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Consumable Online Issue 198
== ISSUE 198 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [January 24, 2000]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com
Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker
Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Chris Hill, Bill
Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Jon Steltenpohl
Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Christina Apeles, Niles J.
Baranowski, Jason Cahill, Matthew Carlin, John
Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Krisjanis Gale, Paul
Hanson, Eric Hsu, Scott Hudson, Steve Kandell,
Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes Long, I.K. MacLeod,
Wilson Neate, Mike Pfeiffer, Linda Scott, Don
Share, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear,
Michael Van Gorden, Simon West
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann
Also Contributing: Franklin Johnson
Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com ; subscription
information is given at the end of this issue.
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the
editor.
==================================================================
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| Contents |
`------------'
CONCERT REVIEW: Stereolab / Papa M / Dymaxion - Wilson Neate
EVENT REVIEW: Cahoots.com SFNYE Superior Bash, San Francisco - Joann Ball
REVIEW: Eiffel 65, _Europop_ - Bob Gajarsky
CONCERT REVIEW: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Wilson Neate
CONCERT REVIEW: Buzzcocks / Heist - Tim Kennedy
REVIEW: Hobex, _Back in the 90's_ / Collapsis, _Dirty Wake_- Jon Steltenpohl
CONCERT REVIEW: Marc Almond - Wilson Neate
REVIEW: Another Level, _Another Level_ - Franklin Johnson
REVIEW: Yellow Machine Gun, _Spot Remover_ - Andrew Duncan
NEWS: Clash reissues, Everclear, Green Day, Grooveradio, Jayhawks,
Musicmusicmusic, Musician's Atlas, Poptopia 2000, Previewtunes,
X / Noise Pop Festival
TOUR DATES: Anthrax, Cravin' Melon, Robert Cray, Dismemberment Plan,
Julia Greenberg, Guided By Voices / American Flag, Ben Harper &
Innocent Criminals, Richie Hawtin, Jimmie's Chicken Shack / Sumack,
Jungle Brothers, Live, Aimee Mann / Michael Penn, Pretenders,
Squatweiler, Stereophonics, Stroke 9, u-ziq, Young Dubliners
Back Issues of Consumable
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Stereolab / Papa M / Dymaxion, Irving Plaza,
New York City
- Wilson Neate
Since this was the final date on Stereolab's US tour, it
promised to be somewhat of a special occasion. Unfortunately, however,
the tangible sense of excitement and expectancy at Irving Plaza last
night was all but scotched by the opening acts, one that was as
irritating as dermatitis and another that could have bored the hind
legs off a donkey.
Given that the name of the first band sounded like an
antibiotic that you might take to clear up a nasty rash or a minor
infection it was perhaps logical--albeit in a backwards sense--that
Dymaxion should have a tendency to get under your skin in the worst and
most irritating way.
Dymaxion wouldn't look or sound out of place playing an
afternoon bash hosted by the Electronics Club at your local high school.
If their sound is fueled by any substance, then caffeine is clearly the
drug of choice here. Dymaxion seemed to be a Devo-esque novelty act
specializing in frenetic and disjointed, jittery and jerky, melody-free
songs that were more like extended cartoon sound effects, scattered with
very witty electronic noises. Most of the latter were emitted by a pile
of gadgetry proudly presided over by a clever boy seated at the front of
the stage. It was very impressive. He must have spent all of his
allowance at Radio Shack and assembled it all by himself. While
Stereolab's sound may owe something to Burt Bacharach, Bert and Ernie
are more obvious influences on Dymaxion.
Papa M, brainchild of Dave Pajo of the ... ahem ... seminal
Slint, begged the question: why bother playing live if you're not going
to make even the remotest of stabs at having any live presence? This
was a concert after all and not a sound installation. They seemed
genuinely uninterested in being on stage and mailed in, via parcel
post, a paradigmatic post-rock, charisma-free, no smiling allowed,
occasional backs-to-the-audience 'performance'. It was especially
amusing that although Alan Licht had a flying V guitar--that most rock
of instruments--he played it with as much character as Strom Thurmond
would exhibit, playing the church organ. Intentional, dead pan humor,
one can only hope.
Despite the accomplishment and craft of the recent _Live From
a Shark Cage_, Papa M's music just didn't go anywhere live and there
was more noodling in 40 minutes than goes on at your local Thai
restaurant in a week. At one point it became clear that they'd lost
the audience, given that the crowd chat noise was louder than the
music. The sense that they didn't want to be there was underscored by
the fact that, before the feedback had died out at the end of their set,
the drummer had already started to disassemble his kit while Pajo had
unplugged his instrument and was already on his way off. But then what
can you expect from a man who said, in a recent interview with
_Pillowfight_: "I never had a relationship with an audience, I've
always been the self-obsessed ego maniac that I am this day"?
That Stereolab should have come on and salvaged the evening
was a pleasant surprise in view of recent critical notices (in Britain)
that have reported shows marred by austerity and distance on the part
of the band, an absence of spontaneity and a tendency to inject
precious little affect into their disinterestedly intellectual and
intricate musical textures.
Indeed, Stereolab frontwoman Laetitia Sadier has herself
recognized their almost 'mathematical' approach: a precise, geometrical
construction of shifting aural shapes, melodies and counter-melodies,
and repetitive circular structures with incremental changes, as well as
their deliberate crafting of sound patterns beyond a simple 4/4 beat.
The cerebral dimension is enhanced by the technology they
employ. Stereolab's penchant for retro-equipment (Moog synths, Farfisa
organs, etc) goes against the grain of seamless electronica as it
yields a sound that always draws the listener's attention to those
very devices used to create it. The result is a self-referential
meta-music that foregrounds the means of its own construction.
Stereolab's lyrical content is commonly cited as evidence of
their overtly and overly cerebral tendencies. While Sadier and Mary
Hansen trade catchy pop vocals, the substance of much of what Sadier
is saying often attests to a very _un-pop_ depth of thought. Not only
are her lyrics frequently loaded with Marxian rhetoric but it's a
particularly high brow, academic variant of Marxism that makes even
The Gang of Four sound like union leaders spouting the Cliff Notes
version of _Capital_ to the rank and file.
