WILD FLAG; Hospitality @ Webster Hall

WILD FLAG; Hospitality 
@ Webster Hall
New York, NY - April 1, 2012

Was this an April Fool's joke? Did my eyes and ears deceive me or did I actually see and hear the kind of rock band that both Indie Cred Snobs and Classical Enthusiasts can agree upon? Could it actually be the case that you can shed all the labels, judgments, pretexts, and pretenses that come with being in a rock band, being in an indie rock band, being women in an indie rock band, and being ALL women in an indie rock band, and be left with a direct, no muss, no fuss ROCK AND ROLL BAND DONE FINITO ALL CAPITALS LIKE THEIR BAND NAME SUGGESTS?

Yes.

WILD FLAG has come to save the day. No context required. Whether they are doing their three chord, two minute punk spasms (preferred) or their longer, more psychedelic-prog-metal inclined experiments (not as necessary but appreciated), this is a band that has come to play but doesn't mess around. Of course thinking of Sleater-Kinney is unavoidable with both Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss in the band but so be it - this project is both a continuation and a new chapter. Rebecca Cole's harmonies with Janet are fantastic and, perhaps surprisingly, seal the deal as making WILD FLAG successful beyond doubt. Mary Timoney needs no litany of superlatives as she lets her power and grace speak for her ability.

Hospitality are one of the many buzzed bands of the moment to have a band name based on a simple lazily-descriptive word (think Givers, Waters, Tennis, Yacht). It makes sense since most of those bands, this one included, make somewhat lazy, non-descriptive Indie pop-rock music. And also fitting their name, Hospitality just seem nice, pleasant.  Maybe what they need is to spell their name out in all capital letters. I mean it.