I don’t really know much about this band… Joe from Euclid Records e-mailed me recently and told me about this show. I checked out the band’s Myspace page and I will admit that they sound somewhat interesting. There’s definitely some good, hard-nosed, distortion-heavy rock’n'roll going on there at times (check out their tune “Go Die” if ya don’t believe me), mixed in with a bit more indie rock shoegazerness (is that a word?) than I usually like to swallow, but still, not bad by any means. I’m detecting plenty of a soul and R&B influence for them to be able to keep my raw-boned attention live, I’d say (check out “Don’t Shake My Tree” for a prime example of that), and the organ reminds me a bit of Stereo Total, who I’ve always kinda liked in that ’60s-pop-meets-new-wave vein. Just don’t give me too much shit if you catch me at the bar chatting it up with friends and tossing back a coupla shots of Wild Turkey during the happy indie rocker “See and Be Scene” or the sappy “I Like Your Hair Long” (to quote Jason Potter, “indie rock is the new soft rock”). It’s just that, to me, they definitely have a sound that would lean more towards the Kill Rock Stars or Sub Pop crowds than, say, the In The Red, Sympathy, or even Bomp/Alive crowds. But I know there are plenty of you out there that can dip your ladles into both brew kettles with equal thirsts.

One of the really cool things about this show, though, is it’s happening at (what appears to me, anyway) as a relatively new venue for raw, “underground” rock’n'roll in River City. The Highway 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen was once the location of the old Webster Streetside Records that closed shop about a decade ago (and good riddance to that sorry old chain, I say). According to Joe, the venue is usually home to more of a blues-based musical variety, but those people tend to clear out by 10:30, so they’re looking to book more rock acts, presumably in an effort to attract a younger audience that’s not afraid to stay out past the bewitching hour.

The show is Friday, March 7. St. Louis garage/psych rock veterans The Nevermores open, who are perfectly adept at gettin’ your gears greased for what comes after. Cover is $5, by the way, and this one’s a late show: 10pm doors.