I guess a lot of rock
‘n’ roll is contextual, conjuring a specific setting, mood, outfit, stance,
swagger, and drink. Then there are musicians that play so well they seem to go
anywhere. Orange County California’s Big
Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys are straight-up western swing goosed with a
little r&b and rockabilly. Visions of cowboy boots, cold cervezas, warm
women, and the endless possibilities of a honky tonk on payday dance in your
head like sugar plums when you close your eyes to listen to the band’s new disc
Turntable Matinee. And man, you
should’ve heard ’em bring this western boogie to the garden behind the George
Eastman House last Thursday. Sandy
is a first-rate crooner and his band bops slick with a classic reverence and
spot-on instrumentation. Don’t let the music’s simplicity fool ya; all these
players are deadly. The sky had tears in its eyes but never actually bawled as
folks cut some concrete rug on the patio, including what I like to call — and
do — “the diaper dance.” It’s really quite simple: clench your fists at your
sides, bend slightly at the waist, and bob up and down being careful to keep
your feet on the ground. Oh, and don’t forget to grin and laugh loudly. OK, so
they were all toddlers…but it didn’t stop me. I mean, I didn’t pee myself or
anything.
Got a chance to play
a couple with show openers and ex-Colorblind James Experience cats The Orange Barrels. I’ve been seeing
these guys in various incarnations and outfits for 20 years and it was a thrill
to drag ’em through a few lazy shuffles.
Snuck into the Spy
Bar Friday night to see The Lobster
Quadrille redefine southern gothic music and old tyme religion without the
biblical pathos and guilt. Deadly Pillow
Fight Accident hit the stage first with extreme dissonance and glee. To
call this music free would be an understatement. All three players — guitar,
sax, drums — not only seemed to be on different pages but in different time
zones as well. Compelling and weird. Comparatively they make “out there” feel
like it’s right next door.
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2006.
