The Streetwalkin Cheetahs at Red Dwarf, Saturday 10-10-26

 

We've been friends with the SWC's since before we were together - so, like, forever - and, of course, if they ever make the trek out to Vegas, we make it a point to see them.

This band is on a SW tour and the Strains had been joining them but then one of the members was hospitalized and so the group couldn't continue. That meant that for this evening the Cheetahs had the night to themselves. So they decided to do two sets - they have far more than enough material - and for the second set they brought in original second guitarist, Art Jackson, who left the band when he moved to Vegas a number of year ago. 

But for the first set the band consisted of singer/guitarist Frank Meyer, bassist Dino Everett, drummer Mike Sessa and relatively-new-to-the-Cheetahs, but an OG-LA stalwart, the super talented Bruce Duff. Bruce has been in more bands than you can count but is probably most known for his time in 45 Grave and the Jeff Dahl Band, but has multiple projects to this day. Frank has played with countless bands, from Fear to Handsome Dick Manitoba's band, while Dino was a member of the Excessories for a while and Mike is another LA veteran. 

Opening with the fast'n'furious "Future Lost" from their Waiting for the Death of My Generation album, they ran through a high energy set of old and new, along with covers like the MC5's "Looking at You". Highlights included their new-wavey "Automatic", "No More", "Shawna", the poppy, Cheap trick-ish "Lookout" and the relentless "Motor City Rock'n'Roll".

For their set with Art, they pulled out a couple of the first songs they wrote, the MC5-inspired "Freak Out Man" and the DMZ-rip, "None of Your Business", reminding us that although they looked pretty "grunge" back then, they were still a wild r'n'r combo. More covers, including a ferocious and well done "Black to Comm" (not that easy to pull off, for what is basically a one chord song - which, actually, is why it can be difficult) and their obligatory nod to the Stooges, an wild take on "Funhouse".

It's always great to see old friends like this, but even if you never met any of them before, you would certainly be floored by this tight, high-energy, punk'n'roll combo, with their super-solid rhythm section of Dino'n'Mike and the twin guitar attack, whether it's the dual leads of Frank'n'Bruce or the more traditional rhythm'n'lead of Art'n'Frank - it's all  super powerful and a crazed experience.

Once again, thanks to Red Dwarf for hosting a happenin' night of punk'n'roll.