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Gig review: The Bel-Tower, 3/25/11
- Mar 28 2011
- 1
Punk rock is a young man's game. Sure, you can maintain a certain spiritual youth indefinitely, but keeping up with a roomfull of teenage punks can take it out of you right quick. This is what I gleaned from Friday night's show at the Bel-Tower.
The place is one of the most exciting venues operating right now (on par with Fulton 55, though for different reasons). This is the urban underground and there is a sense of unhampered freedom that the jaded side of me is afraid will quickly be ruined if people start talking about it too much. Better to leave it under the radar.
Our set: I like to wrap the mic cord around my neck. It looks cool, sure, but it serves a logistical purpose, too, in that I never loose track of the mic. Even when it's out of my hands, it's dangling right there, easy to find. At the Bel-Tower this is a death-wish. Someone comes circling around, all fists and elbows and knees, and catches the cord with his foot and suddenly I'm struggling for breath. Then, they come back around and slam me ass-over-tea kettle into the drum set. Rough stuff. Totally fun.
The Grims: The Grims were described to me a psychobilly band, but they peg me more as straight-foward rockabilly band. They have an edge, yes, and play fast, fast, but musically they're a little to clean to be psychobilly (in my opnion at least). They have the old Stray Cats set up: guitar/singer, drummer (who plays a tiny kit, standing up) and an upright bassist. The play tight and at breakneck speed, which is super fun to watch, especially in a room full of amped up teens looking to smash something. Someone had to stand guard to make sure it wasn't the bass.
Some other bands played, but I before I showed up. Missed Deadbeats and R.A.S.H. Hope to catch them next time.
1 Comment(s) for "Gig review: The Bel-Tower, 3/25/11"
Happy to see another punk venue doing all-ages shows. You are ever the optimist, but your right about it being a young man's game. There are a few exceptions, but most old people really can't do it. They can attempt to do it, and if the audience can be forgiving, can pull it off. But who wants to perform where your always hoping the audience can forgive you? That's why I don't play punk anymore. Once I got over 50, if I was honest about things, I had lost the ability to play it in a way that does it justice. It should be louder, faster, shorter. And, it should come easy.