This Friday night show at Rockaway Beach brings to a close a slightly quieter than normal August, these are bands 51 to 53 that I've seen this month. As usual when we arrived, we ran into a bunch of friends and Timmy Derella was on the wheels of steel.
First band on tonight AlterModerns who are a Brazilian Garage rock Duo who are currently based in London, they were both dressed in Red as Ananda Kuhn stood behind her drum kit in a Moe Tucker style, but with sticks rather than mallets, they launched into the opening number a great rumbling garage punk tune that allowed Glauco Caruso to really let loose on his guitar. She's Crazy was Glauco's in between song assessment before they started a raw hard-edged song about things that happen Day By Day how we slip into bad habits.
It was during Your Mask Is Gone that Glauco broke one of his strings, he held it up, tried to see if he could re-attach it and then just carried on as if 5 strings were better than 6. She's Not Yours was bitter and super speedy with a dark Seeds like edge to it.
Just as they were about to start Never Had To Ask Ray Ziphead asked if Glauco wanted a spare guitar or string, he opted for Guitar and Ray lent him the Zipheads red Gretsch for the rest of the set, once Glauco had marvelled at how many knobs it had and tuned it, he attached his impossibly short guitar strap, that shortly came loose as they powered on.
You Know Its True was really driven by Ananda's drums while Glauco still got his head round what the Gretsch did to his sound, Ananda made clear they are a political band for the common people on the intro to Out In The Streets At Night to a place where they might find some Revolutionary Lovers who bond over speedy fun garage punk.
Ananda was to the fore on Spiders & Butterflies a creepy forceful tune. My notes don't make much sense on the next couple of songs before they closed an impressive set with Son Of A Gun that made sure we want to see Altermoderns again soon.
Next on were Dead Hombres who are back down to a three piece with temporary drummer Paul Mummery stepping into Jeff's shoes as he has been forced into retirement due to health issues.
As Usual they opened with the bands theme tune Hombre that had lots of interjections by Nigel Heaslewood to get things going, Streetwalkin' Zombie was louche, driven along by Traci Heaslewoods bass. Guns Gamblers & Ghosts was missing something, mainly the second guitar. They took us into the Black Lagoon for some disturbing experiences while trying to avoid the Killing Machines.
Traci took lead vocals on Hearts In Flame that has a good love gone wrong edge to it, Rocking Horse had a bit more bite than the rest of the set, they then hung out with Crazy people like us in the Hope and Anchor once more. Baby Moon Rider was nicely upbeat with some cool guitar runs from Nigel.
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They took us south of the border to the wrong side of the River Mole for El Muerte before as ever they jumped on a Hellbound Train which was the song they most missed Jeff's input on, no disrespect to Paul but it just wasn't the same. They then paid tribute to the Garage rock godhead Link Wray by closing with a great version of Rumble.
It was then time for things to get Prehistoric with The Zipheads who opened with Call Of The Wild a super speedy adrenal psychobilly romp with Ray Waters letting rip on his Gretsch White Falcon and Tommy Waters was ripping into his double bass.
Welcome To The New World was played at breakneck speed before they showed us what the Prehistoric beat is all about, mainly Will Bennett going totally bonkers on drums. They got us all to sing along to Accendino! That had a great Italo spaghetti Billy edge to it.
A Matter Of Time was slightly slower and more rocking, Everybody Knows or should know The Zipheads are a must see live band and this proved it. Too Proud is something the band certainly aren't as they poked fun at the overpriced madness for some idiots re-union throughout the show. It was time to Rampage for fair ticket prices like this show rather than overpriced stadium crap.
They then played a song first performed at the Hope & Anchor in 1976 by The Damned. They ripped through Neat Neat Neat at 200 mph that managed to break into a verse of Papa Was A Rolling Stone before they took us to the Wrong Place Wrong Time for a showdown.
Ill Repute had Ray questioning our chastity in the most frantic way possible. How Do You Like Me Now? Is a question most of the audience would have Answered, we love you, your brilliant, please play some more for us. Don't Pretend is something The Zipheads couldn't do as they are far to much the real deal for that. They closed with a great brawl through Revenge with some manic double bass action.
Timmy Derella came on stage to encourage us to call them back for a well-earned encore that opened with Leave It All Behind before they closed the night with a brilliant Psycho-reggae-billy version of 54-46 That's My Number taking the Toots & The Maytals classic deep into the cut, we all sang along at the end of a great evenings music at Rockaway Beach.
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