This particular Friday night at the Showbox SoDo should have been called something like “Variations on the Heavy Metal Blues x3.” Nashville Pussy, Reverend Horton Heat and the legendary Motorhead complemented each other perfectly. Their styles of music are close enough to each other to work flawlessly on the same bill, but unique enough to span multiple genres and keep the audience fully engaged.
The opening band, Nashville Pussy, is quite possibly one of the best opening bands you could ever hope to see. Of course, they headline most any other show they play, but with Motorhead such a large influence, I’m sure they’re honored to be on the same bill.
They instantly got the house rocking with the high-octane opener “Speed Machine,” the lead track from their 2009 release From Hell to Texas. They exuded punk energy on “Late Great USA,” and their signature country/metal on “Hate and Whiskey.” Singer/guitarist Blaine Cartwright belted out the vocals with an energy meant to fire up the crowd on impact. The crowd filing in didn’t take long to start drinking and rocking along. Most impressive were the guitar solos of Ruyter Suys. She tore it up with intense, shredding solos throughout the set. The only complaint was the short set. In the future, I definitely have to catch a full set from the US of A’s answer to Motorhead.
Second on the bill was Reverend Horton Heat. This grouping with Nashville Pussy and Motorhead confused me at first. I, like most, was familiar with a few RHH songs like “Psychobilly Freakout” and their slight radio hit “It’s Martini Time.” The group’s much more than that. Yes, they are largely psychobilly, but hard, heavy rockers like “Jimbo’s Song” display an unmistakeable Motorhead influence. “Big Red Rocket of Love” displays a rockabilly and swing influence while “Please Don’t Take the Baby to the Liquor Store,” mixes honky tonk and rockabilly—hillbilly, if you will. RHH helped to ratchet up the energy even further. Who doesn’t like a band with upright bass anyway?
These two high-caliber openers more than set the stage for Lemmy Kilmister and the legendary Motorhead. Lemmy, guitarist Phil Campbell, and drummer Mikkey Dee stormed the stage just after 11pm, October 2nd and did not let up until well into the morning of October 3rd. I don’t think Motorhead are ever capable of disappointing. They were thoroughly satisfying this night as they plowed through a career-spanning set. Early highlights included “Metropolis,” “Iron Fist,” “I Got Mine,” and “Rock Out,” off their most current release, Motorizer.
Motorhead slowed it down, as much as they’re possibly capable of, to play “Another Perfect Day,” and “Whorehouse Blues,” which prompted Lemmy to break out the harmonica.
Motorhead, always one to finish strong, saved their best cards for the encore. “Ace of Spades” and “Overkill” fittingly ended the show on a high point with the crowd not ready to leave. This show was astounding. The music and stage shows of all three groups together was to the eardrums like a shot of adrenaline is to the heart.
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he is amazing bro his style can not be touched....some people dont know what he is talking about caz u dont do what he does he is sickkk bra
by dylyn on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 11.59 am from the entry: Wiz Khalifa: Burn After Rolling (Mixtape)
Wow,Great post.Thanks for sharing with us. land wi
by wisconsin land on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 09.53 am from the entry: of Montreal + Gang Gang Dance - Orpheum Theatre (Boston, MA; Oct. 30, 2008)
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
love the photos, sounds like a great show. I heard there someone crowd surfing in a wheelchair?!
this show was awesome, a true all out rock and roll show. Didn’t see anyone crowd surfing in a wheelchair, but then again probably missed it while grabbing a drink.
There was definitely a guy surfing in a wheelchair. I tried to capture it with my camera, but it was a total blur. He came over the barricade 3 times. The first time, he came over AFTER his wheelchair.