Well Double Clutch strikes again.
Talk about an interesting sunday afternoon! Some of you may have seen The Current's front page "Hellions on Wheels" and those hellions had a very awesome benefit at the Beethoven Garten last Sunday.
Let's start with the heat, no let's not, because it turned out not to be an issue. We were down on So. Alamo and Presa, driving around looking for a roller-skating rink (yes, but how was I to know?) Actually the "Maennerrhar" is at 422 Pereida St.
It was easy to tell where the bands were going to be playing and the benefit to take place by the crepe paper and flags hanging in front of the entrance, and so it turns out next to one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen in the area. Beautiful grounds, not to mention the bar and the music hall.
The Alamo City Roller Girls held their benefit with:
Double Clutch, Salvia Divinorum, Fin Del Mar, Total 13, Hammered Yoshimoto and Boxcar Satan.
Beautiful stage, burgundy velvet curtain with the letter "B" monogrammed in the center, high ceilings, portraits and the acoustics were so completely different than any of us had heard in a long time. There was a mid-torso statue of Beethoven that I was sure would wobble off it's place and smash to the ground, along with the very old portraits on the wall.
Mike and his flying V, Matt and the mean green drum machine, and JCM on a 12-string bass ready to kick it off. The sound had to be turned down at least 3 times during soundcheck. At one point, I advised a man and his two young sons that it was going to be LOUD. (Nevertheless he came back with them later and their hair had been temporarily dyed green!)
Down a hallway was the bar, and oh what a glorious bar it was. Old, rustic and clean german descent, and who would have known one could get a Shiner Bock, a huge plate of the best damn bbq, shop for crafts and hang with the Roller Girls at this facility on a Sunday...
After Mike asked me to walk around in my Double Clutch t-shirt awhile to get the girls inside, the trio kicked it and have never sounded better! Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe the acoustics and equipment provided, they just rocked with their 'crunchy' and brazen southern angry music I've come to love. Matt, as always, in the pocket, JCM's bass sounding more like a guitar with the many strings to work with, and the people at the benefit were fantastic.
Salvia Divinorum kicked off next with a instrumental set, followed by Fin Del Mar, which have a really cool 80's sound, without totally sounding it. Unfortunately I didn't get to catch Boxcar Satan, but one day!
The Alamo City Roller Girls are trying to raise money for their next skate meet, where we'll be able to seem them in action. Hey rollerball with angry music, doesn't get much better.
For more info. on the girls or the venue, check out:
www.beethovenmaennerchor.com
www.alamocityrollergirls.com
Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 the hall will have their famous Oktoberfest.