Z and I arrived at the Knitting Factory early so he could procure himself a ticket for the evening’s performance (is the least interesting opening sentence I’ve ever scribed). From the bar, voices proclaimed “free stuff!” so we walked in and saw a table where two blond girls were giving away free Zig Zag items, such as rolling papers (whites and oranges), tinderboxes, hats and t-shirts. Sweet! We grabbed armfuls of swag, went back to the car to store it all, got Z a banana and some juice, and then waited around for Ian. I saw Jerry, the drummer for Turing Machine and Maserati, but I didn’t say hi. You know, typically shy Evan.
The first band of the evening was an outfit called Titan who melded space-rock with the cooler, psychedelic elements of prog-rock. At times they sounded like Harmonia, or Cluster. Unexpected as it was, it was very cool. Z asked, “How come we don’t sound like this?” And I quickly responded, “Pedals. If it doesn’t sound good it just means we don’t have enough pedals.”
Next band was Pearls and Brass. I recognized their name, but I was unsure why. Then I realized they’re from the Allentown area. God, was college that long ago? … Pearls and Brass drew quick comparisons to the Melvins and Dead Meadow (without the wah-wah). The general consensus was that they sounded most like Blue Cheer. Which is a very good thing. In the middle of one tune, the guitarist paused to chug a bottle of beer. My silent prayer that he’d then break the bottle over his head and bust out the best guitar solo ever went unanswered, but I was still really impressed with their set.
Boris took the stage at 11:30, and proceeded to play almost until 1:00am. They went through thirteen songs and then played an insane encore that blew my mind. In typical Boris fashion, they opened with “Blackout,” which was cloaked in subsonic bass frequencies that rattled the walls of the Knitting Factory. Thunderously loud. I quickly cursed my stupidity for leaving my earplugs at home. The fog machines were in full effect, filling the room almost completely.
When they launched into “Ibitsu,” the floor opened and a wicked mosh pit formed. One lanky kid in a red shirt jumped on stage and signaled to the crowd to move together so he could jump into their awaiting arms. The arms weren’t waiting for him, and he disappeared into the fray with nary an arm reaching for him. It was hilarious.
When Takeshi switched over from bass to guitar, it was for a beautiful new song that I suppose will be on an upcoming album. Mid-song, he ratcheted up the volume to an excruciating level. They followed with “I Just Abandoned Myself” and “Farewell,” both of which were disgustingly heavy and loud. The encore sounded like they randomly switched between four or five different songs, the most noticeable of which was “Heavy Friends,” the lead track on Heavy Rocks. During the encore, skinny red shirt kid again attempted a stage dive, and again missed his intended target, splattering onto the floor. This time, he went right over the shoulder of a kid who had his arms up ready to catch him. Doubly hilarious.
Setlist:
Blackout
Evil Stack (new)
Rainbow (new)
Pink
Woman on the Screen
Nothing Special
Ibitsu
Death Valley
A Bao A Qu
My Machine
Flower, Sun, Rain (new)
Just Abandoned Myself
Farewell
Encore
