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Few
bands have built the cult following in the metroplex
like the Butthole Surfers. Years of playing Dallas
every six months created what was always a manic crowd.
When a band like this pulls back to the tune of two
shows in the last ten years it runs the risk of losing
it's crowd to the everyday occurances of raising families
and going to work on monday.
The Surfers have continued to produce music over this
time, enjoying the most mainstrem success of its nearly
twenty year existance, but shows in the metroplex
have been scarce, to say the least.
Friday night's show at the Gypsy Tea Room featured
a split crowd. About half of the crowd was in their
early twenties, the other half, in thier mid to late
thirties. Each crowd was cheering a different show.For
the older crowd, the band absolutely shredded through
six earlier tunes including Hey and Human Canonball
before ever acknowledging their last two albums. the
fogies rejoiced.
Lead singer Gibby Haynes, sporting reading glasses,
stood basically still during the performance, tweaking
knobs on an effects rack that stood before him. As
always video played a major role in the show. Clips
of defensive driving fils and vasectomy surgery provided
an intense backdrop for the band.
An unknown song from the new album, Wierd Revolution,
followed with little fanfare. Evidently the younger
fans hadn't heard it in the radio and the older fans
probably had to buy baby formula that week instead
of a new cd. The seniors were again delighted with
renditions of X-ray of a Girl Passing Gas and Cherub
before the Buttholes launched into 22 Going on 23.
Finally it was time to appease the kids. The crowd
was nearly singing over the band's low mix during
Pepper and Shame of Life.
Closing the set was the second half of the first song
from Hairway to Steven(the title would be listed,
but it is only a drawing on the cd). The band only
returned for two encores, one from Wierd Revolution
and The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey's Grave from their
first release.
Kid 606 opened the show with a largely annoying electronic
set of loops and feedback.
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Ken Neal,
dallasmusic.com
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