I made it to the Summit for the later half of Moviola's set.  I liked their "I Can't Stand It."  The Summit was packed (as was Skully's).  A coney dog at Bourbon Street was more my speed between Moviola and Cheater Slicks (the main event).

The Slicks' "Sister Ray" made the evening's scrambling worthwhile.  Faithful to the original but with that added Shannon Bros. guitar magic.  Dana Hatch's vox and Mo Tucker-tribute drumming were spot on, too.  If there's a recording out there, someone needs to make this into a one-sided LP.

And if you haven't been checking Agit Reader frequently, seriously get over there.  A lot of good stuff on there.  The Robert Griffin interview I mentioned on here before is in the archives, as is a bunch of other cool stuff.

Obviously, this is short notice, but if anyone reads this and went, give us a report (comment/e-mail), please!

The Thorriors were in full effect and the band seemed to enjoy themselves.  Valient himself professed his undying love for Hound Dog's Pizza.  It was a magical evening.

I admit, some of the time I didn't know what Valient was talking about.  But one thing is clear:  we've gotta take matters into our own hands.  After all, who's going to help you -- a bipartisan commission?

Mr. Rubberburner started off.  The bassman extraordinaire wasn't in the house, but the band nevertheless sounded better than the last time.  The songs definitely were a bit more polished.  I'm down.

Mr. Rubberburner (bigger pic)

The 'Shake was the main attraction, though, and damned if they didn't end up kicking some ass.  Not without some drama.  The equipment was going out left and right early on.  "Fake Your Own Death," the opener, was ruined due to the malfunctions, and the amps or whatever kept going out for the first 15 minutes or so.  That, coupled with the need to get the guitars completely retuned for different songs, got things off to a fairly rocky start.  Cut 'em some slack, though.  This was their first show in a year and a half.

Prisonshake . . . Enkler wasn't messing around (bigger pic) 

Things continued to be a little tense throughout the main set.  As the equipment kept freaking out and a handful of people started streaming out of the bar, the band looked more than a little frustrated.  There was a knowing, shiteating grin on Enkler's face during "The Cut-Out Bin" as he pointed to the stage floor and sang, "Some say that rock and roll has died, and at times like these I wish they were right."

No shit, Griffin's the man (bigger pic)

Early set highlight was "Fuck Your Self Esteem," after which Enkler and Griffin gave the origins of the title.  By the end of the set, the band was on fire.  "Elijah" was probably my fave, which may have been fairly obvious when Enkler singled me out to join in on the backup vox.  Those encores killed, too.  Damn, they played "Carthage Burns" and "Seemed a Brilliant Idea."

All in all, this started a bit rocky and was maybe in peril, but by the end this turned out to be one of the more memorable shows for me this year.  These dudes are definitely cool guys as well.  I was a bit scared I might've freaked Enkler out with my fanboyism, but he seemed to get a genuine kick out of me requesting "AIDS Reduction Plan."  Scariano came up and talked to me after the show (he couldn't talk me in to driving up to Cleveland for the show Saturday, but he did hook me up with the setlist pictured below).  And Griffin graciously gave me 45 minutes for an interview that'll go up on the Agit Reader site.

El Jesus opened with two longish, plodding jams that I totally dug.  Thus setting the mood, they transitioned nicely into the more "traditional" stuff.  'Twas all good.  As cliche as it might sound, every time I see El Jesus, it seems like they top themselves.

I'd first seen Dan Melchior und das Menace during SXSW this year and really dug their set.  They rocked then, but the band sounded tighter during this Ohio appearance (maybe it was just me).  Anyway, high-energy, tension-filled rock hit after hit here.  Definitely check them out when they come by your locality.

Dan Melchior und das Menace at Carabar

The two-band bill let each group find their groove and (at least in El Jesus' case) seemingly explore some areas that they don't normally get to in their live sets.  And it was all over before 2 a.m.  More two-band bills, please.

Prisonshake's Dirty Moons saw its official release a few weeks ago, and I've gotten the chance to give the record a good six to eight listens so far.  Obvious first impression: this sucker's long (close to 80 minutes), not to mention dense. 

Usually when it takes forever for a band to get a record together, it's a sign that it's going to get dragged down to mediocrity by virtue of its intended grandiosity.  Thankfully, Robert Griffin, Doug Enkler & Co. know better.  When I say this is a dense record, I mean that there's a lot going on here, and it's going to take a lot of listens to get a handle on everything.  That's the mark of a good record, but it's also the mark of a challenging record, so don't expect this one to totally kick you on your ass the first listen or two.

