The Unwieldies and Melanie and the Midnite Marauders at the Huntridge Tavern, Friday Jan 27, 2017

The Huntridge Tavern is always a good time - good location, great people (thanks, Kate!), cheap drinks and a relaxed atmosphere. They don't have live music regularly and when they do the bands set up in a tiny alcove in from of the juke box, but it's a fun, intimate setting, guaranteed to please!

This evening was the first show for Melanie and the Midnite Marauders in a few months and it was a cool place to drunkenly dust off the musical cobwebs. The crowd was in the midst of a change over as we played - the folks who came for an early evening libation leaving and the ones who came for the show arriving - but those who were there seemed to dig our take on high energy honky tonk. (Thanks Nikki for the pix, as usual!)

Good friends and terrific musicians, the Unwieldies joined us for the evening serenading the crowd - who grew considerably as the night wore on - with their excellent, original folk/torch songs and unexpected covers like "Billie Jean" (and in a very odd coincidence, one of the TV screens in the bar had a story about tennis player Billie Jean King showing as the Unwieldies played this song). Dani's sweet, lilting voice blends with Rob's more gruffly melodic tones for a nice harmonic mix while Jack adds violin and Richard plays the dobro to round out the sound. One of the best and most talented acoustic acts you're likely to see, they play regularly throughout the Vegas area and have a couple top notch CDs out.

Thanks again to the Huntridge crew for hosting us and to everyone who came out!

recommended gigs

Friday Jan 27 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with the Unwieldies at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project
Saturday Jan 28 - Memorial for Joni Mackin at the Double Down with Agent 86, Sector 7-G, Super Zeroes, William Neal

Monday Jan 30 - Leopold and His Fiction with the Acid Sisters at the Bunkhouse

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar
Wednesday Feb 1 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday Feb 3 - Trevor Johnson, Barry Levenson and Al Ek at the Sand Dollar

Wednesday Feb 8 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with the Sin Eaters and the Punknecks at the Dive Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Feb 10 - Turbo's birthday at the Double Down with Durango 66 and Stormtroopers of Dirk

Sunday Feb 12 - Civilians at the Dive Bar

Tues Feb 14 - Zach Ryan's Valentine's Sock Hop featuring members of Shanda and the Howlers, the Million Dollar Quartet, the Acid Sisters and the Clydesdale

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

Friday Feb 17 - The Swamp Gospel with Franks'n'Deans and Easter at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 17 - Mustard Plug and the Phenomenauts with Alan Six at the Dive Bar
Friday Feb 17 - the Psyatics and the Electric Ferrets at the Double Down

Saturday Feb 18 - 3d6, Geezus Cyrst and Free Beer, Stagnetti's Cock, Sector 7-G at the Double Down

Sunday Feb 19 - the Nots (Memphis all female band - friends of the Gizmos!) at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Mar 1 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with Shanda and the Howlers at the Double Down sittin' in for Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast

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

Saturday Mar 11 - Durango 66 at the Double Down

Tuesday Mar 14 - Big Sandy and the Fly Right Boys, Wayne Hancock and the Rhyolite Sound at the Dive Bar

Friday Mar 17 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday Mar 18 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Mar 25 - Fear and the Unholy Sounds of Damnation at the Dive Bar
Saturday Mar 25 - Thee Swank Bastards daytime show in Boulder City

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

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

Saturday April 22 - Durango 66 at the Golden Tiki

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

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

bummer - RIP Butch Trucks

Allman Brothers Band Drummer Butch Trucks Dies
 ---

Goddamn it - one of the coolest guys from one of the coolest groups ever

Mott The Hoople bassist, Overend Watts, dies 
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The Sonics, The Van der Rohe, The Swamp Gospel and Self Abuse at Backstage Bar & Billiards Fri Jan 20, 2017

A fun rock'n'roll diversion was certainly needed after a long, rainy, depressing Friday and the Sonics at BBB were there to provide it!

Opening the night with a blast of 80's punk rock power were Las Vegas' own Self Abuse. Formed in 1982, original members Anthony (drums) and Sean (guitar) they now include Vegas punk-about-town Ruckus on bass and Riley on vocals. They do a melodic pre-hardcore punk rock'n'roll with solid playing all around and great vocals. I don't listen to a lot of "punk rock" these days, but really enjoyed them. Nice guys too! (Thanks for sharing drums!)

