Lightning Bolt, Drug Mountain, Wiccans Sons of Hermann Hall Tuesday, August 28
To the noisenik who wasn't able to peek over the throng parked in front of Lightning Bolt last night, Brian Gibson might have been playing an electric chair through effects pedals. His bass, with a bonus banjo string at the bottom, conjured what appeared to be notes, calling into question whether it was actually a bass after all. He didn't rely on pedals alone, having an easy time making heads bob, regardless of the histrionics of the mosh pit.
Drummer Brian Chippendale kept the crowd's pulse up with some ecstatic flailing and bashing. To spice up the holy racket, he barked, chanted and wailed through a squealing Jack in the Box intercom attached to a mask. The duo chose to jam new material over their "hits," minus a cut off Hypermagic Mountain. Nevertheless, the material didn't disappoint and still managed to levitate the Sons of Hermann, resounding in some spirited sturm und drang. Hermann the Cherusker no doubt approved.
Fort Worth's Drug Mountain christened this Tuesday night of noise with an energetic set, spelling out No Wave with alto sax, electric violin and lots of seasoned screaming. Perfectly sandwiched between the two more outre bands on the bill, Denton's Wiccans put on a display of classic rock tinged-hardcore. Each member of this witch cult had their instrument dialed in like the seasoned pros, as they blew through tight compositions and tasteful solos, posing the eternal question: What would it sound like if Greg Ginn had been in the Stooges?
Weirdest item at the merch table: A cursed doll that looked like it might have been in a curio shop.
Biggest sore thumb: A cop who looked an awful lot like Pauly D. from Jersey Shore, handing out tickets for terrible hipster haircuts while giving neophytes the lowdown on mosh pit etiquette.
