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Scott
Biram
Continental
Club, August 1, 2003
“You can’t keep a good man down,” so the
old adage goes, and Scott Biram is just such a man. Being
hit by a freaking 18 wheeler and living proves the above adage,
and Biram’s intensity on stage proves my own little
adage, you can’t keep a man who doesn’t care about
anything else but playing music down either. Wendy WWAD and
I caught Biram’s solo acoustic set at the CC on Friday
night. Although Mr. Biram has been playing gigs around town
the last few weeks, this was the first time I had seen him
perform since his accident.
Biram,
using a cane, got up on stage around 10:30, took his seat
and commenced to A-Rockin’ with his guitar and amplified
stomp-board. Utilizing an old portable Pignose amp to sing
through, Biram’s vocals achieve that am/short-wave radio
fuzz tone that puts you in mind of those out-of-the-way backwoods
honkey-tonk bars where anything can happen. Biram’s
experience with the punk band The Fangs shone through his
renditions of Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene”
and an old Stanley Brothers tune. Rock and Roll possession
had taken over Biram by his fifth song, and began humming
along the musical Rock highway just like the 18-wheeler portrayed
on his truck stop baseball hat. Biram showed his multi-instrumentalist
abilities, playing harmonica as well as pickin’, stompin’
and singing on a few songs throughout his set. Biram introduced
one of his original songs as “a religious revival type
thing;” during which Biram’s face appeared to
be part of his microphone as he sang, his eyes hidden under
the brim of his hat, his voice sounding like a revival tent
preachers’ fire and brimstone sermon from a crappy over-driven
PA. Biram delighted me by incorporating Booker T and the MGs
“Green Onions” into the intro for a song using
the same key and chord progression.
Let
it be known that Scott Biram is back, if not completely healed,
at least he can play, go see him some Monday night up at the
Parlor on North Loop, you will walk away a true believer.
-James
E
Barfield
Continental Club, July 31, 2003
When
my surly friend Rob called to tell me that Barfield was playing
at the Continental Club Thursday night, I was all over it.
I had seen them once before on my way downtown to see the
Bloody Tears and was ready to see them again.
This
is the kind of music that you would like to hear at a wedding.
Not Kool and the Gang or anything lame like that, but it's
definitely uplifting, high spirited kind of stuff. If I liked
to dance, which I do not, this would be one of the bands on
my list.
Mike
Barfield is obviously heavily influenced by soul music. His
voice goes from sounding like Kim Wilson to Van Morrison.
I love watching him perform, just for the dance moves alone.
This band is infectious. They make you want to spend all your
money at the bar and make out with some random dude. Maybe
that's just me. Anyway, at one point guitarist Bobby Horton
of the Hustlers came up and did a guest spot. I liked the
harmonica because it wasn't constantly being used, thereby
making it annoying. Favorite songs of the evening were the
subtly titled 'Pink Adobe Hacienda', and 'Do You Have What
it Takes to Take What I Got?'
I
like this band a bunch and will go see them again. I think
a show with them, The CrackPipes and The Bloody Tears would
be an awesome time. A whole evening with a bunch of bluesy/rock/dance
music? Well, there ain't nothing wrong with that.
-Corri Mava
The
Jolly Garogers
Backroom, August 2, 2003
I
raced around the back of the backroom as AC/DC kickassness
blasted through the backdoor. Running into the dark smokey
club, I only caught two songs of Big Balls, AC/DC cover band.
Damn it!!!! All hopped up and no idea what I was getting into
with this pirate band, I secured a Lonestar from a smiley
bartender and came back to find a black curtain covering the
stage and a few eye patches and frilly necks peering out from
behind. You can imagine the frenzied state of the metal patrons
after an entire set of AC/DC. There was excitement in the
air when the curtain fell and we were all magically transported
to the one act play of treasure island complete with the steering
column of a ship.
