Anyway, so last Monday I headed up to Kristal/Sneakers (sick as a dog, but I was still there!) to check out their second Monday of live music with When Words Attack, Meek, LoKey and Get the Belt. This time I was forced to go alone because Staci wrecked her car (not her fault and she is ok, don’t panic). So, being all alone and knowing no one there (shame on all of you who didn’t go), I actually paid more attention to the music this time. (OK, I did run into Ron Jarzombek, but I only talked to him for a second...and that’s my last parentheses...oh, who am I kidding?)
Let me mention now that my pics are lacking because I could not get my computer to unload my Christmas pictures from my camera before I went, so I only had a few left on there to take. I think I need a new cord. I finally, after about 10 tries, managed to get my camera to unload on a different computer and e-mailed the photos to myself.
Also, I would really like to get straight on the cover charge and specials, because I was told it would be $2 cover and $1 domestic beers until 11:00, but I was (again) charged $3 cover and $2 for a beer. Is Michelob not a domestic beer? It’s made by Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, MO. Now, I don’t keep up with the news like I should, but I believe Missouri is still part of the United States...
Anyway, on to the music. When Words Attack went on first. My first thought was that they would be perfect for a soundtrack to one of those sexy vampire movies, maybe an Anne Rice flick. Heavy but slow, dark, gothic melodies with great vocals from lead singer Cindy. The closest singer I can think of to compare her to would be Amy Lee of Evanescence, but not quite. Anyway, after reading their description of their band on their MySpace page, “kind of like Tool, Motley Crue, & Black Sabbath having their way with Blondie after dosing on a strong hit of acid,” I like their description better, especially after hearing them do Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf.” So, let’s go with that one. Extra points for giving away a free Scary Manilow CD (the former name of the band, or at least 3 of the members were in it), just for signing up for their mailing list. Free stuff is always good.
Now, a note on the next two bands, Meek and LoKey. I have wanted to catch both of these bands for such a long time. They both played at Sneakers in the later days and at the same location when it was Odyssey Nightclub, but during that time I was working down the street at the Midnight Ho-de-ho and could never make it on live music nights. So I was thrilled to finally get to catch these bands and in the same night as a bonus!
Meek is a little hard for me to describe (I’m not good with all these fancy music terms reviewers use - post-this and progressive-that and alt-the-other-thing). Basically I would say modern alternative rock. The sound is fairly heavy but slower, not in the same sexy goth way as When Words Attack, but in the way of the great storyteller rockers or (I hate to use the word ballads, cuz it always sounds cheesy, which Meek is not) great hard rock ballads. They even mixed it up a bit with some rapping thrown in, courtesy of the bass player.
Now, I usually take notes when I’m checking out bands, because my memory sucks. This was the extent of my notes for LoKey: “What I’m talking about.” Honestly, that’s all I wrote. As in “THAT’S what I’m talking about.” Cuz this is the shit that I love. Heavy all-balls-out, in-your-face metal, but with some goddam MELODY! Or what they call nowdays “alternative metal,” I guess. Or to use a word from their website “Beautality.” I like that word. Sure, heavy speed-metal power chords are great. Barking, growling and demonic voices are cool, but when that’s all there is, *YAWN* !! These guys do all that plus they SING and play cool guitar riffs, incorporate changes in rhythm, etc. Plus, they just ooze stage presence. Terry is a dynamo, and damn hard to get a picture of because he doesn’t hold still long enough. And I loved the crazy faces bass player Jimmy Bell makes; kinda reminded me of Wes Borland’s faces without the freaky contact lenses (I’m assuming Wes’s eyes don’t really look like that!). Seriously. LoKey. What I’m talking about, folks.
Last up, and probably a brilliant move, putting a cover band last on a Monday, when the crowd is starting to thin out, was Get the Belt. But you wimps should have stuck around longer, because they did a great job. Myself, being the trooper that I am (and not having an actual paying job), I stuck around till the end. (Coming across two free beers didn’t hurt. One was just from standing next to the right guy at the right time, the other from attempting to whip out a credit card to pay for one beer, lol!) Anyway, singer LL has a great voice. They started out with a medley that went from Nine Inch Nails’ “Hand That Feeds” to “You Really Got Me” to Smashing Pumpkins’ “The End is the Beginning is the End” (or “The Beginning is the End is the Beginning” - I always get those two mixed up). Very cool. Then Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Danzig, 3 Days Grace, Godsmack, and one of my very favorites, Weezer’s “Hashpipe.” Great harmonies. Great job. This is a new cover band in town and definitely one to check out.
Also, I want to mention that I really enjoyed the videos the club was showing between sets...Pantera, Rob Zombie, Motley Crue, Slipknot. And I wasn’t the only one. There were quite a few people, including Cindy from When Words Attack, hanging out near the monitors jamming along. (Which brings me to another point...I love the way these bands and last week’s bands all stay around and support each other. Very fuckin’ cool!) Good job, guys. Please keep it up! No word yet on who’s playing next week, but I did hear that there was enough of a turnout this week to keep going, so I’ll let everyone know as soon as I find out.