Time Crashers - EP-ISODE 2: The Edison Paradox

I think that we discovered the Time Crashers due to a Las Vegas Vegan Eats event where their bassist (at the time - time being fluid with this combo) was/is a fellow vegetarian and one of the only other musicians at the event. When we got a chance to see them, we were definitely intrigued by their time-traveling, punk rock ways, with Telsa (singer) teaming up with the likes of Carl Sagan (drums), Leonardo Davinci (guitarist/inventor), Julius Caesar (bassist before he was murdered on stage), Julie D'Aubigny (current bassist) and more (at different times). Smart'n'funny, visual'n'talented, they were certainly a change of pace in the Vegas scene.

As the title states, this is their second release, the previous being the Bootleg From the Future/ Chronal Displacement from, damn, I guess it's been 5 years ago (although time is meaningless to these travelers, I suppose). Here, they continue with their punky/hardcore music mixed with humorously smart lyrics.

This EP starts things off with "Jesus Dino Rider", obviously influenced by wacky memes floating around the internet, which is actually pretty damn catchy, with hip licks intertwined with Biblical lyrics. "I Liked You Better When You Were Primordial Ooze" is a bit more hardcore, in their fairly goofy way, and short'n'fast, with a funnily intelligent storyline once again flanked by cool git-riffs. An inter-dimensional saga of fast love, "You Make My Heart Go 88 MPH" has great, uncontrolled guitar mania with a "Back To the Future" reference (how could they not?) followed by the continuum-altering "Quantum Mosh" - trashily'n'dirgey with references to the TV show Quantum Leap, in a weird, twisted way which leads into  "UnFrozen Caveman Lawyer" - how do they come up with these concepts? Kind of a growly - but catchy - chorus, and melodic guitar and sax lines intertwining with a punk/ska beat in a super cool, almost X-Ray Spex kinda way - pretty great, actually! "Steel Cotillion" gives us a futuristic debutante ball, with a modernistic waltz beat mixed with thrash?! Wha? The EP closes with "Discontinuum ", a  one minute and 12 second blur of superspeed hardcore with some no wave sax (provided by modern day human Joshua Kephart) added for superb, extra color.

This group alters the space/time continuum so you don't have to - damn, are they to blame for our current timeline? No, don't take it out on them, simply appreciate their primitive r'n'r offerings to help appease our sufferings in this dystopian cycle. I haven't seen them in years, apparently (who knows since they keep twisting the timeline?) but I hope that once the stupid human race repairs itself they will make their presence known again. In the meantime, this EP is currently available as a digital release and you can pick it up at the Time Crashers Bandcamp page. Give them some cash so that they can go back in time and fix things!

The Time Crashers/The Phenomenauts - the Dive Bar, Saturday August 23, 2014

It's been difficult getting out lately but I've been meaning to see the Time Crashers for ages and had heard good things about the Phenomenauts for even longer, so took a nap and made it down to the Dive Bar.

Unfortunately, the nap meant that I missed Bloody Ale and 3D6 (who I found out includes a friend of mine - but I got their CD, so will review that when I have a moment) but got there just before the Time Crashers broke out from the space/time continuum back into our "present" to party with Las Vegas at the Dive Bar.

Singer Nikola Tesla introduces the band that he put together after inventing time travel and choosing fellow geniuses from the past - the twin guitars of Leonardo da Vinci and Francisco Pizarro, bassist Julius Caesar and drummer Carl Sagan - and off they go into a rampaging set of punk rock tunes about partying through the ages, pizza, Huns, Pompei and much more. Caesar is appropriately a megalomaniac, dancing around and hogging center stage to the extent that Leonardo has to call him out (see below). Great "shtick", great stage presence, fun songs, cool energy, and an all-around good time that had the audience bouncin' along right from the start. Definitely a band to see!

The Phenomenauts followed with an extraordinary stage set up with a bank of keyboards (including a Moog!), custom mic stands, lots of lights, a laser set-up and plenty of smoke! All very dramatic and fun to watch, but difficult to properly photograph and convey! Beyond the beyond visually - besides all of the above, they have matching outfits, a wacked-out bass that has been cut up with a pole added (to make it sorta like a stand-up bass (which apparently they used in the past), they dance around like maniacs and change instruments, and, at one point, they bring out a leaf blower/TP shooter to add to the mayhem!

