Nashville, Part 2
It was almost 8:30 when we arrived at The Basement (of Grimey’s, a small record store just outside of town), rearing and ready to go. Soundcheck was still in progress, so we sat outside listening to guitar sounds, followed minutes later by a cheesy drum beat, girls singing:
I have a sexy body.
I have a sexy body.
I have a sexy body you can not touch me.
It sounded pretty together, as brow-raising as it was, so I figured they had just put on some music inside. This was not the case.
Soon enough we were let in, although it turned out that sound check wasn’t quite over. A rather distinctive looking fellow was on stage, wearing a thick cloth poncho and wielding a guitar while belting out Lionel Richie’s “Hello” with a bassist at his side. Imagine hearing these lyrics being sung in a pseudo-operatic style by a powerful baritone:
Hello! (seconds pass, guitar chords strum)
Is it me you’re looking for?
I can see it in your eyes!
I can see it in your smile!
You’re all I’ve ever wanted! And my arms are open wide!
Mike was starting to laugh, and I was trying to keep a smile off my face. Was this guy for real? He left the stage and the house music came on. Mike and I took our seats and waited for the show to start as more people started filling in.
By 10pm a pretty thick crowd had assembled, but there was still no sign of music. We were cursing ourselves for getting there so early, but there’s usually no telling when these things will start. At about 10:30, The Mattoid took the stage. It was the act we had walked in on before, and they were playing “Hello” again, this time with a stand-up drummer (snare and bass tom), and the bassist bouncing around the stage wearing Pepsi-eyed glasses.
They were, in short, incredible. During sound check I hadn’t gotten it, but almost immediately I realized they were onto something. It was weird as hell, watching the lead singer pinch his nipples through his poncho during an extended and awkward pause before the climax of “Hello” (that song has a climax?) but I liked it. A lot. Their set was probably the most bizarre I’ve ever witnessed, and I’ve seen some weird stuff (Open Mic at Under the Couch, anybody?), but this was different. It had enough substance that you had to actually wonder - how much of this is real? Am I supposed to be laughing at this?
It was a bit after 11 when Automusik went on. Remember the “I have a sexy body” chanting from before? That was Automusik “warming up.” Two girls in black bustiers and skirts, wigs and black industrial goggles flanking an over-the-top Austrian mad scientist character in lab coat and goggles. They are allegedly robots (just like us, right Automusik?). (If you don’t care to read about how I disliked Automusik, skip down). Here’s the schtick:
- Begin with a thick base of anti-pop-cultural/socio-behavioral commentary; simplify and generalize human behavior
- Mix in a TV screen playing a Flash animation rendered to DVD which will guide the audience (and the “band”)
- Add a thin glaze of flanking girls, costumes, robot-y dance moves, and junky synth beats. (Devo, Kraftwerk)
- Bake until hard.
- Beat audience over the head.
Maybe this is supposed to be funny - wry social commentary delivered with a wink and a smile. Think Dieter from SNL (”Now is the time on Sprockets vere vee dahnce!”), except not funny. He’s lecturing us on stuff we, by definition of having remained in the venue through the prior performance, already know. Yeah, we’re slaves to a capitalist society. Yeah, guys chat up girls in order to have sex with them. We know this.
Preaching to the choir is of questionable value, and they’re unlikely to make MTV, so as far as I can tell the best they can hope for is to be significantly funny (they’re not) or musically interesting (pop fly to left field… caught).
I did get one good laugh: their DVD malfunctioned about 2/3 into the performance and they had to skip the chapter and continue at the next one. Automusik informed us, “Even with technical difficulties we are superior to you, Nashville hillbillies!”
Your Favorite Music
Clem Snide rocked. Eef, the frontman, kept referring to this as their dress rehearsal - they’re starting a US tour this week in support of their new album. It was pretty rough around the edges, but it also had some of the best rambunctious energy I’ve ever heard from the band. That’s really all I have to say about it. Sometimes a great show can just shut you up. Plus, a picture’s worth a thousand words, and you have three to choose from! (All pictures)
They’re coming to The Earl in Atlanta on Wednesday the 23rd. And so are you.
Next on The Nashville Entries… Mike and Adam have fried chicken and corn pudding for breakfast!
March 3rd, 2005 at 11:53 am
“Even with technical difficulties we are superior to you, Nashville hillbillies!” LOL Dr. Goggles said that? AWEsome.