A small joint called Club Clearview had scheduled bands over the course of an entire day on 4th of July weekend in 1992, and after paying a $7 cover I randomly stumbled in about the same time Cowboy Mouth was taking the stage. I’d say there were about 20 of us loners there that day who didn’t get invited to a bbq that weekend and, as is typical of that size crowd, we were kind of spread out and not entirely engaged. This was clearly unacceptable to the drummer/vocalist, one Fred LeBlanc. His drumkit was already front and center but that wasn’t enough. He came out into the crowd and rounded us up like a kindergarten class at the end of recess, and then proceeded to make us sit on the floor of the club in a big circle. No exceptions. Just like a game of Duck Duck Goose. But instead of knocking us on the head for not getting into the show, he and the band finished their set right there in the circle with us. Making us share in the vocals and percussion and making sure that nobody left that damn club without knowing the name of the band they just saw and feeling like they just freebased every riff on the setlist.
I think each one of us in the crowd told two friends after that show and made sure they came with us to the next one. And then they told two friends, and so on and so on until everybody is washing their hair with beer shampoo and eating jambalaya with red plastic spoons.
Unfortunately, Cracky went missing for a few years and lost track of Fred and company. And when he came back the rest of the music world had discovered the Cowboy Mouth experience. It’s just like that small circle back in 1992, except the circle is about 50 times bigger and it’s not a circle anymore. It’s now best described by kinetic theory. Cowboy Mouth is presented an audience in the form of a solid. They heat that sucker up until the crowd is a mass of Brownian motion and ready to blow the lid off the joint.
The lyrics aren’t sophisticated. The music isn’t groundbreaking. But if you find the shoegaze genre confusing and illogical and want to go back to the days when rock and roll was fun and celebrate life no matter how bad your acne or diverticulitis is flaring up, get yourself a ticket to a Cowboy Mouth show. The House of Blues show was no exception. Crack Approved.
Showing posts with label Cowboy Mouth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cowboy Mouth. Show all posts
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Top Shows 2011: 41 thru 50
41. Lissie – Reggie’s: I knew a few of her tunes, so when WXRT sponsored a free show at the club less than a mile from my place I decided to waltz on over to check it out. It took me a while since waltzing isn’t the most efficient mode of travel, but I staked out a good spot and hoped for an unsucky show. Not only was it unsucky, but I’d go as far as saying it was rather good. I mean I’m not the president of her fan club, but I’d consider being an officer.
Watch Lissie
42. Poi Dog Pondering – Metro: Damn, another 25th anniversary show? I’ve been a fan since the early 90’s largely based on my purchase of one CD – Volo Volo. After that they apparently relocated to Chicago and I lost track of them a bit. So when they booked two nights – one for their Austin music and one for their Chicago music – I thought about a ticket for the former. Metro made it easy by giving me one, so I went and doggy-poi’d the hell out of it. Meaning you stand there, bob your head and sway along to the music and sing along when requested. It was nice.
Watch Poi Dog Ponder
43. Jim Jones Revue – Schubas: Prior to this year, the only Jim Jones I knew was the crazy one responsible for the annoying expression “drinking the Kool-Aid”. This Jim Jones is way better. I read a review describing his music as “Little Richard with a chainsaw and a nosebleed”. I can’t do better than that.
Watch JJR
44. City and Colour – Vic: Okay, this one was way out of character for me. C&C is really an alias for a singer/songwriter type named Dallas Green. Get it? Dallas (City) and Green (Colour). All that alone should disqualify him from this list. But something about this knucklehead’s songs connected. Maybe just the one about not sleeping, since that’s something I rarely do. I was even half expecting to be bored at his show, but the songs came alive and the arrangements worked. The dude knows what he’s doing, whether I care to admit it or not. Fine, I admit it.
Watch C&C
45. Broken Social Scene – Wrigleyville Rooftop: Another free show from WXRT, and another band I thought I might like just because they’re one of those incestual Canadian bands with way too many people whose members seemingly come and go as they please, but somehow always manage to have enough people in the right place when it comes time to record or perform. Amazing how those Canucks pull off shit like that.
Watch BSS
46. Fleet Foxes/Walkmen – Chicago Theater: I liked the new record but wasn’t sure how it would play live until I heard them impressively nail it outdoors at Pitchfork. So I grabbed tickets for the Chicago Theater, thinking it would be even more amazing at a venue like that. It was, but they suffered the same affliction as Hindi Zahra and were too damn mellow for their own good. It’s like eating the best damn risotto in town, but never really getting the main course. But it was still some damn good risotto.
Watch Fleet Foxes
47. Cowboy Mouth – House of Blues: I want to rank these guys higher, because no band on this entire list is more committed to making sure that the audience has fun and leaves everything behind for those 90 minutes while they’re on stage. The music isn’t terribly original, but there are several catchy tunes and they indubitably accomplish their goal of delivering a solid and fun rock and roll show. Like Mardi Gras in their hometown of New Orleans, a Cowboy Mouth show is something everyone should experience at least once. Or Fred will track you down and kick your ass.
