recommended gigs

Friday Dec 30 - the Psyatics, The Swank Bastards, the Pluralses, Jerk, Three Rounds at the Double Down
Friday Dec 30 - DJ's the Early Birds at the Golden Tiki
Friday Dec 30 - Green Jelly, Time Crashers, Cirka Sik at the Dive Bar

Saturday Dec 31 - Midnight Clover at Adrenaline
Saturday Dec 31 - Johnny Zig and the Highlighters at the Double Down
Saturday Dec 31 - the Van der Rohe at the Cornish Pastry Company (Charleston and Main)
Saturday Dec 31 - the Rhyolite Sound at the Rusty Spur
Saturday Dec 31 - Cheap Trick at the Foundry at SLS
Saturday Dec 31 - the All Togethers at Rebel Republic

Wednesday Jan 4 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down with La Dominiki

Friday Jan 6 - 3d6, Lambs to Lions, Radio Silence, the Wreckless at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 7 - the Super Zeroes and Candy Warpop at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 14 - The Bitters and the Swank Bastards at Money Plays
Saturday Jan 14 - the Heebie Jeebies and Dirt City 3 at the Golden Tiki

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics at Backstage Bar and Billiards
Friday Jan 20 - Squidhat anniversary show at the Double Down with Franks'n'Deans, Wolfhounds, Quitters, Attack Ships on Fire

Saturday Jan 21 - Squidhat anniversary show at the Double Down with Surrounded by Thieves, the Damnit Jims, Venomous Pinks, the People's Whiskey, Hit Me Baby

Friday Jan 27 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

Thursday Feb 16 - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Hard Rock

Friday Mar 3 - the Darts at the Bunkhouse with Weird Omen, the Electric Children and the Acid Sisters

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse

Thursday April 6 - Zeke with Nashville Pussy at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

Thursday Sept 7 - Sept 10 - Big Blues Bender at the Plaza

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

recommended gigs

Friday Dec 23 - Franks'n'Deans and the Quitters at the Hard Rock Cafe

Friday Dec 30 - the Psyatics, The Swank Bastards, the Pluralses, Jerk, Three Rounds at the Double Down
Friday Dec 30 - DJ's the Early Birds at the Golden Tiki
Friday Dec 30 - Green Jelly, Time Crashers, Cirka Sik at the Dive Bar

Saturday Dec 31 - Midnight Clover at Adrenaline
Saturday Dec 31 - Johnny Zig and the Highlighters at the Double Down
Saturday Dec 31 - the Van der Rohe at the Cornish Pastry Company (Charleston and Main)
Saturday Dec 31 - the Rhyolite Sound at the Rusty Spur
Saturday Dec 31 - Cheap Trick at the Foundry at SLS

Wednesday Jan 4 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down with La Dominiki

Saturday Jan 14 - The Bitters and the Swank Bastards at Money Plays
Saturday Jan 14 - the Heebie Jeebies and Dirt City 3 at the Golden Tiki

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics at Backstage Bar and Billiards
Friday Jan 20 - Squidhat anniversary show at the Double Down with Franks'n'Deans, Wolfhounds, Quitters, Attack Ships on Fire

Saturday Jan 21 - Squidhat anniversary show at the Double Down with Surrounded by Thieves, the Damnit Jims, Venomous Pinks, the People's Whiskey, Hit Me Baby

Friday Jan 27 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

Thursday Feb 16 - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Hard Rock

Friday Mar 3 - the Darts at the Bunkhouse with Weird Omen, the Electric Children and the Acid Sisters

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse

Thursday April 6 - Zeke with Nashville Pussy at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

recommended gigs

Saturday Dec 17 - the Bitters with the Fat Dukes of Fuck with 3d6 at the Dive Bar

Friday Dec 23 - Franks'n'Deans and the Quitters at the Hard Rock Cafe

Friday Dec 30 - the Psyatics, The Swank Bastards, the Pluralses, Jerk, Three Rounds at the Double Down

Saturday Dec 31 - Midnight Clover at Adrenaline
Saturday Dec 31 - Johnny Zig and the Highlighters at the Double Down

Wednesday Jan 4 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down with La Dominiki

