Los Angeles – Shannon and the Clam’s record release show on Wednesday night at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theater was a bit of a West Coast punk rock extravaganza. While the theater is most well-known for hosting larger indie-rock shows and even the occasional mainstream concert, it was a down-and-dirty night of DIY retro-style garage-punk that perfectly encapsulated the very fluid, ever-comingling Bay Area/Southern California underground scenes. The night got started by a raucous set by San Francisco’s Cool Ghouls, with the goofy, entertaining, and always raunchy Los Angeles-by-way-of-Portland, OR’s The Memories being sandwiched between the other bands. The all-ages show attracted a wide range of lo-fi-loving music fans, with the venue’s dance floor packed throughout the night.
Cool Ghouls have been road warriors as of late, peddling their straightforward and elaborate vintage rock ‘n roll as the opening act alongside La Luz and Natural Child. With two albums under their belt, Cool Ghouls and A Swirling Fire Burning Through the Rye, the quartet of Pat Thomas, Ryan Wong, Pat McDonald, Alex Fleshman filled their set with new and old songs. While the group is working with Kelley Stoltz to record their third LP, the band did not appear to play any songs from that upcoming release.
Cool Ghouls did play several of their most recognizable tunes from those first two LPs, including the twangy stomper “Natural Life”, as sung by bassist and Matthew McConaughey-in-True Detective lookalike Pat Thomas. He wasn’t the only member of the band on lead vocals; in fact, all three string instrument-playing members tried their hand at singing (as well as boosting the sonic depth by providing layered background harmonies). Lead guitarist Ryan Wong showed the band’s poppier side on “What a Dream I Had” and second guitarist Pat McDonald could be spotted moonlighting as the lead singer on a few tracks. Sonically there are more differences than similarities, but Cool Ghouls are a bit reminiscent of Creedance Clearwater Revival; a band that sounds like it should be from Georgia, but in fact hails from the very un-Southern Bay Area.
Following Cool Ghoul’s 30 minute set, the goofball lo-fi stoner punk group The Memories took the stage. Fronted by the eccentric Rikki Gage (White Fang, Free Weed, Gnar Tapes), the band plays a purposefully sloppy hybrid of classic jangle pop and lo-fi punk. As is typical for a Gage performance, there were tons of crass jokes, suggestive dance moves, and long pulls from a mostly-finished bottle of whiskey.
Finally, the crowd got what they were waiting for as Shannon Shaw, Cody Blanchard and Nate Mahan kicked their set off with the opening track from their latest release, Gone By The Dawn. On the record, “I Will Miss the Jasmine” begins with a fade-in, and Shannon and the Clams gave audience members the best live approximation of the production technique possible as the house curtains slowly drew back to reveal the band performing the song. Their outfits were perfectly coordinated with an abundance of gold sequins on both their attire and instruments.
Blanchard and Shaw’s voices perfectly complement each other; her buttery-smooth voice sticks to the lower end of the register while his scratchy, treble-y warble is suited for the “wah-awah-wahs” that punctuate so many of the band’s verses and choruses. “Ozma” and “Point of Being Right” were two of the most notable instances of this winning formula that Shannon and the Clams offer listeners. Despite being a record release party, the band did a nice job of pulling tracks from all three of their releases instead of making it purely a run-through of the new album.
Anyone who has listened to Gone by the Dawn should know that thematically, it dives deeply into the recently-disintegrated relationships of its creators, Blanchard and Shaw. The lyrics are intensely personal giving us an open window into the psyche of the two bandleaders. Despite being occasionally being incredibly specific, the album’s lyrics are universally relatable – even to someone in the midst of a completely stable and healthy relationship.
One stanza from “How Long?” stands out as particularly devastating: “It’s not your fault for following the pathways of your heart / It’s not your fault for being brave and seeking other stars / But I can’t help the way / You make me feel the pain.” Appearing right after the song’s chorus in a moment which the backing music fades away, Shaw had to summon the strength of some 700+ audience members to belt out the heartbreaking line. She made it through those difficult moments with aplomb, and then was able to get some aggression out with the straightforward basher “Knock ‘em Dead” and bizarre witch-chant of “The Bog”.
All in all, it was a perfectly balanced night of retro-influenced punk rock, from the breezy country-fried psych pop of Cool Ghouls, to the goofy stoner pop of The Memories, to the heartbreak and emotional power of Shannon and the Clams.
While Cool Ghouls and Shannon and the Clams continue on together across the country for an intense month long tour of the United States, The Memories head to Australia for a tour. Take a look at the Shannon and the Clams Facebook page for more information on their tour with Cool Ghouls.
Cool Ghouls and Shannon and the Clams Photos by Matt Matasci
Matt Matasci
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