Their politics have more to do with the writings of Althusser
than with the rantings of, say, The Anti-Nowhere League; they're more
Castoriadis than The Clash. Rather than "let's smash the system",
Sadier articulates something more along the lines of "let us work
together towards a realization of the knowledge effect in order resist
the ideology of late capitalism," albeit punctuated with the trademark
to-and-fro da de da's of 60s French girl pop.
Still, despite their undeniably thoughtful and, yes,
intellectual approach, Sadier also said in a recent interview, "I
think sometimes we 'rock' and it is kind of nice to rock" and last
night was certainly one of those occasions. Having switched on and
kicked off with "Crest", from the pithily titled 1993 album _Transient
Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements_, it was clear that Stereolab
were going to save the day.
They managed to balance the tightly crafted, rigidly structured
and almost clinical nature of their recorded music with a measure of
spontaneity essential to live performance. They were a little rough
around the edges, had a few minor glitches and hitches, lapsed into
distortion and feedback occasionally, interacted with the audience--and
with each other--and injected the kind of raw intensity that can only
be achieved in the live context.
Some songs were supplemented with elements not present on the
recorded versions while others were overhauled. "The Seeming and the
Meaning" from _Peng!_ was accelerated and roughed up a bit and "Blue
Milk," from the recent _Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the
Milky Night_, was prefaced with a chaotic intro segment absent from the
album. Other tracks that stood out live were "Metronomic Underground"
with its throbbing Floydian "Come in Number 51" bass line, "Analogue
Rock", "Tone Burst" and the new songs "The Free Design" and "Blips,
Drips and Strips".
Drawing on tracks dating back to 1991, Stereolab showcased
the multifaceted and eclectic texture of their sound. Last night's
set featured early material characterized by minimal chord structures
and simple time signatures alongside nods to Krautrock, Bacharach and
Esquivel-esque lounge/cocktail stylings and more recent forays into
bossa nova and jazz with complex time signatures.
Stereolab have been described as a postmodern girl group and
that's a pretty fair description. The postmodern character of
Stereolab's musical identity is their hallmark: a playful, almost
affectless sound built on musical citations and a blurring of the
divisions between high and low culture to form a kitschy, pop collage.
But for a so-called girl group, Stereolab's live performance
symbolically challenged traditional gender hierarchies. Laetitia
Sadier, Morgane Lhote and Mary Hansen occupied the most prominent
positions on stage while Tim Gane, Simon Johns, and Andrew Ramsey
toiled away in the background, the latter two building particularly
strong, driving rhythms. As is his custom, Gane spent the evening in
a sonic world of his own at the back, jerking his head compulsively
like the insane polar bear at the Bristol Zoo.
The only down-side to their set was that they slightly
undermined themselves during the encore. Having almost completed a
fine version of "Super Electric" that emphasized their ability to rock
and to be danceable, they were joined by members of the opening acts.
They then proceeded to indulge in one of rock's (and jazz's) worst
cliches, turning "Super Electric" into an extended jam session. To
start with it was amusing but it quickly became a real patience-tester,
an unfortunate epic of dullness: three drummers drumming, three
guitarists guitaring, three percussionists banging, two keyboard
players plonking and a partridge in a pear tree, etc. Even so,
Stereolab clearly had a good time and this was the last night of the
tour, so you can't fault them really. Jam sessions aside though and
in stark contrast with last night's openers, Stereolab's performance
made a number of timely points: a live concert really ought to provide
an audience with something different from the experience of listening
to a record; it's a good idea to have stage presence and to communicate
at least _some_ identifiable form of emotion; it's possible to play
intelligent music and communicate its intelligence live without being
pretentious; it's possible to play quirky, idiosyncratic music without
being plain silly; and it's quite possible to play thoughtful music
that is danceable.
---
EVENT REVIEW: Cahoots.com SFNYE Superior Bash, San Francisco,
December 31, 1999-January 1, 2000
- Joann D. Ball
California knows how to party!
It was an around the Bay extravaganza at the Cahoots.com SFNYE
Superior Bash held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in downtown
San Francisco. Presented by Bill Graham Presents and local party kings
Martel & Nabiel, and sponsored by Internet powersite Cahoots.com the
San Francisco New Year's Eve (SFNYE) Superior Bash ran from 8PM
December 31, 1999 until 3AM January 1, 2000. With maximum quality
entertainment, minimal snob attitude, no velvet rope, and no need to
take a cab to party hop, the ninety-nine dollar ticket price was a
real bargain. Extremely well organized and executed, the SFNYE
Superior Bash brought together some 10,000 attendees for a fun-filled
night of great music and madness under one roof and several tents.
A major bigtime party on a grand scale, SFNYE featured a main
stage plus nine party rooms, each offering a multitude of sonic and
visual pleasures. New Year's revelers roamed from room to room
throughout the night, and were always well rewarded. None of the
themed stages and rooms could be missed, from Club Release featuring
the Bay Area's best House music DJs and the Disco Palace, to the
Shagalicious Shack with live swing from the Chazz Cats and sixties
a-go-go music from Casino Royale, and the spectacular World Beat
Experience showcased the incredible live sounds of the West African
High Life Band along with Hip-Hop DJs Tom Thump and Mind Motion. For
those "in the know" who procured the much-sought after shiny red
wristbands, the Level 4 VIP Room sponsored by bayarea.citysearch.com
was all about the good stuff. And when it came time to celebrate on
the down low, a high priority given the occasion, the Rat Pack Room
with its martini bars, the Bubbly Lounge and The Make-Out Den were
the perfect hiding places.
But Party Central amid this New Year's Eve festival was
definitely the Millennium Ballroom. Cuba's Los Van Van, formed in
1969 by vocalist, bassist and songwriter Juan Formell, entertained the
crowd with REAL Latin dance music. The first of the three acts on the
Millennium Ballroom stage, they immediately established the ground
rules: that this was a night for incredible music and serious partying.
With a distinguished history that includes 23 albums and three decades
of shaking bon-bons, Los Van Van has perfected a mesmerizing sound and
performance style. Their hour-plus set was completely relished by
those who immersed themselves in all that the world's foremost Latin
dance band had to offer.