Musically, they are a mix of poppy-punk and new wave and lots of other craziness. There's a 50's, doo-wop-styled ballad ("Only Chemical") that is backed by only keyboards, a "Great Big Kiss" steal, and a cool dance number, "Broken Robot Jerk", based on the guitarist in the helmet. The crowd loved them - one of the bigger turn-outs I have ever seen at the Dive Bar, even for major bands - and obeyed them when exhorted to crouch down, pogo, or what-have-you.

Great night at the Dive Bar, who continues to book a healthy variety of music (the night before was country/punk/rock/whatever) and this night even kept the number of bands to a reasonable amount, which meant a decent end time. Kudos all around!

recommended gigs

Thursday Oct 1 - South of Graceland and Beau Hodges Band at House of Blues
Thursday Oct 1 - Time Crashers with Nekrogoblikon at the Dive Bar

Friday Oct 2 - Eddy Bear and the Cubs with Acid and Pearls at Main Street Moto Grand Opening Party
Friday Oct 2 - the Super Zeroes at Common Ground

Wednesday Oct 7 - The Unwieldies with Franks'n'Deans at the Weinie Roast at the Double Down

Friday Oct 9 - Cashed Out at the Beauty Bar with Eddy Bear and the Cubs
Friday Oct 9 - Sham 69 with the Psyatics at the Dive Bar
Friday Oct 9 - the Delta Bombers at the Rusty Spur

Sunday Oct 11 - the Riverboat Gamblers at the Beauty Bar

Friday Oct 16 - Time Crashers with Bad Beligion at LVCS
Friday Oct 16 - Shanda and the Howlers, the Swank Bastards, Dr. Phobic and the Phobic-Tones at the Double Down

Saturday Oct 17 - Goddam Gallows and the Scoundrels at the Dive Bar

Sunday Oct 18 - The Peculiar Pretzelmen, Witch Baby and the Gentlemen of Four Outs at the Huntridge

Tuesday Oct 20 - Beau Hodges at Saddles'n'Spurs

Friday Oct 23 - GWAR at Fremont Country Club
Friday Oct 23 - the Vibrators with the Psyatics, Ulteriors and Dethsurf at the Double Down

Monday Oct 26 - the Panther Burns at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Oct 28 - The Swamp Gospel at HellKat Car Club's Trunk or Treat

Friday Oct 30 - Deadbolt at the Golden Tiki

Saturday Oct 31 - Wanda Jackson with the Delta Bombers, Eddy Bear and the Cubs and the Yawpers at Triple B

Friday Nov 6 - Melanie and the Midnite Marauders at the Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday Nov 7 - Geekapalooza at the Dive Bar with Tippy Elvis, the Doubleclicks, Time Crashers, Super Zeroes and 3d6
Saturday Nov 7 - Enchantment Under the Sea Dance at the Knights of Columbus Hall with Lil' Mo and the Dynaflos, the Swingin' Pedestrians, Shanda Cisneros and Scott Hinds

Wednesday Nov 11 - the Briefs at the Fremont Country Club - with Lagwagon

Thursday Nov 12 - the Unwieldies with the Part Time Criminals at the Velveteen Rabbit

Saturday Nov 14 - Water Landing and the All Togethers at Artifice

Friday Nov 20 - the Mapes, Maxies, Undercover Monsters and Melanie and the Midnite Marauders at the Dive Bar

Saturday Nov 21 - the Heiz at the Double Down with the Psyatics, Franks'n'Deans, the People's Whiskey, New Cold War

Wednesday Nov 25 - Public Imagine Ltd at Brooklyn Bowl

Saturday Dec 5 - The return of the Lucky Cheats with the Swamp Gospel at the Sand Dollar

Saturday Dec 19 - Nashville Pussy at the Dive Bar

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

recommended gigs

Friday Jan 9 - Time Crashers, Super Zeroes, Dead Words at the Double Down
Friday Jan 9 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger
Friday Jan 9 - Whiskey Breath at Whiskey Dick's

Saturday Jan 10, 2015 - the Psyatics and the Lucky Cheats with the Dictators NYC at LV Country Saloon
Saturday Jan 10 - Crazy Chief, Dime Runner, the Darlings at the Dive Bar
Saturday Jan 10 - Whiskey Breath at Adrenaline Sports Bar

