Part of the genius of Antipop is their never faltering ability to unearth some of the best bands in town. But, tonight they manage to surpass themselves as they bring punk legend Mike Watt to the modest surroundings of Mello Mello.
As a founder member of the Minutemen, Watt went on to become a highly influential bass player of the punk scene. Now-a-days Watt plays bass for the reunited Stooges, but it is with his band Mike Watt + The Missingmen that we find him tonight.
The Minutemen were hailed for their eclectic and experimental style; and their influence has been passed though the California hardcore punk years to alt-rock and right on through to tonight at Mello Mello in the form of Elmo and the Styx, and Super Fast Girlie Show.
E.A.T.S and S.F.G.S are the perfect precursor to Mike Watt + The Missingmen, as what we have are two bands that are quite simply producing some fine artistry and refusing to play it safe.
Elmo and the Styx front man, erm, Elmo seems to have an aversion to standing on-stage preferring to infiltrate himself into the crowd - much to the excitement of the on-lookers.
Although the band has a heavy punk sound Skin provides a conflict between ferociousness and a serene beauty. Other highlights include Watermelon and Last Boss which encapsulate a heady combination of angst and vehemence.
Super Fast Girlie Show are one of the two-man bands (the other being Apple Cannon) in town that possess the ability to make as much noise as ten men.
Although noise is the wrong way to describe it, it is post punk in all its heaviest grandeur. Songs are short and fast, rarely lasting longer than a couple of minutes but the adrenaline that this transpires is contagious.
It probably is one of the music industry’s biggest flaws that they continuously overlook bands like this; or they simply just do not know how to work with them.
However, the knock on effect is that the music saviour that is the D.I.Y ethic enables these bands and labels like Antipop to thrive.
Next up are Mike Watt + The Missingmen; The Missingmen being: guitarist Tom Watson and drummer Raul Morales.
Tonight they have come to the warm ambience of Mello Mello playing songs from their most recent album Hyphenated-Man.
It is no surprise that the crowd are overawed by the presence of Watt, who is genuinely nice to everyone who wants to have a chat with him.
As Charles Bukowski said “kindness is the best you can do.” And Mike Watt fully encompasses this sentiment towards his admirers.
The band play the songs from the Hyphenated-Man album. The album is inspired by the revolutionary Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch; and as with all true art the songs are defined by their introspective complexity giving them many layers.
The listener can take the songs on face value and enjoy the rush of thirty songs, the majority of which are less than two minutes in length. Or, they can further their curiosity and transcend themselves deeper into the intriguing inspiration that Watt gains from Bosch.
Either way the songs capture all the hallmarks of Watt’s eclectic style that brought him to our attention in the first place.
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