Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance’s 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble run was dazzling. Dueling EBows, distorted twelve-strings, a massive rhythm section, psych-tinged tunes and a smooth vocal croon all sparkled under the TT’s lights. It was simultaneously joyous, achingly gorgeous and slightly mind bending. Spectacular.
2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble Winner: Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck
Brutal. Devastating. Unrelenting. Throw all of those terms at Motherboar’s 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble Run. They were the heaviest band in this year’s competition and they didn’t shy away from that distinction. They pummeled the TT’s crowd with three sets of punishing metal. More importantly, they were also a blast to watch. The may not have donned the Rumble tiara (what a sight that would have been), but their Finals set proved why they got the wildcard. Motherboar is one of the best bands in town.
2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble Winner: Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck
We’ve nearly reached the end of the road with the 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble. After 31 sets from 23 bands, we’ve got it narrowed down to the final three contenders. Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance, Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck and Motherboar (wildcard) will play for all the marbles tonight at TT’s. Before you head out, here are a couple of things that have tickled my brain about the Semifinal round.
Are You Experienced?
The Semifinal victors know a thing or two about winning over crowds in Boston. Garvy J. And The Secret Pocket Of Hope And Resistance and Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck are both fronted by scene veterans and have top notch players on every instrument. That’s not to say they go about things the same way. Bow and Co. take a more traditional approach, twanging it up with the best of them. Any one of these guys is capable of stealing the show. Together, they’ve formed an outstanding Americana ensemble. The Resistance, on the other hand, has you wondering where the synth players are. Before long, you realize all three guitar players are masters at manipulating their instruments. Having the amazing rhythm section of Scott Fitts and Tommy Lada gives you that kind of freedom.
Lada Vs. Lada Revisted
Speaking of Tommy Lada, the battle of Lada Vs. Lada was won by Tommy Lada. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a small part of me that wanted to see Ghosts Of Jupiter take the wildcard just to see this happen again. It certainly wouldn’t have surprised anyone, as Ghosts Of Jupiter threw down another definitive slab of ’70s classic rock on their Semifinal night.
The State Of Heavy Revisted
In my last Rumble ramble I talked about wanting to see how the two heaviest bands in the festival competition fared in the Semifinals. Well, Motherboar fought their way into the wildcard spot through a shower of beer and metal mayhem. Sherman Burns continued to win over a slew of fans after another rifftacular performance. I love it.
Fun With Numbers
Play Me Out
Once again, I’ll leave you with the songs that haven’t left me. Have a listen and then hit up the Finals tonight at TT’s!
The Wrong Shapes
“A Thousand Foxes”
2012
Listening to The Wrong Shapes’ “A Thousand Foxes” is like eavesdropping on a private conversation. Bo Barringer’s crooning is intimately intertwined with Rachel Arnold’s harmony vocals. They are in the moment. Do they even know we’re here? Do they know we’re listening? The drum pattern flutters like an anxious heartbeat. The chiming guitars and looping cello make the whole thing feel like a dream. The enchanting music is at odds with the conflicted lyrics. So it goes as we look on, hoping we’ve gone unnoticed as the song fades away.
Where to get it:
The Sour Doo-Dahs
Blood Drive EP
2011
Blood Drive EP plays out like the soundtrack to some ’70s revenge flick. Open with a beat up old jalopy kicking up some desert dust as a scorpion draws the camera’s focus. Cut to the car’s interior where The Sour Doo-Dahs are blasting away on the radio. “It might not be a bad idea to get the hell out of here.” “The Hellout” is a fuzzed out garage/desert/punk jam of B movie proportions. It’s all rusted steel, gasoline fumes and tumbleweeds. “You” and “T.O.A.D.” round out the three song EP sounding like Nirvana on bad tequila and sunstroke. Sometimes that’s what it takes to be the last one standing when the credits roll.
Where to get it:
The Semifinals of the 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble are in the books. Congratulations to Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance and Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck for taking their nights. With Motherboar earning the wildcard spot, the Finals are set! After having to withdraw from competition before their prelim night, The Grownup Noise will get to play the Finals as the special guest band. Classy touch, Anngelle.
Finals / Friday, April 20
9:30 – Motherboar (Wildcard)
10:15 – Garvy J.
11:00 – Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck
11:45 – The Grownup Noise (Guest)
Tickets are available at the TT’s website: www.ttthebears.com
The Semifinals had great performances all around. In case you missed any of the action, here are links to the photos and recaps of each Semifinal set:
Thursday, April 12th
Thick Shakes
Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck took the night.
Cask Mouse
Motherboar got the wildcard.
Friday, April 13th
Sherman Burns
Ghosts Of Jupiter
The Rationales
Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance took the night.
Anngelle Wood is introducing the band, but I’m not really paying attention.* Behind her, Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance are already stealing the show. Once they have the stage to themselves there will be no stopping them. Garvy J. is in full command of the situation, manipulating the crowd with guitar swells, a cool confidence and sonic bombast.
Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance take Rumble Semifinal #2.
* During their preliminary round set, Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance launched into their set before Anngelle could introduce them.
In case David Mirabella and his bandmates in The Rationales didn’t know it already, a large contingent of their fans sang along to remind them that they have some of the best songs in town. When the band plays them with the fire and passion that they did in the Rumble Semifinal, it’s going to be a good night. Last night was a good night.
Semifinal Night #2 Winner: Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance
Ghost Of Jupiter threw down another slab of vintage goodness during Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble Semifinal Night #2. The band plays a kind of throwback rock unadulterated by the music of modern times. It’s not ironic. They’re not mocking, mimicking or doing a tribute act. Ghosts Of Jupiter are simply their own child of the ’70s. These guys were locked in Friday night, laying down a heavy groove that would have made their forefathers proud.
Semifinal Night #2 Winner: Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance
Sherman Burns’ blistering riff assault earned them a spot in the Semifinals as one of the wildcards. These guy weren’t about to blow the opportunity. They unleashed another barrage of high intensity, high volume fretboard acrobatics on the TT’s crowd. Anyone who missed their prelim set is probably still wondering what just hit them. These guys were one of the big Rumble surprises for me. I’m a fan.
Semifinal Night #2 Winner: Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance
