shows and music will keep me reading these columns no matter what kind of music you're getting into. I'll eagerly chime in when you get into something more in my wheelhouse.
Very nice music debut, TK.
Also: my erstwhile acoustic band is playing a comeback show in January. Got any more trips to Cleveland in you?
Posted by: Sean at November 17, 2008 7:54 PM
I hate Reverend horton heat with an all consuming passion, nothing is more grating to listen to and embarrassing to watch than Rockabilly! If I ever have to look at another upright bass with flames painted on it I swear I'll shoot myself!
also this alt-country shit has got to be stopped! it's nothing more than whiny sentimental indie rock with a forced twang and lousy blues rifts.
This music is just as bad as all that pick-up truck, wife beating, "country" music you all say you hate so much.
here's a tip, until you find some better music, don't post youtube clips of any bands that don't have Jeff Tweedy in them.
Posted by: Trevorb at November 17, 2008 7:58 PM
Awesome review. Sounds like you had an amazing time. I cannot wait for more. That is all.
Posted by: Kayanne at November 17, 2008 8:08 PM
Admin, you poor, poor bastard. I saw your location in Saskatchewan and knew the odds were stacked against you. I'm sure meaux or myself could be your coastal refuge providers if you need it..
Posted by: lordhelmet at November 17, 2008 8:31 PM
Thanks lordhelmet. Maybe one day I'll fire up the MurderCow and make my way to the coast. I've often wondered what a drunken murderous rampage would be like in a more humid climate.
Posted by: admin at November 17, 2008 9:54 PM
TK you lucky bastard. I would quite literally cripple somebody to go see The Hold Steady but the bitches won't come to Canada (at least not my part of Canada).
I agree with Nate's choices up there, but I'd throw a few more songs in: "Constructive Summer", "The Swish", "How a Resurrection Really Feels", and, the song that started me off with the Steady, "Stuck Between Stations"...if all those (plus seeing them live!) don't sway you, nothing will.
Posted by: CAM at November 17, 2008 9:58 PM
TK-I was at the RHH concert, too, and you really did miss something with Reckless Kelly. I had never heard of them and got there about half way through their set and tried to find them at Newbury comics the next day.
Do you (or anyone else) remember the name, or any of the lyrics, of the Dr. John song RHH did?
Completely awesome show overall.
Posted by: tanotice at November 17, 2008 10:26 PM
two words: charlie parr. he's a bit like whitmore, only a little faster and a little grittier. man + slightly out-of-tune guitar + foot stomps = rock.
and I second 'the swish' by the hold steady. damn, that is one sexy song.
Posted by: shyestviolet at November 17, 2008 10:46 PM
"But there was just no oomph! None of their legendary showmanship came through."
Been giving this some thought, and you're right, their showmanship (Hood, mostly) IS legendary and if you'd never seen them before you'd also be right to be somewhat disappointed.
I think the format had everything to do with it. When they can stretch out their normal headline shows, then Hood can ramble and tell stories and almost climb out into the audience (I was close enough to him once to touch the toe of his boot, and I did). It's a much more communal experience.
But having to cut the set down to about 75 minutes meant cutting out all the stories and just playing the music, which at the Pgh. show at least was great. Here's how the set started:
Days of Graduation
Ronnie and Neil
Zip City
Plastic Flowers by the Highway
I lurves me some "SRO," so I was in heaven. The rest of the set leaned heavily on "Brighter" and pretty much stayed up to that standard.
It's also possibly true that the crowd (it appeared maybe 2/3 were there to see THS) wasn't all that into them. I dunno. I can only suggest you give them another try next time they come around as a headliner.
Posted by: bucdaddy at November 17, 2008 11:03 PM
Well, you have created a new fan of Mr. Whitmore. God damn, I love a banjo!
Posted by: puregonzo at November 18, 2008 12:15 AM
I love Murder By Death, but have yet to see them live, so I am quite jealous. And yes, they are hard to classify, but who cares what they are, their music is amazing.
Posted by: Kat at November 18, 2008 12:49 AM
dude you should have gone to skanksgiving! IT WAS AMAZING.
Posted by: iguanodonna at November 18, 2008 12:58 AM
I never expected to see mention of one of my favorite bands on my favorite movie blog! What a wonderful surprise!
I saw Murder by Death open for Reverend Horton Heat a little under two years ago, and I must say I was fully convinced that these two bands are made to play together. I had no idea who Reverend were until I saw them play after MbD, but I immediately bought an album from merch after witnessing them.
At the end of the night I even got to chat with Adam and Sarah. I could have died and been happy.
Posted by: S at November 18, 2008 4:37 AM
Crapcrapcrapcrap! The Rev is coming to New Haven TONIGHT and I don't think I'll be able to go! Why didn't you post this YESTERDAY or something?!? For all interested parties, they're at Toad's Place at 8PM
And thank you thank you for shooting some new bands into my ears, I really like all of them.
Posted by: KHA at November 18, 2008 9:45 AM
The Hold Steady = Bruce Springsteen + The Replacements + Alcohol.
This equation also equals awesome.
Posted by: AudioSuede at November 18, 2008 10:27 AM
If you enjoyed The Holdsteady, I'd recommend checking out Lifter Puller - Craig Finn's band when he was still in Minneapolis. You won't be able to see them live obviously, but that's how I was introduced to his on-stage antics. I enjoy LP's music more, but have much more fun watching The Holdsteady play live. The way things ended up works just fine for me.
Posted by: ernesto at November 18, 2008 11:10 AM
Am I the only one who hears Mike Doughty in that equation too? And I like Mike Doughty, but again, it all just makes me want to listen to Bruce and Soul Coughing instead.
Posted by: Jay at November 18, 2008 12:06 PM
bucdaddy,
You summed it up perfectly. DBT had to rein themselves in to save time for The Hold Steady (which was a waste of time as far as I'm concerned). I was also loving all the Southern Rock Opera songs. A big part of the problem was the venue, too. You need to STAND for the Truckers and being forced (by some very militant ushers) to sit the whole time (in an uncomfortable wooden chair) was just not cool. That venue is more suited to book readings.
The Hold Steady? I wouldn't pay to see them again. The lead singer was like the unholy hybrid of Elvis Costello and Richard Simmons. All the BAD parts stapled together to form one terribly annoying hybrid. I know the whole jumping around/jazz hands thing is part of the schtick but I was overfed on it after two songs. If I wanted to see The Wiggles, I'd go to Civic Arena.
Posted by: MadameUgly at November 18, 2008 1:38 PM
What people need are The WOggles, Mme.
Posted by: Jay at November 18, 2008 1:59 PM
I love the idea of music reviews now! This was truly great and looked fun to do!
Posted by: ph at November 18, 2008 2:40 PM
Good acts, good assessments--but it's not a kick-your-teeth-through-your-ass country-tinged rock show without the Supersuckers. They do a cover of Thin Lizzie's "Cowboy Song" that simultaneously brings a wistful tear to you eye and makes you wanna burn shit to the ground.
I'm thrilled to see more music reviews!
Posted by: frumpiefox at November 18, 2008 6:48 PM
simultaneously brings a wistful tear to you eye and makes you wanna burn shit to the ground.
There is little else that is higher praise. As a Bostonian once said: here comes the song I love so much, makes me wanna go and fuck shit up.
Posted by: Jay at November 18, 2008 7:33 PM