Sunday Jan 11 - Alan Six, Eliza Battle and Ditch Diggers at the Bunkhouse

Thursday Jan 15 - the Astaires with Same Sex Mary and more at the Bunkhouse

Friday Jan 16 - Swamp Pussy at Babe's Gentlemen's Club
Friday Jan 16 - the All Togethers at the Beauty Bar
Friday Jan 16 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 17 - the Delta Bombers at the Beauty Bar
Saturday Jan 17 - Kyle Gass Band (Kyle from Tenancious D) and Big Like Texas at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Jan 17 - The Fremonts at the Chicken Shack (10:00PM) at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Jan 17 - The Pluralses and Frank and Deans at the House of Blues

Wednesday Jan 21 - the All Togethers at the Griffin

Thursday Jan 22 - Thee Swank Bastards - Brooklyn Bowl

Friday Jan 23 - the Unwieldies with Part Time Criminals and Sara Patterson at the Hard Hat

Saturday Jan 24 - the Delta Bombers at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Jan 28 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Thursday Jan 29 - the All Togethers at Velveteen Rabbit
Thursday Jan 29 - Doug C and the Blacklisted, Eddie Bear and the Cubs, Yosemite Slam at Triple B

Friday Jan 30 - the All Togethers at Boulder Dam Brewing

Saturday Jan 31 - the All Togethers with Whiskey Breath and Jackson Taylor at the Beauty Bar
Saturday Jan 31 - Jinxy Bear w/Hunter Beard and much more at Triple B

Thursday Feb 5 - the Blasters and the Yawpers at Triple B with the Delta Bombers and Eddie Bear and the Cubs

Friday Feb 6 - the Delta Bombers at Triple B
Friday Feb 6 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Bunkhouse
Friday Feb 6 - 3d6 at the Artistic Armory with lots more

Saturday Feb 7 - the Swamp Gospel and Thee Swank Bastards at the Hard Hat

Saturday Feb 7 - the All Togethers at the Container Park
Saturday Feb 7 - Bow Wow Wow, Midnight Clover, Unwieldies, Water Landing - Adrenanline Sports Bar

Friday Feb 13 - the Super Zeros at the Hard Hat
Friday Feb 13 - Paper Tigers, Silversage , Bravo Delta, Beau Hodges Band , Strange Mistress at House of Blues

Saturday Feb 14 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Tues Feb 17 - Piratefest at LV Country Saloon with the Time Crashers, Alestorm, Dreadcrew of Oddwood, Firewater Folklore, Caliban and the Witch

Friday Feb 20 - the All Togethers at Willow Creek Assisted Living

Wednesday Feb 25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Thursday Feb 26 - the All Totgethers at Eye Candy Lounge at Mandalay Bay

Friday March 6 - the Delta Bombers at Triple B

Sunday Mar 15 - Anvil at Adrenaline Sports Bar

Sunday March 29 - Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band with the All Togethers and Ditch Diggers at the Beauty Bar

Thursday April 2 - the Delta Bombers at Viva Las Vegas

Sunday April 5 - the Sonics at Viva Las Vegas - Mardi Gras Ballroom

Saturday April 11 - Haunted Garage, Time Crashers and tons more at the Artistic Armory

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

recommended gigs

Friday Jan 2 - the All Togethers at the Dive Bar

Saturday Jan 3 - the Time Crashers comic + EP release show with 3d6, Under 15 Seconds, Safewerd and more at the Artistic Armory
Saturday Jan 3 - the All Togethers at Dillingers
Saturday Jan 3 - the Astaires at the Beauty Bar with Chain and the Gang

Sunday Jan 4 - Midnight Clover at the Bunkhouse

Monday Jan 5 - Laissez Fairs at Boomers
Monday Jan 5 - Live Blues every Monday at the German-American Social Club of Nevada

Friday Jan 9 - Time Crashers, Super Zeroes, Dead Words at the Double Down
Friday Jan 9 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Saturday Jan 10, 2015 - the Psyatics and the Lucky Cheats with the Dictators NYC at LV Country Saloon
Saturday Jan 10 - Crazy Chief, Dime Runner, the Darlings at the Dive Bar

Sunday Jan 11 - Alan Six, Eliza Battle and Ditch Diggers at the Bunkhouse

Friday Jan 16 - Swamp Pussy at Babe's Gentlemen's Club
Friday Jan 16 - the All Togethers at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Jan 21 - the All Togethers at the Griffin

Friday Jan 23 - the Unwieldies with Part Time Criminals and Sara Patterson at the Hard Hat

Thursday Jan 29 - the All Togethers at Velveteen Rabbit
Thursday Jan 29 - Doug C and the Blacklisted, Eddie Bear and the Cubs, Yosemite Slam at Triple B

