Review: Black Angels and The Warlocks at the Southgate House (June 24, 2008)

"WHAT?! I can't hear you?!"

I felt like I said this a million times to my buddy throughout the blisteringly loud show at the Southgate House last night. Both The Black Angels and opener The Warlocks had their amps turned past 10, which, though at times overwhelming, bodes well for their mutual love for the Heroin Rock of the mid-60s  (i.e. The Velvet Underground).

The Warlocks were given an ample 45 minute time slot and filled it with — guess what — loud jams. More melodic than their tourmates, The Warlocks trim down the distorted effects to bring out the voice and raw guitar work of frontman Bobby Hecksher. His stage presence left something to be desired, but the music was as sensually overloading as the main attraction of the evening.

The Black Angels, a bit more accomplished with a second album, Directions To See A Ghost, under their belt, were a bit more adept at creating the wall of sound than I expected. Varying their set between songs from Directions and their phenomenal 2006 debut Passover, the Angels chipped away at the already decaying paint on the walls of the Southgate House, letting the raw energy of the music speak for itself.

“Young Men Dead” and “The Sniper At The Gates of Heaven” were highlights of the encore-free set. Holding the band together in an especially impressive way was drummer Stephanie Bailey. The lone female in the group, Bailey acted as the guidepost for the dual (and at times triple) guitar attack of the gentlemen around her. And, she flat out rocked, to the point that her kick drum literally made the hair on my arms move.

I would tell you more, but I can’t hear myself think right now.

— Dave Tobias
All photos: Keith Klenowski

Comments

[thepsychicpilot]

It's Friday and my right ear is stll ringing. That hasn't happened in years.