Stylistically, Dirty Moons goes all over the place, but it gets there the right way.  Take side one for example (it's one of the best sides of a double-LP in recent memory).  Prisonshake lets you know you're listening to Prisonshake with "Fake Your Own Death," which is a sorta slow, scheming rocker that takes off a little over half way through, throwing guitar solos, abrupt sonic shifts, and wholly unexpected snippets in the mixer.  Just like Ma used to make, if Ma made I'm Really Fucked Now.  "I Will Comment," an instant classic 'Shake anthem (maybe think a slow, mature "Fall Right Down"?), follows and leads into the kick-ass "The Cut-Out Bin." Next comes a stellar reworking of "Dream Along," which some of you will recognize from its former incarnations about 10 years ago as "Dream King" on the Anyway Records songwriter CD compilation and "Dream Along With Me" from the "Fuck Your Self Esteem" 7" and which might represent the most legitimate example of Tender Rock, what with its plaintive piano outro and all.  Side One rounds out with "You're Obviously The One," maybe Prisonshake's first foray into powerpop, replete with a hearty serving of "ba ba ba ba"'s.  And that's it -- five songs, all a little different, yet somehow a cohesive whole that works.

Sides two and three are where the "density" really comes into play, especially with side two's extended Scissors Suite and the side three "Year of the Donk"/"Leftover Monkey" medley.  I'm guessing, though, that as time goes on it will be these two middle sides that might be the most continually rewarding, with their essentially symphonic movements.  The band reaches some nice heights on the instrumental interludes here.  We get a good share of trademark Griffin guitar dirty fireworks, but now the rest of the band gets to join in for a sort of more fully realized envisioning of what they were maybe trying to do with the extended "Sweat Like Candy."  

Before first listening, I was curious to hear what the band was going to do with some of the "old" songs that had made appearances in various forms during the mid/late 90's.  Pretty much unanimously, though, all the new versions are improvements over the originals.  "Dream Along" benefits from solid harmony vocals, "Crush Me" sounds a little more fully realized in a Roaring Third way, and "Fuck Your Self Esteem" comes off even more kickass than before.  "Leftover Monkey" sounds slower and more sinister and works as the meat in the "Year of the Donk" sandwich.

Prisonshake's still got their sense of humor, too.  No farts that I've heard yet, but Marty makes a reappearance on the intro to "The Cut-Out Bin."  And side two starts off with "Your Sad Friend."  Young and old alike have to marvel at Enkler crooning, "Well, bring your sad friend, if you must / maybe she'll dance / let's hope she don't get too drunk" lounge style with piano accompaniment.  In true old-school Cle fashion, there's also the sound of shit getting busted before "It Was A Very Good Year."

Other quick thoughts:  "Memo From Chambers" totally rocks.  I like the instrumentals (e.g. "Nowhere Near (Slight Return)" and "Janus").  This is a great sounding record -- all analog, never overproduced, and thoughtful in the sense that each song tends to have its own sound.  And did I mention this new Prisonshake powerpop rules?  "In Disguise" (this one's got handclaps) goes nicely with "You're Obviously The One."

Anyway, I'll stop rambling.  Quick summary: you'll get a lot of mileage out of this record.  Prisonshake still does whatever the hell it wants to really well.  And I know I keep making my fanboy references here, but this isn't an album that requires familiarity with the rest of the band's discography.  If you haven't gotten hip to Prisonshake yet, this is as good a place as any to start.  Buy the friggin thing from your local record store or order it from Scat.

Obligatory bad photo of D.C. Berman & Co. (Bigger pic here)

No guitar or music stand with the lyrics this time around for Berman.  Instead, he went with the sort of "Southern English professor meets Elvis" stage persona.  The set was loaded with classics: "How to Rent a Room," "Random Rules," "Trains Across the Sea" are three particular faves of mine that made the cut.  More recent songs that stood out included "Punks in the Beerlight," "K-Hole," and "Horseleg Swastikas."  Too many to list, really (full-ish setlist here).

All in all, I really dug getting to see the band again, and hopefully they swing back here again soon.  Berman seems like a fan of Columbus -- he's got Central Ohio roots and he gave the city some praise in between good-natured swipes at Eddie George (probably rooted in #27's late-career ineffectiveness for Berman's hometown Titans). 