Friday Jan 30 - the All Togethers at Boulder Dam Brewing

Saturday Jan 31 - the All Togethers with Whiskey Breath and Jackson Taylor at the Beauty Bar
Saturday Jan 31 - Jinxy Bear w/Hunter Beard and much more at Triple B

Thursday Feb 5 - the Blasters and the Yawpers at Triple B

Saturday Feb 7 - the All Togethers at the Container Park
Saturday Feb 7 - Bow Wow Wow, Midnight Clover, Unwieldies, Water Landing - Adrenanline Sports Bar

Friday Feb 13 - the Super Zeros at the Hard Hat

Sunday Mar 15 - Anvil at Adrenaline Sports Bar

Sunday March 29 - Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band with the All Togethers and Ditch Diggers at the Beauty Bar

Sunday April 5 - the Sonics at Viva Las Vegas - Mardi Gras Ballroom

Saturday April 11 - Haunted Garage, Time Crashers and tons more at the Artistic Armory

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

recommended gigs

Thursday Sept 24 - the All Togethers at Rachel's Kitchen - 4:00pm

Friday Sept 25 - Life is Shit Festival at the Dive Bar - with the Astaires, Swamp Pussy,  Leather Lungs and much more
Friday Sept 25 - the Super Zeroes at the Double Down

Saturday Sept 26 - the All Togethers, the Gentlemen of Four Outs and the debut of Melanie and the Midnite Marauders at the Pioneer Saloon

Sunday Sept 27 - Shannon and the Clams at the Beauty Bar
Sunday Sept 27 - The Insect Surfers (from LA), the Swank Bastards and the Nu Waves at Artifice

Thursday Oct 1 - the Peculiar Pretzelmen at Artifice
Thursday Oct 1 - South of Graceland and Beau Hodges Band at House of Blues
Thursday Oct 1 - Time Crashers with Nekrogoblikon at the Dive Bar

Friday Oct 2 - Eddy Bear and the Cubs with Acid and Pearls at Main Street Moto Grand Opening Party
Friday Oct 2 - the Super Zeroes at Common Ground

Wednesday Oct 7 - The Unwieldies with Franks'n'Deans at the Weinie Roast at the Double Down

Friday Oct 9 - Cashed Out at the Beauty Bar with Eddy Bear and the Cubs
Friday Oct 9 - Sham 69 with the Psyatics at the Dive Bar
Friday Oct 9 - the Delta Bombers at the Rusty Spur

Sunday Oct 11 - the Riverboat Gamblers at the Beauty Bar

Friday Oct 16 - Time Crashers with Bad Beligion at LVCS

Saturday Oct 17 - Goddam Gallows and the Scoundrels at the Dive Bar

Friday Oct 23 - GWAR at Fremont Country Club
Friday Oct 23 - the Vibrators with the Psyatics, Ulteriors and Dethsurf at the Double Down

Monday Oct 26 - the Panther Burns at the Beauty Bar

Wednesday Oct 28 - The Swamp Gospel at HellKat Car Club's Trunk or Treat

Saturday Oct 31 - Wanda Jackson with the Delta Bombers, Eddy Bear and the Cubs and the Yawpers at Triple B

Saturday Nov 7 - Geekapalooza at the Dive Bar with Tippy Elvis, the Doubleclicks, Time Crashers, Super Zeroes and 3d6
Saturday Nov 7 - Enchantment Under the Sea Dance at the Knights of Columbus Hall with Lil' Mo and the Dynaflos, the Swingin' Pedestrians, Shanda Cisneros and Scott Hinds

Wednesday Nov 11 - the Briefs at the Fremont Country Club - with Lagwagon

Thursday Nov 12 - the Unwieldies with the Part Time Criminals at the Velveteen Rabbit

Friday Nov 20 - the Mapes, Maxies, Undercover Monsters and Melanie and the Midnite Marauders at the Dive Bar

Saturday Nov 21 - the Heiz at the Double Down

Wednesday Nov 25 - Public Imagine Ltd at Brooklyn Bowl

Saturday Dec 19 - Nashville Pussy at the Dive Bar

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

recommended gigs

Friday June 26 - Dr. Phobic and his Phobic-Tones at the Double Down

Saturday June 27 - The Swamp Gospel with the Time Crashers and Eddy Bear and the Cubs at the Double Down
Saturday June 27 - the All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon

