So I went to this show with three of my band mates Sunday night. We missed the first band that played. I heard they were good, but that came from someone whose taste I question. We were planning to miss the second band as well, but thank god that didn't happen.
The curtain went up at the El Rey and the four-piece was lined up in a row. Apparently they don't do that all the time which is disappointing but immediately my eyes were locked on their drummer despite him being flanked by two beautiful women slinging guitars. His beats and motion were unlike anything else I've seen, innovative, clean, yet painful. It helped that everything else about this band was great. They had a cohesive noisy sound with by far the best energy and songwriting I saw all night. While performing they were such a single unit it was impossible to tell if they even had a single leader. I found out later it's frontwoman/guitarist/songwriter/engineer Greer McGettrick, but what can you do? The rest of the band was no less talented, especially evident after lead guitarist and bassist switched instruments and revealed themselves to be better in the latter role. We seemed to be the only people in the audience who got it, sadly, despite for the relatives of one member standing near us. Well with that crowd what could you expect...
The Sic Alps were revealed and their hippie-ish lead guitarist stuck out the most. His playing was one of the best parts, but who cares? The singer and drummer were both wearing baseball caps which begged the comparison to the Beastie Boys. It was embarrassing, especially after I heard that the band used to just be the two of them. So apparently they used to not have a bass player. More on that later... Bottom line they lacked any essence, I couldn't even tell what they were going for. None of us could! I may have thought they were okay apart from the aesthetic if I hadn't just seen the Mallard, but I was the lucky one, not them.
Then there was Thee Oh Sees. For years this band had never connected with me. I had just been waiting them to be my next Deerhunter and finally catch up and hear what I'd been missing. Turns out I wasn't missing a thing. Judging by the crowd's reaction, the band's energy and enthusiasm, and the tightness of the songs I am certain this was not just an "off night."
If I hadn't already known that this "band" was a product of the god-awful New England hardcore scene of yore I would have known it instantly. It's like ska, even if you move to SF and drop a lot of acid that's still what you are. Then I see there's no bass player, just some skinhead with a guitar and an octave pedal playing repeated bass lines like a machine. Wow. This review should end there. It's almost always the worst choice to not have a bass player (local newcomers Spaceships suggest otherwise), but if you're gonna cut it at least CUT IT. So I stood there for hours of this hardcore kid soloing while his backing band did a job that could be done more easily with Fruity Loops. This band I from now on will describe as "The Olive Garden of Psychedelia" was actually more boring live than on their rushed, spotty records.
So basically buy the below record and forget the other two bands exist. If you're reading this I'm sure you don't have time for them.
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