The Swamp Gospel went on next and had a few too many technical difficulties (both Lenny and myself) but still had a fine time preachin'n'ramblin' to the crowd! Thanks to everyone who made it out early and who had their souls cleansed with our rock'n'roll. (Thanks to Ron Hudy for the cool photos of us!)

Van der Rohe guitarist Cromm just graduated from college and as his graduation gift was given the chance to open for the Sonics! Not a bad present at all! These youngsters are garage rock masters who mix in terrific covers (Q65, the Fabs) with a batch of excellent, 60's styled originals. I've dug Cromm's manic guitar style in his various combos (Acton Town, Astaires and more), Noland is a wildman on the bass, Will has a great r'n'r voice and Omar's drumming is powerfully snappy and helps to keep the chaos together. Certainly an appropriate combo to open for....

The Sonics! Certainly one of the most famous, pivotal and influential garage bands of all time, they now only include one original member, sax/harp player Rob, but have and incredible singer in their bassist Freddie (ex of Sonics peers the Kingsmen, among others), the terrific Dusty on drums and Jake (Lords of Altamont, Bomboras, Fuzztones, many others) and Evan (Boss Martians) on guitar. Not quite the same as when we played with them a few years ago with original guitar and keys Larry and Gerry, but this "new" line up has gelled nicely and were incredibly rockin' this night. 

Their set was super solid, opening with "Cinderella" and running through old and newer tunes: "Shot Down", "C'mon Everybody" (think that Eddie Cochran tune is a new addition), "Sugarlee", "Have Love Will Travel", (I noticed that Evan was mixing up the guitar tones from cleanish to downright dirty and super heavy), Jake got to sing one that I didn't recognize but had shout-along "heys" (he pounded out electric piano as well as organ), Dusty had some drum issues as well, but was fantastic all night, then into "You Got Your Head On Backwards" with Rob singing and playing harp, "Bad Betty", "Keep A'Knockin'", "Louie Louie" (Even did an excellent job singing their definitive version of this classic), "Hard Way", "Boss Hoss", "Money", "Little Sister", "He's Waiting" (Jake singing), "Lucille", and ending the set with the amazing "Psycho". Back for an encore of "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Strychnine" and their first single, "The Witch"!

Super fun night all around! Thanks to Danielle, Big Daddy Carlos, BBB and the Sonics for a great rock'n'roll night - and thanks to everyone for coming out and damn near packin' the place!

recommended gigs

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics with the Swamp Gospel, Van der Rohe and Self Abuse 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 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with the Unwieldies at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project
Saturday Jan 28 - Memorial for Joni Mackin at the Double Down with Agent 86, Sector 7-G, Super Zeroes, William Neal

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar
Wednesday Feb 1 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday Feb 3 - Trevor Johnson, Barry Levenson and Al Ek at the Sand Dollar

Wednesday Feb 8 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with the Sin Eaters and the Punknecks at the Dive Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl
Friday Feb 10 - Turbo's birthday at the Double Down with Durango 66 and Stormtroopers of Dirk

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

Friday Feb 17 - The Swamp Gospel with Franks'n'Deans and Easter at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 17 - Mustard Plug and the Phenomenauts with Alan Six at the Dive Bar
Friday Feb 17 - the Psyatics and the Electric Ferrets at the Double Down

Saturday Feb 18 - 3d6, Geezus Cyrst and Free Beer, Stagnetti's Cock, Sector 7-G at the Double Down

Sunday Feb 19 - the Nots (Memphis all female band - friends of the Gizmos!) at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Mar 1 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with Shanda and the Howlers at the Double Down sittin' in for Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast

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

Tuesday Mar 14 - Big Sandy and the Fly Right Boys, Wayne Hancock and the Rhyolite Sound at the Dive Bar

Saturday Mar 18 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Mar 25 - the Coathangers at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Mar 25 - Fear and the Unholy Sounds of Damnation at the Dive Bar

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

Sunday April 9 - the Damned at the House of Blues

Saturday April 22 - Durango 66 at the Golden Tiki

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

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

The Havishams - self titled CD

My old buddy and ex-Tommyknockers drummer Roger Ward is the driving force for the Havishams, joined by John Ebert on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Virag on lead guitar, and Tim Hopmeier on bass and backing vocals. This combo specializes in their own form of mid-west, fuzz-rendered garage rock'n'roll and this is a terrifically rockin' debut!