Friday July 3 - the Vermin's last show ever at Triple B

Saturday July 4 - the Heiz at the Double Down with the Psyatics

Thursday July 9 - Psyatics at the Dive Bar

Friday July 10 - Tiki Bandits, Time Crashers, Super Zeros and Rude Kings at the Dive Bar

Friday July 10 - the All Togethers at the Bunkhouse
Friday July 10 - Time Crashers and Tiki Bandits at the Dive Bar

Saturday July 11 - the All Togethers at the Dillinger with Thomas Gardner Jr
Saturday July 11 - 3 Bad Jacks, the Legendary Boilermakers, Dead at Midnight at the Dive Bar

Tuesday July 14 - Psyatics at the Bunkhouse with Numb Bats and Pet Tigers

Friday July 17th the Peccadilloes at the Double Down

Sunday July 19 - Unwieldies at UNLV with Roy Zimmerman

Wednesday July 22 - Adolescents and Weirdos at the Triple B

Friday July 24 - The Association, Grass Roots, Buckinghams, Cowsills - Golden Nugget

Sunday August 9 - The Cry at the Bunkhouse

Friday Aug 21 - Motorhead at House of Blues

Saturday August 29 - the All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

recommended gigs

Thursday June 18th catch Rod Piazza and The Mighty Flyers in The Railhead showroom at Boulder Station Casino 7PM

Friday June 19 - Slaughter and the Dogs at the Dive Bar
Friday June 19 - Super Zeroes at Legends Bar and Grill

Saturday June 20 - the Chicken Shack at the Bunkhouse

Tuesday June 23 - Paul Collins' The Beat with the Astaires at the Bunkhouse

Friday June 26 - Dr. Phobic and his Phobic-Tones at the Double Down

Saturday June 27 - The Swamp Gospel with the Time Crashers and Eddy Bear and the Cubs at the Double Down
Saturday June 27 - the All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon

Friday July 3 - the Vermin's last show ever at Triple B

Saturday July 4 - the Heiz at the Double Down with the Psyatics

Thursday July 9 - Psyatics at the Dive Bar

Friday July 10 - Tiki Bandits, Time Crashers, Super Zeros and Rude Kings at the Dive Bar

Friday July 10 - the All Togethers at the Bunkhouse
Friday July 10 - Time Crashers and Tiki Bandits at the Dive Bar

Saturday July 11 - the All Togethers at the Dillinger with Thomas Gardner Jr
Saturday July 11 - 3 Bad Jacks, the Legendary Boilermakers, Dead at Midnight at the Dive Bar

Tuesday July 14 - Psyatics at the Bunkhouse

Friday July 17th the Peccadilloes at the Double Down

Sunday July 19 - Unwieldies at UNLV with Roy Zimmerman

Wednesday July 22 - Adolescents and Weirdos at the Triple B

Friday July 24 - The Association, Grass Roots, Buckinghams, Cowsills - Golden Nugget

Sunday August 9 - The Cry at the Bunkhouse

Saturday August 29 - the All Togethers at the Pioneer Saloon

What have I forgotten? Lemme know!

The Swamp Gospel, Eddy Bear and the Cubs and the Time Crashers at the Double Down Saloon, Saturday June 27, 2015

This is another gig that my band, the Swamp Gospel, arranged and opened for and had a fine time saving souls, drinkin' strychnine, layin' hands and preachin' the blues. Thank you once again to Nikki Ruffing for the cool photos!

Up next were our pals, Eddy Bear and the Cubs, the honky-tonk combo who I have ranted'n'raved about numerous times before. They ran through a bunch of their best upbeat C&W, from "Little Sister" to "Turn Me On, Turn Me Loose" to "Long Black Cadillac" to "I'm the Bulge in Satan's Pants" to "Ooh Las Vegas". There were some newer numbers, as well, including one stand-out whose name I didn't catch that had an excellent bluesy break highlighted by Wade's slide guitar. As a guitarist, its always a pleasure to hear Wade play, but everyone was in fine form and the vocals harmonies from Erik and Larry were top-notch, as well. Truly a superior group all around and always a treat to watch.

The time travelin' heroes of punk rock, the Time Crashers, appeared next on this varied bill, entertaining the crowd with their tales of the space/time vortex. Apparently, their second guitarist, Francisco Pizarro, seems to have been lost in the continuum and did not appear this evening. But still Tesla led the remaining gents - Caesar (bass), DeVinci (guitar) and Carl Sagan (drums) - through songs from their EP/CD Chronal Displacement (which I reviewed as the Bootleg From the Future before it was officially released) along with some newer numbers and even bits from Argent's "God Gave Rock'n'Roll To You"! Always a fun time - catch them when you can (next up at the Dive Bar on July 10, reportedly the last show for Caesar before he returns to ancient Rome).

