Pussy Lips and a Big Disappointment – 3/13
I just vomited in the shower.
I woke up this morning aching – bruises, dull head pain, and a big red swell surrounding the tetanus shot I recently received. I hobbled to the shower, turned on the water, and was ready to shoot snot out of my nose and ease my aches. I proceeded to vomit. Some of my stomach excrement went up my nose.
I’m going to keep the following review short. If you’d like to read more about the Black Lips I suggest Spin’s article about partying with the Black Lips. The story was as bad as Esquire’s music reviews and labeling of Against Me! as music’s most understood band. All proof that music journalism is a complete sham.
At their best they’re a bayou stomping, kick drum kicking, distorted under water vocals, never understand a word good time. At their worst they’re rather forgettable. The band consists of the guy who works upstairs in the Middle East box office (not really, but close enough), a giraffe of a man, an overweight word garbling lead singer, and an Asian business woman with a welcome affinity for the kick drum.
They’re worthy of further exploration.
First, let me praise Quintron. He plays the organ, keys, some sort of electronic bass/synth I couldn’t get a good look at, and high hat all at once. He attempts to summon the energy of a Louisiana birthday party baptism and he often does. He tore through the crowd yelling at those who were yawning declaring himself and everyone around him “badass mother fuckers.” His organ playing is feverish, bounces and winds as it urges you to move and shake with reckless abandon.
Miss Pussycat counteracts that urge with every sound she makes and maraca she shakes. Her singing is grating, which would be fine if she captured a punk rock appeal that gave off the attitude of “I know I can’t sing, but I don’t care, so fuck y’all (all y’all)” Instead she seems inept and almost worthless on stage. Her role could be filled by any member of the audience, which would really make for a rocking show, and definitely draw the adoration of any local crowd.
Furthermore, instead of hearing Quintron plow through more tunes we had to stand through a driveling and largely uncreative puppet shows. Here’s a spoiler: Santa kills the witch with a machine gun – brilliant, right?
So Quintron, you’re rad and your show could become an absolute frenzy – an exorcism of boredom and stagnation – if you ditched Miss Pussycat, shifted the load completely onto your back, and made the audience even more involved.
Quintron – Wild West
Quintron – Jam Skate
The Black Lips do what they always do: put on a great show. There was the band’s standard fare of guitar biting, spitting, head shaking, and drool unable to remain in check due to a set of gold teeth. The audience responded in their standard pushing, bouncing, and twisting manner which always allows for anyone to receive a well placed head butt or elbow.
If you’ve never seen the Black Lips before you owe it to yourself to see them. If you’ve seen them since they started their Good Bad Not Evil tour way back when then you’re not going to see anything new. Basically, you can’t go wrong with the Black Lips, but I think I’m about done until their set is switched up a bit.
In other news…
Raven Symone is coming to Agganis for a $28 minimum pajama party…so Raven!
And, I’m pretty sure Justice put a non believer hex on me prior to any of their shows. I was incredibly sick during their Philly show (lost 10-15lbs) and I feel the sickness coming on once again. Damn you Catholic hexing gods.
