The MIKE DILLON Band with The Revivalists @ The Gypsy 7-14-12
By: Mark Marker
The
MIKE DILLON Band is more punk rock than you!!! Shit, 21 yr old Carly is more
punk rock than you! This show was everything you want to be and more. First set
was blistering! Dark, scary, aggressive. It was straight up mean. Scared the
granola right out of the hippies there for The Revivalists. This band is so
tight and in your face, you would think they have played together for years.
They didn’t miss a beat. Went straight for the throat. Left people in shock.
Funky Batz did a good job providing people for Mike D. and crew to play 2 mean
sets. Guess because Mike plays in Galactic, GAT, DKG’s, Les Claypool, etc.,
people think he is doing some jam band thing that caters to hula hoops, lava
lamps and bead building ceremonies. This is not a drum circle. This is PUNK
ROCK. Ok…. AfroPsychoLoungePunkFunkHipHopWorldBeatJazz with an emphasis on
PUNK.
The
shit will melt your face off, without psychedelics. Yeah, you can dance right up
the speaker stack to dive on hippie brains! Shit was smokin’! Not pot, sticks
and bones. JJ Jungle held the bass on this one, a reunion of the two. He has
some of the most impressive low end tone, with delicious grooves to keep the set
movin’ with flow. Billy Goat dancer got down with Carly, and they out danced
every hippie in the house, from beginning to end. Mike D. also did a great
impression of William S. Burroughs! The Revilvalists were ultra talented with
infectious grooves and a killer lineup, layin’ down some good funk. The lap
steel played standing on his chair, and the organist had a trumpet hangin’ out
his mouth (was great with both). A few people mentioned that their handsome tall
singer guy should burn his hippie scarf that he wore on his head, and I agree.
Didn’t take away from the bands’ talent though. They are up and coming, so pay
attention!
Second set was inside and was mixed up with lotsa rap, skat, lounge, funk, of course PUNK ROCK, and some dark esoteric soundscapes garnished with a little noise. Truly a great night for music fans! Brad Houser, bassist extraordinaire (Edie Brickell, Critters’ Buggin’, etc.) sat in and delivered some killer sax on the baritone. One of the highlights was when Mike D. and the guitarist dueled with mad fuzz. People were freakin’ out. They couldn’t finger out that the vibraphone was wailing geetar leads, and the bass was dueling with guitar via keyboards! Shit was CRAZY. Was stripped down, and wet all at the same time. Was truly genius shit goin’ on.
Oh yeah, Mike D. almost got nekkid. My buddy in his pajamas (Brian of Simpleton), vowed to go naked too, IF Mike lost his underwear. Seemed to be hot news on the timelines, so I feel obligated to share what people were, or were not wearing. This was a punk rock hippie show, NOT a fashion show. Whatevs. Didn’t smell patchouli once! Yay!
If you haven’t seen The Mike Dillon Band, you need to. Don’t go with any expectations. They are not a jam band, although there may be some improv, and sit-ins. They are not a punk band, although you can mosh, headbang and stage dive. They are not jazz, country, funk, ska, reggae, world, noise, polka, or rock. They are ALL of these things and more. Most certainly they are more punk rock than you. Stop depriving yourselves! Go see what you have been missing! Here is a taste from another gig:
