Back in Black (Boots): Everest and the Mezzanine Owls @ Spaceland January 14, 2008

Does anyone ever get concerned about the lack of air at Spaceland? Whenever I go, the next morning my eyes look like I spent the night before throwing sand into them and then sewing them shut. However, I tend to forget all that once I re-realize that the PBR on tap is $2.50 a glass. Tonight was kinda a stumbling in on a show. I wasn't expecting to go, but there I was, and thankfully I caught two bands that everyone has been buzzing about like crazy little bees.

First up was Everest, who for the most part have 'supergroup' attached to their name when being spoken about in conversation, albeit music reviewer know-it-all talk, but conversation nonetheless. Comprised of members of alaska!, Earlimart, Slydell, Folk Implosion and Great Northern, they all could have tricked me as a backing band for James Taylor. Kidding, it's the shaggy hair/ beard thing, it makes me think of folk bands from the early 70's. Anyways, they did have that quiet sensibility to some of the songs, although their faster tunes quite rocked everyone's butts there. All the praise getting thrown at them is worth it, unless they start asking for bowls of only red m&ms. Their first full length is out in April, which seems like an awfully long time from now.

The second, and last band I caught, was the Mezzanine Owls, who myself and my friend kept stumping ourselves trying to figure out who the lead singer reminded us of. I kept saying to myself, that british guy, he sounds like that one british guy. But I never really came to any conclusion, except that I really, really enjoyed their set. There was a lot of that staticy noise that gets attached to shoe gazer bands, and that highly, emotionally charged voice that rings out over the crowd. Oh, and some of that geeked out rock solo stuff snuck in too. I feel like I need to catch some more of their shows, at which point they will have become a staple of this current LA music scene.

I would have had some photos for here, but due to the inability to lift my arms over my head due to the crowd of people with large shoulder padded jackets (is this really back?), I will have to instead rely on some stock photos. Sorry.