Thursday March 28th 2024

The Dolly Rots / Lucky United / Death Waltz 76 / Duck & Cover

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The Dolly Rots / Lucky United / Death Waltz 76 / Duck & Cover
Middle East (Upstairs), Cambridge, MA 9/16/14

 

Monday night at the Middle East Upstairs- wherever else could you dream to be?

Duck & Cover is a band formed by a couple of circus acrobats. No- that can’t be right! Though they juggle musical genres to somersault sonically and tumble tonally before our very ears- they were, in fact, in a band called The Acro-brats. And played music in a circus.

After an unfortunate incident involving an enraged circus elephant, Chris Brat, formed this band that actually captures the spirit and sound of early eighties Boston punk rock. With a solid rhythm section of a bass player who has balls (I was going to say “plays with balls” but I thought that might be misconstrued), a drummer that kicks ass, a guitarist who adds squealing, rockin’ guitar and a front man who sings with high, intense vocals…well, any trauma of indecent assault by an elephant falls by the wayside after hearing this band.

This band plays great pop/punk and garage punk’n’roll. They deliver an awesome opening set playing my favorite songs by them, “I Stand Corrected ” and “How Low Will You Go” and I refuse to divulge anything more.

Next up is Death Waltz 76 who I have seen before. With a female singer, a drummer who plays tribal beats and a guitarist with echoed atmospheric shadings it makes me recall Siouxsie & The Banshees. A band I did like but I can’t say the same for this band.

This is slow, goth-y, minor key music that would probably be liked by someone into this type of music but it’s not what this punk Slimedog craves. (Which is indecent midgets mishandling kitchenware).

I kind of imagine smoking opium in India while listening to this band but that’s not what I want to do or where I want to be.

But now it’s time for Jenn Lombardi’s fairly new band Lucky United. Jenn is probably my favorite songwriter on our site.

And Lucky United is a true punk band though they don’t play hardcore. I think I’ve described them as a mix of The Ramones, Joan Jett and Lenny Lashley.

But the real reason they are punk is they’re not slick and predictable but rather raw, hard and true.

I’ll admit I think the start of the set is a bit rocky. They do have a new bass player but he seems to be fitting in. And then she breaks a guitar string and has to borrow a guitar from Chris Brat.

But after that the set just seems to grow with momentum. It seems to grow with honesty and passion, with someone putting themselves on the line, baring their true emotions, their soul.

Then she does a song by Miley Cyrus. It’s called “Wrecking Ball.” And I actually don’t know the song but I know the controversy behind it and I figure out that this must be- that song.

And I know it’s just a piece of pop trash and I figure I should be laughing but the intensity and emotion of the deliverance of the song is making me feel the opposite. I’m actually moved by the song and I’m more than surprised when I feel myself tear up.

She proceeds to win the crowd over, with in-between song banter, her rough edged vocal performance and her great songs.

And she turns in what will be the best set of the night. And the best set by her I’ve ever witnessed.

Now, it’s the headliner. L.A. Pop/punk band The Dolly Rots. I first happened to see them play at the Abbey Lounge years ago. I remember talking to the singer/ bassist Kelly Ogden and what a nice, bright girl she was, clutching her pet rat. And the second time I saw them was opening up for X at the Paradise a few years after that.

Now, this is the third time seeing the band and only because I was so keen on seeing Death Waltz 76.

I mean, Lucky United and Duck & Cover.

Now, before we get started you gotta realize L.A. is where they make the movies. And, also, even if you aren’t in the movies, whatever you do, you act like you are. Liking being a cowboy in Texas, maybe. L.A. is superficial, all surface, no substance. And I suppose some would claim this of this band.

And I must admit, I mentioned to Jenn, during their set “I feel like I’m at a punk show for a kindergarten class.”

But you can take all your preconceptions, Immaculate Mary, and shove it if you think I’m gonna give thumbs down to this band.

A band that just had a baby (and not a baby rat!) between the guitarist and the singer/ bassist and they have another female whacking on the drums (maybe the nanny!)

I’d rather drown cute puppies than dis this band. I don’t care if this is syrupy sweet (my punk daughter- “Eww, I hate The Dolly Rots).” This is true punk- this is not fabricated pop crap. They cover “Rollerskates” by Melanie- yeah, I know you don’t know who the fuck that is, but she sang at Woodstock and perhaps she was the Miley Cyrus of her time?

I remember hearing “Party In The USA” by Miley Cyrus at Queer-e-oke a few years back, at the Lesbian Karaoke night at the Midway. The lyrics were on the monitor and I remember liking the song and really liking the lyrics. Perhaps, I really like Miley Cyrus after all.

But you’re wrong if you think you’re too hip to like The Dolly Rots. Because this is still punk rock even if you don’t believe it. Because punk cannot be fit into tiny categories of hipness. Go check out indie rock if you think it does. I don’t need you, because I’m awesome- because I’m a leader- and I’m a winner. Because The Dolly Rots are awesome!

Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah.

Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah.

Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah.

 

(Slimedog)

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