Anyone enticed by the show flyer’s promise of a “big rock and roll show” certainly got what they came for. Like any good rock show, charismatic front-men (and women, mind you) were abundant, the venue was packed and patrons lined every free space at the bar. The bands were punk-derived but heavily pop-inclined, as if they’ve been listening to old-school punk all their lives (probably accurate for all musicians present) but long-since gave in to catchy, danceable melodies.
Très Bien opened the night enthusiastically
– and that’s an understatement. Lead singer Michael “Mikey” Bostinto was loudly
energetic from the get-go, even goofily raising the roof in excitement. He
thanked The Booze graciously for letting them join the bill, and announced guitarist
Randy Michael may make an appearance. After the upbeat, shout-interspersed “Use
Your Brain,” Michael made good on Bostinto’s promise, hopping on stage with a
cigarette and drink in hand to sing back-up on “Liquid Love.” The down-tempo ‘60s-tinged
number guided by hand-claps was made hazier with wandering, fuzzy,
psychedelic-like guitar. Bostinto later shouted at the crowd, “Who likes drugs
in Atlanta?” When
patrons were slow to respond, he reassured them they wouldn’t be prosecuted. In
another gracious gesture, Très Bien dedicated the oh-so-familiar Motown hit
“(Love is Like a) Heat Wave” (written by Holland-Dozier-Holland and made
popular by Martha and the Vandellas) to The Booze. The meaning behind that
dedication is unclear, but it’s the thought that counts, right? Très Bien is no stranger to
Motown, as the band’s catalog is clearly influenced by the genre and related
big band sounds.
As announced
on the poster, Stolen Hearts’ performance was their last. It’s a shame to see a
promising Atlanta
band dismantle before achieving full-scale, much-deserved recognition. The
band has been interviewed in Creative
Loafing and mentioned in Paste,
to name a few enamored publications, but a full-scale blow-up was imminent. Stolen Hearts used
punk-rock beginnings as a base for mixing doo-wop and power-pop sentiments,
with instantaneously catchy melodies as a result. That fun combination and lead
singer Ashley Salisbury’s high-octave croon will be sorely missed if the
members don’t find a way to regroup and stay present in Atlanta’s music scene.
Seattle’s The Greatest Hits
opened with David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel.” Not really, but the baseline riff of
“Ghost Town” was teetering on the line between copyright infringement and
transformative use. Despite this passing peeve, the band’s power-pop, clearly evolved
from punk-rock, was as catchy and fun as the rest of the lineup. Not to be
overlooked, front-man Nils Forever’s half-black, half-bleached, messy ‘do made
strides at standing out aesthetically.
The Biters
opened with “Hang Around,” likely their catchiest track. Power-pop best defines
this increasingly popular local band, but a dash of humor is necessary to
mention – Tuk’s commentary between songs is as entertaining as watching the
band play. Check their MySpace for a silly video of Tuk beat-boxing on the
streets of Atlanta
with a random guy who’s visibly ecstatic about singing along.
By the time The Booze closed the night, the crowd appeared good and sauced. This performance marked The Booze’s return after a two-year hiatus that felt like forever for their devoted fans. The Booze truly offers the best throwback rock in Atlanta, and this performance would have convinced anyone who didn’t already believe that. Their nonchalantly cool performance never outshone the quality of musicianship the band’s become known for. The show’s grand finale was a cover of “Gloria” (attributed to Van Morrison, but originally released under his band Them), where most of the night’s players flooded the stage to sing along in an incredible, fun display of chaotic camaraderie.
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