July 15, 2000
There was a nice array of unsigned talent at West Hollywood’s Coconut Teaszer on this particular Saturday night. Had I gotten to the club a bit earlier, I would have been treated to the Pantera-influenced sounds of Hemlock who hail from Las Vegas, but alas they were sadly missed. However, the band did have an impressive lighted glass case that showcased their merchandise, CDs and mailing list, and being the friendly people that they were, the eager members encouraged my addition to their mailing list, and offered their CD for my review. Watch for that coming soon!
Tenfold, with their Sacramento-signature sound, quickly brought the few earlybirds inside the club to a neck snapping slow boil with that chunky, bassy Deftones crunch by Pag and Courtlandt on guitars and Doug Calvert on bass, and melodic vocals by the colorfully inked Justin Butler. It’s been a while since I’ve seen those ‘musician faces’ that are made out of painstaking concentration, but Will Brunk‘s expressive face while pounding out the drumbeats was quite fascinating to observe.
‘Nothing’ and ‘Shelter’ were the highlights of Tenfold’s power-packed show. I was vaguely familiar with these, and other songs prior to coming out, so it was very cool to put the faces and the live performance with the names. If you want to do the same, check them out live, and visit www.tenfoldmusic.com.
With the finishing touches being put on their upcoming release, ‘Visions’, a new music video, and an impending tour, Douglas (vocals, guitar), Kevin (drums), and Nate (bass) of Fractional Importance have much to look forward to this year. It’s been great to watch this band grow, change, and develop over the time I’ve been fortunate enough to know them. Fractional have always had a distinctive sound; a mixture of the heavy stuff smoothly blended with almost jazz-influenced melodies, and that distinguishable Douglas Gledhill voice. Who needs backing vocals when you’ve got Douglas? His talent is so diverse, he sounds like at least two singers.
The complexities within many of the songs set them apart from your average ‘core’ metal band. These intricacies are what drew me to this band initially, and they continue to do so. Fractional Importance opened their set with the somber ‘Pathetic’, then barreled through newer songs like ‘All This Fake’ (one of my personal favorites), their strangely cool cover of the 80’s new wave classic A-Ha song ‘Take On Me’, and ‘Shackles’.
This band throws down seriously huge amounts of sound, and you’d never know there were only three people in the band if you hadn’t seen them perform. Hey, here’s an idea! GO! Check out www.fractional.org for the latest.
I stepped outside for air during Shoddy‘s set, but a brief peek at the stage inside offered a peek at some briefs. Or should I say, g-strings? I got scared and went back outside.
Deepdown came on a little later, but they are always worth the wait. The band members are so obviously dedicated to their craft, and there are marked improvements with every single show I’ve ever witnessed. Deepdown have been working hard at perfecting their sound for just a little over three years, but one would think they had been together forever. The band gives their audience every reason to keep coming back, and they do.
Gorgeous frontman Glenn Perham, who looks as good as he sounds, completely transforms from street to stage. His live persona is so magnetic. Watching Glenn do what he does is always an indulgence. He holds his own with ease and charisma in the vocal department while, Brendan Morris (guitar, vocals) and Kris Hunter (bass) are the powerful pillars at either end of the stage, both just as focused as they are talented. The other Chris, Chris Weible (drums) is the one making you unconsciously bounce and rock.
Deepdown’s killer set included the shake-your-ass-to-it song – ‘Connect’, the fuck you song – ‘Don’t Care’, as well as the emotionally affecting ‘Erase’ and ‘Empty Spaces’, as well as several other inspirational songs that brought the collective mood inside the Coconut Teaszer to the evening’s energetic peak. Visit Deepdown’s website at www.deepdownmusic.com for updates and information about when you can catch their next show.
I didn’t witness The Assholes. Not until I got out into traffic on Sunset Blvd. Maybe next time.
