"and We ARE The Dirty Little Heaters"

It's a declaration. The Dirty Little Heaters that were, no longer are, and the new lineup is. Is what, well, I'll get to that.

There was something intriguing and intimidating about two bad-ass, tough rock chicks who kick the shit out of their songs, and DLH had that schoolyard dominated. Their frenzied quick sets captured you and you'd keep giving them your lunch money. Together Reese Gibbs and Melissa Thomas brought some super-power woman stomp rock that left you wanting more. Some breakups are better than others, but most are no good. When something sounds so good, you wonder what happened. I thought the dissolution of the DLH last year was the end of that and was terribly sad for that loss.

But they are back, without Melissa Thomas, and with a new power and attitude that whomps. A new testosterone infused line-up. Rob Walsh (Spinns bassist) on the bass and ubiquitous drummer Dave Perry have joined Reese Gibbs for the new-formed Dirty Little Heaters. Same band name, some same songs, some new ones. The new sound is fuller with more melody and undiminished intensity.

They debuted at Local 506 mid-November with the Loners and Adult Filmmakers. They all (except maybe Dave) seemed a touch nervous, Reese downing the water, "I got cotton-mouth" she kept saying. And why wouldn't she be? It's like introducing the first boyfriend after the divorce to your parents... will they like him and accept him?

Well, I like em. The songs are still fun and pounding with lots of guitar feedback, in fact the songs are mostly the same, "Cherry Van" and "who's got the blow" . The addition of a bass adds a richness and melody line not present prior. The drums are still central and intense. Rob adds the bad party boy smokin, both a cigarette and his bass-playing. Clearly they are having fun with each other. There were some new slower songs, melodic, and Reese promised we'd learn to like them too. (I already did.)

The major force of this band remains the pipes of Reese Gibbs-McHenry. There aren't many voices in this town that can do what she can with hers. Her voice is Janis-y, rocknroll, it's blues, it's gospel, it's got more power and tone than a Marshall amp. It can be sweet and quiet too, still directed and intense. Its the bigness of this voice that makes this band's music and energy unique.

Constructive criticism. Too much down time between songs. To me, this diminished the energy that revved up with the music, gets all your cells jumping. