Oh, it seems like yesterday when Cole from The Black Lips came up to my friend Pete who was visiting from England while we were at Stickfigure on a Saturday afternoon. Within 10 seconds of introducing himself, he thrust a copy of their debut single on Die Slaughterhaus into his hand…. And with that, a love affair was born. Since that moment some five years ago, the band has cranked out some damn great albums, equally great singles and their fireworks-laden live shows? Hoo, nelly. Top notch. And so, what do you think they do for their first release on Vice Records? They put out a live album recorded in Tijuana!
I got to download the album today thru the Vice Records press alcove, and it’s a fairly "standard" (yet obviously outstanding) set that the band’s been fond of playing the last year or so, it’s just that the fidelity is slightly improved. Just slightly. And you heard it here first, John Reis recorded it! Yes, Speedo! God bless ’em. So there’s three shows that I personally concocted to coincide with their album’s release. All three bands (by my estimation) are well known for their killer live shows, so I thought "What a better way to get even better shows than by pairing them all up together?"
Dark Meat are a 20-piece mega band from here who have an other worldly sound somewhere between Albert Ayler and the MC5 if all of those artists were living in Athens in the past few years. Very over-the-top, borderline orchestral and extremely enjoyable! And the Fatal Flying Guiloteens? Well, Chunklet’s had a big ol’ boner for those Houstonians for years now. Their new album is due in the late spring on French Kiss Records and is a kinetic interpretation of The Jesus Lizard discography crammed thru a kaleidoscope of dark 90’s spazz rockers like the VSS. And again, their live shows are quite galvanizing and have only improved in all the times I’ve seen them. And hell, Tim Kerr adores them! That should be enough for anybody.
The shows start in Birmingham at the Bottletree on a Thursday. The Friday show will mark the third concert Chunklet has put on at Whirlyball Atlanta which is a non-venue planted 30 miles north of Atlanta in a strip mall where there’s batting cages, a video arcade, a comedy club, putt putt and go-cart tracks. The first two shows (Mogwai and the Melvins) were so memorable that having this line up will only add to the legend that is Whirlyball Atlanta. And the final show will be at Chunklet’s home-away-from-home, The 40 Watt Club in downtown Athens.
I can’t begin to convey how excited I am about these shows and hope everybody comes out. And yes, there will be plenty of surprises in store.
I should also mention that The Black Lips are performing tomorrow night here in Atlanta backing The Mighty Hannibal which is probably going to register as one of the most unforgettable shows I’ll ever witness. Oh, and to add to the mystique, The Reigning Sound and Gentleman Jesse open. Yes, it’s good to live in Georgia.
And if that weren’t enough, Mission of Burma play the EARL on Saturday. The missus and I will try to make it after Monster Jam at the Georgia Dome. No, I’m not kidding.