Dumbek's Random Stuff

So I was hanging out with a friend of mine on the 4th of July and he was extolling the virtues of No Age - a two-piece band from LA on Sub Pop. I had heard the name thrown around, but hadn't really paid much attention to them. I did a little investigating and the reviews were almost a little too good to be true. I don't think I came across a single negative comment about them. All the right names were being dropped as comparisons: My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Husker Du, The Dickies, etc. I ran over to emusic and downloaded Weirdo Rippers and was hooked.

So I was successfully talked into going to their show at the Rock and Roll Hotel, also featuring Abe Vigoda and High Places. I got there shortly after Abe Vigoda started - about an hour after the posted start time. Typical for the RnR Hotel. Abe Vigoda were surprisingly good - a bit thrashy, but catchy enough to keep me interested. I need to look into them further. My friends showed up a few minutes after High Places started. It didn't take long before we agreed that it was time to go upstairs and lounge for a bit. Finally - around the time I was expecting to be headed home, No Age takes the stage. Much more raw than I expected, which was a mixed blessing. I love the way Weirdo Rippers sounds, so I was hoping for more of that. But there's no denying the power these guys have. That's a lot of noise for 2 people. The fact that they're just guitars/drums makes White Stripes comparisons almost inevitable - even if they're not quite fair or accurate. Their live sound made me think of Jay Reatard meets The Jesus and Mary Chain. No bullshit hard-driving power - heavy and fast, with a little fuzz on top. Awesome.

So they weren't exactly what I expected, but they were terrific anyway. It was one of those nights where I wish I could have bought all of their musical merch (along with a few things by Abe Vigoda), but I settled for a couple seven-inches. I'll definitely be back for more.

I actually got to meet the band for a while before the show. Nice guys. Buy their stuff. Give them money so they can stay in better motels. Most importantly - go see them while they're still playing these small venues. It won't stay that way for long.