Downtown Live

---

Sonically Sanguine

by Jamie Manser

f your holiday season was either A.) Crappy or B.) Fan-tab, January’s corpulent musical cornucopias will either 1.) Provide sonic solace or 2.) Funnel the fun forthwith!

Feast your eyes on these (as of press time) succulent selections little grasshopper, and remember to mark your calendars:

Saturday, January 1 has Pork Torta (fig 1.1) making a re-appearance on the north side of the tracks at Che’s Lounge.

Plush’s lounge hosts Final on Thursday, January 6. Fronted by previous Greyhound Soul keyboardist Glen Corey, Final also includes guitarist Neal Bonser and drummer Bill Green – both of Fourkiller Flats fame.

Congress parlays on Friday, January 7 with a $5 show procuring the rock fan a high-energy line-up with Chango Malo, Gat*Rot, Versus the Mirror, and scratchingthesurface. Congress also antes up on Sunday, January 9 with Psychobilly Sunday – featuring Demon City Wreckers, The Formaldehydes, and Red Bear Soldier.

In typical fashion, local clubs create a quandary come January 12:

That Wednesday, Plush’s lounge welcomes Mark Matos back from a three-week (mainly) solo tour through Arizona and California. Campo Bravo’s lead man was excited, and rightfully so, to procure gigs at seminal clubs in Cali – such as The Starry Plow in Berkeley and Los Angles’ Spaceland. Some shows saw Matos backed by Naim Amor and members of Victoria Williams’ band. Matos’ core band – comprised of E. Schumeister, Brian Green and Collin Scott – played the tail end of the tour.

The same night at Congress sees new faves Galactic Federation of Love (fig 1.2) performing with Naim Amor and The Sweat Band. GF o’ L are exceptional rock performers of the first degree who unabashedly cull from The Beatles, The Kinks with a bit of Queen thrown in the mix. Goofy, fun and catchy – these talented, tight musicians have always proven delightful with their psychedelic intonations and their energetic live shows. There is a reason why Al Foul said that the Fed is one of his new favorite local bands to check out.

On Friday, January 14, Surly Wench stages a raucous rock fest with Last Call Brawlers, The Dames and Grave Danger. That same evening, Solar Culture provides its ambience as a backdrop for The Rock and Roll Camp for Girls (fig 1.3) benefit with the aforementioned GF o’ L performing along with the Loveland and 50 cent Nose. Donations at the door are greatly appreciated!

The Wooden Ball celebrates its 11th annual acoustic show at Plush on January 16. Scheduled performers include The Nick Luca Trio, Paula Jean Brown, Greyhound Soul (fig 1.4), The Drakes, Camp Courageous, The Downtown Saints, Al Perry, Loveland, Cathy Rivers, and The Wyatts.

Come January 18, Merge Records’ The Arcade Fire throw down at Solar Culture for $10 at 9:00 p.m. These canucks have been touring nationally with their debut album Funeral, and are selling out shows left and right. Might be a good idea to get to the gallery early. Call 884-0874 for the scoop.

Friday, January 21 finds the music lover in another pickle:

Welcome back the Old Pueblo’s seminal rockabilly performer Al Foul on the heels of his three-week France tour! He will be performing as his one-man band at Monkey Box. In other Al news, Rock n Roll Purgatory (www.RocknRollPurgatory.com) recently released Foul’s The One The Only Al Foul. Recorded in six or seven sessions in Naim Amor’s basement, the twelve-track LP is comprised of a mix of originals and covers that showcase Mr. Foul’s classic rockabilly vocals and style. The album has that stripped down So Co (that’s south of Congress, folks) sound that really works for the genre. It is available for ten bones on Foul’s website at www.AlFoul.com.

If a fleshed out, more modern sound is your speed, but you still like a bit of nostalgia, head on down to Plush on the 21st. The three bands playing all have elements of darkly melodic pop rock with a clear 80s influence. Tucson’s Nowhere Man headlines with San Diego’s This Holiday Life and Tucson’s Lagoon. Lagoon is currently working on its first full-length with “up-and-coming recording guru Nathan Sabatino,” who has worked with Amor, Sugarbush and Galatic Federation of Love. Look for a spring release and stay current by visiting www.LagoonOnline.com.

You say you need to get a little aggression out? The workweek wound ya up? Well then, Congress is your club this eve. Manifold, Camp Courageous, Year of Acceleration and Low Cloud Cover rock the stage beginning at 9:00 p.m.

On Tuesday, January 25, Plush welcomes the legendary Wanda Jackson with the lively and charismatic trio, The Cadillac Angels opening at 9:00 p.m. The First Lady of Rockabilly, who is in her 60s, is said to still rock the house! Recently, Bloodshot Records honored Jackson with a 21-track tribute album Hard Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson, with contributions by Kelly Hogan, Neko Case, Robbie Fulks, Jesse Sykes, Bottle Rockets, and Wayne “The Train” Hancock.

Speaking of Bloodshot Records (fig 1.5), they recently lost their “Pressie Galore,” Ms. Lee Gutowski to the old Pueblo! Hopefully she will not only grace us with her physical presence but her musical presence as well.

The Monkey Box features Maggie Golston’s CD release party and her happy birthday on Thursday, January 27. Spaceman (fig 1.6), Golston’s debut solo effort, is comprised of aphotic, atmospheric melodies woven around emotionally affecting lyrics penned by a clearly gifted songwriter. The EP includes cellist and guitarist Robin Vining and Tom Walbank providing perfectly placed harmonica.

Ozlo is also celebrating a debut CD release at Plush on Friday, January 28. The self-titled album was amassed from songs the charmingly campy and talented performer has written over the last eight years. Want more? Check out www.OzloLand.com.

BACK