Roger pounds'n'pummels his drums behind power-chord rockers like "Everything's Going Wrong", "Tomorrow's Yesterday" (cool bass runs and feedback/sustained guitar work) and "Coming Back to Life". This group is a variation on former St. Louis combos that Roger has worked with, the Nevermores and Thee Lordly Serpents, and the tunes smoke with similar ferocity. "Real Cool Time" (not the Stooges tune) continues in this vein, "No Solution" is more power-pop in the style of the Creation, they bring in Sam Steinig for keys on "Stella"(great guitar and organ solos!), fuzz riffs dominate "Out With the In Crowd" (kind of a variation on Sam the Sham's "In With the Out Crowd"), "No No No" is a cover that I don't recognize but fits in perfectly here, "All Night Long" is a hip call'n'answer number, there's an ode to absinthe in "Green Fairy", Roger takes lead vox for the 60's cover "So Sad" and they close by rockin' out Otis Redding's "Security".

More great garage rock'n'roll from Roger'n'John - definitely grab this or download it and if you're in the mid-west, be sure to check 'em out!

Mr. Airplane Man - Moanin'

Most likely I stumbled upon Mr. Airplane Man by the miracle of modern technology, Facebook. Sympathy For the Record Industry put out this record as well as several others so it's quite likely that Long Gone John posted something about them at some point or another - or it could have been someone from their home town of Boston. Regardless, always good to discover something modern and cool.

The two women that make up MAM (no idea what the group name references, if anything), Margaret on guitar and vocals and Tara on drums and backing vox, create a bluesy stew of Howlin' Wolf, Mississippi Fred McDowell and the Velvet Underground in a minimalistic way - this sounds like it was essentially recorded live, which means it is sparse and open, without the benefit of added instruments.

Most of the record is slow'n'moody, with Margaret providing some cool slide guitar work here'n'there and Tara keeping the backbeat leisurely, without much urgency. There are some exceptions, of course, with "Uptight" being a bit more upbeat'n'noisy, without being raucous, though it does build into a fuzzy, shriekin' pounder. The ladies cover Howlin' Wold twice - the title tune as well as "Commit a Crime" (deconstructed into their own style) and McDowell a couple times, as well - "Sun Sinkin' Low" and his take on "Jesus Is On The Mainline".

I appreciate the fuzz'n'slide and screamin', but they specialize in dynamics - kind of a necessity for a duo, as they are limited otherwise. Tunes like "Very Bad Feeling" are melodically melancholy in more of a VU than bluesy style, as is the Eccentrics "Podunk Holler", which also has some nice call'n'answer vocals from the duo as well as the closer, "W*nderin'", which almost sounds like Mazzy Star or Dream Syndicate when Kendra would sing.

I really enjoy this CD, although I have to say that something doesn't grab me 100%. I think it is simply the fact that the sound does jump from noisy blues to ethereal, dreamy tunes - both done well, but pretty disparate, so not a consistent listening experience. That said, I'd still recommend checking these ladies out!

The Heebie Jeebies and the Dirt City 3 at the Golden Tiki, Saturday Jan 14, 2017

It's not often that I get out for acts that I haven't heard and don't know, but this year has been kinda quiet on the live music front for me and I needed some sonic medicine after an insane week at work. Described as two garage bands, I did a little research and heard some tuneage and dug what I discovered and made the trek across town to the Golden Tiki. The good Professor Rex Dart was spinning some quality discs, as he does numerous nights at the Tiki, and we chatted a bit between turntables before Flagstaff, Arizona's Heebie Jeebies hit the miniscule stage.

This young foursome (I'm guessing early 20's, though I'm pretty bad at guessing these days) play stripped down but loud garage punk with nicely noisey guitar and a minimalisticly rockin' rhythm section. The singer, sporting a groovy MC5 denim jacket, was highly animated, rarely standing still, lying on the floor, climbing on the drums, out in the audience and generally bouncin' around like a maniac. Their slowest song was their most anarchistic, with everyone flailing about and the drums being attacked by falling band members. There is definitely a garage element, but also a cool early punk/no wave vibe to the sound. I picked up their cassette tape - gimick-y, yes, but appropriate for their sound - and it is incredibly lo-fi to the point of sounding like it was recorded on a $12 Radio Shack portable tape player. But, they are a blast live and well worth checking out.

