El Dingo at Kung Fu Necktie
I knew I was going to get around to El Dingo eventually (took my time though didn't I?) They're a three-piece band from NJ which mostly plays DIY shows, though they've been on a few bills at KFN recently, and they're just fun. They've got that mid 90's hard-rock-but-weird sort of sound. Some songs are a little funky, definitely some Primus influence on those, others are closer to psych rock. I'm pretty sure the ROCK part is what matters most though. They're loud, they're fun, and I wish they were more popular.
Looking at that first photo do you notice anything different about Kung Fu Necktie? They added some lightning on the ceiliing above the stage. That gives the stage a little more light and lets them do some really basic animations. Looks good doesn't it?
Posted: 9/1/2024 at 11:00am Tags: El Dingo Kung Fu Necktie
Supersuckers at Kung Fu Necktie
Just a few photos of Supersuckers because about a third of the way through I decided to just enjoy the damn show. Kung Fu Necktie is known for great booking (natch) and good sound but not so much for beautiful stage lighting.
What can I say about Supersuckers. This is a band I remember hearing about back in college in the 90s, not sure if I ever saw them (probably not). The fact that they are still at and still rocking hard which is impressive in general, but gets insane when you hear that lead singer "Eddie Spaghetti" Daly was diagnosed with throat cancer about a decade ago. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he recovered just fine 'cause he sounds great.
Supersuckers are one of those bands which is rock-n-roll first but also to cross over into alt-country. You know those bands which are rock bands first but clearly country-influenced like Credence Clearwater Revival or Buffalo Springfield? Well, think of that but formed post-Cramps. Supersuckers are the ass-kicking drunken uncle of CCR.
Supersuckers's Website, Music.
Posted: 8/18/2023 at 7:00pm Tags: Kung Fu Necktie Supersuckers
Vacation at Johnny Brenda's
I love going to see a band that I've seen before but they're even better than I remember. It's like discovering them a second time.
Vacation (the Cincinnati one) are probably not a punk band but they're reeeeal close. They have the energy but it doesn't seem like they're all that angry. Some of their best songs are really more self-reflective than anything, and in a thoughtful way, not a whiny one. Then on other songs they're sarcastic as hell like the Dead Kennedys so there's definitely a little punk in there. They call themselves "Grit Pop" on Bandcamp. I'm sure the Garage Rock people want to claim them too. They're just entertaining and fun and thought-provoking at time. Nice stage presence too, they actually seem like they enjoy being on stage, perhaps aside from the people throwing empty beer cans at them. As far as I know they are not The Giraffes (one of them was in Tweens though).
Posted: 5/24/2023 at 3:00pm Tags: Johnny Brenda's The Cincinnati One Vacation
City of the Sun at Milkboy
City of the Sun are one of those bands which are a bit hard to categorize. They perform a like a rock band. For example lead guitarist John Pita bounces around stage and plays his guitar hard. I'm pretty sure they changed the closer from "Barcelona" to "Spaghetti" because he broke the high-E string on both of his guitars during the set. Don't you hate that when you bring an extra guitar and manage to break that one too?
That said, this is also a band whose debut album hit the top 20 on the Billboard Jazz charts. I don't think any of their songs have lyrics (aside from shouting "Hey!") So I guess could call them an instrumental Latin Jazz band but... I think that has a lot of wrong implications.
In the end they're former street performers from and in NYC who made a couple of videos which kind of blew up. Now they tour the U.S. and can sell out Milkboy, but drummer Avi Snow still uses (and sits on) a cajón for percussion on some songs so they're still a little bit DIY. As good as this show was I have to say that I preferred their last show in Philly. It was at Brooklyn Bowl Philly, a much bigger venue with room to dance. People were trying to dance at the Milkboy show but there wasn't enough space to move, at least not where I was near the stage. Hopefully next time they can get a show at a bigger venue.
City of the Sun's Website, Music.
Posted: 4/29/2023 at 5:45pm Tags: City of the Sun Milkboy
Jon Spencer and the HITmakers at Johnny Brenda's
THE Jon Spencer and THE HITmakers sound pretty much exactly how you'd expect if you've heard any of Jon Spencer's many other bands. I really don't want to call them "Blues" Rock, that doesn't quite feel right. THEY have some of the superficial trappings of the Blues but their music isn't all that blues-y, at least not in the classic sense of being emotional and heartfelt. It's Garage Rock, first and foremost, with a little a bit of blues and funk mixed into their sound, plus whatever it is when there's a guy playing trash cans with a hammer but it's not industrial or artsy experimental music.
My personal favorite song on their latest album is "Death Ray", which is about an alien attack! A sexy alien attack (ooooh). Which is to say that it's hinting at themes from cheezy B-movies from the 50s and 60s. Perhaps the guy playing the trash cans is emulating the kinds of no-budget sound effects they used back then. I also notice that the album title is a drug reference. Yeah, it's the usual Garage Rock stuff. It's fun and I still like it but I've heard this before.
Jon Spencer and the HITmakers's Website, Music.
Posted: 2/3/2023 at 8:30pm Tags: Johnny Brenda's Jon Spencer Jon Spencer and the HITmakers
