Muscle Beach looks like an old film set or something, a courtyard with empty garages and buildings encircling it. The Beach is set back in one of these. We rolled up right when VBS were getting there and some noise dude was setting up. We took seats on some old couches and I broke open the flask of Knobb Creek I brought along (heard Muscle Beach doesn't have a bathroom, so I didn't wanna fill up). The vibe definitely seemed more Jeff the Pigeon than Jan's Room. First noiser dude (not sure who it was) had a chaotic rumble going on, but when he started vocalizing, it interrupted the black cloud I was digging. After he finished up, wound up blabbing with Dan from VBS about Lux-era Temple of Bon Matin and such, everyone was buzzing and babbling, thanks for the new CD, dude. After I mooched a Schaeffers from him, VBS's other guitar player put a few drops of some w33dy-grain alcohol concoction in it. I was kinda like, "yeah right," but why not?
Anyways, next up was Human Teratogen, short noise blast set with the dude killing his knobs and mic and slapping around the mic cord like a whip. I was kinda starting to feel the take off in my brain. Strolling around the chilly warehouse, lights out 'cept for a green spot. His noise was more violent than the previous fella and when he leaned on the card table holding his equipment a little too hard, it collapsed. End of set.
After more babble and some outside chilly cigarettes, I strolled in for Sarah Johnson , a 3 piece of 20 something dudes from MN, Midwest, USA. Insanely good drummer (looking like Thurston Moore in the Coachmen) with guitar player and another dude who sang, did samples (KAOS Pad!) and played guitar on some tracks. By this time, my grain drops had me floating and the squall this goofy crew produced was perfect perfect perfect. They mixed it all up, hardcore, jazz, psych, dance music, improv (maybe?) in a crazy tight spazz package. Righteously high for their set, they were mind blowing. A great surprise. Drummer was one of the best I have seen in ages, they were tight as fuck and just left me standing there with my mouth open. Wow.
Smoked up a little more (totally unnecessary) before Vincent Black Shadow took over. Drunk Stooged up mayhem took over. Not sure which members of the crowd came up with them from Baltimore, and which ones just were in the drunk spirit, but regardless, crowd was a slobbering mess for them. Hard rock psych jams with dual guitars (more Allman bros leads!) and Adam Savage as touched front man. Loud, disorientating, heavy. Yeah. They played like two encores (one a cover of "Sheer Heart Attack") and their crew or their converted crew would not let them go.
We high tailed it out after VBS finished, snagging some Sarah Johnson merch (nice screen printed split with some other band, looks gorgeous, haven't had a chance to listen to it yet) on the way out. On the walk to the car, Eric mentioned Kingface in relation to VBS, so now I gotta see VBS again with that in mind. Followed Eric to the turnpike... I was still a bit awes and for a few panicy seconds I thought I was following the wrong car as we rolled into suburban Allentown and I was totally totally lost. And listening to Beanie Sigel. Anyways, I made it to the 'pike and coasted on back to the home base. Ringing ears and a burnt-to-a-crisp Saturday spent watching The Wire awaiting me. Totally one of those "man, this is why I go out" nights. Yay.
you are stonerz my man
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