The Whigs
Gasoline Heart, Extra Blue Kind
Orlando, FL • August 31, 2006
Jen Cray
Afghan Whigs?! No, just The Whigs. They have no affiliation to the Greg Dulli Alternative/Blues Rock outfit, but are still worth looking into- as many Orlando_ites_ discovered the other night at The Social.
Most of the crowd bought tickets to see Orlando’s own Gasoline Heart , rising fast on the rave reviews of their debut disc You Know What You Are. Rubbing shoulders with friends, family, and fans before their opening set, Louis DeFabrizio and crew were in good spirits that they carried with them onto the stage. Delivering a high energy, full rock set, they reaffirmed my former observation that Gasoline Heart are a band that sounds ten times better live than on record. Combine this with the fact that the band is at the beginning of its career and already has a loyal fanbase (met two kids from Kansas City who worshipped them!) and you’re witnessing the making of a mainstream Rock band.
Following GH was a skinny bunch from Indianapolis who called themselves Extra Blue Kind. It’s so uncomfortable when a band falls flat. The crowd largely ignored them (except for the drunk guy in the suit who seemed to have stumbled in after a meeting), chattering loudens, and everyone’s just waiting for them to be done. It’s awkward, and I hate it. This is what occurred during the Indie/Pop band’s set… and then they made a huge mistake. They attempted to cover the Pixies. Their delivery did the song justice, their performance was damn good, but here’s the problem: when you play a brilliant song (“Where Is My Mind?”) by a brilliant band and your own songs/band don’t measure up, it only accentuates the fact that your songs are nowhere near as good. Don’t cover the Pixies! Esspecially not a well known and well loved song that anyone who knows anything about the band (or has seen the movie Fight Club) will recognize.
Because of the faltering of Extra Blue Kind, the room had really loosened up by the time The Whigs took the stage. Those who stayed were rewarded with wonderfully nostalgic 90’s Indie-Pop that flirts with Beatles’ melodies in between bursts of chaotic Garage Rock. The Athens trio battled through an early stage storming by some drunk, shirtless moron who danced onstage as the band tore into tunes from their upcoming debut Give ‘Em All A Big Fat Lip. Ignoring the village idiot, save for a few wonderfully appropriate side glares from singer/guitarist Parker Gispert, the band plowed through a drum heavy set that included the fantastic “Technology” and “Can’t Hear You Coming.”
Word on the street is that The Whigs will touring with the fabulous Mute Math in the fall. A tour I’ll be sure not to miss!