Saturday Jan 14 - The Bitters and the Swank Bastards at Money Plays
Saturday Jan 14 - the Heebie Jeebies and Dirt City 3 at the Golden Tiki

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics at Backstage Bar and Billiards
Friday Jan 20 - Squidhat anniversary show at the Double Down with Franks'n'Deans, Wolfhounds, Quitters, Attack Ships on Fire

Saturday Jan 21 - Squidhat anniversary show at the Double Down with Surrounded by Thieves, the Damnit Jims, Venomous Pinks, the People's Whiskey, Hit Me Baby

Friday Jan 27 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

Thursday Feb 16 - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Hard Rock

Friday Mar 3 - the Darts at the Bunkhouse with Weird Omen, the Electric Children and the Acid Sisters

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse

Thursday April 6 - Zeke with Nashville Pussy at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

TV Party Tonight with the premier of Atomic Punks (the movie) with the Psyatics at the Double Down Thursday Dec 8, 2016

TV Party Tonight is a monthly movie night at the legendary Double Down Saloon, where you get to watch quality movies with a number of your closest - or at least drunkest - friends. This evening was the world premier of B-Movie Atomic Punks, which features many members of the Las Vegas punk scene, including Rob and Jack from the Psyatics. It has a roughly post-apocalyptic theme, with a fairly vague plot revolving around a trio of punk rock chicks and their adventures. Lots of fights, murders, maiming, blood and "guts" - and some amazing Terry Gilliam-esque animation from Rob - as well as interviews with the actors - acting as actors (yes, it can be a little confusing) - explaining the "shortcomings" of the film. Of course, watching in a crowded bar means that you don't really catch the minutia and all - or even most - of the dialogue, so I'm not really sure what all happened, but it was pretty damn entertaining regardless!

After the film, there was some movie trivia and give-aways and then a terrific set from local garage greats, the Psyatics. Yes, yes, yes, I rave about these cats probably more than anyone else on this blog, but they are one of my fave bands in town and they do keep getting better. This was a pretty smokin' set, with everyone drunkenly animated (or was that just me?) but playing spot-on with their excellent garage/punk numbers, and closing with their own take on the Velvet's "I Can't Stand It Any More".

Great night all around, although the dispensary next to the DD is bumming me out by taking up much needed parking spaces. I hope that they can expand into the big parking lot next door that was, unfortunately, locked up this evening. Anyway, tons of fun regardless!

recommended gigs

Thursday Dec 8 - movie premier of Atomic Punks at the Double Down with live music by the Psyatics
Thursday Dec 8 - Big Sandy, Delta Bombers, Rhyolite Sound, the Polecat Trio at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday Dec 9 - The Jigsaw Seen with the Van der Rohe and New York Junk at the Dive Bar
Friday Dec 9 - Super Zeroes, Johnny Zig and the Highlighters, Orange Blossom Special at the Double Down

Saturday Dec 10 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki
Saturday Dec 10 - Durango 66 at the Double Down
Saturday Dec 10 - Water Landing and Dr Phobic and the Phobic-Tones at Adrenaline
Satu Dec 10 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday Dec 17 - the Bitters with the Fat Dukes of Fuck with 3d6 at the Dive Bar

Friday Dec 23 - Franks'n'Deans and the Quitters at the Hard Rock Cafe

Friday Dec 30 - the Psyatics, The Swank Bastards, the Pluralses, Jerk, Three Rounds at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 14 - The Bitters and the Swank Bastards at Money Plays
Saturday Jan 14 - the Heebie Jeebies and Dirt City 3 at the Golden Tiki

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday Jan 27 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

Thursday Feb 16 - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Hard Rock

Friday Mar 3 - the Darts at the Bunkhouse with Weird Omen, the Electric Children and the Acid Sisters

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse

Thursday April 6 - Zeke with Nashville Pussy at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

well shit, RIP Greg Lake

Greg Lake dead aged 69: Lead singer of King Crimson and Emerson loses battle with cancer 
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He should be memorialized just for "21st Century Schizoid Man", if nothing else. Sad...

Classic Blues Artwork From the 1920's - Calendar/CD

I've been collecting these educational and informative calendars for a number of years now and always dig the excellent selections of blues rarities on the accompanying CD. The calendar is packed with amazing photos and artwork from the musicians and their record labels and the recordings include some of the rarest (along with some easier-to-find numbers) ditties around.

