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Radio Birdman Revitalized
Photo courtesy of Black Shadow Photography
Bumbershoot may have proven to be a disastrous affair for myself (honestly, I’m not yet ready to talk about how much Blondie let me down), but my experience at the Radio Birdman show was so euphoria-inducing that my weekend was far from disappointing.
When you choose to attend a reunion appearance by a legendary band, you have to take your chances and accept the fact that the odds are generally not in your favor. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect from Radio Birdman—I just knew that I didn’t want to risk missing a potentially historical moment. That was a wise choice. They absolutely tore it up—and for a good hour or so. Even the newer material (which I’m not as crazy about) sounded vital, fresh, and was delivered with an energy level normally only conjured by bands who are 25 years younger. Was anyone else as bowled over as I was? How about that Stooges’ cover? Damn.
Comments
I also heard the new material is pretty good, not brilliant, but then no one is brilliant any more...and the reason the new stuff...well, the band had the energy of 25 year olds is because 25 year olds playing contemporary gearhead punk can sound like Birdman did thirty years ago. RB, in part, invented what we've heard over that last thrity years. The entire RB/New Race/New Christs/Deniz Tek "family" (for the lack of a better word) has always copped the Stooges and MC5's "high energy" uh...sound, as it were, man. Of course, it runs deeper than copping riffs I'd reckon as there was at least ONE Ashton in the New Race as well, and, if you look close, there is Ashton song writing credit on the first RB LP, Radios Appear.
hmmm, and thinking back to prepunk/punk reunions...Rocket From the Tombs still had it and the Real Kids...holy shit they were awesome, esspecially for chubby junkies who didn't have all their fingers any longer...
I'm more disturbed by heavy metal's "devil" sign being flashed at the band there in this post's snap shot. eep, that ain't PUNK! damn, this was Radio Birdman, not the Iron Maidens!
For the record, my expectations for Blondie were based on their performance at the Showbox only 2 years ago, which was entirely satisfying. Somehow in those intervening years, they've devolved into something my friend Kyla accurately described as "bound for the Emerald Queen Casino." Honestly, it was sad. But Radio Birdman was one of those shows that I could watch over and over again. Bravo, motherfuckers.
no one is brilliant any more
Your sweeping generalization is false. Just sayin'.
hahahahahahaha...I was talking about 'rock'...or the 'punk rock'...not none of that R2D2 stuff you like!
I was talking about 'rock'...or the 'punk rock'...not none of that R2D2 stuff you like!
Still not true, gramps.
Deniz Tek was known to run with the Stooges dudes back in the day and since Birdman was happening in the early 70's, it is kind of unfair to say "has always copped the Stooges and MC5's "high energy" uh...sound, as it were, man."
And no surprise Tek could pull of the Search and Destroy riffs with ease. He's from Ann Arbor, what else could you expect?!
oh yeah, and the show was great, other than the El Crapyzon's rotten ass security staff yanking drinks, acting agro and generally trying their best to make things suck.
MC5 DKT/3 Deniz Tek is a member of the great rotating Circus whem schedules allow>
Sorry missed my slot,if I could make a super group I would just throw Evan Foster & his mighty Boss Martians in the melting pot.The planet would evapourate with that sort of energy , power & song writing ability.Rock & roll kids!
Cheers Rev TT & COCO keepers of the keys!
Save my soul!!! That Stooges cover rocked so hard I had a headache the following day.
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I was suprised how, uh, 'young sounding' the new Radio Birdman album was. Radios Appear, going on 30 years ago, didn't sound like "stupid kid music"; and in contrast, their latest offering doesn't sound like stupid old guy music. I rare coup for sure, and I hope they do well on the tour.
As for Blondie, er..., I wouldn't have expected much.