Kuwait and Drop Sonic at Burrito Gallery on August 14thIf you know me, you know that I love a good live rock show. I miss playing in local bands, but watching local bands almost makes up for it.
I like the bands that are still full of piss and vinegar. The ones that haven't burned out or faded away. But nothing compares to an articulate and ferocious band playing in a downtown courtyard.
There aren't many local bands lately that have been worth getting all excited about. Don't get me wrong, Antartic is phenomenal. Buffalo Tears are wicked cool. Black Kids are fucking famous. There are plenty of bands I dig. But have you seen Kuwait?
Kuwait's first show at Eclipse, not long ago, was anticipated by the local rockers to be a pretty good grouping. Scott Madgett of Goalie on drums, Paul Paxton of Crash the Satellites on bass and computer (yes - computer) and Richard Dudley, former bass player for Tracy Shedd and a tertiary guitarist with Crash a few years ago, on guitar. This trio was pretty much a guarantee, but at their freshman performance they proved their consummate musicianship was matched by their ability to compose songs that rock. Songs that are alternately filled with agression and serenity. Songs that have no vocals, and yet manage to never feel absent of them. This is post rock at its best.
Drop Sonic has been playing Jacksonville fairly regularly over the past eight or nine years. Their riff rock is a little bit of led zeppelin and a little bit of blues explosion, but they do it like they're mad at you. In fact, I would describe their set like that person you meet at a bar that you think is trying to start a fight with you, and right when you think the fight is going to brea
k out, they burst into smile and tell you they were just fucking with you all along. Then you start to like them, and not just because they seem really nice after that, but also because they told you they were kidding before you threw a punch and made an ass of yourself. I realize that is an obtuse example, but they rock in some really gutteral, almost unsettling way.
k out, they burst into smile and tell you they were just fucking with you all along. Then you start to like them, and not just because they seem really nice after that, but also because they told you they were kidding before you threw a punch and made an ass of yourself. I realize that is an obtuse example, but they rock in some really gutteral, almost unsettling way. These two bands are nothing alike in many ways, but in creating articulate and intoxicating rock songs that will carry on in your head most of the night, they are the same. And there is a rumor that Locust Grove may even get things started for people that show up early. If you want to see a good rock show in an unusual setting, watching rock bands at Burrito Gallery is always an incredible experience.
This has been a convoluted post, I know, but this show will kill and it will be effin' worth the scratch to see it. There's gonna be some cheap beer and other drink specials. But if yer totally broke, still come downtown and listen to the rock from outside of the gate. It won't be as fun and you can't drink, but the music will still be worth your while for sure. If you're looking for a great time on Thursday, come to the show. I think you need this.
