Also playing that night were The Sons of Sancho, a highly energetic alternative funk rock combo whose attitude and ideas started with the some of the members' former band, El Sancho. Since the name change, they have been working hard to gain back any lost momentum; The Sons of Sancho are now playing shows, selling their first CD, and are available by request at KSYM 90.1FM (Monday through Friday, from 7pm to 1am).
The Venue is loacted at 800 Lexington Avenue and is easy to find. All you have to do is drive south on San Pedro until a block or two before the I-35 overpass. Turning east on Euclid and completing a small zigzag of roads, keep going until you reach the stop light at the Euclid/Lexington intersection. The Venue should be past the light to your immediate left with parking across the street from the face of the club behind a chain link fence. And here's a helpful hint: with all the nighttime construction along Loop 410, Hwy 281 and who-knows-where-else, I highly recommend that you leave early for those rock shows as you may need that time for the slow-moving vehicles as well as the rerouting and redirection of traffic that tends to send you zipping in the opposite direction of where you want to go.
Once inside, I was impressed with the club's almost-upscale atmosphere. There's a display of serious art across the walls (a huge abstract painting hangs from behind the stage) as well as matching stools and tables, a modest aluminum lighting rig and air conditioning, the latter not essential for the pleasantest rock club experience but still nice nonetheless. On opposite ends of the floor in front of the stage, there are two smaller upstairs areas where you see the action from above—It looks like these were closed but I had a seat at the bar just the same.
The Sons of Sancho
The singer for The Sons of Sancho introduced the third or fourth song of their set by calling it "very dig-able" which I think speaks volumes about the accessibility of their unique sound. Equal parts funk, punk, with a touch of Latin here and a dash of reggae here, The Sons of Sancho toss in the proverbial kitchen sink when it comes to styles and influences. Not that these guys are rudderless and without direction. What you get is a high-energy rock show with the band ebbing and flowing between the reggae-tinged "Crazy" to the Chili Peppers-influenced funk rock of "Television." The singer was the one to watch as he certainly had a stage presence that multiplied his stature. He was very friendly and talkative with the crowd and even invited a friend who was celebrating a birthday to the stage so everyone could sing "Happy Birthday." However, once the band would kick in and the music was playing, he would just explode with energy, prowling the stage this way and that and would expressively use his arms and eyes to help get the point of his lyrics across. An impromptu sit-and-strum set gave the rythm section a rest as the singer and guitarist covered Bob Marley and Weezer among others.
St. James Infirmary
St. James Infirmary wrapped up the evening with their high-energy mix of blues rock, R&B, and Soul (What Country Joe used to call "Rock and Soul Music"). The perfect example of the St. James Infirmary style would have been the infectious original "Ferryboat Man" which mixed the pump pump pump of Jaime's keyboard organ with the flourishes of J.J.'s blues licks on guitar. Bringing it up from the bottom, bassist James and drummer Alex rooted everything with a heavy rock beat. Other songs that received similar treatment included their covers of "Hold On! I'm Comin'," "Come Together," and "Texas Flood." It was a set that was heavy on the covers, but from what the band has been posting on their My Space page, more originals will be at the ready by the time they play their next shows.
The crowd had begun to disperse as 1AM had come and gone, but the band took it in stride and still gave it their all until set's end. And that's what I like about these guys: They have a lot of heart and everyone really pulls their weight to stamp each song with the St. James Infirmary sound—the band calls it "New Blues" and I couldn't agree with them more. With some more time, exposure, and luck, I believe St. James Infirmary is really going to make a name for themselves in the local rock and blues scenes.
Where To Catch Them
The Sons of Sancho
Nov 4 10PM - Jack's Patio Bar
Nov 11 10PM - Crabby Jack's
St. James Infirmary
Octber 25 - Sam's Burger Joint
December 22 - Limelight