I
love The Grinders. I mean I love me some mailman Todd. But I’m not
sure I dig ’em in a big venue like Water Street Music Hall, where they warmed
the boards for The Chesterfield Kings two weeks ago. They still sounded great, and sure, they’ve earned the right to
rock a huge crowd righteously. But their classic barroom bop is so gloriously
in your face I think it should be played, heard, smelt, and felt as such. But
that’s just me.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย And The Kings sounded totally outta
sight. I’ve been seeing these guys for years and years and have always had a
blast. What struck me was the diversity of their set list, which drew from just
about all their albums. And I like them with just one guitar (man, that
Morabito is a mother on that thing).
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The
sound was solid and the stage show was no-frills and relentless. I’m not sure
if the dancing girls were strung-out or just lazy, but they were still a nice
touch. Dancing girls are always a nice touch. In fact, I could use a couple on
my desk right now.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย I caught Bee Eater and Low Ton at
Los Bug Jar last week. Low Ton was sporting a new guitar player stage left and
the sound was as heavy as ever.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย I went down to the Bug Jar to check
out Boston’s The Charms, but some
idiot had them play early. So I missed ’em and got to hang with them a little
instead — they’re good people. Got to see Piehole, though. They’ve got a new album and a tight sound. And
though they just kinda stand there, the music moves. Their guitar player is a
monster.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Last Tuesday was bluesday at the
Auditorium Theatre when B.B. King blew into town. King brought along a first-rate band and rocked the joint. You
gotta love when King sings in that rich baritone. And his guitar tone — man — it was as fat as he is. Show
opener Murali Coryell is one of
those players who mercilessly slashes at all the strings and still manages to
render single, stinging notes that positively burn.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย After seeing Zeke open for Superjoint
Ritual I’m now fully convinced rock ‘n’ roll is a vocation. You see, long
after the promise and supply of copious amounts of liquor, drugs, and fast
women dries up, bands like Zeke are still out there giving their all. Some of
their selections for the evening were so fast that even the count in wasn’t
discernable.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Zeke
sounded as greasy and road-weary as they looked. This band is just incredible.
Superjoint Ritual was super loud and super heavy. Everyone on stage looked
either super stoned or super drunk. It was nice to see a return to thrash metal
tempered with what I guess you could call real stoner rock. Every other word
— and at times every word — out
of frontman Phil Anselmo’s mouth was motherf***er. It kind of lost its punch
after awhile.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย It was then off to the Bug Jar to
hang with all the rockabilly geeks groovin’ on Los Angeles’ Deke Dickerson & The Echo-Phonics.
Deke played his face off all up and down a bunch of different guitar necks
including a new gold metal flake, double-neck number with a lightshow built
right in the fingerboard. His stripped trio was impressively well versed in
each other’s instrument as they repeatedly switched off, dazzled, and amazed.
This article appears in May 5-11, 2004.
