I often will go see a show that I’m very excited about, likely by an artist that I feature repeatedly when I dj, one that regular customers have become familiar with and respond to or ask about because they appeal to them on some level. I’ll return from a show and excitedly tell people about it and I’m invariably met with whines and moans and “why-didn’t-you-tell-me’s” from so many people and I just throw my hands up and say, “I told you about this a long time ago,” as I usually do urge many people to check out upcoming appearances by certain bands I know they like—even emphasizing the urgency in getting tickets in advance if it might sell out or making suggestions like purchasing ahead on ticketweb.com if that would possibly be helpful or more simple a task for some. I really do try to be as much of an assistant or reminder of these things as I possibly can be. Then after the shows I go out to a familiar watering hole, beaming and overjoyed by the performance I’ve just seen and people ask me where I’ve been and I tell them and the whining starts again. I think I’ve been over this before. You snooze you lose. I can’t hold each and every misguided person by the hand and lead them step by step through the relatively simple process of attending a show by a band they really want to see. What seems to be the difficulty here? Does this have something to do with a deep-seated fear of rock and roll? Do people think that to even try to get an advanced ticket to a rock show they’ll have to sleep outside, brave a mosh pit or survive something like the Who concert in Cleveland? Quite often you don’t even have to do it in advance, you can just pay at the door like a movie, and in the ever edifying world of the internet—tickets are literally at your fingertips, you needn’t even leave the safety of your comfy warm room to wait in line at a box office to eventually be basking in the afterglow of witnessing truly great rock and roll in its majestic live form. It is then and only then that I know the real reason I was put on this earth, and it certainly isn’t to procreate. When I see and hear and feel the burn and power of Rock and Roll it envelopes me like The Law, binds me into reverential servitude like a gospel straightjacket, the quest for meaning and purpose is finally over. I ‘m undoubtedly here to rock. I’ve found my higher power and submitted, sponsor-free. Rock is the alpha and omega, the king of all kings and coming up next week is a show with a line-up that could convert the most adamant of non-believers.
Actually it’s a three day event called Sleazefest West which will be hosted by Bottom Of The Hill on February 15, 16 & 17 and is modeled after an annual event that has taken place in Chapel Hill North Carolina since 1993 where a variety of bands of a certain underground, garage-y, psycho-billy, white trash-y hard drinking-hard playing ilk convene for three days of beer, bands and BBQ. Featured line-ups of the past years have boasted an impressive and large number of great bands from all over the states, organized by one of the members of the incredibly appealing rockabilly go-go good time band Southern Culture On The Skids. In bringing the event to San Francisco the scope of talent to be featured has not suffered in the least. All three days have their definite merits but Saturday the 16th has a line-up of bands so good it took my breath away. I immediately bought my ticket through ticketweb.com which I suggest you do too as they event might be selling out at $25 per night, which isn’t really steep considering there are 9 acts playing starting at 4:30 PM. That Saturday night you will be treated to some of the finest rocking outfits currently zig-zaging their way across this or any nation, sleeping on floors and playing their brains out because they just gotta rock. I’ll start at the top of the bill and go down. Dead Moon headlines on this night and they are the legendary trio from the northwest who are made up of a married couple of some 25 years named Fred and Toody and their friend Andrew. Dead Moon were formed in 1987, Fred having been a veteran musician for over twenty years previous in a variety of not completely unheard of psychedelic bands, garage bands, cover bands, punk bands and the owner of the independent Tombstone Records, known for having their very own 1954 presto mono-disc cutter with which they created their own vinyl releases at home. Talk about in it for life!
Dead Moon have a defining psychedelic garage-band sound with a sort of spooky foreboding darkness and edginess. It might seem simple but when the three of them kick in, it’s a monster of a big sound and highly influential. Tonight will be my first chance to see them live.
Before them will be Riverside California’s finest, The Bellrays. Voted Best LA Band a few years ago by The LA Weekly, this kick ass combo comes flailing at you in a definite unhinged Stooges, MC5 kind of style with a bit of hard blues as well matched up with Lisa Kekaula’s spellbinding soulful and tough as nails voice. I’m hard-pressed to think of a more exciting vocalist currently singing in any band. I get goosebumps just thinking about her past performances. The last time I caught the Bellrays there seemed to have been a major change in their line-up and it was clear something was out of place. I’m curious to see if that show was a temporary abberation and perhaps tonight will be a return to form. At their most potent the Bellrays are pure “maximum rock and soul” salvation.
Before that are Cincinatti’s garage/sixties british northern soul-influenced outfit The Greenhornes, whose latest LP is getting loads of great reviews and just about every time I spin it someone always comes up to ask who it is. Recently Jack White of The White Stripes named them as one of his top five bands of the year and they’ve toured in support of the stripes extensively. There latest release is just such a joyous rocking good time with some of the finest organ playing I’ve heard this side of The Now Time Delegation record. The Greenhornes pull together a real smart cohesive sound firmly influenced by the mid-sixties yet very much in the present with a head full steam. I bet this band will tear it up live.
Prior to that is a really fun band and another shining example of the two-people-is-enough theory that has prompted a new proliferation of bands comprised of just two people yet creating a sound that is plenty full and an attitude that’s plucky enough to challenge any naysayer. Bantam Rooster hail from Lansing Michigan and have three cds to their credit, the most recent being the appropriately titled “Fuck All Y’all”. They create a raw visceral stripped down but turned up rocking punk blues type of sound. I sense a lot of passion from these two players, like two people who throw their whole being into their music. I can almost guess that some lines must be delivered while on their knees, and when their set is over they’re wet and winded.
Before the rooster plays we’ve got a young Atlanta-based combo that I’m very excited about seeing as well because like all of the bands I’ve mentioned so far, The Forty Fives are in heavy rotation on my DJ shifts, arousing a healthy share of queries as well. Their debut release, Let’s Get It Together, is a surprisingly tight and hooky assault with definite nods to many british invasion influences as well as some pure american rock monuments like Chuck Berry and MC5. Again, the presence of an organ, in this case a well pounded hammond, really adds such a swinging infectious dimension to their sound, which is very complete for such seemingly young-looking individuals with only one longplayer under their belts. Anticipate another kick ass and cocky set from these guys.
There are four more bands on this days line-up that I’m not as familiar with, Bad Checks (apparent pioneers in the genre of “sleaze-a-billy”), Throw Rag (no strangers to past Sleazefests) The Vaticans (some friendly folks who are possibly locals), and Billy Joe Winghead.
Good thing theres gonna be BBQ there because it’s gonna take a bit more nourishment then the usual drugs and alcohol to get thru this one. And just think, there are two more days of this. That almost aint right.