She Wants Revenge

Last night my wife and I went to Cat's Cradle to see She Wants Revenge. I've been recommending the album to anyone that would listen, and will supplement that by adding the live show to the "Hell Yes!" list.

Originally scheduled to be the opener, someone must have switched up the schedule at the last minute. First on stage was Rock Kills Kid, out of Los Angeles. They've got nice drive. While not what we were there for, the music was enjoyable and danceable, and Jessi and I got started with both. She Wants Revenge ended up playing second. They should have been headlining, considering the airplay they've been getting on Sirius, and the recent Letterman appearance, but the date had been scheduled months in advance, and this way I got to go home early and make sweet, if sweaty, love down by the fire. The set lasted about an hour; all the tunes came straight from the album. Considering the album has only been out a couple of weeks, this is not necessarily a bad thing. They finished with the crowd pleaser "Tear You Apart", a driving, post-punk take on high school romance. The only disappointment was that "Monologue", my current favorite from the album, was missing from the playlist. I'm sure I'll get over it.

The music was non-stop, with few comments from the band between songs, other than occasional one-liners from DJ Adam 12 (Adam Bravin) filling a couple of short breaks for technical considerations. Besides his comic timing, Adam's ability with the keyboard and guitar is phenomenal, as well. The eerie "Disconnect" providing a superb counterpoint to the rest of the driving performance. Frontman Justin Warfield provides "rough-sex poetry" that is intense and raw, combining cutting vocals with superb lyrics. The set was more than just a recap of the album, it was an extension of their musical philosophy, and an introduction to an enthusiastic audience. Definitely a must see; Jessi and I will make a point of going anytime they are in town.