2005, Jan-Mar

The Bamboo Kids; Mondo Topless; Ghetto Ways; Black Tie Revue
@ Trash Bar
Brooklyn, NY – March 26, 2005

A great night of rock n roll at this Williamsburg joint. Pittsburgh’s Black Tie Revue did straight-up garage with an injection of pop hooks. A good singer in the body of a portly bear, and some driving riffs keep this band in the game. The Ghetto Strays screwed up 3 times. They couldn’t hear each other, they still didn’t know their songs. They still rocked the house…blew the roof off the joint. Ironically, some of the songs they messed up were better than the ones they completed. Rip-roaring, Ac/Dc style crunch time rock n roll…you can’t beat that (and a gorgeous guitar player to boot). Though out of New York, the lead singer/drummer seemed more out of the Sublime-era of rock from Southern LA (I lost track of the number of times this surfer-voiced maniac said “Dudes”).
Next was a certain little band from Philly. They are still the greatest band no one knows about. Tighter than ever. And finally, my second go-around with The Bamboo Kids. Still beautifully liberal and political, and still delivering their punk tribute to the 70’s. Carry on, boys.

S.J. Tucker
@ C-Note
New York, NY – March 19, 2005

A friend of The Yarrows, Memphis-based S.J. Tucker is directly inspired by Ani DiFranco and she makes no bones about it. A little self-indulgent with her mic skills, she otherwise has a magnificent voice and the songs are more than adequate.

The Yarrows
@The Fire
Philadelphia, PA – February 26, 2005

My friend Jack’s band has improved leaps and bounds, adding some jangle pop to the repetoire.

Bad Teenage Mustache; The Violets; Emperor City Motorcade
@ Grand St. Bar
Brooklyn, NY - February 2005

A night of local Williamsburg rock. Emperor City Motorcade is an impressive band with a lot of potential, blending the line between hard rock and r & b. The Violets include my friend’s roommate and they blend the line between garage rock and New Wave, both musically and visually, and they showed a lot of promise for a band who was playing with two new members. Bad Teenage Mustace is a terrible acoustic comedy band, pretentious crap to a tee. Horrible.

The Yarrows
@Luna Lounge
New York, NY – January 2005

A band of my friend Jack, the South-Jersey based Yarrows offer ethereal uncontrolled indie pop. The lack of turnout had an effect on the band, but the sound also needs more structure and consistency to feel good. And live music should be about feeling good.