Friday March 29th 2024

Bomber / Thirty Silver / Wrought Iron Hex / Hooch

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Bomber / Thirty Silver / Wrought Iron Hex / Hooch
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA   8/6/16

 

I met Andy while we were both working in a mailroom in 1980. We found out we both attended local punk shows and that we both had friends who we had to practically drag to attend such events but we both actually, wanted to go! And though we’re now not out cruising on a Friday night to go to The Rat or The Channel, a big part of our hearts, a big part of our lives, still reside there in those times.

And during one of our excursions, Andy offered to play the new Motorhead album, Ace Of Spades, on his cars’ tape deck.

“I don’t want to hear it,” I said, “I don’t really like metal.”

He said, “This is different, give it a chance.” And I did and I was sold.

Soon after I sold my soul to the devil, and then to punk and rock’n’roll. And I relate this because tonight I’m here at the Midway, at a show headlined by a Motorhead tribute band- Bomber.

Hooch is the first band to play tonight and they describe themselves as “sludge/doom metal” which sounds good to me. And once they do start playing they do sound good to me.

This is definitely doom-y metal but not dirge like- just slowing it down to create more heaviness, more intensity. This is real (slow) headbanging stuff.

They have loud grungy guitar, high hardcore vocals( not death like) and songs that last awhile but don’t overstay their welcome. And occasionally, towards the end of a song, they speed up and really rock out.

I really like this band a lot, and they’re a great start to the festivities.

Jason is the singer/guitarist for the next band Wrought Iron Hex. Though this is my first time meeting Jason I know him as a big supporter of TNB.

I try to ignore his, obviously, bad judgment and hope he chooses his music more wisely.

They have The Pope on drums. This guy I see drumming everywhere. Whether it’s punk, metal or hardcore he seems not only more than capable to play it, but has his mind open to whatever situation he is called to play upon.

I wouldn’t say this band plays metal. I would say they play high-energy rock, with a busy rhythm section where the bassist plays a lot of notes and The Pope plays more than a steady rock beat.

I guess you could say they veer towards the “progressive rock” style, a style I find most boring, but these guys have no excess fat in their songs, no long self-indulgent solos. Mainly they have songs that kicks ass and turn in a fun, energetic rockin’ set.

Thirty Silver consists of two guys. My dislike of duos goes from The White Stripes all the way back to the soft rock duo’s of the seventies like Seals & Krofts, Loggins & Messina. (Who?) So these guys have two strikes against them already.

They’re comprised of a solid, metal-ish drummer and a guitarist/singer who uses lots of echo and dissonance on his guitar.

On their facebook they describe themselves as “rock/grunge/punk/loud,” which sounds pretty accurate to me.

I’ll add that they’re a duo that doesn’t disgust me- playing some stripped down, original rock and turn in a unique and good set.

Now it’s time for Bomber and I’m immediately struck by how much the bassist/singer sounds like Lemmy! I’ve never heard a singer who sounds like Lemmy so I’m surprised that this fellow can easily pull it off and the band sounds great as well.

They kick off with “Western Movies” and soon after it’s “Killed By Death.” At one point the drummer is lying on the stage behind his double bass drum kit trying to fix his hi-hat stand. The guitarist jokes that he’s performing auto-fellatio on himself. (Truth be told I was doing that, in the mens room, just before they started their set.)

They continue to play songs I know and some I’m unfamiliar with. I notice a young guy in the crowd who’s dressed and looks like a young Lemmy!

They play “Stay Clean” into “Ace Of Spades” and soon after follow it with “Chase Is Better Than The Catch.” I don’t think there’s a lot of bands I want to see tribute bands for, but this band does a great job and really pays tribute to a man and band that truly deserves it. They play a great set that lasts for over an hour!

I’ve always said that Motorhead is a band that might best represent what TNB stands for- it was started by a man who knocked about with the punks (he gave Sid Vicious bass lessons), whose band was classified as metal, and invented the term speed metal (related to hardcore). And I’ve found this band equally liked by punks, metal headbangers and hardcore fans alike.

But Lemmy said he was just trying to sound like Little Richard and he did introduce every Motorhead show with the words, “Good evening! We are Motorhead, and we play rock’n’roll!”

And tonight I try to place each band in nice, concise categories. It helps as I’m supposed to describe the bands to you, it’s a big part of my job.

But whether it’s punk or rock’n’roll, or people having a good time, people celebrating being alive, letting their “hair down,” letting their true self shine true for a night.

Whether it’s the passion or the realness or the energy or the fun. Or the tears and the hits against the madness of life, the pain that needs to find a way out.

That’s what really happens at the shows I go to. That’s what’s really amazing.

That’s what I really need to write about.

(Slimedog)

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