Tuesday night shows are rough for bands traveling through Lawrence, Kan. Show times are flexible, local bands tend to get top billing, and very few folks attend. It’s a shame more people didn’t come to the Jackpot on May 5, though, because Stardeath and White Dwarfs put on a stellar show.
I’m a new fan of the Dwarfs, so I was unable to record the names of the songs played Tuesday evening. I first heard the Dwarfs’ while researching the bands who were touring with the Flaming Lips (Dennis Coyne is Wayne Coyne‘s, of the Flaming Lips, nephew). I instantly fell in love with the band’s experimental music and exceptional psychedelic rock sound. While the listener can hear that the Dwarfs’ music is influenced by 60s/70s bands, such as the Doors and the Blue Oyster Cult (there’s even a bit of Phil Collins thrown in for good measure), the Dwarfs’ sound is all original.
The Oklahoma natives came on stage around 10:45 p.m., somewhat hidden by a cloud of smoke. Cheesy, perhaps, but the fine dust created a mysterious atmosphere, which allowed the band’s elaborate light set-up to cascade across the wafting particles.
Dennis Coyne’s (vocals, guitar, keys) faded silhouette appeared vaguely through the smoke as the rest of the Dwarfs (Casey Joseph, Matt Duckworth and James Young) began playing the show’s opening tune. Coyne, appearing pleased with the crowd’s reaction, slightly swayed to the song, and moved his bare feet to the beat.
The Dwarfs’ song styles ranged from gritted-out garage rock tunes to funk-fused jams; quiet ballads to blow-your-brain-out-of-your-skull psych-rock. Keyboard solos were played on a bedraggled board. The band’s electronic melodies spun their soothing, soul inspired songs into frizzed, disco-dance trips.
The band finished with a crazed rock jam, and used full light effects and slow, pounding guitar riffs, which sent the small crowd into a frenzy.
Cloud Dog: I’ve renamed show openers, Cloud Dog, “the band of a thousand drums.” Lovingly, of course. Most of the fellas in the band played shirtless, lost boys style (Peter Pan, not the vampires). One drummer opted to keep his plaid shirt on, though. Shirted or not, the guys definitely had an interesting sound. Minimalist male vocals/yelling/calling, atop drums, and electronic loops. A kind of tribal Talking Heads.
The Dwarfs’ album, The Birth, will be out June 2nd. It’ll be a good one.
