Written by: Bas Majzoub
This was going to be a good night; Johnny Nocash and The Celtic Outlaws are a hot new band releasing their first EP, and they are supported and by the always fun local favorites, The Anti-Queens.
The Coalition T.O is a good venue, and the show was well organized by the band themselves, without the use of a local promoter; there was a drink special at the bar, and all of the band’s merch was marked down to a measly $5.
Tonight on the bill are Zack Powers, Hairy Holler, The Anti-Queens, and Johnny Nocash and The Celtic Outlaws.
Zack Powers:
Those guys sounded great, the musicianship was there, as it was clear they had a strong handle on their respective instruments. The songs are upbeat and fun rock ‘n roll swing, with pop culture (“Army of Darkness”) and world music (Greek inspired “Miserlou”) influences. The front-man Zack Powers is energetic on stage, however I get the feeling he’s holding back and is still a little shy; it could be a symptom of their youth, however the rest of the band, despite being excellent musicians, seemed awkward on stage, and the fact that they were all dressed like nerds didn’t help. I look forward to seeing these guys grow.
Hairy Holler:
I’ve heard of this band, though I’ve never heard them, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Besides the usual guitar bass and drums, the band also sported a sax (with a pedal-board), a fiddle, and a washboard! The saxophone player donned himself as The Punisher, and the whole band looked huge, and so did the music. You can’t help but have a good time with their brand of big-band rock ‘n roll, especially when they’re up there dancing and having a blast. One thing about this band is how strong they are vocally; everybody can sing very well, and they all posses big voices, and when they all chorus up, the building almost shakes! It must be tough having so many members, so their passion must be exuberant, and it shows.
The Anti-Queens:
I’ve seen this Thrashy Punk band before, and their energy is as advertised. Good simple songs, well executed with a fun somewhat choreographed live show. They looked like rock-stars, dressed and acted the part. While the rest of the band was having fun on stage, the drummer was keeping it together, pulling in solid tom beats, and was rock steady. They finish the show knees up on the bass drum, guitars pointed to the ceiling, they nail the ending. This band would benefit from a banner, the chemistry and music are there, so is the attitude, a banner would help further their memorability.
Johnny Nocash and The Celtic Outlaws:
The place is packed and abuzz, intro music barely starts, and on appears the black quilt donning front-man, strumming his acoustic guitar, followed by the band, and the party is here. They’re all dressed like outlaw rock-stars, leather vests and string ties, big beards and tattoos. It was impressive to hear how similar (see: identical) their live sound is to their album. Beat for beat, yes, though also the overall sound as well, with a signature electric guitar sound by Memphis Raines playing a sweet sounding Fender Stratocaster. Not to put down the great job the rest of the bands on the bill did, though it needs to be said, the drum sound, and behind the kit, the performance itself, was a class higher than the very competent rest. The band has its sound figured out, and is clearly well rehearsed, and that fact naturally frees the band leader to interact with the receptive and interacting crowd. Given the band’s ‘excuse me, I love you, but go fuck yourself’ attitude, there’s a certain irony to the audience interaction I think. It’s all in great fun, as it was cool to see a lady get invited onto the stage and sing along; she passionately gave it her cringe worthy best, and rocked out on stage. The band did two encores, and subtly once again showcased their professionalism, with every band member on the same page, immaculately delivering their big or, just as importantly, their smaller parts.
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