i've missed all the previous shows Witch has done (esp bummed i missed 'em open for Dungen), but this time i was ready and (sorta) prepared...i got to TT's just after 9:15, which was when Earthless was supposed to start...there was a line out the door and it wasn't moving. i was fearful the show was sold out, but eventually got in. it was pretty crowded though, and i went to the dressing room side and wormed my way to the stage right PA stack. thank god for earplugs.
Earthless play a long extended psych style, heavy on the freakouts and pounding in the rhythm. the guitarist had a great tone; you can't beat a les paul and marshall stack combo for this sort of music. the bass player looked like the unholy union of Derek Smalls and a hobbit, and i have to give him credit for playing the most repetitive lines, for a long time. not sure how he kept his interest up playing the same six note pattern for 20 minutes on end. i think they played 3 songs, and probably played over an hour. it's kinda like Endless Boogie w/ more emphasis on metal/psych. they ended w/ a very nice version of Groundhogs' "Cherry Red."
Next up was Witch, whose latest LP put a couple of toes past the early Sabbath sound, mostly in tempo...there was certainly more pace to some of the songs and if one were to untangle the songs' DNA you'd find at least some visible traces of a punk/hardcore legacy. there was a setlist but i couldn't see it too well; all i saw was that 'Seer' was the last thing written down. i think they opened w/ the screaming riffs of "Spacegod" and i know they played 'Rip Van Winkle' and also "Changing" - that evil riff was great. some of other stuff veered too much into plodding territory. J looked a bit funny behind the kit but played well...you usually see him w/ a jazzmaster slung over the shoulder and hair flying. in other news, Al Cisneros seems to have sparked a resurgence of rickenbacker bass playing in the metal world (both bands represented).
on a different note, there was a lot more women than i was expecting at the show.
a few Earthless shots...
more here:
http://narlus.zenfolio.com/p521983135
Some shots of Witch:
a few more here:
http://narlus.zenfolio.com/p514442548/
Earthless play a long extended psych style, heavy on the freakouts and pounding in the rhythm. the guitarist had a great tone; you can't beat a les paul and marshall stack combo for this sort of music. the bass player looked like the unholy union of Derek Smalls and a hobbit, and i have to give him credit for playing the most repetitive lines, for a long time. not sure how he kept his interest up playing the same six note pattern for 20 minutes on end. i think they played 3 songs, and probably played over an hour. it's kinda like Endless Boogie w/ more emphasis on metal/psych. they ended w/ a very nice version of Groundhogs' "Cherry Red."
Next up was Witch, whose latest LP put a couple of toes past the early Sabbath sound, mostly in tempo...there was certainly more pace to some of the songs and if one were to untangle the songs' DNA you'd find at least some visible traces of a punk/hardcore legacy. there was a setlist but i couldn't see it too well; all i saw was that 'Seer' was the last thing written down. i think they opened w/ the screaming riffs of "Spacegod" and i know they played 'Rip Van Winkle' and also "Changing" - that evil riff was great. some of other stuff veered too much into plodding territory. J looked a bit funny behind the kit but played well...you usually see him w/ a jazzmaster slung over the shoulder and hair flying. in other news, Al Cisneros seems to have sparked a resurgence of rickenbacker bass playing in the metal world (both bands represented).
on a different note, there was a lot more women than i was expecting at the show.
a few Earthless shots...
more here:
http://narlus.zenfolio.com/p521983135
Some shots of Witch:
a few more here:
http://narlus.zenfolio.com/p514442548/
