Friday October 8th
Emo’s outdoor stage
$13 tickets
The Black Lips are insane, possibly literally, but it really works for them. They’ve pretty much done they’re own thing from the release of their very first 7″ Ain’t Comin Back in ’02. Although the classic elements of a garage rock are all there, they aren’t just some ” _____ ” – revival act giving you a history lesson on the path of rock n’ roll. In fact, this band seems kinda unaware of any of it, grabbing influence from whenever and sticking it wherever. As if ya, they’ve heard that story somewhere, you know the one that explains what’s been going on with rock in the last few decades, but you know, it was kind of boring and they forgot.
The Black Lips have encompassed a wide variety of styles, pulling and molding the signature sound that they started with, a mix of lo -fi menacing and uneasy done right garage, muted down surf, and extremely dirty speakeasy blues. In 2004, they coined themselves ‘Flower Punk,’ and 2007’s Good Bad, Not Evil showed how full of a range and could be fused together by this band with almost pop tracks like O’ Katrina and an un-catoragorizable Veni Vendi Vici which seemed to be an example of what The Black Lips were capable of at full maturity. 2009’s 200 Million Thousand Simultaneously took a step back and a step forward. A sound reminiscent of the old lo-fi reverb heavy abuse of instruments and a new step away from the boyish peril and fright that go with having the garage label attached to you. Lots of hazy guitars, echoing voice, and atonal noise. Still very much The Black Lips, that familiar feeling of not knowing when the roof is going to give in, but a very, very broadened version.
This band live is really another universe entirely, I will say again, they really are insane. Although members have matured over the years, their past stage undertakings have included: Various bodily fluids shared, fireworks, indecent exposure, kissing (didn’t go over so well in India), and a chicken. They claim that it’s not like they’re making human sacrifices or anything, so theres no need for so much uproar. In 2007, the band released a live album called Las Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo. Recorded in a room full of very drunk people in Tijuana, it showcases perfectly the very unpolished and amazing performance style of The Black Lips. Sometimes off key vocals slopped together with Furious guitar and bass that sound like they are about to break into pieces, and the confusion of not understanding why Dave Goldberg (drums) hasn’t yet passed out. This big beautiful distressful jumble has been The Black Lips from the beginning, and it is the funnest, coolest and sometimes awkwardest show to witness. Honest, marred, freshly homemade rock and roll, and its all going to be mixed up with the beautiful chaos of ACL. Watch your heads.
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