World Famous In San Francisco

Brimstone Howl: Kinda awesome live, but then I checked out their myspace page.

When I got to the hemlock these kids were playing, so apparently the show started on time. At first, I kinda hated them. Midwestern boys with garage rock haircuts playing garage rock. Aren't these corn fed cutie types supposed to be cute? These guys weren't so much, but they were endearing. I saw four songs total and over the course of these songs they won me over and got a little cuter. The songs were totally rockin, they almost had this fifties feel to them. During the last song, the two guitarists got into the crowd, one on the other's shoulders, and they each played guitar like some sort of GODZILLA rock destroyer. If that doesn't win you over, then I guess we're still looking for something that will.

I bought a seven inch because they asked nicely at the end of the set. At the merch table they told me it was recorded by Jay Retard. I went to their myspace page and it was on about dudes from the Black Keys and the Horrors recording them and other dudes from Pere Ubu mastering them and how Maximum Rock n Roll said they sounded like the Gun Club. Pere Ubu and the Gun Club are cool but I am irrationally against the Black Keys and it kinda rubbed off on these guys. Or maybe its because their haircuts are even worse on this page and they all have gross moustaches. Or maybe I'm just cranky today. I probably am cranky, I have a cold. These kids are probably OK. Bomp records thinks so!

Apache (the band): songs so stupid, they might change your life.

These guys look like Vietnam vets turned hippie. Dirty, seventies, washed up hippies. A friend of mine was standing behind this guy with long greasy hair, a head band, and a brown leather vest and asked "Does he really need to dress like that?". When Apache took the stage and that guy was their singer she said "Right, he does need to dress like that". And the guitarist needs his guitar with the intricate woodcarving to play a lot of songs about drugs (White Hammer, Crystal Clear) and crazy girls (Nazi Knife -- little nazi knife, she's not so nice. she's gonna cut you up!). Everybody sings the same words and the same notes and you should be doing that too. They ruled!

The High Strung: they get their name from the sound of his vocals!

Word on the street (literally, overheard on the street) is that these guys weren't so nice. I know this: it took them forever to set up. I hate that. And then every song they played sounded the same and was sung by this guy with some nasally ass vocals wearing that hat from the urban outfitters that I hate. The bassist wore goggles and bobbed up and down like a Muppet. I think he had a beard too. Its amazing how that can be charming for some bands and absolutely unbearable for others. We left early.