Rockabilly Nite @ Club Underground

Before I begin my review of the music, I'd like to start with a couple general comments about the atmosphere. First, as soon as I descended into the room and approached the guy at the table to get my stamp, a wave of B.O. washed over me. I can only assume this was emanating from the young male contingency in the audience. The other observation that struck me was the fetishized 50's stylings of the people who I'm sure must be the "real fans." The clothing was updated with lots of leopard print and skulls & crossbones, so I was reminded that I was still in 2009.

Now onto the good stuff! The first band was Cool Hand, based out of Wausau, WI. I very much enjoyed their music - fun lyrics, solid performance, not a huge stage presence but very enjoyable. I would definitely see them again. The only thing that turned me off was the "stripper shoe" joke halfway through the set. But still worth my, or your, time.

Next up was Reckless Ones. These guys really had the crowd going, and I must say, they had quite a presence. They consisted of a guitarist/singer, a standup bassist, and a standup drummer. I love standup drummers. And I love standup bassists. The singer seemed to be channeling Robert Smith from The Cure underneath his suit and ascot, but I suppose you can't help who you look like. The crowd really got into their music, and there was all kinds of swing and other dancing going on at the stage. I very much enjoyed their music as well, although I was just bouncing along in the back of the room. It's hard to swing without a partner. Or any knowledge of swing dancing.

Finally, Hot Rod Hearse came on. I think a lot of the crowd was still out smoking when they started their set. Also a guitarist and standup bassist, but this drummer was sitting down. Anyway, they were also pretty rockin, and I felt bad that by the time they came on around 1 am, much of the crowd had either dispersed to elsewhere on the premises, or were too drunk to do much more than walk around being loud. But I would definitely check this band out again too.

So, final conclusion: I like rockabilly! It reminds me of Nashville, which brings up those feelings of deep love and longing. If only I didn't feel like a square for dressing like I usually do, i.e., like I live in this decade.

Good Looking Corpse @ Club Underground

So I'm not even sure if that's the name of the band my friend and I saw, but I couldn't understand a thing the guy said, so I had to guess based on the lineup. I realize that makes this review largely useless, but I felt the need to describe the scene anyway. Let me start by describing the venue, since I have much more to say about it than the music.

Club Underground is a small and intimate space in the basement of the Spring Street Tavern (355 Monroe St NE). You need to walk through the bar to get there; or at least we had to last night since the door labeled "Club Underground" was locked. Contrary to the pictures on the Spring Street Tavern website, it was not overrun with bikers last night. Some creepy old dudes, yes, but not bikers. I actually really enjoyed the club space - black walls, some leopard print around the stage, some tables, and I think a couch against the back wall, although that might be the "VIP" section. (Band members only?) The low ceiling and low lighting made for a great atmosphere. Plus, the DJ between sets had a pleasingly eclectic and varied selection of music.

And then there was the music. We got there near the end of the first band's set - were they called Canada? - and the singer was pissed that there were less than 20 people in the audience. I didn't form much of an opinion of the band, although I did notice that the drummer looked like a heavier version of the guy in The Hangover who married the stripper. Then the next band started tuning up, and we just looked at each other and knew we would leave quickly. Good Looking Corpse, if that is their name, plays heavy metal. Although almost the entire band was attractive - guitarist and singer especially - I stopped headbanging after 8th grade. So we stayed for one song and then went to the patio for a cigarette, never to return.

Was it a waste of $5? I say no. Although the music wasn't to my taste, I will keep an eye on the calendar and see if they have any good lineups in the future. How about this, Club Underground: Grey Skies, Mercurial Rage, and The Idle Hands. I would pretty much promote the show for you.