What would you get if you crossed Patsy Cline with Johnny Cash and through in some Bauhaus and Ghoultown? You would get Miss Derringer. This L.A.-based band took the feel of loneliness and heartbreak and fused it with some tough walkin’ and talkin’. I first caught them at the Key Club opening for Blondie. Like other fans in the audience, I was really impressed with them and I wanted to see them again. Luckily they had a show after that and I got my wish.
I had only been to the Knitting Factory once before, for the All Access Awards. It took me about five minutes to realize there were three different rooms. I thought that was pretty cool. The band was playing in the front room. After getting past the doorman and walking down a small corridor, I found myself in this elegant lounge-type area with a bar and high tables and stools on one end and plush chairs and couches on the other. The center was the standing room floor that led right up to the stage. It was just a relaxing environment. I guess you could describe it as a speak-easy during the prohibition only there’s an abundance of alcohol and the performers are definitely a lot louder. Not only that, but you could walk in and out of the other rooms because they are connected by small hallways.
The first act up on stage was an interesting one. They called themselves Restaurant. They were two guys who pretty much played their hearts out with a guitar and a homemade drum set up. It consisted of some plastic box of some sort, an empty beer case, some plain old wooden sticks, and something used for a cymbal, but I don’t remember exactly what it was. I have to say, that was the most creative musical set up I’ve seen. Blue Man Group has nothing on these guys. I talked to the lead singer after their set and he said that he made a guitar out of all sorts of things, but it was so big and heavy, he had to get a real guitar because he didn’t want to lug it around with him all the time. I only caught about two or three songs of theirs, but they definitely seem to have a country influence. It might even have some bluegrass in their somewhere. Any D.I.Y. music lovers would dig this duo.
Two other bands on the bill worth mentioning are The Clean Prophets and The Shakes. Both bands were kind of artsy-indie band with a little mod kick. They weren’t extremely impressive, but they are worth keeping an eye out for.
It’s time to kick things up a bit. Well, in Miss Derringer’s case, mellow things out. They play some of the loneliest and depressing music I’ve heard in a long time and I can’t get enough of it. I guess you could say that it felt so good to feel so sad.
With Cody James on drums, Morgan Slade on rhythm guitar, Sylvain de Muizon on bass, Lightening Bill on lead guitar and Liz McGrath on vocals, they started off their set with what is probably their most upbeat song called “Death Car Ride”. It’s a real cool song. By cool I mean smooth. It was as if someone did almost a country remake of Blondie’s “One Way Or Another”. Their second song was aptly titled “Heartbreaks and Razorblades”. The title speaks for itself. In the back of my mind I was thinking, “Damn! This is so depressing that I feel like drinking myself into a stupor”. I absolutely loved it. Whenever a band can really make me feel the emotions in the song, them I’m
truly impressed. The next song up was my favorite song of theirs called “Better Run Away From Me”. It’s one of those tongue-in-cheek-I’ll-break-your-heart type songs. They lyrics are simple yet forward, and the beat is really catchy. A song it might be similar to would be “S.O.B.” by the Horrorpops. The fourth song in was “People Aint No Good”. Yes! Finally a Nick Cave song done right! Well, from what I’ve heard in a while anyway. Good job. I liked their rendition. On to “Don’t Say I Told You So”. It’s hard to make the decision of whether it sounded like a 50’s soda shop rock n’ roll song like the kind you would hear in a diner or a Beatles kind of rock n’ roll song. Either way I liked it so it was a win-win situation. I fifth song was “12:06”. Liz described this song as “a bank robbing gone good then gone bad”. It’s that lone ranger sound to it. It was pretty cool. Next came “Texas”. I think that pretty much sums it up. It was a slow song about, welp, Texas. Number eight down the line was “He Hung On A Sunday”. That song had the sound of “Earth Angel”, but it was about the total opposite feeling. The opening guitar riffs were great and only which could be done right by a Gretsch guitar. Nifty gift there Lightning Bill. I would love to have one of those in my collection *wink wink*. At one point after the second verse the beat changes to almost a circus/rodeo vibe then back to the original tempo with a small guitar solo. Second to the bottom of the set was “Tonight I’ve Got A Bottle”. It was a duet between Lightening Bill and Liz. It’s a fun song and Liz described it as “drinking too much and going home with somebody”. I thought it was a great song and Bill put so much enthusiasm into it. Last, but not least was “Road To Perdition”. From the lyrics I gathered it was about a murder of some sorts. It had a very outlaw sound and I would put it in one of Clint Eastwood’s old western flicks like perhaps Dirty Harry. If John Wayne were still around, I think he would love it too.
All-in-all I think this band is for all types of people. I have a pretty eclectic taste in music and I really loved them. I said it a lot that night, but Bill…I love that guitar! I also think they would be a great addition to the Hootenanny line-up. So if anyone out there has the connections, look this band up because they’re awesome. Well, hell, I think everyone should look them up. I had a great night. Thanks to Miss Derringer, their manager and the nice merch girl for being so sweet to me. Though everything was great, I have to say the thing I loved the most was that Liz named each and every song clearly and loudly before they played them. Thank you so much! Their second album, “Lullabies” is available now. Their first album, “King James, Crown Royal and A Cold 45” is harder to find, but if you do I suggest you get it.
www.myspace.com/restaurantmusic
www.myspace.com/missderringer
www.missderringer.com