After the show I went up to Berman to shake his hand and told him that I've dug his music since I was a wee lad in high school and he graciously said, "Thanks for sticking with us."  It's been my pleasure.

Untied we stand.

Long live dirt weed.

Mankind is unkind, man.

God luck and good speed.

Last time I saw Psychedelic Horseshit was after Comfest I think, when I really wasn't in my right mind, so it was good to see the new new lineup again.  Seemed like they played a lot of new stuff, which I fully support.  More melodic, more ambitious (???), more bang fer yer buck.  Play the new stuff.  It sounds better than the old stuff, and the old stuff still rules. 

Hadn't heard either Crystal Stilts or Vivian Girls (both apparently from New York).  I dug both sets.  Stilts had a sorta Velvets-poprock type sound (at least from behind the stage), but I may be getting the Velvets comparison mostly by reflex from their kick-ass playing-while-standing drummer who tastefully laid off the cymbals.  Vivian Girls were more straight-up frantic pop rock.  Overall highlight of the night (and it was an A+ night) had to be their killer cover of the Beach Boys' "Girl Don't Tell Me."  I know, I'm partial to Beach Boys covers, but this was seriously good and had me yelling "Carl Wilson" after it was over.  I told their bassist they need to record and release a version of it . . . hopefully they do.

Monday night's obligatory bad photo: Crystal Stilts

Times New Viking capped things off as you knew they would.  New songs (off the upcoming EP, maybe?) kicked it.  The super-packed Bourbon St. crowd went wild -- the kids getting a bit rowdy, and even though they came a little close to toppling the PA a couple of times, it was good to see the place that crowded for these bands.  Was that a six-minute version of "Love Your Daughters"?  Could've gone to eight.  Perfect night all around, really.

Tuesday night I made my way to Carabar.  Howlies' YouTube video for "Aluminum Baseball Bat" had me geared up for some new-oldies crooning, but alas, they're pretty much your standard, slightly-above average, upbeat guitar rock.  Not that there's anything wrong with that -- everybody else seemed really into it -- but it wasn't quite my thing.  They did play "Baseball Bat," though, and that was something even I could get fully behind.

Mr. Rubberburner, on the other hand, was a little older and a little dirtier -- something I can get behind.  A Columbus supergroup of sorts, they belted out the raw guitar rock and ended the night with a riff-laden cover of "My Perogative."  Good work, fellas.

Tuesday night's obligatory bad photo: Mr. Rubberburner

I sorta have a rule that any time I see a dude in a sequined black jumpsuit don a helmet with a phone attached to it and play some wicked country blues licks while singing and kicking a drum and cymbal, I have to tell the world about it.

Bob Log III sizzled last night at Bourbon Street. Scott Biram threw a couple of strong punches, too.  And Grafton rules.  Over and out.

What can I say about the triumphant Mirrors set at the Beachland this past Saturday?  Driving through downtown Cleveland on my way up, I felt that usual sense of anticipation that I've always gotten whenever that skyline comes into view, but I honestly didn't know what to expect.  Sure, I've listened to Mirrors way back when I was a young man in high school (you believe I didn't want to play football for the coach?).  But as far as I know, Mirrors hadn't played anywhere since those days 13 or so years ago, and the only hints I'd gotten as to how their set might sound were off old live tracks from the Another Nail in the Coffin reissue.  Those live tracks (from the mid-80's Mirrors reunion, I presume) are solid -- amped up, raw, (3 piece?) garage takes on Mirrors classics, old and (then) new -- but I guess I was wondering whether the reunited band, some 30+ years after its original incarnation, would go for that kind of breakneck pace for an entire set. 

I suppose deep down I was hoping for a live version of that brilliantly-weird, old-school-lo-fi, Velvets-in-Cleveland mid-70's Mirrors sound documented so well on the Those Were Different Times and Hands in My Pockets discs.  I've seen enough underwhelming reunion shows, though, so I guess I suppressed that hope.  After all, suppressing hope is the Cleveland way.

