Show Review: Brainoil: 12/15/10

Got to the venue with plenty of time to spare, but me and my old lady decided to open the eyes of the wild man o' the south, Dixie Dave Collins and one of his band mates in Buzz0v'en by taking them around the corner to the Eagle Tavern. I don't think that we provided them with anything more than some cheap Pabst, not an awakening gay experience in the men's room, (nor anywhere else), because the Eagle wasn't really being very much of anything that night, gay or otherwise. We hung out for a bit, and by the time we got back to the venue had bypassed the opening acts K. Lloyd, and my local hardcore buddies No Statik, whom I'm sure it would have been as awkward as a seventh grade slow dance boner to see upon the massive stage in front of almost no one. Not that they didn't handle the scenario with great finesse, I'm sure, which is less than I can say for all those boners I had...

Neurotoxicity was jammin' it when I came in, and I quickly ignored them and made my way backstage to look for DRUGS. This was an admittedly noble pursuit, but it was soon forsaken for the obligation to be pummeled directly in the face by Brainoil. Sweet! I'm sure you know how I feel about this band by now. Then I went out to the alley and drank a tall can. I was pretty drunk by this point, but that must have been my tipping point, because I soon got the idea that I was going to sneak a bunch more beer into the venue, past the DNA's neanderthalic security forces. Ha! I was stopped at the door, questioned, and to use a kind euphemism "denied re-admittance."

I was arguing with the peanut dick sized, pea brained ape who was working the door, just about ready to whip out my junk and piss on his leg so he would have to fight me, when a friendly face, concerned at my long absence, popped out from club and gently escorted me away from my impending doom. So I missed Buzzov'en completely by being a wasted retard, but their music and reputation is kind of all about being a wasted retard, isn't it?. I guess it kind of goes with the territory. Good thing I didn't pay to get in!

Corrosion of Conformity: 8/10/10

Went directly down to the DNA lounge after band practice, bought a ticket at the door (betting that the show wouldn't be sold out, skillfully avoiding the "convenience" charges) and got inside in time to see Eagle Twin had already begun. At first I didn't know who it was and didn't know if it was someone I was supposed to like. I soon stopped caring. Leo pretty much summed it up when he said "I'm so sick of two pieces." Seriously, get a bass player. Or a guitar player. Or whatever you need! Learn to play well with others, you two piece wankers! And not just Eagle Twin, but all you!* It may be hard at first, you'll have to "be in tune" with the bass player (or guitar player) and people will notice when you fuck up, so you'll actually have to practice and be "tight!" Good luck.

This show was my first time seeing Goatsnake live. I had heard a few random recordings here and there, and this band is distinctive on tape, as they are live, due to the monumental and soulful vocals of Pete Stahl! The dude from Scream and Wool! He is their not so secret weapon which raises Goatsnake above the rest of the crop of loud-ass droney doom bands. The lumbering pace of the music got a little weary after a while, and it WAS a while (fuck, how long did they play?), and I inevitably wandered around to drink overpriced beers.

I didn't know what to expect from C.O.C. at this point in their career... I was hoping for something pretty awesome, willing to settle for something slightly mediocre, and dreading a train wreck. They were definitely better than mediocre, about as good as I could expect, really, for some old punks revisiting material they wrote 25 years ago. They played tightly with few noticeable mistakes (except maybe in vocals?) and the sound was heavy and fast. Mike Dean stared down the crowd and thrashed about like some withered and recently unleashed Malachai.
Overall, a fairly satisfying night. I got to pass out some flyers, I got really drunk, and I didn't too much miss the twenty five bucks I spent on the ticket. Fuck it.

* Except Black Cobra and The Body, and maybe a few others