New Music Festival 2000
Chomsky, Drowning Pool, Baboon,Slick 57 and Jibe
Deep Ellum
11.10.00 |
| The New Music Festival came to a close Saturday nightand once again, many braved the crappy weather to go out and seesome of Dallas' rising musicians. Included in the line-up was East Dallasrockabilly band Slick 57. This band has only been togetherfor little over a year, but is already making it's way across theMetroplex and other Texas cities appealing to rockabilly enthusiasts andmusic lovers alike. If you're not familiar with rockabillyor psychobilly, Slick 57 is a great way to get introduced to it. With CD titles like "Lo-Fi Lorainne and Her Bag of Tricks" and their newest one, "It's a Drunk Life," you can immediately see the humor this preppy looking, Wild Turkey slugging, Bud Lite drinking musical comedians project. When the crowd wasn't doing the hoe-down chicken dance,they were cracking up at the hilarious comments being thrown outby Ward Richmond (upright bass) and John Pedigo (frontman/guitar/vocals). Hank Hancock (drums) is not as vocal as the other two, but his skinnyCowboy hat, boots and denim add to the hillbilly entertainment. Thoughmost of the lyrics are a combination of white-trash humor and fraternitystyle chants, they're serious about what they do and interact withthe crowd as if they were born to perform. Between
Ward throwing his large bass around like a violin andJohn cranking out chords on his guitar, this group packs more staminathan a toddler let loose in a toy store. |  |
| They're music has a bouncy and buoyant beat with side-splitting lyrics that get you stomping your feet and shaking yourhips. Slick 57 played an enjoyable set of original songs with improvisation including a "cheer" from another Texas rockabilly band, Flametrick Subs.John has an alluring, yet twangy voice that goes well with Ward's vigorousbass playing and Hank's steady drums. They were doing so wellin fact, that the festival organizers asked them to keep going, turningtheir originally scheduled time of 40 minutes into almost two hours. Their CD does not do them justice, as this is a band you have tosee in person in order to get the full-effect. They finallyput up a full-blown web site, so take a look at www.slick57.com andfind out when they're playing next. Whether you're a rockabillyfan or not, you'll definitely enjoy their show. |  |
 | Ending the night and the festival was alternative rockband, Jibe. This band who consists of Joe Grah (vocals), CoreyTatro (bass), Ben Jeffries (drums) and Toby Bittenbender (guitar)started in 1994 and has been rocking Dallas and numerous (other)cities every since. They've been fortunate enough to play over500 shows and have shared the stage with bands such as the Nixons, Course of Empire, Suicidal Tendencies, Toadies, Fastball and too many moreto name. They've also received radio play from 97.1 The Eagle andother radio stations throughout the country and recently releasedtheir latest CD, In My Head. |
 TheirDallas fame was evident, as Clearview was more crowded than usualwith even more people waiting in line outside. With everything they've been working on lately, it's mind-blowing to see how much exuberance they still have left when it comes to performing. Their shows are knownfor being unruly and outrageous and Saturday night was no exception.Farmclub got more than they bargained for when they came out to filmthis concert. Before Jibe made it halfway into their set, thetestosterone and adrenaline driven mosh pit turned into an all outbrawl. Though Jibe is accustomed to chaotic crowds, frontmanJoe Grah made it clear that he would not put up with fighting. In the middle of a song, he began cursing out the immature jackasseswho started the scuffle, demanding they break it up. When his demands weren't met, he told the band to stop (playing) and jumped downto handle it himself. In the midst of all the madness, he slicedopen his bare foot on a broken beer bottle, but that didn't stophim from finishing a fantastic set. The perpetrators were draggedout, (literally) and the show went on. |
| It was apparent that Joe's striking looks and charmingsmile appealed to his female fans, while his entrancing voice andoverall stage presence captivated both male and female fans alike. He intermingles with the crowd and the other band members thrashingabout the stage making for an aesthetic show. Jibe's poundingdrums, echoing vocals, and raucous guitars come together to createan invigorating and intense performance. They completed their setwith a tune by one of their influences, Jane's Addiction, endingthe night with fans screaming for more. For those who couldn't make it out to see them, you can catch them at one of their next shows listedon their site, www.jibeonline.com. |  |
to read about Chomsky, Drowning Pool and Baboon, clickhere |
- MelissaHowell
dallasmusic.com |