Of course, being this early, there are a lot of solo acoustic blues included, such as the upbeat "Cottonfield Blues" (Parts 1 and 2) by Garfield Akers, Jed Davenport's instro take on the much-covered "How Long, How Long Blues" which also includes some exceptional harmonica, the legendary Memphis Minnie makes a couple of appearances, including the sassy title cut, Frank Palmes performs with just his voice and harp on "Ain't Gonna Lay My "ligion Down", the mythical Charlie Patton adds "Lord I'm Discouraged" (a nice, clean recording, as some of his numbers are pretty scratchy these days), Blind Leroy Garnett plays some fine boogie-woogie piano in "Louisiana Glide" and the moody master Skip James gives some fantastic playing and uniquely high pitched moans on "Illinois Blues".

Blind Joe Reynolds gets a bit preachy in his excellent, upbeat rag "Nehi Blues" (railing against "knee high" dresses on women), the always great Big Bill Broonzy goes under the last name Johnson for "I Can't Be Satisfied", Joe Williams tries to capture Satan in "Mr. Devil Blues" (guitar/harp workout), there's a bit of country honk in the Mobile Strugglers fiddle-led "Fattenin' Frogs", Blind Willie Johnson's acoustic guitar gospel "Let Your Light Shine On Me" gives his unique take on this famous number, Blind Gussie Nesbit continues in this gruff, gospel style for "I'll Just Wring My Hands and Cry" and  "Motherless Children", and Memphis Minnie returns with her superior guitar work in her sexy hit "Bumble Bee".

Garnett makes a piano comeback in "Chain 'Em Down", Reynolds' "Outside Woman Blues" is the number made famous by Cream in Disraeli Gears (I love hearing the originals of these songs that we've heard for decades), Skip James (speaking of Cream covering old blues artists) comes back with "Yola My Blues Away", Patton gives us "I'm Going Home", Broonzy joins Frank Braswell (as "The Western Kid") for "The Western Blues", the Strugglers retain their country charm in "Memphis Blues", and Ishman Bracey ends the set with two haunting solo acoustic numbers, "Woman Woman Blues" and "Suit Case Full of Blues".

As I said, I love these collections and this is no exception. Always worth getting for the great music and cool calendar!

I Believe To My Soul

I am not familiar with producer Joe Henry but apparently this 2005 recording was his attempt to revive the careers of soul greats Allen Toussaint, Mavis Staples, Billy Preston, Ann Pebbles and Irma Thomas. Not quite sure how I stumbled upon this one, myself, but these artists are legendary and always deserve a chance at a new audience.

Mavis Staples is, of course, the lead (female) vocalist for the great soul/gospel combo the Staple Singers. She has continued her career with a solo album recently and here she gives a fine, passionate performance on the gospel classic "You Must Have That True Religion". I have been a big fan of Billy Preston's since first discovering his work in the late 60's/early 70's and he is in great voice here and his keyboard work is solid, as well, but the song is nothing exceptional, unfortunately. Ann Pebbles gives a soulful take on Bob Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You", Irma Thomas gets funky in a Sly Stone kinda way for "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" and shows that she still has an excellent set of pipes and Allen Toussaint gives an updated New Orleans groove and cool keys to "Mi Amour".

Mavis' "Keep On Pushing" is like a laid back Staple Singers track, there's some wah-wah funkiness in Preston's "As One", Irma's "Loving Arms" is a soulful ballad, Toussaint's "Riverboat" gives a nod to :Proud Mary" (or was it the other way around?) as a soul/jazz/blues, Preston gives some superb, churchy organ to Staples' "That's Enough", Toussaint returns for some groovy piano work in the jazzy instro "Turvalon", Ann gives another mellow ballad in "When the Candle Burns Low" and the CD concludes with Toussaint's positive message "We Are One".

While this is a great concept, it really doesn't come off as good as it could have. Partly the extraordinarily laid back (and sometimes pretty lackluster) material and partially the mellow production, there is not a lot of excitement here, which is a shame as these performers have all been incredibly exciting in their times. Not really something to recommend, unfortunately. Nice packaging and booklet, though!