The debut of Vegas' Dirt City 3, led by local rocker Timothy Styles, was almost somewhat garage-influenced but much tighter, cleaner and dominated by lots of vocals harmonies. There were cool, Motown-ish grooves, heavy, sustained guitars, some punk, some glam, some psych and lots of melody! The final number meandered a bit before moving into punk territory for a big finale. Certainly another cool local band to keep an eye on!

Chuck Berry – You Never Can Tell – His Complete Chess Recordings 1960-1966

Truthfully, when I requested this (I got it for Xmas - thanks Mike!), I thought it was a set of ALL his Chess recordings, not just from 1960-66, but this is an amazing 5 CD compilation with lots of hits, which I had assumed had mostly dried up by the 60's. I was certainly wrong!

This collection opens with a pure blues number, “Drifting Blues”, which is not particularly surprising as he moved to Chicago because he was a big Muddy Waters fan. He then moves into his more familiar r’n’r fare with “I Got To Find My Baby”, with several takes. There are lots of examples of multiple takes in this set, but they never get boring as they have enough variation – not to mention that they are short’n’simple r’n’r tunes.

The first CD also includes greats such as "Don’t You lie To Me", "Worried Life Blues"  (Maceo Merriweather), "Our Little Rendezvous" (early version of "I Wanna Be Your Driver" which was taken from Memphi Minnie’s "Chauffeur Blues"), "Bye Bye Johnnie" (multiple takes), "Run Around" (with some nice slide work), "Jaguar and Thunderbird",  the pop of "Diploma For Two" and the downright corny – especially the background vocals –  ballads "Little Star" and "The Way It Was Before", more rocker like "Down the Road Apiece", a somewhat unusual – for Chuck – minor blues in "Stop and Listen", a Duke Ellington cover ("I’m Just a Lucky So and So"), a Billy Davis slide instrumental, "Mad Lad" and another slide instro, "Surfin' Steel", this time one of Chuck’s, then cool, almost jazzy, takes on "Route 66",  back to the r'n'r with "I’m Talking About You", Little richard’s "Rip It Up", and "Come On" (the Stones first single). All that and more is on just CD one!

CD two starts off  with the rockin’ "Go Go Go". several takes (including an instro) on "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" that has "Sweet Little 16" licks in them,  there's the geographical "All Aboard" that the Groovie Ghoulies covered to great effect, a bunch of live stuff with a great band, enthusiastic audience and a rockin’, joking Berry playing hot guitar and getting the crowd to sing along take big chunks of the vocals duties at times. A weird live medley of "Johnny B Goode" and "Goodnight Sweetheart" has Chuck jumping from a verse of the rocker – with the crowd singin’ and clappin’ – to the ballad and back again. Back to the studio with the fantastic "Nadine", "You Never Can Tell", "The Little Girl From Central" would become "Sweet Little 16" (I assume – or he just copied "16") and several cool blues tunes fill out the disc.

CD 3 commences with the ballad "Fraulein" and then his version of "Crazy Arms" (the Jerry Lee Lewis hit - this is cool, but I think Jerry does better Chuck than Chuck does Jerry) followed by "Big Ben" (basically "School Days"), "Promised Land", "No Particular Place to Go" then there’s a couple of fun (unedited) instrumentals from an album that he did with Bo Diddley before we get "Little Marie" (a variation on "Memphis, TN"), "Dear Dad" and the afore-mentioned "I Wanna Be Your Driver".

CD 4 leads with covers ranging from "You Came a Long Way From St Louis" to several Louis Jordan numbers  and, of course, a batch of terrific originals. A very secular version of "This Little Light of Mine" is named "My Little Love Light",  then a very Chuck-esque "St Louis Blues", "Shake Rattle and Roll" and "Honey Hush". "Wee Wee Hours" is done instrumentally, Johnnie Johnson gets to cut loose on the instro "My Mustang Ford" before Chuck sings a couple of takes. "Merrily We Rock and Roll" is a clown-ish Chuck Berry fairy tale, Johnson also shines on "Wee Hour Blues" and Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield add some guitar and harp to “It Wasn’t Me” and terrific lead harp on "Sad Day, Long Night", there's cool sax and organ on "Ramona Say Yes" and the whole she-bang concludes rather anti-climatically with "Lonely School Days".

