Whatever, get over yourselves, when’s the last time screaming guitars gave you chills and you were head banging along with the thrashing lead singer with long locks of hair? That’s what I thought. The last four shows you’ve been to I can almost guarantee no one was dancing and the lead singer was meekly laying down lyrics about the pain of being awkward. Chances are his jeans were tighter than yours and his hair more complex.
FUCK THIS LOVE OF MEEKNESS AND AWKARDNESS. Living out loud used to be valued and lauded. Now it’s all a San Diego scenester can do to be as base, vague, bland, beige as possible. Just because you have social anxiety (like EVERY high school nerd that got a hair cut and skinny jeans and became a hipster later on) doesn’t mean you need to make music about it. Leave that to the people that can um, make music??
OK END RANT. Because Rock and Roll is back on in San Diego!!
Last night I saw Family wagon at The Stage downtown, first off:
The Stage Saloon
This is a semi new venue that I actually really liked and get this, its in the heart of The Gaslamp District on 5th and F . Insert: Psh-shas and eye rolling but this was actually rad because as a Bankers Hill girl the closest venue in walking distance is the Casbah and I have to walk my drunk ass up Laurel to get home. The Stage Saloon has a high up stage that has a drummer mezzanine so you can see all parts of the band really well no matter the crowd size (I’d say 200 people or more capacity). There is also a huge projector screen in the background. Drinks were easy to get albeit a bit high priced, its the Gaslamp….Down stairs they had a DJ and a light show lit dance floor (it was empty though, this was at about 10 PM) that was playing some great jams already (Posse on Broadway!). I loved that! Go for the bands stay for the dancing. They had a smoke patio out front that was perfect for people watching and you could bring your drink with you. The staff was friendly and someone said they served food early, looks like all American BBQ faire on their website. It would be great to see more shows here and mix things up!!
The Family Wagon
ROCK AND ROLL with a bluesy tint a la Jimi Hendrix, no lie. I walked in mid song and they were rocking out to no end. Doesn’t hurt that 3 out of 4 band members has big hair. Also doesn’t hurt that their guitarist was raising up the Devil with licks so good youd shit your American Apparel spandex. This is basically a three piece with a lead singer so how these boys made so much music is beyond me, ok it’s not beyond me. I’ve written this in reviews before. If youre going to have a band with less than four instruments than EVERYONE needs to be above average instrumentally or you run the risk of sounding flat or “not enough.” These dudes fit the bill. The drummer was just hightailing his way to Beatland, I love when drummers hit the drums hard and fast, and were talking rock and roll drums with all their cymbal glory. He also played a part in harmonizing with the lead singer, sometimes playing double duty is a must for smaller bands. The bass player was ROCKING OUT. How many times have you seen a bored bass player repeating his riffs over and over? Not here, melodys, harmonies and solos were all a treat coming from their very skilled and high energy bass lines, he also had the most beautiful head of hair cascading down to his butt. The lead singer has this deep tenor rock and roll voice that recalled any of your classic rock and roll legends, Axel, James Hetfield, Jim Morrison etc. With less cock rock style gruff, sweet. He was holding his mic like a rock star and was thrashing his Seattle grunge esque long locks around and around. Much like amazing front men do! If youre not playing an instrument then your job is to keep the energy level up and up (props if you can do both!). He was engaging and he was into his music, he was putting on a damn rock and roll show!! And then the guitarist. HOLY SHIT, incredible I haven’t said that since I saw Miname at The Casbah early this year and before that when I saw Scarlet Symphony in like 2007. He was building up smoke on those strings, this was classic rock and roll ,hell raising, face melting, spine tinkling, had to clap after each solo, guitar licking goodness. He even killed it from BEHIND HIS HEAD!!!!!!!!! Did I mention he didn’t even use a whammy bar, he just used his fingers to get those blues reverbs going? Keep your eyes on this kid, jesus. After 3 songs I was a bit nervous though. While their songs were each awesome they started getting a little bit to where there weren’t as distinct. But then they broke into a Beatles cover of Come Together and we got blown away. Someone in the crowd behind me remarked “You gotta have balls to do a Beatles cover.” I agree but they pulled it off and added a little more psychedelia which I really liked. After they played this bomb ass song called Zion. I fear I might have heard some religious overtones but then they were back to raising satan as the strong went into some rocking out bass driven riffs and then back to beautiful melodic rock and roll. CHECK THIS BAND OUT. Family Wagon is helping bring rock and roll back to the music scape, one relaxed pant leg at a time.
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