Headliners the Pretenders had the awesome responsibility of
ushering out the old year and bringing in the new one. With a sense
of purpose, energy and determination to rock the house, the Pretenders
kickstarted their performance with the no holds barred "Night in My
Veins" that was the night's anthem. The band blistered through a
killer 20-song set that only slowed down because it had to - when
lead singer Chrissie Hynde led the packed Ballroom in the traditional
New Year's countdown. And the indoor fireworks and explosions were
the perfect segue into "Middle of the Road," as power drummer Martin
Chambers continued the festive bombast throughout the song. With
guitarist Adam Seymour's burning solos soaring and sizzling throughout
the night, and bassist Andy Hobson keeping the band's musical pulse
strong and steady, it's clear that the Pretenders are fueled and ready
for their US theater tour, which begins in Florida in late January.
With the New Year just barely underway, it was time to groove
to the electronic sounds of the Crystal Method. Only an act of this
caliber could keep the mainstage crowd going after midnight at a New
Year's Eve bash that had already overflowed with bubbly and intensity.
Even before the set began, Crystal Method fans were poised and ready,
having quickly staked out the necessary space required for the
reckless abandon letting go that the group inspires. Without missing
a beat, underground club culture experts the Crystal Method transported
that spirit and energy to the Bill Graham Auditorium, keeping the party
going until the wee hours with their trademark rock, funk, big-beat
hip-hop sonic assault.
Throughout the world, Y2K fears were proven false. But in San
Francisco, one thing was for sure: the predictions and forecasts proved
true. The Cahoots.com SFNYE Superior Bash was everything that the good
folks at Glodow Nead Communications promised. It was without a doubt
"the ultimate New Year's Eve millennium blowout!"
---
REVIEW: Eiffel 65, _Europop_ (Universal)
- Bob Gajarsky
One of the biggest worldwide hits of 1999 was by
an Italian trio - Jeffrey Jey, Maurizio Lobina and Gabry
Ponte - formed under the headquarters of a European
dance hit factory, the Bliss Corporation. Eiffel 65's
"Blue", through the use of a vocoder and filtering
(similar to that used to modify Cher's voice in her
international #1 hit "Believe"), captured the emotions and
feelings of an entire dance generation. And although
many dance albums are "one hit, 2 remixes and 8 tracks
of junk", _Europop_ will provide its listeners with
endless hours of midi and synthpop pleasure.
The three members of Eiffel 65 each achieved
several top ten European dance hits. Being brought together
by Bliss Corporation founder Massimo Gabutti enabled them
to pool their influences and resources to create a new
dance sound.
"Blue (Da Ba Dee) is a mix of dance and English pop,
a song with a disco beat," says Jey about his group's music.
"We're more like an old-fashioned Depeche Mode, a solid
structure, but more futuristic. We are electronic, but
we look for new sounds...it's easy to sing to and dance to."
"Your Clown" is the best example of their Depeche Mode
influences, and stands as one of the instances where the
often-used vocoder actually detracts from the song. Think
a "Blasphemous Rumours" type of track, and you'll have the
main musical thrust of "Clown", while lyrics including "I
don't want to be a clown again / I don't want to live this
triangle / I don't want a million lines / 'cuz I long to carry
on " echoes the same type of sentiments as felt by many of
the same people dancing to "Blue".
Want "Blue", part 2? "Another Race" and "Silicon
World" will fill the bill perfectly. Looking for more
synth-dance hits that are instantly hummable? See "Too
Much of Heaven" and "Dub In Life". And in the 'what goes
around comes around' department, "The Edge" sure sounds like
it's begging to be covered by Cher...
When listening to _Europop_, it's best to free your
mind, and let your ass follow.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Mercury Lounge, New York City
- Wilson Neate
In a recent interview, Gorky's front man Euros Childs joked that
it was only a matter of time before someone issued a compilation
entitled _The Best Welsh Album in the World . . . Ever!_ in order to
cash in on the current popularity of bands from Cymru. On this
fictional album, as Childs conceived it, you'd find the likes of The
Alarm, Budgie, John Cale, Tom Jones, Man, and Shirley Bassey, acts who
until 10 years ago made up the canon of Welsh popular music, at least
in the minds of most people on the English side of the Severn Bridge.
Of course, this hypothetical album would also include representatives
of the recent generation of Welsh groups that have turned out to be
some of the hottest properties in British rock and pop today.
But although Gorky's Zygotic Mynci are often mentioned in the
same breath as Stereophonics, Super Furry Animals, Catatonia and the
Manic Street Preachers, owing to their geographical origin, the
similarities between Gorky's and their fellow Welsh groups pretty
much end there.
While the rest of the pack are fine bands, their songs do the
standard work of pop, allowing listeners to slot themselves into a
universal narrative. Theirs is a kind of "your name here" approach
with very little in the music that generates a regional sense of place
or that roots them in the specific environment of Wales--not that I'm
suggesting they have any responsibility to do so. At the same time,
however, bands such as the Manics certainly do identify themselves in
national terms and make much of "being Welsh," albeit in interviews or
via onstage flag-waving.
With Gorky's on the other hand--on record, in performance and
in interview--there's an absence of nationalist rhetoric and yet
their music conveys a unique sense of time, place and identity.
Listening to Gorky's isn't a passive, generic pop experience. Rather,
it's an active encounter with otherness in which you enter what Tom
Cox of _The Guardian_ has called "Gorkyworld," a place of "rolling
hills surmounted by bearded wizards playing flutes, schoolbound
children dropping lunchboxes as they hurdle streams, picnics on
windswept beaches, and mystical medieval roots."
In these days of devolution and of popular nationalist and
regionalist sentiment in Great Britain, however, questions have been
raised as to whether the landscape of Gorky's music is an authentic
representation of Wales. Such concerns display an overly simple
view of national identity and the terms of its cultural representation.
Gorky's don't beat us over the head with an essentialized
"Welshness"--whatever that may be--in terms that might just
reproduce stereotypes and cliches. And interestingly, while the
generic rock of some of the other Welsh bands--flag-waving
notwithstanding--has tended to abolish a sense of place and a
fixed, regional identity in favor of an anonymous urban sensibility,
Gorky's music enagages in a more complex process and suggests more
useful and progressive notions of identity and community.
The vision communicated by the rich and allusive textures of
their sound is far from quaint regionalism. Of course it's grounded
in the geographical, historical and cultural contexts of its creation
but it also derives from other places and times. The identity of
their music is happily contradictory, at once rooted in Wales and
at the same time produced by multiple incorporations of otherness.