There are plenty of more tunes, as well - this is a great, huge package - and fer crissakes, it’s Chuck Freakin’ Berry before he got jaded and stayed in it just for the money. The songwriting here is still pretty damned inspired and genius and the bands all are terrific. The packaging is excellent – it folds out with the four cds and booklet – and when folded up it is tied together with a thread, like an old fashioned tied envelope. Great booklet with lots of pix, a bio and extensive notes on the sessions, with the musicians all listed (when known). Overall, a superior product all around! I can't wait to get the 50's set!

recommended gigs

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 14 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Wednesday Jan 18 - the Van der Rohe at the Griffin

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics with the Swamp Gospel, Van der Rohe and Self Abuse 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 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with the Unwieldies at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Jan 28 - Go Betty Go at the Beauty Bar with the Roxy Gunn Project
Saturday Jan 28 - Memorial for Joni Mackin at the Double Down with Agent 86, Sector 7-G, Super Zeroes, William Neal

Wednesday Feb 1 - Down by Law at the Beauty Bar
Wednesday Feb 1 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Wednesday Feb 8 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders and the Punknecks at the Dive Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

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

Friday Feb 17 - The Swamp Gospel with Franks'n'Deans and Easter at the Beauty Bar

Friday Feb 17 - Mustard Plug and the Phenomenauts at the Dive Bar
Friday Feb 17 - the Psyatics and the Electric Ferrets at the Double Down


Saturday Feb 18 - 3d6, Geezus Cyrst and Free Beer, Stagnetti's Cock, Sector 7-G at the Double Down

Sunday Feb 19 - the Nots (Memphis all female band - friends of the Gizmos!) at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Mar 1 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with Shanda and the Howlers at the Double Down sittin' in for Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast

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

Saturday Mar 18 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

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

Saturday April 22 - Durango 66 at the Golden Tiki

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

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

Old Gods Almost Dead – The 40 Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones by Stephen Davis

Stephen Davis is a bit of a sensationalistic writer - he also penned Hammer of the Gods (Led Zep) and Walk This Way (Aerosmith) - and so he does get a bit carried away with lurid gossip in his tomes (LOTS of sex and drugs), but he does also include a lot of information on recordings, tours and the relationships between the band members (and their friends and loved ones). Of course, due to the nature of his writing, you need to take everything with a grain (or barrel) of salt, but it does keep it entertaining.

Of course, everyone knows the basic story of the Stones by now, but I always find it fun to relive the 60's and 70's, as they were the best times for r'n'r music. But, Brian Jones is such a tragic figure that it does get a bit depressing, not to mention the fact that they all treat each other a bit cruelly, even when they were all friends.

Davis concentrates a lot on the many affairs that the men had - and there were innumerable, including stealing from each other and from their friends - and how poorly they treated their spouses/loved ones. Mick is portrayed as constantly hitting on women, Keith and Ron Wood as being constantly wasted, Brian as a mental wreck, Bill pretty overall disgusted with the insanity and Charlie and Taylor just wanting to play. He is harsh to the point of callousness in his criticism, but maybe the subject deserve it at times.

There are annoying little noticeable errors here and there, such as Brian playing a Thunderbird guitar instead of a Firebird or Slim Harpo simply influencing "Hip Shake Thing" instead of being the writer, but despite all this, it keeps moving and keeps you reading. The books ends in the early 2000's, as they constantly amaze everyone around them by their longevity, which they continue to do. Let's hope that they are still not "almost dead"!

Del McCoury - Celebrating 50 Years of Del McCoury

As the title suggests, Del McCoury has been a bluegrass legend for 50 years now, since starting his career with the great Bill Monroe before moving on to his solo work that continues to this day. He surrounds himself by excellent musicians (including his sons on mandolin and banjo) and his voice is extraordinary - capable of swooping into a lovely falsetto or near-yodel with no apparent effort. Modern bands such as Phish and String Cheese Incident have been influenced by Del (though don't hold that against him!) and he has covered groups as diverse as the Lovin' Spoonful, Tom Petty and Richard Thompson. There is an annual DelFest that celebrates the man and bluegrass music in general and McCoury has won innumerable awards.

For lovers of traditional bluegrass, this is the place to go! The set is a nicely packaged 5 CD package (although there are only 10 songs per CD - it easily could have been condensed) - one CD for each decade - with a well done booklet. A great place to start with Del!

