The Presidents rockin' the citizens of Austin.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know this show took place Wednesday night but as I’ve informed many of you, I’ve been ill (on many levels) so I finally got around to mention how it rocked. Originally, I was going to volunteer for this with EA before I went on vacation. Then there was no sign-up list and other matters took precedence. I didn’t feel awful. I’ve enjoyed their last two CDs yet they weren’t on my short list of reunited acts to see with limited resources, I need to keep my health up for Ben Folds and Missy Higgins near the end of the month. A day before the show, EA’s coordinator sent out a request for volunteers. I chose to go on an impulse. Why not, it’s not like my Wednesday nights are booked anymore. Well, I’m glad the EA lady asked, PUSA’s Austin show was a memorable evening during the best weather of the year.
The Black & White Years warming up the crowd. They don't mind comparisons to the band VHS or Beta…they've even toured with them.
On stage first was a new band, The Black & White Years. A really solid quartet that fit the vein through their distinctive sound and subtle humor. They seemed to be a puckish act to my ears, I could be wrong, I never did follow through on auditioning for Pitchfork when they were recruiting. They made a great first impression on me. If you like Razorlight, VHS or Beta and the Dickies, you’d dig what they do. Since PUSA shirts were reasonably priced, I had money left over to consider buying their CD. After spotting Jerry Harrison’s name as their producer, all hesitation evaporated. Who? Jerry Harrison was the guitarist/keyboardist in Talking Heads and the producer for the Violent Femmes, BoDeans, Live, General Public, Neurotic Outsiders (Duran Duran side project), Josh Joplin Project, Black 47, No Doubt (really) and Crash Test Dummies. I had the opportunity to speak with the lead singer. He told me about the fantastic time they all had working in California with Jerry. These guys are definitely in the running for best debut should I get off my behind to complete a “Best of” story.
Meanwhile, the Presidents won me over with their live show. First of all, I never knew the lead singer (Chris) plays a bass guitar with only two strings. He’s pretty skilled with it because there wasn’t a note he couldn’t reproduce when dueling the guitarist (Dave). They did all the hits everyone expected of them: “Lump,” “Peaches,” “Mach 5,” “Kitty,” and “Video Killed the Radio Star.” On the bridge of “Kitty” they snuck in one verse and chorus of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious.” Nice touch. There were contributions from the previous and current album: “Ladybug,” “Love Everybody,” “Rot in the Sun,” and “Mixed up SOB” which has a video directed by Weird Al Yankovic. How fitting, he did a parody of “Lump” called “Gump” with humorous results in 1996. Overall, it was a night at Stubb’s I found worth driving all the way in from the ‘burbs and losing sleep to experience.
In light of this concert, I would recommend revisiting their old and newer material. You might discover there was more to them than being improperly branded the “Court Jesters of Grunge,” who got to do the theme for The Drew Carey Show.