The Paul Collins Beat; The Bamboo Kids; The Recordettes; M.O.T.O. @ Grand Victory

The Paul Collins Beat; The Bamboo Kids; The Recordettes; M.O.T.O.
@ Grand Victory
Brooklyn, NY - April 26, 2013

Ahh this takes me back. A garage-punk-power-pop-rock-n-roll mini-fest in Brooklyn. Lots of old faces on stage and off. Hanging around. Drinking too much then not enough then too much again. My back starting to hurt because I've been standing for 4 hours...wait a minute...

At long last M.O.T.O! One of my favorite bands during my rock n roll explosion of knowledge and absorption around 10 years ago, M.O.T.O was one of the few bands I never saw live during that period. If anything, my longest lasting memory was being trolled online by a former band member over politics and my love of Southern Culture on the Skids (as was the style at the time). Anyway, it took long enough but here we are. Paul Caporino, New Orleans raised, Brooklyn-ancestry, Chicago-fied at times in his life...all the proper elements of rock n roll save a little room for Memphis...THEE man of the Masters of the Obvious...has his disturbingly intact and finely tuned voice for his brand of fast feel good rock. And he's still having a good time. I say "still" even though this was my first live go-round with M.O.T.O. I have a right!

The Recordettes include a member of the Anabolics, an old NY garage punk outfit. The Recordettes hark back to the 60's garage pop revival that has never fully gone away. It's always a nice sound and some of the particular riffs in this band's arsenal are smashing.

The Bamboo Kids. Oh the Bamboo Kids. It's been quite a while since we last saw this little band that could. All these years since I first saw them at CBGB's and at Trash Bar which is still across the street from this curiously World War II-themed rock venue in a very changed Williamsburg. Bless these boys. Their newer boogie woogie infusions are working out fine which means the new Dean Rispler-produced doulbe LP (!!!) is probably gangbusters. And they still have that NYC '77 punch.

Papa Paul Collins. Another "still". Still making it look too easy even though no one quite has it like he does. Still showcasing master songs that are technically better than anything you or I could muster. Added bonus: he gives off a Lex Luthor vibe so don't mess with him. He thanks you and I thank you.