Concert Review: The Spook Lights / The Black Hollies / NASCAR at the Jackpot
Despite the possibility of impending awful weather, a decently-sized crowd gathered at the Jackpot last night for full-on garage rocking. Now, a little garage goes a long way, so it was thankful that the three acts who graced the stage all offered something different.
Lawrence's own the Spook Lights ended up headlining, despite everyone and their mothers thinking they'd be playing after the Black Hollies. Some things got switched around, and the Black Hollies ended up going on second. Whatever. It's unfortunate that the Spook Lights had to play to a crowd that dispersed a bit before their set, because they sounded the best I've ever seen them. The band has had its ups and downs. They're on their third drummer, and recently added a bass and keyboard player in the person of Ms. Zepellina Mystery. All the kinks have been worked out, and the Spook Lights now sound like a completely new band.
Everyone who stuck around got a great show, and it was evident from the crowd in front of the stage that everyone still there at 12:45 was there for the Spook Lights. The band's blend of Cramps fuzz and B-movie lyrics have only gotten better, and now that they've got the option of bass or keys on some tunes, the songs have an added depth and range that wasn't there with the two-guitar-and-drums setup. Songs that tenuously held together before were imbued with a new vigor. For instance, there was a freak out breakdown during "Scarum Harum" that gave the song new life, although that was nothing compared to the breath of fresh air the keyboard gave to by-now-standard "Teenage Maniac."
Spook Lights setlist
Scarum Harem
Shake Shake Shake
Sinister Urge
Teenage Maniac
Nudie Watusi
Black Lagoon
Disintegrator Ray
Discomfort Zone
Indecent Desire
Openers NASCAR are one of those bands that have a name I despise, but a sound I love. I first saw them play back in April, when the Spook Lights returned after a winter break with their new line-up. NASCAR plays garage a la the Shadows of Knight, the Fuzztones, or a slightly darker version of Lawrence's late and lamented the Hefners.
Also, though it may have more to do with Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham being in heavy rotation on my iPod lately than anything else, there's a touch of Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet there, too. Their sound relies on echo-laden vocals -- there's a lot of reverb throughout their sound, actually. They're too heavy and psychedelic to really get down and dance to, but you can certainly shake your hips to the drumbeat and bass. NASCAR's low end rumbles like the stock car racing circuit from which the band takes its name.
NASCAR setlist
Intro
Jazzy
Zombie
Instrumental
Want You Around
Shadow of the River
Pussypants
You're Gonna Miss Me
You're Gone
She'll Be My Death
The Black Hollies provided more garage with keys and more nattily dressed young men between NASCAR and the Spook Lights. They had a monster drummer, one of those heavy-hitting Keith Moon type guys. The whole band was just tight as a drum actually. All their songs reminded me of something I'd heard before. They were familiar, but presented in a way that was new enough to keep my attention. Their songs were definitely more upbeat than NASCAR's, but not so upbeat that you could call them bubblegum. The Black Hollies lay somewhere nearer the Who's "I'm A Boy" and Creation's "Making Time" than anything by the Archies. My only beef with the band is that their frontman doesn't know his range, and the harmonizing he was trying to do on the "oh-oh"s was just not working.
Black Hollies setlist
Run With Me Run
Get Yourself Together
When You're Not There
Can't Stop These Tears
Paisley Pattern Ground
Number Ten Girl
Don't Be Afraid to Ask
Gloomy Monday Morning
Hold Tight
Definitely one of those shows that, if you missed it because of the weather, you should be kicking yourself. It never rained harder than yesterday morning, and the crowd was certainly friendly and receptive to the bands. You could've been a part of that, too. If you want to experience some of it, check out Midwest Hi-Fi's archived Spook Lights and NASCAR show at the Replay from back in April.
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