I shouldn't have worried, 'cause I ended up getting my wish.  From the moment the band took stage and "warmed up" with a brief "Interstellar Overdrive" leading into a dead-on performance of "She Smiled Wild," Mirrors showed that, amazingly, they haven't lost a step.  Jim Crook's guitar was smoking.  The vocals of Jamie Klimek, Paul Marotta, and Craig Bell were strong throughout.  And Paul Laurence's drumming kept everything together (except perhaps for the cowbell that threatened to blow it all apart).  There was the occasional rough patch, which was understandable for a band playing a one-off show.  Those brief moments aside, the evening was electric: passages of beautiful noise; driving, Moe Tucker drums (minimal cymbal!); cosmic archetypal guitar; and classic, intelligent but coolly playful songs, truly Cleveland.

Often when you see a band for the first time after having listened to their records forever, the band might not live up to the sort of mystical conception you've developed from those records.  I think it's a sign of a great band when the live performance is able to surpass this internal, mystical conception ("classic"-era Guided by Voices or current Times New Viking jump out in my mind).  Maybe it's a sign of an all-time great band when, after they haven't performed as a unit for forever, the live show is able to surpass a decades-old mystical conception.  Mirrors did just that, and I think a decent part of the audience, filled with Cle rock all-stars (you could count on Steve-O being there, but Bernie from Bernie & the Invisibles?!?!), would agree with me.

Highlights included "We'll See," a dynamic "Sweet Refrain," "How Could I" (a personal favorite), and the rollicking "Penthouse Legend."  Bell shined in taking the lead vocal during "Annie," which topped the list of songs I wanted to hear.  And Marotta ruled on what might be the true Cle rock anthem, "Jaguar Ride."

I'll stop babbling, but really, this was one of the best shows I've seen in a while.  After years of never thinking I'd get to see Mirrors play, I count myself lucky that I was able to witness it.  Down here in Columbus, it maybe is a bit disappointing that the Electric Eels get all the attention while bands like Mirrors and the Styrenes go a bit ignored.  Sure, the Eels stuff relates more directly to (and informs a good deal of) the great stuff happening here in Columbus, and they're rightly hailed.  Maybe Mirrors are a bit too Cleveland for Columbus, but that's not gonna stop me from chatting 'em up around here.

So yeah, Mirrors definitely delivered Saturday night.  How 'bout making this an annual thing, fellas?

These days, [Spencer] Elden says, his peers concentrate on "playing Rock Band on Xbox, like, that's not a real band! That's the difference between the '90s and kids nowadays; kids in the '90s would actually go out and make a [real] band!"

I feel bad for the kid who hasn't gotten the chance to lay down and listen to Nevermind on the headphones.  Anyway, here's hoping that in 17 years, Spencer's "big bag of [teenage] angst" has paid off well.

In other dog news, I thought it could never be done, but Joey Chestnut has repeated as the Hotdog Eating Champion, in the competition's first ever dog-off, no less.  Kobayashi's run as the Babe Ruth of hotdog eating was impressive, but I'm psyched to see Chestnut emerge as Roger Maris.

• That Friday afternoon lineup at the Offramp stage was probably the cumulative highlight.  Cheater Slicks, Guinea Worms, Necropolis, and TJSA all delivered.  The Slave Apartments set particularly ruled -- it had been around 10 years since I'd last seen them (at Pat's in the Flats in Cleveland with Gem . . . great night), so I was definitely loving hearing all the old hits ("Bottle Island," "My Mysterious Death," "Cheater's Heaven," "Rump Government" . . . too many to list, really).  Jeff Fernengel, Brainbow, and Weightless were Friday night standouts.
• Didn't catch anything super-exciting Saturday, mostly because I missed the Saturday night bands.  Reports were that Muscle Puzzle, Dead Sea, and El Jesus sounded great.
• I really dug the Sun's set earlier tonight.  I'd recently seen them as a five-piece at Bourbon Street and things seemed kinda disjointed, but the power trio lineup definitely delivered tonight.

Obligatory bad photos (with a few ok ones thrown in for variety's sake):

Cheater Slicks (bigger photo)

Guinea Worms with the Columbus Hardcoretet (bigger photo)

Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments (bigger photo)

Comfest All-Stars Series #1: Ron House with your lame narrator

Comfest All-Stars Series #2: Jeff Fernengel & Me (I figured after Ron House & Fern, the All-Stars Series was ripe for early retirement)

Fern & Friends (bigger photo)

Brainbow (bigger photo)

More Brainbow (bigger photo)

Blueprint & Co. (bigger photo)