Vulcher #2 (fanzine)

Vulcher #2 is out! Yes, Melanie and I are involved with this fanzine (this ish I pulled out a review I did after seeing/meeting Sonic Smith in '77), as are my fellow Gizmos (Eddie Flowers, Kelsey Simpson and Sam Murphy edit and contribute, and the rest of the Giz-men and women add words'n'pix), along with a plethora of talent including Chris Stigliano (Black to Comm/Blog to Comm), Gary Pig Gold, Bryan Coley, Lester Bangs, David Laing, Lindsay Hutton, Eric Friedyl, Claudia Bell, Ian Wagner, Brick Wahl and a huge host of others!

Subject matter is mostly rock'n'roll and psychedelia, as well as whatever pops into everyone's warped minds. The zine itself is high-quality and glossy and just a damn cool throwback to the FUN zines of the 70's!

Pick it up via the Vulcher Facebook page!

Fun Home - musical at the Smith Center

Based on a graphic novel about a lesbian growing up in a funeral home with a controlling, closeted gay father who kills himself, Fun Home is surely one of the more unusual stories to be made into a musical. The story itself is compelling, funny, awkward, and, at times, incredibly moving, but there were times that the musical numbers seemed a bit forced, even in the context of a musical where people randomly break into song.

That said, the actors all have excellent voices and I did truly enjoy the songs that had several people harmonizing on different lines - caught up in their own personal story and not necessarily listening to the others. The stage setting is fairly minimal, but the lighting was extraordinary - it alone gave the stage wildly different feels and was an integral part of the play.

The story is simultaneously joyous and sad, as the daughter finds herself and becomes complete while the father loses himself and his marriage and, eventually, his life. Allison, the daughter, is shown as a child, as a college student who comes out as gay and as the adult who is creating the graphic novel - sometimes all three interacting together, which worked to good effect.

Something, somehow, didn't quite work for me 100% with the musical, but I did still enjoy it and it was an emotional experience. I would, however, highly recommend the graphic noel of the same name.

recommended gigs

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

Sunday Jan 8 - Benefit for Jared Medina at Chateau le Punk at 8:00pm with Time Crashers, Child Endangerment, Candy Warpop, Lambs to Lions and Los Ataskados

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 14 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger 

Friday Jan 20 - the Sonics with the Swamp Gospel, Van der Rohe and Self Abuse 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 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with the Unwieldies 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

Wednesday Feb 8 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders and the Punknecks at the Dive Bar

Friday Feb 10 - Adam Ant at the Brooklyn Bowl

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

Friday Feb 17 - Mustard Plug and the Phenomenauts at the Dive Bar
Friday Feb 17 - the Psyatics and the Electric Ferrets at the Double Down
Friday Feb 17 - Franks'n'Deans at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Mar 1 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders with Shanda and the Howlers at the Double Down sittin' in for Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast

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

Franks and Deans Weenie Roast with Le Dominiki - Wednesday Jan 4, 2017

The Weenie Roast is Franks and Deans monthly, Wednesday night residency at the Double Down Saloon, where they provide free hot dogs, burlesque femmes and a local opening act. This evening the openers were Le Dominiki, a relatively new combo led by singer/guitarist/songwriter Nikki, along with husband and wife team Jesse (guitarist with the Swank Bastards, here on drums) and Nikki (bass and vocals). As everyone is learning their respective instruments, the sound is a bit loose, sounding a bit like Lilith Fair mixed with Half Japanese with a dash of the Shaggs. The tunes are quite melodic with fine lead vocals and harmonies by the Nikki's. I dug when they went into discordant territory, with off-kilter rhythms while still maintaining the melodies. Unique and interesting - we'll see what this evolves into.

Franks'n'Deans have made a number of appearances in this blog as modern purveyors of Rat Pack numbers, done with punk rock and ska backings. There's references to bands like the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Kiss, Black Sabbath and more, but the gents provide excellent three part harmonies throughout. Their constant touring means that they always put on a tight show, even at the laid-back Double Down, and their dancer Nikole Muse provides the visual entertainment.

The Weenie Roasts always provide burlesque dancers as well as musical groups and the first up this evening (the only one I saw - besides Nikole- since I had to leave by midnight or so due to it being a work night) was HulaRev, who strips while dancing with hula hoops (hence her name), including lit-up hoops, which gives a wild, psychedelic feel to the proceedings.

The Roasts are always a good, varied time, for those who can stay up mid-week. Added to the mix was Professor Rex Dart on the turntables, keeping the music flowing between acts.Coolness all around!