The Time Crashers - Bootleg From the Future

Las Vegas' own time-traveling punk rock band, the Time Crashers, have yet to release their debut album, but they have traveled into the future, where it has been released, and returned with 6 tracks that they are now offering at their present shows in this Bootleg From the Future CD.

The music is fast-paced punk rock with some wild guitar riffs and incredibly silly/smart lyrics (think Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure - which they quote). Songs refer to drinkin' beer with Genghis Kahn ("Conquering the Keg"), delivering pizza to the Vikings ("Pizza Berserker" - you can't go wrong with a spelling song!), dystopia (the funky, swingin' dance number "Dystopia Swing"), the destruction of Pompei ("Party Pompei"), the self-explanatory hard-core "Fuck the Time Cops" and the ska-ish ode to H.G. Wells, "Morlock'n'Roll".

The live show is a blast and this is a cool momento and some fun and goofy punk rock. Check 'em out!

Goddam Gallows, Gallows Bound, Raw Dogs, Time Crashers at the Dive Bar Sunday Oct 16,2016

Sunday nights are tough for any touring band, and especially so in Las Vegas, where we rarely get a touring band on a Friday or Saturday night. But this bill blew in a major crowd to the Dive Bar, despite the gale force winds blowing outside.

Opening the evening were local chronological continuance travelin' rockers, the Time Crashers. Led by Nikola Tesla, who created a machine to breach the space/time continuum in order to gather some of history's most potent musicians - Leonardo DaVinci on guitar, Carl Sagan on drums and a new, female member of the tribe, 17th century swordswoman and opera singer,Julie d'Aubigny on bass. All fine players, who flail, riff and rock behind Tesla's stories of the future and the past, of the Planet of the Apes (with a section of the Dickies' "You Drive Me Ape" within) and Bill'n'Ted's Excellent Adventure - even referencing "God Gave Rock'n'Roll To You". Always a fun time!

Touring band, the Raw Dogs, were up next - a mix of crusty punks and psychobilly - trashy clothes and goth makeup, along with face tattoos - who played a version of hardcore punk with stand up bass. The singer was highly animated in the extreme and the bassist was a bare-footed wildman, as well, even playing while standing on the bass. Oddly, their set included a drum solo and bass solo and ended with the 60's classic "Stand By Me", initially done pretty straight and then jetting into hard core gear. Not really my cup of tea musically but certainly entertaining.

From Winchester, Virginia came Gallows Bound, who are on a cross country tour with Goddam Gallows and fittingly so. This combo consists of drums, stand-up bass, 2 acoustic guitars, banjo and mandolin and create a potent brew of high energy bluegrass with excellent playing all around (I was especially impressed by the banjoist, Justin), great harmonies (male and female guitarists, Jordan and Jesse did lead vocals while mandolinist Forrest and bassist Aaron contributed) and a drivin' beat by drummer Rob. The songs are top-notch, as well, with a nice variety of sounds (Aaron would occasionally bow his stand up for added effect), and they had a fun, though not frivolous, stage show. My personal highlight of the night!

Headliners, the Michigan-based Goddam Gallows and a wild'n'wooly 5 piece, with a hard core drummer, a psychobilly stand-up bassist, an accordion/washboard player who looked like he escaped from GoGo Bordello (with "this machine kills careers" on his accordion and a bow tie on his washboard) and two tattoo'd, punk rock, multi instrumentalists. Again, these cats throw just about everything they can think of into their musical blender for a sound combining bluegrass (the banjo and mandolin was superlative), country, rockabilly, gypsy and hard core punk rock (principally when they let their drummer "Baby Genius" escape from behind his kit - with accordionist TV taking his place - to do some lead screamin'). After over 13 years on the road, these maniacs still have an excess of energy - particularly TV, who interacted with the audience throughout the entire set - along with a backlog of innumerable songs and a desire to entertain - themselves as well as the crowd! They kept the Dive Bar packed and moshin' well into the wee hours of the morning!

Once again, thank you to the fantastic crew at the Dive Bar, especially Nate'n'Angie, along with unsung hero of the club, soundman John Kirby, who can always regale you with tales of his past or of groovy bands/records/shows that you need to know about!