Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Shadow 86

As much as I appreciate and enjoy quiet singer song writers/math rock/shoegazing beats it is nice every once in awhile to have one's face melted by rock. Mike McCready's Jimmy Hendrix tribute band Shadow '86 (at the Showbox on Tuesday night at the "Get Out and Vote Party)" fulfilled all my teen-age boy desires- their set dirty vibrating and incredibly loud.

Let me say, I have seen Pearl Jam several times and I am a little ashamed to admit how much I underestimated McCready's - my attitude being like "whatever, Pearl Jam is good, Eddie Vedder is handsome and that is the end of the story" BUT he is an UNBELIEVEABLE guitar player! It is very rare, but every once in awhile a band sort of assaults me with a wave of rock creating a tickly desire like when you fight or have sex and after Shadow '86 brief set (only five songs including Voodoo Child, Little Wing, All Along the Watch Tower and a spot on rendition of the Star Spangled Banner) I had a strong urge to do both. At times Mike McCready slung his guitar and played it behind his back blind and I fully expected the band to smash their instruments (he didn't, it just felt like he did). I was reminded what how rock is suppose to function..

Pearl Jam is a band unabashed about sharing their influences (I can't see an artist from the late Seventies without running into Eddie Vedder performing a few songs) and it was exciting to watch someone finally enjoy what they were doing so much and take their audience with them.

On the flip side I guess Tom Morello played last night, but Im sorry to say I didn't stick around. One: It was already to late at night for this old lady and two his Bob Dylan-eqsue sincerity, while admirable, makes me bored. He is a really great song writer, his songs are good blah blah blah. . . but when he talks, I always feel like he is talking down to me and I really couldn't stand the idea any more celebrities urging me to vote.

PS Dropping some cocktail fodder Shadow 86 is made up of members of McCready's 1986 band Shadow. Mike also performs with a UFO tribute band called "Flight to Mars"

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