Gonerfest 8 Review
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily represent official policy or position of Garagepunk.com, its advertisers, members or any other decent member of society.
I got into town on Thursday afternoon and got some catfish and hush puppies at “Soul Fish” that were terrific. There was an Australian band (Psychotic Reaction) playing outside Louie’s Pizza. They sounded somewhere between MC5 and Black Sabbath with lots of echo on the vocals and fuzz on the guitar. They were pretty good. The Limes and Jack Oblivian played outside Goner. Sounded too country/Bruce Springsteen for me (although I heard a song off the record that I kinda liked ). Not terrible, just a bit boring to me. They did do a Roky Erikson song; "I Walked With A Zombie" though.
Thursday night may have been my favorite at the Hi Tone.
Sex Cult - I remember liking the band, but not much else.
Hans Condor - You know how live Guitar Wolf is more about feeling the rock than playing the songs? They were like that but more MC5 like; lots of jumping around and going out in the crowd, falling down on their knees, flashing the devil horn hand sign, etc. The crowd got into it.
Mikal Cronin - good, hard rocking pop with nice harmony vocals.
Royal Headache (Australia), was really good. Catchy upbeat punk, not hardcore, not too pop. They made me very happy and it was the most fun pit (no circle, just bopping up and down) I had been in definitely in a decade or more and maybe even ever. No feeling of anger, fear, or revenge or anything. Great!
OBNIII (Austin) was next and they continued with more of the same only different. I didn't want to like them because they were good looking but I couldn't help it.
Ty Segal had been doing the one man band thing but he had a band this time (including Mikal Cronin on bass). I thought he was pretty good but not great. Maybe I'd had too much fun. He did do "Television Addict”, though.
There was an afterparty at some place that was almost like a speakeasy. Can’t remember the name right now. I'd been driving and drinking and bopping all day and at 3am was just too knackered to make it past the first band (they were ok) and I hadn't heard of the other two playing after that so I split.
Friday, I went to The BBQ Shop for a sandwich for lunch then it was off to the Buccaneer for bands outside. I met up with some new friends then got in the endless line for PBR drafts ($5 for a bottomless cup). You couldn’t really see the band so as soon as you got your beer, back to the end of the line and you’d be ready for another by the time you got back to the front.
Cyclops – A punk 2 piece (male guitarist, female drummer, both sang) dressed like cavemen with a big fake eye on their foreheads. Dumb catchy Ramones/Cramps type stuff. Pretty good dumb fun.
There were two other bands that didn't catch my attention.
Ryan Rousseau - He has been in tons of bands that I have heard the names of but wasn't so familiar with the music (REATARDS, TOKYO ELECTRON, DIGITAL LEATHER, WONGS) but I will be soon. Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, and drums. Kinda drony, jangly, psyche folk pop. Pretty good. I will buy his album when it comes out.
Straight Arrows - (Australia) def one of my favorites, maybe even the favorite. Good poppy punky songs. Nice energy.
Back to the Motel 6 (good location) then back to the BBQ Shop for ribs this time. Yum!
Friday at the Hi Tone was my least favorite night. The first band was Aquafuzz with Harlan T Bobo on gtr/vocals. They were a really good rock and roll band. They have an album coming out in a month or so and I'm completely getting it.
Midnight Snaxxx - 3 ladies. Ramonesy type punk. Just not so great.
James Arthur's Manhunt - ok punk with lota of delay, etc on the guitar. Again not so hot.
Mean Jeans - they were so punk that I didn't care.
Icky Boyfriends - Interesting. Old weirdos making slow to mid tempo, simple organized racket and ranting (not so much screaming). So socially awkward / retarded they made me look well adjusted. I didn't not like them but I don't know if I could listen to them again unless I was doing a case study.
Gories - They were just what you expected out of the Gories; complete and utter Fun with a capital F.
Afterparty at that speakeasy place again.
Acid Baby Jesus - From Greece. Very Black Lips but a bit different. Coming to StL soon. I'm going.
Cheap Time (Nashville) – I saw them when they played Lost Cross a few years ago and it was supposed to be a big deal. I wasn’t so impressed at that time but are much better / stronger now. Reference early Jam, Generation X.
Peach Kelli Pop - Girlie guitar pop. Kept waiting for Molly Ringwald lookalike costume malfunction (I'm a dirty old man). No luck. 5am, time for bed.
Saturday - hamburger and coffee for breakfast at Huey's. That place is bullshit; like Crapplebees/TGIFudpuckers but not a chain, more expensive and just not good.
Murphy's for bands inside and out (overlapping on purpose?). Highlights = Shirks (punk), Real Numbers (kinda cute quirky guitar pop), Kitchen's Floor (Australia again. Like PIL and Gang of Four but not as noisy or funky). Couldn't take Rev John Wilkins. I've had enough gospel for one life, thank you.
Saturday night at the Hi Tone was very entertaining.
Black Sunday - Alicja from River City Tanlines/Lost Sounds, etc. Good C+
Brides – From Chicago (1 or 2 were in VeeDee, I think). Very strong, Pagans/Devil Dogs just straight ahead hard fast punk. I liked them very much.
Deaf Wish - Aus. yet again. Like Sonic Youth but less artsy intellectual, more emotionally disturbed. OK.
Shannon and the Clams - Pretty awesome. They look like they just walked off the set of a John Waters movie. Very 50's, S.C.O.T.S., B-52s, nice male / female harmonies plus a little growl, serial killer/religious cult/stalker songs. Great fun; a good amount of kitsch but musicianship and songs to back it up. Live (even better than their record) Shannon sounds like Lulu or Wanda Jackson. She's pretty and big...big! I told her I liked her set and wanted to see more then I said I liked the music as well (ba-dump-bump!). I've listened to the album about 5 or 6 times already. You can tell they're going to get better, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90Apw1lR9lc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvCWvKnZRSw&feature=related
Alarm Clocks - They did that "No Reason To Complain" song that everyone's covered. They are old, like Gonn but still played well especially the guitarist. The Cynics and many others owe them big time. They have a new album coming out. It may actually be good (to be produced by Jim Diamond). I bought their live album that came out last year – pretty good.
Human Eye - Like Hawkwind - saxophone + more punk (shorter faster simpler songs) and still lots of synth, guitar effects, spacey stuff. Really cool and great fun. Lead singer looks like a cross between Jack Black and Clint Howard (sexy). Ran into them at the afterparty at the Buccaneer and they creamed over my Hawkwind t-shirt.
Afterparty was back at the Buc. People freaked out over the Royal Pendletons. I wanted to like them but just couldn’t get into it. Not drunk enough and/or too tired, I guess. It was 5am anyway and time to go nightnight.
Sunday - Catfish, blackeyed peas, and collard greens for breakfast at Soul Fish. Coffee was chunky style. Stocked up on Schaefer Light, Yeungling, and Genesee (an old man beer I'd never had - tastes like beer) and flaked off back home.
In general, I spent way too much money but had a great time. I'm in love with rock and roll.