They create "Gorkyworld" not only by drawing on the cultural and
musical traditions of their own region--as well as its language--but
also by visiting other places and times: the English folk tradition,
the 70s art rock of the Canterbury scene, the swinging London of
early British psychedelia, the 70s Krautrock of Faust, the barking
mad Mojave desert of Captain Beefheart, the American South of country
music, and the Southern California of the Beach Boys.
Owing to its hybrid pastiche of forms, their music attests to
a postmodern sense of self and community, one that reveals the limited
terms of the traditional conceptualizations of belonging and
identification allowed by nationalist ideologies. "Gorkyworld" and
its inhabitants are multifaceted as opposed to monolithic; they are
at once local and global, rooted and shifting. While Gorky's sense
of belonging, identity and place may stem from a crossing of borders,
it never ceases to be Welsh. Their Welshness simply accommodates
heterogeneity, process and transformation and is defined by more
than language, a political stance or acceptable, fixed cultural
tropes. This hybrid identity becomes brilliantly clear in a single
moment at the end of the song "Spanish Dance Troupe" as Childs, his
Welsh accent foregrounded, playfully poaches a Beach Boys lyric.
"Good evening, we're Gorky's Zygotic Mynci from Wales in
Great Britain" were Euros Childs's words of salutation to a packed
Mercury Lounge. And that was pretty much all that Childs said last
night, apart from repeatedly thanking us and giving us the thumbs up.
But then there was no need to say anything else, no need for banter
or shtick--the music spoke for itself.
The last 18 months or so haven't been easy for the band from
Pembrokeshire. During the sessions for _Gorky 5_, guitarist John
Lawrence decided to call it quits, then they were dropped by Mercury
in late 1998--halfway through a tour--and subsequently they even had
to self-finance the recording of their next album. Fortunately,
they were signed by Mantra records and _Spanish Dance Troupe_ was
released in October.
Much like _Spanish Dance Troupe_, which clocks in at a
slim 37 minutes, their set was brief by late 90s standards, lasting
only 45 minutes. But that's perfectly OK given that their sound is,
after all, a beautiful pastiche of music from a time when albums and
performances were generally shorter than they are today.
When you listen to Gorky's, you know you've heard what
they're doing somewhere before but at the same time you haven't.
Rather than imitate, they take the shape and feeling of earlier
music and repackage it in their own way. _Spanish Dance Troupe_
continues to revisit the best of British folk and progressive rock
of the late 60s and early 70s, albeit with the addition of a distinct
country twang. Last night's performance of songs like "Desolation
Blues," "She Lives on a Mountain," "Faraway Eyes" and "Over and Out"
showcased the best of the new album and its hybrid renderings.
The linchpin last night was, of course, Euros Childs. At 24
years of age and with six albums under his belt already, he's a rare
talent, a man out of time in this age of boy bands and talent
deprivation. Looking uncannily like a miniature Nick Drake, Childs
occupied center stage behind his keyboards--occasionally emerging to
play guitar. He's a uniquely self assured songwriter who is blessed
with a rich and diverse creative vision. Childs's live performance
foregrounded an ability to pen songs that run the gamut of style and
tone, songs that are always enhanced by the musicality of his voice,
which moves effortlessly from lulling, lower ranges right up to a
Brian Wilson-esque falsetto.
While he seems shy and jittery in the spaces between songs,
hiding behind his hair and repeatedly giving us the thumbs up, Euros
is back in his element when the next track starts. Then he gets
totally lost in music. But he's not affected or contrived, just
completely absorbed by what he's doing, and it's that intensity that
makes Gorky's especially engaging live. While much of the time
Childs' intensity took the form of quiet focus and application, at
times it was translated into sheer physical energy. This was indeed
the case during the Roxy Music-styled "Poodle Rockin," from _Spanish
Dance Troupe_, and "Sweet Johnny" from _Gorky 5_, with its
Beefheart-esque shifts in tempo and volume. During the latter,
Childs physically assaulted his bank of keyboards like a man possessed,
much to the delight of the crowd.
Although Childs was obviously the center of attention, the
endeavors of the other Gorky's should not go unrecognized.
Particularly noteworthy was Megan Childs's perfectly integrated
violin playing which evokes--as others have noted--the sound crafted
by Scarlet Rivera on _Desire_ and David Mansfield on _Street Legal_.
While the tracks from _Barafundle_, "Meirion Wyllt" and "Patio
Song," were particular highlights, the finest moment came at the end
of last night's show with the instant classic "The Humming Song"
from _Spanish Dance Troupe_. This fragile piece is quite an
achievement. Centered around Childs's simple but emotive piano and
his understated, soothing vocals, "The Humming Song" packs a whole
range of emotion into four-and-a-half minutes, building up and
managing to soar momentarily but ultimately settling back into
melancholy.
Gorky's put the largely unfashionable notion of musicianship
back on the rock map. And there's nothing wrong with musicianship,
especially when it's so unpretentious and so full of substance as
the brand that they perform.
There were mutterings at the end of the set owing to the
absence of an encore but when you consider the set-up of the venue
it makes sense that the Gorky's didn't come back. At the Mercury
Lounge bands have to access the stage through the crowd. To do an
encore they'd have had to push their way to the back of the room,
stand there for a bit and then push their way back up to the front.
All a bit pointless and awkward really, especially given Childs's
apparent shyness. And besides, after "The Humming Song," there was
really no need for anything else.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Buzzcocks / Heist, Brighton England
- Tim Kennedy
Tonight's venue is a sticky upper floor of an old Victorian
pub on the main A23 route running into Brighton, premier seaside
resort of the South of England. We are here to see one of the original
punk bands who were involved in the infamous Anarchy Tour which the Sex
Pistols led around the UK in 1976 (only to be banned from nearly all
venues). If you know your history...
But before all that, Heist make their entrance. Two young
ladies in evening dresses grace either side of the stage, one with
cornet, the other a violin, a drummer and centrestage is a rather
severe cropped-headed guy in a jacket on vocals and guitar. Their
songs seem to inhabit a smoky demi-monde between indie punk and Eastern
European gypsy music.
The music is seductive whilst retaining the muscle of the
drums and guitar. The violin is effectively the lead instrument and
Celina shows great skill with her instrument and a great deal of shy
but evident charisma. Alison uses her cornet on occasion to nicely
embellish their songs or else joining Mike on vocals to offset his
gruff yet impassioned delivery.
This band seem to be a little too individualistic for the
major record companies in the current nervy climate, which is a shame
because their brand of romance is sadly lacking in today's often
stereotyped musical camps.
