Chain and the Gang, Strange Boys at The Echo

On Friday night, I caught Chain and the Gang and Strange Boys at The Echo. I went solo, but wasn't totally alone. I had a chance to catch up with Brian (one of The Gang, who used to stay at my house with Dub Narcotic Sound System way back when) and Ian (the Chain, who did the same when he was in The Make-Up). But you don't care about that trivia. The show was packed and the the show was great--an engaging and volatile mix of garage rock of all kinds.


I hadn't heard the openers Neverever before, and really dug their deconstructed take on the girl-group aesthetic. They used to be called Champagne Socialists, and the set was short, sweet, and a great teaser. While the singer channels a ton of female singers in Spandex and hairspray, it was hard not to think of the New York Dolls as well.


Chain and the Gang headlined the night before at The Casbah, but played second on Friday. I had seen them at The Smell a few months ago, but think this show was superior. The sound was better and Ian really knows how to take a stage or club and transform it into a forum for his ideas. His newest band (following Weird War, Scene Creamers, The Make-Up, Cupid Car Club, Nation of Ulysses...) has a real unique, conversational tone that's equal parts poetry and stump with a seriously raw and heavy beat and delivery.


The great debut album has more than a dozen contributors, and outside of Brian on organ and git, I'm not sure of the current live lineup. I think he called the bass player Veronica, and she had an effortless cool presence, especially when she trades lyrical give and take with Ian in songs like "What's a Dollar" and "Trash Talk." What sounds cool on vinyl is really meant for a live setting. Would have loved to hear them do "An Interview," but there's always next time.


Got his book The Psychic Soviet and had him sign it. The Red Book-style collection of essays breaks down almost everything that matters in music (and more) from "Beatles vs. Stones" to "The Mix Master Race." In "Camp Exploitation," there's an interesting thought of NWA:Black Flag::Public Enemy:MC5 and Devo... (Also check out the Felt Letters 7" on M'Lady's Records, which reunites Svenonious with fellow NOU member Brenan Canty.)


The headliners were young but prolific and seriously hot Strange Boys, who play a real stripped down and bluesy style. You'd think the band's sound would be heavier with its expanded lineup featuring Jenna from Mika Miko (above) and Tim Presley from Darker My Love, but it's practically transparent on their amazing new album, Be Brave. Of course, it's much louder live, but the effect is still as fragile as can be, teetering on every syllable that creaks out of singer/guitar player Ryan Sambol's throat.


Sambol doesn't give up any of the provocative song introductions or spectra-sonic soul dance moves of Ian, but he proved to be similarly communicative and effective through his almost uncomfortably unguarded vocals. Worth checking out and worthy of the lines that stretched outside The Echo on a crisp Friday night...



Chain and the Gang and Strange Boys have a handful more dates together up the West Coast before they go their separate ways. A double-header worth checking out, for sure.