Watch Cowboy Mouth
48. Tinariwen – Lincoln Hall: Desert blues from Mali. How cool is that? Too cool. As in so cool, that it’s best left for playing at home or on your iPod while you chill out. These guys are good, but it’s not much of a stage show. You know when you go to a restaurant and get a meal and you’re like, hey, I could have whipped this up at home in 20 minutes and saved myself $20…. that’s Tinariwen.
Watch Tinariwen
49. Robyn – Riv: Sorry, I’m a sucker for bad dance music from the last century. I was shocked to see Robyn at Pitchfork last year since I only knew her from her hit back in 1997 and was completely unaware of her big comeback. Mostly because I’m not gay. But I’m questioning that since I’m apparently I’ve been the only straight man in the crowd at her last two shows. Not that there’s anything wrong with that….
Watch Robyn
50. British Sea Power – Lincoln Hall: I like these guys. The music was good. The songs are good. It was good. I wasn’t blown away. I want to be blown away. I know not every band can be and EF-5 tornado, but at least give me enough of a breeze that my hair gets a little messed up. You’ve got the world “Power” in your name, fer crissake!
Watch BSP
Watch Lissie
42. Poi Dog Pondering – Metro: Damn, another 25th anniversary show? I’ve been a fan since the early 90’s largely based on my purchase of one CD – Volo Volo. After that they apparently relocated to Chicago and I lost track of them a bit. So when they booked two nights – one for their Austin music and one for their Chicago music – I thought about a ticket for the former. Metro made it easy by giving me one, so I went and doggy-poi’d the hell out of it. Meaning you stand there, bob your head and sway along to the music and sing along when requested. It was nice.
Watch Poi Dog Ponder
43. Jim Jones Revue – Schubas: Prior to this year, the only Jim Jones I knew was the crazy one responsible for the annoying expression “drinking the Kool-Aid”. This Jim Jones is way better. I read a review describing his music as “Little Richard with a chainsaw and a nosebleed”. I can’t do better than that.
Watch JJR
44. City and Colour – Vic: Okay, this one was way out of character for me. C&C is really an alias for a singer/songwriter type named Dallas Green. Get it? Dallas (City) and Green (Colour). All that alone should disqualify him from this list. But something about this knucklehead’s songs connected. Maybe just the one about not sleeping, since that’s something I rarely do. I was even half expecting to be bored at his show, but the songs came alive and the arrangements worked. The dude knows what he’s doing, whether I care to admit it or not. Fine, I admit it.
Watch C&C
45. Broken Social Scene – Wrigleyville Rooftop: Another free show from WXRT, and another band I thought I might like just because they’re one of those incestual Canadian bands with way too many people whose members seemingly come and go as they please, but somehow always manage to have enough people in the right place when it comes time to record or perform. Amazing how those Canucks pull off shit like that.
Watch BSS
46. Fleet Foxes/Walkmen – Chicago Theater: I liked the new record but wasn’t sure how it would play live until I heard them impressively nail it outdoors at Pitchfork. So I grabbed tickets for the Chicago Theater, thinking it would be even more amazing at a venue like that. It was, but they suffered the same affliction as Hindi Zahra and were too damn mellow for their own good. It’s like eating the best damn risotto in town, but never really getting the main course. But it was still some damn good risotto.
Watch Fleet Foxes
47. Cowboy Mouth – House of Blues: I want to rank these guys higher, because no band on this entire list is more committed to making sure that the audience has fun and leaves everything behind for those 90 minutes while they’re on stage. The music isn’t terribly original, but there are several catchy tunes and they indubitably accomplish their goal of delivering a solid and fun rock and roll show. Like Mardi Gras in their hometown of New Orleans, a Cowboy Mouth show is something everyone should experience at least once. Or Fred will track you down and kick your ass.
Watch Cowboy Mouth
48. Tinariwen – Lincoln Hall: Desert blues from Mali. How cool is that? Too cool. As in so cool, that it’s best left for playing at home or on your iPod while you chill out. These guys are good, but it’s not much of a stage show. You know when you go to a restaurant and get a meal and you’re like, hey, I could have whipped this up at home in 20 minutes and saved myself $20…. that’s Tinariwen.
Watch Tinariwen
49. Robyn – Riv: Sorry, I’m a sucker for bad dance music from the last century. I was shocked to see Robyn at Pitchfork last year since I only knew her from her hit back in 1997 and was completely unaware of her big comeback. Mostly because I’m not gay. But I’m questioning that since I’m apparently I’ve been the only straight man in the crowd at her last two shows. Not that there’s anything wrong with that….
Watch Robyn
50. British Sea Power – Lincoln Hall: I like these guys. The music was good. The songs are good. It was good. I wasn’t blown away. I want to be blown away. I know not every band can be and EF-5 tornado, but at least give me enough of a breeze that my hair gets a little messed up. You’ve got the world “Power” in your name, fer crissake!
Watch BSP
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