Their response has been to go independent. They have their
own label Super 8 and brought out a single a while back called
"Defectors" which garnered critical acclaim.
On their own they have variously worked with Nick Cave, Primal
Scream, Marc Almond and Tindersticks. They've toured with the Fall
and Eddi Reader as if to emphasise their eclecticism.
The mainly punky crowd rouse themselves to applaud a brave set
from the eclectic Heisters as they depart.
The Buzzcocks take the stage about half an hour later to a
rapturous welcome. Two of the original band are present, Pete Shelley
guitar/vocalist and Steve Diggle guitarist and occasional vocalist.
The hits are rolled out, including "Ever Fallen In Love",
"Paradise", "Orgasm Addict", "Promises", "Fast Cars", "Harmony
In My Head" (with Steve singing as gamely as ever), the classic punk
tunes keep rolling out. The mass pogoing that breaks out down at the
front makes it a little risky up there. The band are beaming smiles
over the mostly young hordes, though peppered with greying heads from
the old days. The odd new number is thrown in and goes down as well as
the golden oldies.
What was always interesting about the Buzzcocks was that for
an original punk band, their subject matter rarely strayed from teenage
romance. Perhaps only Ulster's Undertones of all other punk bands
concentrated on this area. Of course, the Buzzcocks were far more
X-rated with their lyrics.
There being no back room to exit to, the band announce a
virtual encore "Right, this bit's the encore so just imagine we've
gone off and come on again." A few more 70s punk classics and then
the great "Boredom" and they're off, through the crowd and upstairs,
leaving a heaving sweaty mob roaring with appreciation.
---
REVIEW: Hobex, _Back in the 90's_ (Slash) / Collapsis, _Dirty
Wake_ (Cherry/Universal)
- Jon Steltenpohl
It was a strange debut. Nearly a decade ago, I remember
getting the first Dillon Fence album from Mammoth at the college radio
station I was a DJ at. I put it in and listened. "Southern white boy
pop funk" was about the only way I could describe it. Dillon Fence was
irresistibly catchy and a little odd at the same time. As the years
went on, Dillon Fence got signed by a major and drifted away from that
initial funk sound towards a standard alternapop genre. Yet, they were
never really as appealing as those early albums. In the mid 90's, they
quietly broke up.
Today is a different story. Recently, two phoenixes have
risen from the from the ashes. One phoenix, Hobex, is fronted by Dillon
Fence's leader, Greg Humphreys, and the other phoenix is Collapsis with
Dillon Fence drummer Scott Carle. Hobex takes all of the bizarre bits
of funk that made its way through the early Dillon Fence releases, and
fleshes them out into a great, unique sound. Collapsis, on the other
hand, is a classic example of modern day "dirty" alternapop.
Hobex's _Back in the 90s_ isn't exactly the album for every
person, but for those who are interested, it's very good. Fans of the
early Dillon Fence albums will "get it" immediately. New listeners
might take a bit to catch on. Mainstream alternative music combines
punk, rock, and hip-hop, yet few bands, save possibly for Young Fresh
Fellows, have delved into funky disco beats and falsetto. Humphreys
lives and breathes it. "I Was Wrong" sounds a bit like the slower
funk-alternative bands of the 80's like Tackhead, while other tracks
make you think of Van Morrison's unknown American cousin.
The opening track, "Groove, Baby", has a nice hammond organ, a
laid back feel, and Humphreys' slightly gravely, but oh so smooth
voice. "Am I losing my Mind" features a "wacka wacka" guitar break
out of Starsky and Hutch, and horns from some of the Squirrel Nut
Zippers adds a bit of authenticity to the funk to "Comment Tu T'appelle"
"Back in the 90's" isn't quite as successful at the funk, but
fortunately there are other tracks like "My Moonshine" which sounds
just like classic Dillon Fence songs. Another Dillon-esque song,
"Windows", was even featured in the Matt Damon movie _Rounders_.
As for Collapsis, well, despite having Dillon Fence's old
drummer, they're really fronted by Mike Garrigan. They've got the
classic alternative rock sound in the style of the Gin Blossoms, Buffalo
Tom, or a harder edged Matchbox 20. It's typical "Party of Five" and
"Dawson's Creek" soundtrack music. (In fact, after the first draft of
this review, I did some final research on their website and found out
that "Radio Friendly Girlfriend" has already been featured on "Party of
Five".) Anyway, "Radio Friendly Girlfriend" is pretty good stuff. It's
a little bit overblown with the angst at times, but _Dirty Wake_
definitely has potential.
And the label must agree. _Dirty Wake_ was supposed to be
released last year, but has been delayed until February. The most
likely theory is that Cherry/Universal is gearing up to make Collapsis
the next big thing. Expect a massive onslaught. In addition to "Radio
Friendly Girlfriend", "Two Egrets", "Superhero", and "Automatic" all
have the definite potential to break out. "Two Egrets" probably
requires royalty checks be sent to the scattered members of the Gin
Blossoms, and "Automatic" has such a great alternapop sound to it that
you'll have a tough time recognizing it from any of the other bands in
this genre. As for "Superhero", well, it is just a great driving pop
song while "Wonderland", with its lazy arpeggios, sounds a lot like The
Samples.
Which is actually all a good thing. It's a relief to have an
album from the faceless "Party of Five", one hit wonder crowd, which
actually has some depth and some decent melodies. And, unlike, say,
Sugar Ray, Collapsis and Hobex are real bands. You can listen through
their entire album and enjoy them.
Collapsis and Hobex are both decent bands that, despite their
pop appeal, still have some of what it really means to be alternative
left in them. Both albums have the distinct feel of being recorded by
actual touring bands. There are just enough rough edges here and there
to let you know that they actually sat down and played these songs. So
many current bands have their vocals spliced in one phrase at a time or
gratuitous samples thrown on the top of the mix. When Beck does that,
it's cool. But, when it's done on a pop song, it sounds like paint by
numbers. Collapsis and Hobex are the real thing and are worth a listen.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Marc Almond, The Bowery Ballroom, New York City
- Wilson Neate
Marc Almond made his first impression on most of us at the
start of that decade horribilis known as 'the 80s'. Bearing that in
mind, it would probably make sense to situate this review by talking a
little about hearing his work with Soft Cell for the first time, about
being 16 and proudly sporting a 'wedge' haircut, experimenting with
eyeliner, and trying hard to look like Simon Le Bon. It would make
sense to recall wearing baggy black, pleated trousers along with those
embarrassing black suede ankle boots, and trying hard to smoke and drink
a lot at some dreadful, sweaty adolescent disco. Above all, it might be
appropriate to mention failing miserably to cop a feel - let alone cop
off - throwing up a great deal and trying to kid myself that I was,
indeed, having fun.
But of course none of that entered into my experience. And
besides, as Marc Almond told us last night, he'd rather forget the 80s
too.
Still, despite what he says, Almond's tongue is firmly in his
cheek. At the start of last night's show he remarked, albeit with a
staged grimace and a wink, that 'that song' he recorded with Soft Cell
had brought him the terrible curse of fame and that he'd like to put
it all behind him now. But of course he delights in an ambivalent
relationship with the decade of his rise and fall from mainstream pop
stardom. He wants to distance himself from his past glories--in
particular, the song that dare not speak its name - yet, at the same
time, he's clearly proud of that personal flock of brilliant musical
albatrosses that hang around his tattooed neck.
This fraught relationship with the past is absolutely crucial
to the cultivation and perpetuation of his own personal mythology and
to his performance of Marc Almond. And it's no surprise that his website
is called The Theatre of Marc Almond ( http://www.marcalmond.co.uk )
since, on record and on stage, he's consistently acting out the story
of the star and all of its possible narrative variants.
His recordings are littered with the human detritus scattered
in the wake of fickle fame: the drug and booze addled burn-out, the
forgotten icon, the fallen star, the idol fallen on hard times, the
self-destructive celeb and the former child star. In equal measure,
Almond focuses on the stars we are - to coin his phrase - that is, the
camp notion of everyday lives as performances and the possibility of a
fleeting moment of glamour and accomplishment amid the banalities of
the quotidian.
On stage, in addition to his ambivalent lyrical and musical
mapping of the tumultuous geography of stardom, he weaves those myriad
identities together in his banter with the audience, metamorphosing
from one character into another, in high dramatic style.
At the start of last night's show he hammed up the part of
the needy, faded star, promising to play our old favorites as long as
he felt waves of love and adoration floating up to him over the
footlights in return. After that, he became the rock and roll cliche
for us, attributing memory lapses in the 80s to "too much acid". He
acted out - with supreme irony - the part of the arrogant, bitter star
contemptuous of fame. Later, telling us about some of his darker days,
he took on the guise of the post-fame crack-up unable to venture beyond
his squalid room and away from his supply of alcohol.
But the best role that he performed for us was that of the
star fallen to his absolute nadir, clutching his trusty "carrier bag
full of tranquilizers". Pure Judy Garland.
Beyond the verbal dimension--the story-telling and
self-mythologizing--he translated those identities into dramatic
physical gestures during the songs. He became the reluctant star
refusing to come into the spotlight, finally yielding to imagined
beckoning; he became the conquering hero kissing members of the
audience, allowing himself to be pawed; and finally he was the
genuinely flattered star clutching at the rose and the boxer shorts
thrown on stage for him at the end of the evening. How the gentleman
standing next to me managed to get them off without my noticing is a
question I'm still at a loss to answer.
Almond is a masterful showman and his performance is total
theater, a perfect combination of voice, gesture and music. And it
wasn't just the quality and variety of that performance, but the
sheer quantity that was impressive too. Without a dull moment--backed
only by Rick May (keyboards/synth/bass) and Neal X (guitar)--he played
a two-hour-plus set of more than thirty songs that sampled his entire
career and foregrounded the rich and diverse texture of his oeuvre.
His post-Soft Cell years were represented by material drawn
from almost every period. From his Marc and the Mambas albums we were
treated to "Untitled," "Black Heart" and "Catch A Fallen Star" - the
latter being his own nervous breakdown set to music, as he informed
us. From _Stories of Johnny_ he played the title song and from
_Mother Fist_, "Saint Judy," the bleak, harrowing tale of the
martyred star. From _The Stars We Are_, Almond revived his late
80s pop hit "Tears Run Rings" and from _Enchanted_ he gave us "A
Lover Spurned," the song whose protagonist makes Glenn Close in _Fatal
Attraction_ sound like one of the sisters from The Waltons. From
_Tenement Symphony_ he did a vibrant high-energy, house version of
"Jacky" (during which we all got to sing the last line of the chorus)
and from _Fantastic Star_ the thumping, glam influenced "The Idol,"
the epic chronicle of the horrors of stardom and its shifting
fortunes. There was, of course, much much more but I haven't even
mentioned the new material yet.
Almond's performance of tracks from this year's _Open All
Night_ attested to the fact that he's at the peak of his creative
powers. Among the offerings from this record that he regaled us with
were "When Bad People Kiss," "Black Kiss," "Bedroom Shrine,"
"Sleepwalker" and the real winner, "My Love." _Open All Night_
emphasizes the richness and diversity that has always characterized
his music, incorporating white soul, synth pop, trip hop, jazz, Latin
beats, tinges of drum and bass, doomy torch songs and dark ballads.
Amazingly, this depth and range were underscored last night, even
though he was backed only by two musicians.
Almond's epic performance took us on a musical odyssey
through his own personal city of night, his vision of a world after
dark and a dark inner world. His is a well-trodden physical landscape
of streets lit only by neon signs, back alleys, seedy clubs, squalid
rooms, louche strip bars and an emotional landscape of doomed love,
misery, betrayal, loss, melancholy, lust, desperation, self-destruction,
and excess.
The characters who people this noir terrain are brilliantly
drawn, evocative of the characters of Brecht and Weil, Genet and Rechy
and, indeed, as memorable as any literary personage. They stay with
you long after the songs are over--although, in some cases, you'd
much rather they wouldn't.
In the theatre of Almond last night other actors were enlisted
to further flesh out his unique vision and to bring his world to life.
Sporting nothing but a white thong and running shoes, a youngman named
"Ivan" worked it on a podium at the back of the stage as Almond sang
"Lonely Go Go Dancer" to him. Later, an enormous drag queen named
"Perfidia," dressed in a beautiful scarlet gown, played Almond's muse
while he sang "Champagne." With her boa draped around his neck,
Almond gleefully buried his face in her impressive cleavage as the
song reached its conclusion.