Ahoy
mates. All Ye swashbucklers and loose women pack yer shit
and climb aboard with the Jolly Garogers! Captain Phleabag
(possibly Captain Morgan's twin brother) shall walk the plank
and put a hook square in yer eye whilst The Dread Pirate Stagedive,
RedBeard, Darrenger and Fremont (the cabin boy) deliver the
rock that will get them all the booty they desire.
All
pirate punning aside, you are an old fart if you can't find
something to love about this scurvy pack of dogs in tights
belting out ditties like "Calling in Dead (on Monday
morning)" a weird Al meets Megadeath tune with the greatest
excuse for missing work next Monday. I fell in love with Scurvy
Dave during "God Save the Queen" but knew our love
could never last when I learned of his plans to start the
world's first moo-cow band. There was really only one traditional
pirate song and it was the pre-recorded beginning of a song,
ended by a pirate passing gas.
Don't
misjudge these scallywags because they are pirates, unless
you think pirates ROCK. After years of raping and pillaging,
the Jolly Garogers have obviously redirected their efforts
to their music. Don't be afraid to wear your own frilly collar
or eye patch and some of you pussies might even need earplugs.
What did you say? These guys have already appeared on "Late
Night with Carson Daly" so you better check them out
on August 18th at Beerland and August 30th at Red Eye Fly
before the have to get out of town. Keep in mind these shows
are rate a[R]rrrrgghh! Check out MP3s and photos at http://www.jollygarogers.com
- Beth Sams
Opposite
Day
Flamingo Cantina, August 9, 2003
Imagine
Primus, They Might Be Giants and Victims Family all rolled
into one and you’ll have a pretty decent idea of Opposite
Day’s sound. Slated in the middle of the 5 band bill
christened “The Schizo-Rock Show” by the Flamingo,
the guitar-bass-drums 3-piece played their brainy brand of
rock/funk/punk/jazz to a crowd that seemed to grow more enthusiastic
with every song. Over the last 2 years of their existence,
this band has grown tighter (if that’s even possible)
and more entertaining. This show seemed the culmination of
their ability to simultaneously blow other bands out of the
water with sheer dexterity and cater to the interests of non-musicians
in the audience. That’s not an easy feat.
Guitarist
Sam Arnold played some of the most well phrased solos I’ve
ever heard. He’s not just moving his fingers around
as fast as he can in a blues pattern, he really knows what
he’s doing. All three of these guys are masters of their
instruments. Blistering licks that’d take most of us
years to learn are just on tap in these guys’ brains.
Fantastic.
Phenomenal
musicianship, stop-on-a-dime accuracy, weird time signatures
galore and silly lyrics… sounds like something that’d
be right up Red River’s alley (specifically the one
in between Stubb’s and the Red Eyed Fly). So why can’t
Opposite Day get a show on everyone’s favorite boulevard?
Unfortunately,
it’s probably the fact that they don’t have enough
(or any) tattoos and don’t fall in to the And You Will
Know Us by the Trail of Imitators scene. It’s not news
that the underground rock world is just as elitist and fashion-oriented
as the sorority sisters we loathe. This band is completely
bad-ass and always draws a decent crowd. Why is it ok for
retro-pop bands like Pong and Summer Breeze to play Red River
clubs but Opposite Day gets the “you’re too mainstream”
bit?? These are the woes of many a band in Austin that are
too weird to play Momo’s but not gritty enough to play
Emo’s. Watch out for the fashion police.
For
those of you who like prog-rock, math rock or local bands
like Pong, Brown Whornet and Golden Arm Trio – I implore
you to give Opposite Day a listen. They may not use as much
distortion or have as much facial hair as Gorch Fock, but
their musicianship, arrangements and hilarious lyrics are
just as impressive. Isn’t anyone else sick of listening
to 20 year- olds play power chords all night long on Red River?
If so, Opposite Day is one of many underrated Austin bands
you may find refreshing to the ears.
-
JJ Robins
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