Sure, there are occasional bright spots. But by and large, the steady sterilization of the music biz is as depressing as it is obvious. It's almost overwhelming at times, and there's seemingly no one to turn to.
But… wait… look. At The Elevens this Friday, Aug. 7, it's the girls… it's the band… it's… the Justice League reunion!
Truth be told, guitarist Allie Justice says that the local hardcore/punk faves' first show in three years was inspired more by impending nuptials than by the state of the sonic union.
"Our bassist, Caitlyn Truth, is getting hitched," she explains. "So, considering that her maid of honor—me—is also her former bandmate and the fact that a rock show is way cooler than a bachelorette party, we decided to give it a go."
While this weekend's reunion is admittedly shaping up to be more of a one-off than a new chapter in the JL career, Justice adds that the band has a few tricks up its collective sleeve (or maybe on their utility belts?) in terms of its sets—not to mention, some pretty high-profile partners in crime as billmates.
"As excited as I am to rock with my band, we also handpicked the lineup for the rest of the night," she says. "With the likes of Hotblack, The Uncomfortables and The Damaged also performing, there's no way this won't kick ass."
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In other news, Scott Weiland just can't seem to stop disappointing your friendly neighborhood Crawler. Perhaps I had been taking the oft-maligned singer for granted, though, after years of stellar albums laced between stellar live outings. But on the heels of back-to-back clunkers—with Weiland woefully fronting "don't call us a supergroup" Velvet Revolver at the Mullins Center and a more than lackluster turn with the reunited Stone Temple Pilots last year—the Crawler had resigned himself to the fact that perhaps it was the end of an era for his favorite poet/performer of modern times. So who better to write the career obit than yours truly?
So essentially, that's what I did, on the way down to the recent STP show at Mohegan Sun. Reminiscing about Weiland's anemic appearance and vocals last go-round, it occurred to me that "he's literally half the man he used to be. Oh, that's good—better write that down." A "downed Pilot?" Definite potential…
In the end, however, all such devilishly clever digs were for naught, as a lean, mean Weiland deftly navigated the sellout crowd through a blistering 95 minutes of fist-pumping classics.
With their leader firmly in control, Pilots Dean and Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz also seemed to ascend to new musical heights, pounding their way through radio-friendly hits and setlist staples.
The evening had reached a frenzied height as Weiland reached for his trusty megaphone to launch show closer "Dead and Bloated." And while, as the song goes, he may be "smelling like a rose that somebody gave [him] on his birthday deathbed," if this evening was any indication, both Weiland and the band seem in no danger of taking a proverbial dirt nap any time soon.
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In stark contrast, The Black Crowes have proven themselves very reliable blues rockers. In fact, the group has been recently inducted into the ultra-exclusive 20/20 club (20 years in the biz, 20 million-plus records sold).
In light of the milestone, the brothers Robinson and bandmates offer an innovative CD release campaign aimed at honoring the Crowes' faithful flock of followers. According to the band's website, fans who purchase the band's latest studio effort, Before The Frost (set to drop Sept. 1), will receive a special download code for a free 11-tune companion piece, Until The Freeze. In the meantime, the band continues to roll along its "Stuck Inside Utopia" tour, adding stops to that trek, including an Aug. 26 stop at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis and an Aug. 27 engagement at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