Toward the end of the evening he treated us to the oldies
"Sex Dwarf," "Bedsitter," "Seedy Films," and "Say Hello Wave
Good-bye"--during which he climbed into the audience sans microphone
and encouraged a round of community singing. In the final round of
encores, having re-emerged wearing a _Hustler_ T-shirt, he called out
"Oh no, oh no . . . what's that sound?" as the opening chords of
"Tainted Love"--the song that dare not speak its name--finally and
inevitably rang out. At first he reeled with his hands over his ears
in mock confusion, shock and terror and then did a perfect imitation
of the way he used to dance in 1981.
On stage at least, Marc Almond is looking disturbingly good
at 42, still apparently fresh faced, youthful and sprightly. In fact,
he looks exactly the same as he did when he shot to stardom nearly 20
years ago. Somewhere in an attic in Southport there has to be a
portrait of an aging. grotesque Almond propped up alongside the one
of Dorian Gray. And his voice is as strong and as full of character
as ever, even unaccompanied: at the conclusion of one song, a member
of the audience was so moved that he called out "Diva!" in
appreciation of Almond's vocal performance.
As a songwriter there are few to challenge him these days.
While he's on a par with Nick Cave in the word-heavy, story-song
category, Cave is often hoist by his own petard, length and absence
of (intentional) humor being his lyrical stumbling blocks. Almond,
on the other hand, communicates a consistent sense of play and irony
which always bails him out.
Marc Almond turned in a performance that left you with the
word "genius" on your smiling lips. It may have been completely
polished and scripted, right down to the banter, the jokes and the
raised eyebrows, but it was carefully and lovingly crafted for our
pleasure and therefore completely sincere. Best of all, he served
up a rich, camp pastiche, effortlessly shifting in and out of musical
and lyrical identities. He was part Norma Desmond, part Jacques Brel,
part Judy Garland, part Pee Wee Herman and part Tom Jones, but always
Marc Almond, Fantastic Star.
---
REVIEW: Another Level, _Another Level_ (Arista)
- Franklin Johnson
The story has been heard before: superstar act discovers
an unknown act, cultivates and nurtures them, and soon the
new act achieves the goal: success! And if I told you that the
superstar act was multi-platinum rapper Jay-Z, and the unknown
act Another Level, you'd think street-smart lyrics, right?
Wrong.
Though Jay-Z found the group and brought them to his British
record company, NorthWestSide Records, _Another Level_ really has
nothing in common with "Jigga My N***", "Hard Knock Life", or any
of the other songs which spoke to his listeners. Instead, think
Will Smith and R Kelly's style as seen through the eyes of four
young (early 20s) men - Wayne Williams, Dane Bowers, Bobak Kianoush
and Mark Baron.
The #1 UK hit "Freak Me" is ripped right out of R Kelly's
catalog, right down to the suggestive lyrics. "Be Alone No More"
includes Jay-Z making an ill-suited appearance, but other UK hits
such as "Summertime" and "Guess I Was A Fool" fit much nicer into
the album's laid-back, suave image.
Although the album has been available elsewhere in the world
for more than a year, and the band toured Europe as Janet Jackson's
opening act, the American market wasn't targetted by the group -
until now. "I'm very excited about breaking into the U.S. market,"
reports Kianoush. "It's the birthplace of great music and you
definitely have to prove yourself there. But I do feel confident."
Rap fans drawn in by Jay-Z's association will likely be
disappointed by _Another Level_. But fans of R Kelly, Keith Sweat,
and the 'new' rhythm and blues will definitely find this disc well
to their liking.
---
REVIEW: Yellow Machine Gun, _Spot Remover_ (Howling Bull)
- Andrew Duncan
With monumental women rockers like Babes In Toyland's Kat
Bjelland and Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna now taking on the world with
a quiet angst, it's time to look east for the thunder.
Yellow Machine Gun may look like just another Shonen Knife
with a pretty face, but looks can be deceiving and these girls will
rip your throat out. You might even go so far as to say that these
girls rock with a vengeance.
With the opener "Again," the power that guitarist Kyoko Moriya,
bass and vocalist Kaori Okumura and drummer Tamami Ohkado generate is
as much a shock as when Michael J. Fox hit that guitar chord in the
movie Back to the Future.
They have had plenty of time to develop there skills. As a band,
these ladies have been regulars in Osaka, Japan since 1993. Their fan
base grew rapidly throughout the years having such credentials as giving
Limp Bizkit a run for their money and performing in front of 30,000
people at Japan's Air Jam. Thanks to Howling Bull's newly domestication
in California to bring Yellow Machine Gun to the states.
And rare is it to have a band create such a full-and-rich sound,
generating a fury that is fast and precise. "Something Enormous" and
"Hip Tail" has impressive syncopation that takes Helmet to court,
while "In A Box" challenges any Slayer song.
The finale, "Eat Hat Fat" slows down as Okumura takes a moment
to sing instead of growl with tremendous proportion. Sounds mellow but
take Black Sabbath and have Grace Slick sing with a broken English
accent, a shocking but wonderful result.
---
NEWS: > On January 25, Clash fans will see a digital remastering
by Epic Records of much of their catalog. Included in this will
be the first U.S. release for the original U.K. version of the
debut _The Clash_, _Give 'Em Enough Rope_, _London Calling_,
_Sandinista!_, and _Combat Rock_. Along with these are
a new compilation _The Singles_ which is the band's only
single-disc hits set.
> Everclear will be releasing two distinct albums in
2000. April will bring _Songs From An American Movie Volume 1 /
Learning How To Smile_ while November should mark the arrival of
_Songs From An American Movie Vol 2 / Good Time For A Bad Attitude_
> Green Day have recently returned to the studio to
begin recording a follow-up to their double platinum _Nimrod_
album.
> Groove Radio ( http://www.grooveradio.com ) ,
an exclusive electronica dance music format, has recently
returned to its loyal core of fans on the Internet. The
programming will be headed by the Groove Radio founder, Swedish
Egil (aka Egil Aalvik), who in the last two decades was
responsible for successful radio programming on KROQ-FM,
MARS-FM, and Groove Radio on 103.1 FM in Los Angeles and
much more.
> The Jayhawks have announced the latest addition to
their ranks: keyboardist/vocalist Jen Gunderman who began
performing with the group in concert in November. Jen was
previously a member of the group Dag.
