The Rack Album Tour Rocks Revolution Hall On May 9th

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All Photos By Krishta Photography
Band Photo Credit: JB Wilkins

Holy shite folks, this was a rock show. Or punk. Or heavy noise. Danceable at times, straight-in-your-face punk at other moments, with grooves, and I don't even know what to call it, but it had my adrenaline pumping the entire show. Not one dull moment was had; it was a full-on spectacle, no matter where you looked. Both bands just killed it.

A friend was in the audience and asked me if I had seen NASALROD, who hails from our own backyards of Portland, OR. I hadn't seen them, and he told me to "Wait to see what they bring". He was not wrong. They slay.

NASALROD comes onto the stage somewhat unassumingly. The lead vocalist, Chairman, stands on the bass drum, jumps off at the first note, and runs around the stage, side to side, like Mick Jagger after three energy drinks, a line of cocaine, and a tax bill. His jumps and high kicks would put both David Lee Roth and Bruce Lee in their prime to shame. From that moment alone, I knew this was a band I would forever be a fan of. He jumped and pogoed across the stage. Can we bring back the pogo already? Can we just normalize that dance move? The songs are quirky, with many genres set on 10 - in a Vitamix. It would be like a hipster riding a disco ball into a mosh pit. Sounds disastrous, but it works. And really well. Maybe it was the pogo moves, but I got a little OINGO BOINGO, mixed with ZAPPA and AGENT ORANGE? Just check them out. They're insanely cool. Also, check out their new music video, "The Maker" (on KNAC.COM HERE). Some pretty iconic cameos in this one!

NASALROD is:

Mustin Douch -Guitar and backing vocals
Spit Stix - Drums
Chairman - Vocals, pogoist and karate master
Mandy Morgan - Bass and backing vocals

Next up was legendary band THE JESUS LIZARD. Out in support of their seventh studio album, Rack, it's the first release in 26 years since Blue. Primarily known for their noise rock and post-hardcore sound, this is another band that would be hard to nail down to a specific genre. It's aggressive with a disregard for traditional song structure, tightly locked instrumentals colliding with a frontman on the verge of madness. The band, Duane Denison - Guitar, David Wm. Sims - Bass, and Mac McNeilly - Drums, is tightly coiled and rhythmically locked in, starkly contrasted by vocalist David Yow's feral unpredictability. Another reminder that they're not polishing the edges-they're sharpening them.

The band looked like your cool uncle's bowling league reunion - all with greying hair, nice shirts, and worn denim pants. Meanwhile, vocalist David Yow stumbled through like the drunk uncle at a holiday party, half-sloshed, half-genius, spitting lyrics like he was exorcising something. Yow took a big swig of his beer, turned to the audience, and just said, "You assholes". It was then on. Have you ever seen a 64-year-old crowd surf? You haven't lived until you've watched a crowd of sweaty folks hoist a 64-year-old man like he's their messiah. He surfed the crowd as if he'd mistaken the audience for a La-Z-Boy and fully committed to the illusion.

I'll just call him Yowwww, because after a spectacular "surf" through the crowd, he face-planted onto the cement pit floor that left him with a gnarly gash on his head - bleeding like a scene from an old-school punk movie. Perhaps titled Punk Rock Frankenstein? Yow stood up, blood pouring from his head, and stepped right back up to the crowd. A girl from the audience casually reached up, slapped a Band-Aid on his head like it was no big deal, and boom - he was back at it, raging like a human juggernaut. It doesn't get more rock 'n' roll than this - a man, a Band-Aid, and a hell-bent commitment to finishing the set.

Seriously, the best show I've seen in years. It wasn't just the music - it was the pure, unfiltered chaos that doesn't come with a warning label. From Yowwww's blood-splattered stage dive to the band playing like they were fueled by raw adrenaline, it was a non-stop spectacle of absolute mayhem. I'm still unsure how they pulled it off, but I know one thing: this wasn't just a show; it was an experience, and it will be hard to top.

SETLIST:

• "Mouth Breather"
• "Puss"
• "Boilermaker"
• "Gladiator"
• "Westside"
• "Thumbscrews"
• "Blue Shot"
• "Grind"
• "Nub"
• "Hide & Seek"
• "What If?"
• "Glamorous"
• "Alexis Feels Sick"
• "Seasick"
• "Then Comes Dudley"