PALMA VIOLETS-Music Hall of Williamsburg

PALMA VIOLETS, THE GUARDS
Music Hall of Williamsburg-Brooklyn, NY
May 9

my iphone photo

British buzz band Palma Violets came to play MHW tonight and a birthday party broke out. Led by duel lead singers Chilli Jesson and Sam Fryer, the band blazed thru their much hyped debut album 180 which blends garage, soul, psychedelic and rock into epic sing along anthems. The Palma Violets built a reputation as a great live band thru weekly shows at small art studio in south London called Studio 180. Only those 'in the know' found the door leading to these parties but word quickly spread and next thing you know Zane Lowe is spinning their single 'Step up for the Cool Cats' on his BBC1 Radio Show, NME chooses 'Best of Friends' as track of the year for 2012 and they get signed to Rough Trade records all before putting out their first full length.

They certainly lived up to their reputation of a great live band tonight. Chilli is one of the more enjoyable lead singers I have seen in a long time. With a youthful exuberance and a badass attitude, he owns the stage and leads the band swinging around his bass guitar. The band, which also includes fantastic drummer Will Doyle and keyboard player Peter Mayhew, constantly engaged the crowd, bringing everyone closer together almost shrinking the size of the venue so we felt as if we were in one of their weekly Studio 180 parties. Songs like 'Best of Friends', 'Step up for the Cool Cats', 'We Found Love', 'Last of the Summer Wine' and 'Chicken Dippers' all got kicked up a few notches. One guy, feeling the power of the Palma Violets live, thrusts his crutches into the air as if say, 'I CAN WALK'! For the encore, the band invited opening bands and friends on stage while they presented Chilli with a cake for his birthday. As to be expected, cake frosting started flying around the stage followed by beer and anything else they could get their hands on before breaking into a cover of The Hot Nasties 'Invasion of the Tribbles' leading everyone singing along with them 'oh yeah! oh yeah! oh yeah!' A messy birthday party broke out on stage and we all became part of it. So goes a Palma Violets show. Happy Birthday Chilli. You and your band have a great year ahead of you. Thanks for a great show. 

Best of Friends-from SXSW (Thanks rincewind1013 for posting on youtube)

KEXP-full performance (Thanks KEXP for posting on youtube)

FU MANCHU-Bowery Ballroom NYC

FU MANCHU, BLOODNSTUFF, VAGINA PANTHER
BOWERY BALLROOM-NYC
APRIL 19

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Fu Manchu spent the month of April blazing a trail across the United States re-visiting their classic 1997 album 'The Action Is Go' and tonight they brought the rock to the Bowery Ballroom. I am constantly amazed that this band isn't bigger than they are. They have been putting out music since 1990 and their catalog consists of 10 solid studio albums. When explaining their sound, the words 'stoner rock' are always included. Listening to their lyrics and looking over any of their albums and merchandise artwork you will find the bands love for muscle cars, custom vans, skateboarding and science fiction. This is rock that kicks ass. It makes you want to grow your hair out, put on a bandana and get lost in yourself. Its Dazed and Confused all over again. More people need Fu Manchu in their lives.  Tonight they went full throttle to kick everyones asses blazing thru all 14 tracks in order from 'The Action Is Go' before treating the crowd to an encore of classics leaving our heads and ear drums screaming with pleasure. It was classic Fu show. As Jack Blacks character Dewey Finn would say in 'The School of Rock', they melted our faces.

We arrived at the show a little late missed Vagina Panther, the first of two opening bands. I know nothing about Vagina Panther other than the fact that their name is pretty awesome.

Second openers Bloodnstuff were the revelation of the evening. My friends and I were all arriving, milling around and getting our beers when it hit us that the two dudes on stage were ripping it up. This two man band from Minneapolis left us wanting more and pissed off that we arrived late missinf more than half of their set. Their Facebook page lists their type of music as 'post-rock'. Not really sure what that means. I just know that they kicked ass and were a great warm up for Fu


opening song-Evil Eye (thanks beatfreak72 for posting on youtube)
encore song-Weird Beard (thanks beatfreak72 for posting on youtube) Bloodnstuff (thanks beatfreak72 for posting on youtube) Bloodnstuff (live from 89.3 The Current)