> Musicmusicmusic.com, inc., the world's first Internet
webcaster granted a license by the Recording Industry Association
of America (RIAA), has launched the world's first branded
satellite Internet radio services providing complete
programming offering music chosen by the host site from the
company's Internet broadcaster, Radiomoi.com.
> The Musician's Atlas 2000 guide has been released.
The ultimate music industry resource lists more than
10,000 music business contacts easily divided into sections
including record labels, clubs, radio, publishers, publications,
lawyers, interviews with music execs such as Al Teller and
Chuck D and much more. The book is priced at $20; further
information can be obtained at http://www.musiciansatlas.com
> Poptopia 2000 will take place February 1-6 in Los
Angeles and February 2-3 in Portland, OR. This 5th Annual
celebration marks the first time Poptopia will be held in
Portland. Confirmed headlining artists at this time include
The Mr T. Experience, Jason Faulkner and The Cowsills. Exact
information regarding bands and their venues can be found
at http://www.poptopia.com
> PreviewTunes.com ( http://www.previewtunes.com ), an
online jukebox, has premiered and offers listeners the newest
music from the labels of Warner Music Group. The jukebox
offers full-length videos and will feature up to 90 new releases
at a time.
> Seminal punk rock band X will reunite this winter
for a headlining show in honor of the 8th annual Noise Pop
Festival, to take place in San Francisco on March 1-5.
The band will headline Slim's on March 1; Bob Mould will
be the highlight of the March 3 activities at Bimbo's 365
Club. Tickets have just gone on sale for this event.
---
TOUR DATES:
Anthrax
Jan. 25 Baltimore, MD Daytona's
Jan. 26 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Jan. 27 Detroit, MI Harpo's
Jan. 28 Chicago, IL House of Blues
Jan. 29 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Jan. 31 Denver, CO Fox Theater
Feb. 2 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
Feb. 3 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Theater
Feb. 4 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
Feb. 5 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
Cravin' Melon
Jan. 28 Atlantic Beach, NC Ziggys by the Sea
Jan. 29 Greenville, NC The Attic
Feb. 5 Savannah, GA Riverrox
Robert Cray
Jan. 27 Visalia, CA Fox Theater
Jan. 28 Stockton, CA Fox Theatre
Jan. 29 San Diego, CA 4th & B
Jan. 31 Flagstaff, AZ Procnow Auditorium
Feb. 1 Tucson, AZ Music Hall
Feb. 3 Anaheim, CA Sun Theatre
Feb. 4 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst
Feb. 5 San Rafael, CA Marin Center
Dismemberment Plan
Feb. 3 Carrboro, NC Go Lounge (w/ Alkaline Trio)
Feb. 5 Tallahassee, FL The Down Under/FSU (w/ Alkaline Trio)
Feb. 6 Winterpark, FL DIY records (w/ Alkaline Trio)
Julia Greenberg
Jan. 29 New York, NY Knitting Factory
Guided By Voices / American Flag
Jan. 24 Orlando, FL Sapphire
Jan. 25 Gainesville, FL Covered Dish
Jan. 26 Tallahassee, FL Cow Haus
Ben Harper & Innocent Criminals
Jan. 27 Charleston, NC N. Charleston Performing Arts Center
Jan. 28 Greenville, SC Peace Center
Jan. 29 Charlottesville, VA Traxx
Jan. 31 New Haven, CT The Palace
Feb. 3 Northampton, MA Smith College
Feb. 4 Burlington, VT Memorial Auditorium
Feb. 5 Utica, NY Stanley Performing Arts Center
Feb. 6 Ithaca, NY Cornell University
Richie Hawtin
Jan. 29 Park City, UT Sundance Closing Party
Feb. 3 Ottawa Atomic
Feb. 4 Montreal Sona
Jimmie's Chicken Shack / Sumack
Jan. 25 State College, PA Crowbar
Jan. 26 Detroit, MI Shelter
Jan. 28 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
Jungle Brothers
Jan. 25 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom (w/Alex Gifford of Propellerheads)
Jan. 26 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Jan. 27 Los Angeles, CA Vynyl
Live
Jan. 25 Lycoming College Lamade Gym
Jan. 26 Ottawa, ON Robert Guetrin Arena
Jan. 27 Montreal, QC Molson Centre
Jan. 28 Toronto, ON Maple Leaf Gardens
Jan. 30 Quebec City, QC Colisee De Quebec
Feb. 5 Niagara, NY Niagara Univ. / Gallagher Center
Feb. 6 Coblleskill, NY Suny Cobbleskill / Bouck Gym
Aimee Mann / Michael Penn
Jan. 25 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's 365 Club
Jan. 28 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
Jan. 29 Seattle, WA The Showbox
Feb. 6-7 Annapolis, MD Rams Head Tavern
Pretenders
Jan. 27 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
Jan. 28 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Sunrise Theatre
Jan. 29 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
Jan. 31 Orlando, FL House of Blues
Feb. 1 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
Feb. 3 Austin, TX Music Hall
Feb. 4 Houston, TX Aerial Theatre, Bayou Place
Feb. 5 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Feb. 6 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Squatweiler
Jan. 27 Baltimore, MD The Vault
Stroke 9
Jan. 24 San Diego, CA Cane's
Jan. 25 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Jan. 26 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Theater
Jan. 27 Scottsdale, AZ Cajun House
Jan. 31 Fayetteville, AR Dave's on Dickson
Feb. 1 Jackson, MS Hal & Mal's
Feb. 2 Memphis, TN Newby's
Feb. 3 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Feb. 5 Fern Park, FL The Station
Feb. 6 St. Petersburg, FL State Theater
Feb. 7 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Fu Bar
Stereophonics
Jan. 30 Chicago, IL Double Door
Feb. 1 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Feb. 2 Montreal, QC Molson Centre
Feb. 3 Quebec City, QC Le Colisee
Feb. 5 Sudbury, ON Sudbury Arena
Feb. 6 Thunder Bay, ON Fort Williams Gardens
u-ziq
Feb. 2 New York, NY Bowery
Feb. 4 Detroit, MI Shelter
Feb. 5 Chicago, IL Metro
Feb. 6 Minneapolis, MN Ascot Room
Young Dubliners
Jan 27 San Luis Obispo, CA Mothers Tavern
Jan 28-29 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
---
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