For this week's New York Night Train show list go here. For information about the venues go here. Click the names in bold to learn more about the artists.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

V az

Vaz, Crystal Cock Over Canada aka Life Partners, Hundred Eyes - Glass House Gallery $6:
It’s one of those fine occasions that seems to be occurring more frequently of late – a damn good reason to go to the Glass House. If you don’t know who Vaz is, you just haven’t been paying attention for the last decade or so – since the duo of drummer Jeff Mooridian and guitarist Paul Erickson split off from Hammerhead and began their fantastic voyage that continues to this day. From Minneapolis to the spot above the legendary and much missed Al’s Bar in downtown Los Angeles to my old house in Long Island City, the duo’s been moving around, constantly touring and steadily releasing a stream of LPs, singles, and compilation tracks. To go back further, I’ll lay it on the line and say that Hammerhead were one of the only early 1990s heavy AmRep bands that I’d bother crossing the road to check out. Mooridian is one of the most exciting drummers going and Erickson’s translation of his rhythmic sensibility to the guitar was totally unique from the start. While fellow Fargo-ans godheadSilo certainly came before, you can definitely say that Vaz’s two-piece work in the mid-to-late 1990s was a direct precursor of (and influence on) Lightning Bolt and their hundreds of imitators (Hammerhead were originally from Frago, ND - a firm arguement for the theory that athe East Coast heavy duo sounds has it's roots in the Midwest and Japan) . And, if you’ve seen Vaz lately, you’ve noticed that Paul’s tone has become mindblowingly huge (what else would you expect from an employee of Brooklyn’s finest – Main Drag Music?) and that the addition of Adam Marx of Seawhores (also originally from Fargo) on guitar has done quite a bit to fill out, texturize, and, in general, enhance their sound. They’re definitely and underdog who deserves much more than they’ve gotten back from all of you – so what’re ya waitin’ for? Start givin’em some luv.

Life Partners used to be called Crystal Cock Over Canada. While they remain in the loud duo format – they have a little more good ol’ fashioned hard rock in ‘em than their contemporaries. I’d like to check ‘em out live.

Finally, the leadoff batter is the brand new band Hundred Eyes – 20 Eyes times five - playing their second show ever. While their identity is intentionally ambiguous, allow me to speculate – rumours abound that they consist of members of the recently defunct Mighty Robot institution known as Tallboys and rock star Nick Ray of Viva l’American Death Ray, First Twilight Congress, 68 Comeback, etc. But again, this could be a total lie. Their recent Myspace sound files are rough groovy no wave stuff – and, keeping with the air of mystery – they’re named “Excerpt 001,” “002,” etc. – and have no beginnings, middles, or ends. Get their early to find out if they really exist or are merely an optical illusion in the dark corner of the photograph.

P.S. The Gang Gang Dance show at NYU is only five bucks and should go on early enough for you to do that first… Celebration has a very special guest tonight at Union Pool...

Also tonight:
Anti Flag, The Casualties, The Unseen, Smoke or Fire - Irving Plaza $15.75/$17
Brent Arnold and Dark Cutters - The Stone 10pm $10
Celebration, Eye Contact - Union Pool
Chris Hale Ensemble with special guest Josh Roseman – Tonic 8pm $8
Cities, American Princes, The XYZ Affair, Midstates – Northsix $10
Gang Gang Dance, Man Man, Stars Like Fleas - NYU Kimmel Center $5
Okkyung Lee - The Stone 8pm $10
Overlord, My Teenage Stride – Cake Shop $5
Peter Apfelbaum & the New York Hieroglyphics featuring Abdoulaye Diabate – Tonic 10pm $12
Rhett Miller, Nicolai Dunger - Webster Hall $20/$22

Go to NYNT's Live Archive here.

© New York Night Train , 2006