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Ipecac
Geek Showcase: Tomahawk, the Melvins, Skelton Key, Dalek, Melt
Banana, Isis, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant Where to begin ... I missed the 5/21 show, and we can never speak of that again. To have a 4 year old indie label showcase 3 nights of music in NYC is pretty damn good. Ipecac Records co-founded by Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, etc etc etc) was started to showcase outré music acts, now the label has its Halloween revenge in NYC. This past year Ipecac Records Halloween show was cancelled due to DJ Carl Cox being double booked that same night. Like anything worth their salt, Ipecac returned and I bore witness to 2 nights of musically bliss. Admittedly I'm a fan... The Ipecac Geek show is going around the country. Headlined by The Melvins and Tomahawk with openers either Skelton Key or hip hop trio Dalek. NYC got the special edition DVD treatment. 5/22 Got to the show early. Waited around a bit for Dalek. Had heard good things about them but had never actually heard them. WOW. The music was very ambient, heavy, spare beats with pretty aggressive vocals. Their DJ (who I ran into on the subway after the show) beat the shit outta' his turntables. Fun! About a 30 minute set. Next up was Skeleton Key. If you haven't heard them, you need to. First time I saw them it was a three piece. This time around they had the junk drummer. Playing a set of pipes, kegs, merry go round hours, etc. The music is kinda Primus'y, but way more fractured, and less cartoony. It tends to be built around a fantastic baseline, really great. About a 40 minute set. Next was the Melvins. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd never seen them before so this was something to behold. The Melvins are a fucking anchor. Heaviest and loudest behemoth ever. They were accompanied by (I believe) Dave Stone (They Melvins sometime 2nd axeman) on extra guitar, and effects…Fucking awesome...TONS of classic riffage. They kicked my ass for just over an hour. Finally after a bit of a wait Tomahawk hit the stage. Complete with cattle prod wielding lead singer. I believe to dissuade any jokers trying to get on stage (like some guy did during the Melvins set). Tomahawk killed. Following the Melvins is a tricky thing. They did it with style. The set was 50/50 split between their self titled first album, and the new disc " Mit Gas. I was happy we got an encore, since that hasn't been happening too much on this tour. They played just over and hour. In the end the show kicked ass. About 5 hours of standing enjoying good music. On the way home my feet hurt and I shat in Penn station (believe it or not). Little did I know my ass would hurt even worse after tomorrow nights musically asskicking. 5/23 So second night I arrived with friend a bit late to miss Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant (Trevor's the bassplayer for Bungle, and Fantomas). I heard they were pretty good if you like jazz trios. Next up was Isis. Eh....I found every song to be slow and mid tempo. Even when they stepped it up a notch it was slow. Plus their vocals were just too typical hardcore. Very "Rwarrrr" ! Their seemed to be LOTS of Isis only fans pumping their fists. Oh well it lasted about 30 minutes and I wasn't impressed. I was waiting a second ass whipping of the Melvins when all of a sudden the Irving Plaza screen (there's a film screen in front of the stage) went up...to reveal MELT BANANA ! What !? !?! Holy shit it was awesome. A) Their lead singer is so awesome you will fall in love with her. And B) their guitarist clad in surgical mask makes the most insane noises ever. A very fast 30 minute set that MORE then made up for getting to the show late. Next the Melvins. Sans extra guitarist . Pretty much the same set as the night before, but I felt it was possibly heavier? King Buzzo kicks ass. And Kevin ( bassplayer for The Mevlins and Tomahawk ) is a slide bass master. Dales drums sound like thunder. If you don't like/listen to them your are pussy. Nuff said. At long last Tomahawk came out and played a set that varied a good amount from what I saw the night before. A bit over an hour and Patton was actually very gracious to the crowd, thanking everyone for making the 3 nights in NYC as awesome as they were. All in all it was 2 great nights of awesome music. And I can't believe I typed this long a review. Goodnight. -
Matt
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