2005, Apr-Jun

Blanche; The Ditty Bops
@ Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ – June 11, 2005

Another solid night from Blanche. It amazes me how a band can be so tight, so solid, and not sound programmed. Every second of a Blanche performance is authentic, honest, and downright raw. Also, this night will be remembered as being very special to me, as I hung out with the band after the show….so yes, that makes a bias for this review but so what? It’s Blanche dammit. Also, when (not if) you go see Blanche, pick up a pack of Blanche trading cards. It’s good for what ails ya. The Ditty Bops did an incredibly smart thing. They completely changed their show. A brand new set list of different songs from the previous gig (including playing the excellent “Sister Kate”), and a different, opposite look – adorable slacks with suspenders and ties.

Blanche; The Ditty Bops; Missy Higgins
@ Mercury Lounge
New York, NY – June 9, 2005

Last year’s winner for Best Artist, Best Album, and Best New Artist, Blanche returned to New York with new songs in tow, all of which sound great (“What This Town Needs”, “World’s Largest Crucifix”, “Child in the Moon”, and “As Long As I Can Quit”). A lot more loose and relaxed than their performances last year, the Blanche band were still musically tight, but had much more warm stage presence. And just let it be known, that when Feeny begins his church-like invocation for “Someday”, it’s just about the sweetest thing you’re ever going to hear. The Ditty Bops’ strongest appeal is that they are incredibly cute. Amanda and Abby ride the crowd with their sheer adorableness. Contrast that with the fact that these toothpick chicks had barely any clothes on. Their brand of Dixielandish Jazz is also incredibly cute but it doesn’t feel gimmicky. The slow indie pop ballads are structured too well, and they get dull, but when this little quartet swings, it gets hot fast. And the harmonies are beyond outstanding. The prop stuff was cute also. Missy Higgins is an Australian balladeer who also suffers/benefits from being cute, but in a more contemporary and innocent sort of way. Her songs aren’t very original, but her 50% Beth Orton, 25% Alicia Keyes, 25% Vanessa Carlton thing actually works. Her voice, which sounds disturbingly exactly like Orton at times and other times like Carlton (but Ms. Higgins can actually hold notes and sound good, unlike Ms. Carlton)…is marvelous. This kid just needs to keep on playing.

The Violets
@ Lucky Cat
Brooklyn, NY – May 7, 2005

Tighter and crisper even more than last time, this band can be the future of New York rock n roll. “No More Meat” is the best song in their arsenal, but the others that have the crunchy riffs, is what give them the punch they need. Their New Wave-ish balladry is also substantive, and the Cure-Meets-Angus Young look of the lead singer/guitar player is good for image, but his mic chatter is excessive. All in all, this band has got it going on.



The Dirtbombs; Ghetto Ways
@ Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ – May 1, 2005

Now this is how it is meant to be. Headlining, dominating the show at the top, the planets align and all is right with the world, when Mick Collins leads the charge of rock, garage, punk, soul, rhythm & blues. Ko Melina Zydeco and Troy Gregory slapping the bass like guitars from hell…while Benjamin Blackwell and Patrick J. Patano pound their drums in an unhuman cohesion…except when they are going apeshit to their own tunes. Above all there is Mick. When the shades come on, the pleasant, genial UNIX programmer turns into King Slick, Mr. Cool, without actually changing his personality. It’s a persona, not an alter ego. Possessing the most soulful voice of any rock n roller in generations, surpassing the voice of Jimi Hendrix while paying concise but not overelaborate tribute to his clear inspiration (see the playing with the teeth and behind the head), no one sounds quite like Mick. Others have the octive range…but no one can hold the note in each and every octive like Mick can. Playing virtually the same setlist from Thursday, the Dbombs snuck in a full, complete, and crisp version of “Motor City Baby”, and totally rampaged the sonic temple at Maxwell’s with non-album tracks like “My Love For You”, “Here Comes That Sound Again”, and “The Sharpest Claws”. Above all the songs they played from Thursday and again on this night, the one to focus on is “Stop”. Why? This is the song, in a just and right world, that would be a smash number 1 hit from coast to coast: a soulful ballad of heartbreak, the amazing vocals, garage rock riffs, harmonies, and guitar solos. You can’t beat that.
I saw opening act Ghetto Ways (I finally get the name haha) a few weeks ago with Mondo Topless and this time they didn’t screw up their songs. A solid, hard-hitting band, they’d make great openers for Ac/Dc.

The Forty-Fives; Jennifer Gentle; Capitol Years
@Knitting Factory
New York, NY – April 29, 2005

A late night show with no crowd and some problems. First act the Capitol Years had great garage riffs but mediocre follow through, and shitty ballads. Second act Jennifer Gentle was a terribly boring band that played bad jingle rock. Headliners the Forty-Fives are a great garage rock band from Atlanta, known via Little Steven’s playing of “Daddy Rolling Stone”. The problem here was the sound set-up. We couldn’t hear the fine vocals or the crunchy riffs…so if you didn’t know the band, you’d be more than disappointed.

The Raveonettes; The Dirtbombs; The Organ
@ Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY – April 28, 2005

Probably because of getting national airplay on Little Steven, more records sold, and having appeared on national TV here in the States, the Raveonettes headlined this consummate rock show in Brooklyn, but anyone with half a sense of rock n roll knows the Dirtbombs deserve top billing. Let’s face it, there’s only about 10 acts in the World who should get top billing above the Dirtbombs, and the Raveonettes ain’t one of them…so as far as this writer is concerned, this was a double bill show. But don’t take my word for it. The crowd, in a scene unlike any I have ever witnessed before, demanded an encore…from the penultimate act! We didn’t get one, and the Raveonettes were good doing their thing, but everyone knew who ruled the show (I could hear latecomers being greeted by their friends “You missed an awesome band”). Pumping out “Get It While You Can”, “Ode to a Black Man”, “Stop” and “Candy Ass” among other delights, Mick Collins and co. remain, arguably, the greatest thing in the world today. And I’ll even forgive Mick for bumping into me and not saying sorry. The Raveonettes, meanwhile, proved once for all what they are: Jesus and Mary Chain if they were produced by Phil Spector. This means it’s great music…but again, they were overshadowed. And the opening act, an all-girl quintet called The Organ, also were a direct reproduction of an 80’s pop act: Morrissey and The Smiths. Which means they were also quite good…but how excited can you get?