Jimi Hendrix - Freedom

This CD documents the Jimi Hendrx Experience (in this case Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell) at the Atlanta Pop Festival, where they performed on the 4th of July in 1970. Jimi had gone through numerous changes since the break up of the original Experience (with Noel Redding on bass) and had tried other line-ups (Band of Gypsies with Buddy Miles and Cox was his current LP at this time) and studio musicians before reverting to his tried'n'true trio. On this recording Hendrix varies from his usual brilliance to, frankly, fairly sloppy. This would be his last American performance as he would be dead in a matter of weeks.

Here he starts blazingly strong with a fierce rendition of "Fire" and, after a moment of tuning and fairly incomprehensible banter, a rockin' take on his riff-laden "Lover Man" (with its "Flight of the Bumblebee" solo). "Spanish Castle Magic" has a cool, psychedelic solo section, "Red House" is given a lengthy blues jam with some spectacular playing, "Room Full of Mirrors" is a little disjointed (though still some fine soloing from Jimi), but "Hear My Train A'Comin'" is damn good and CD 1 closes with a solid, if not spectacular, "Message to Love".

Disc two gets off to a bit of a shakey start with a kind of ragged version of "All Along the Watchtower" - Jimi even begins in the wrong key and forgets some words - and he seems a bit unsure in "Freedom", although Billy and Mitch are on point. He comes back with a ferociously powerful "Foxey Lady" (listen to that guitar tone!) that is a highlight of the set and then, after an odd false start of the "Star Spangled Banner", he blasts into a strong rendition of the classic "Purple Haze" that includes some stellar solo work. "Hey Joe" lacks a bit of spark, though is fine, and after seemingly forgetting the intro for a second, "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" is about as good as it gets as Jimi works out one of his - obviously - favorite guitar showcases. His voice kinda strains in the speedy take on "Stone Free", though the extended psychedelic solo is rockin' and slides into his beautifully, anarchically noisy  "Star Spangled Banner" (which apparently was accompanied by fireworks at this show) which then blends into a cool, jammy take on "Straight Ahead".

I wouldn't say that this was essential or one of his best live sets, but I cherish any new Hendrix releases and am grateful that so much was recorded. Always a pleasure to hear this genius at work.

RIP Van Williams

Green Hornet Star Van Williams Dies At Age 82
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Damn - I loved the Green Hornet!

recommended gigs

Friday Dec 2 - Benefit for Pipeline Protestors at 11th Street Records

Sunday Dec 4 - Howlin' King Crawdad at Saddles'n'Spurs
Sunday Dec 4 - the Burly-Q Revue at the Double Down with Miranda Glamour and Johnny Zig and the Highlighters

Wednesday Dec 7 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast

Thursday Dec 8 - movie premier of Atomic Punks at the Double Down with live music by the Psyatics
Thursday Dec 8 - Big Sandy, Delta Bombers, Rhyolite Sound, the Polecat Trio at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday Dec 9 - The Jigsaw Seen with the Van der Rohe and New York Junk at the Dive Bar
Friday Dec 9 - Super Zeroes, Johnny Zig and the Highlighters, Orange Blossom Special at the Double Down

Saturday Dec 10 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki
Saturday Dec 10 - Durango 66 at the Double Down
Saturday Dec 10 - Water Landing and Dr Phobic and the Phobic-Tones at Adrenaline
Satu Dec 10 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday Dec 17 - the Bitters with the Fat Dukes of Fuck with 3d6 at the Dive Bar

Friday Dec 23 - Franks'n'Deans and the Quitters at the Hard Rock Cafe

Friday Dec 30 - the Psyatics, The Swank Bastards, the Pluralses, Jerk, Three Rounds at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 14 - The Bitters and the Swank Bastards at Money Plays
Saturday Jan 14 - the Heebie Jeebies and Dirt City 3 at the Golden Tiki

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

Thursday Feb 16 - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the Hard Rock

Friday Mar 3 - the Darts at the Bunkhouse with Weird Omen, the Electric Children and the Acid Sisters

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse

Thursday April 6 - Zeke with Nashville Pussy at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

What have I forgotten? Lemme know