Well only two days into this and it is going to look like I will be writing all the damn time, as a ventured out to the city of angels to go to the one and only Pehrspace. As I walked up, I immediately ran into people I know, like Lord Growing who runs a much more substantial and enjoyable blog over at The 704. So I made my greetings and listened to this dancey "Depoche Mode light" sounding band, Gnarbaby from outside the door and didn't here anything that piqued my interest so I decided to stay outside and be social for most of their set. I was able to wander in to see them perform there last song and was not terribly impressed. While their keybordist was making some fun beats that had a majority of the crowd dancing with them, I just did not care for the lead singers voice and was ready to move on.
And then came the reason for the trek out to LA, Manhattan Murder Mystery who you will undoubtedly here me talk about this band and their live shows ad nauseum if I continue to do this. Well for tonight's show we had the added pleasure of Todd McLaughlin joining the usual threepeice on guitar. I love trying to pick up what he wonderfully adds to these songs all the while having notes on the chord progressions of the MMM tracks they might play that night on the ground by his feet makes these flourishes all the more impressive. They started off with two songs that I didn't immediately recognize, and allowed me to really just let the music encompass me as I listened to it. But once they kicked into Ambulance the energy in the room was palpable and there was no turning back afterwords. It was time to move, dance and sing with the music and there was no stopping until the end of the set. Their is an explosiveness to a Manhattan Murder Mystery show that is unique and the whole thing is being propelled by an amazing rhythm section of Katya and Laura on bass and drums, respectively that just do not let the momentum of the show slow down. And through it all Matt is at the center putting everything he has of himself into that performance, so you can feel his pain and anguish and joy and everything else that he is putting out to the universe. The show just continues to build momentum and you don't want it to stop and as it reaches a crescendo Matt drops his guitar and exits stage left leaving a knowing finality to their set and a longing for more that you know can't come that night...
The Next band to play was The Seizure and after how much I have already said and rambled about on this post I want to try to keep this quicker and more on point. The Seizure played a really tight set with just topnotch musicianship especially some of the lines the bass player put out there just blew me away. Vocally I wasn't blown away but they are definitely a band I want to see again at least as to a time when I have some extra cash so I can pick up their record because I could invest some time into listening to their songs.
I don't really want to say much about the next band because they really just weren't for me. The Myonics are the only band I have seen featuring an electric autoharp and really just didn't get their brand of noise rock or Psychedelic Experimental Pop or whatever they want to call it...
The last band of the night was Fancy Space People and I am not going to lie I was not expecting to like this band anymore then the one before it just on looks alone. As I walked and saw the band in their glam rock get-ups and with this crazy intro going on my first thought was I am not on enough drugs to fully grasp what is happening onstage. Then the music started and their songs had these awesome chugging guitar chords that reminded me of my favorite old Marilyn Manson tunes back in day. And the singer had this hauntingly beautiful voice that sucked you in. I dug the fact that Fancy Space People went all in on their showmanship they were rock goddesses(some cross-dressing) from outer space. So by the third song there was no stopping and I had to join the crowd in dancing and just moving to the music. Fancy Space People put on a show that hooks you in, I might not want to listen to them regularly or seek them out for another show but I enjoyed the shit out what I saw and would welcome the experience again if happened upon another of their shows.
And thus ended a beautiful night of drinking and music in Echo Park at my favorite shitty little venue...
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