Last night, Rock ‘n’ Roll heaved its last wheezing breath, brought down in one ruthless swat by its saviors and destroyers. Yes, I am referring to “Meatballs, the band”, who, were they actually meatballs, would probably be found in a high school cafeteria.
This was Cheeseburger reduced to its meaty bones. Bursting out in disguise (like their name for the night!), wearing those funny nose-and-glasses getups, they quickly shed the shades and ripped through a quick yet dangerously filling set that was probably around 150% of one’s daily recommended intake of Stooge rock. But who pays attention to the back of the box? They ruled!
And, yes, there was plenty of room for Panthers. They jacked the dials up from hard rock to metal, in their own 70s-heavy take on that most broad and storied descriptor for loud and hard. Anyway, their sound is popular right now, and they executed it with that confusing but effective ability to seem both reckless and completely in control. Plus, vocalist Jayson Green had the worrisome ability to make his voice sound blown out and shattered without it ever faltering through the set. Must be something in the drinking water.
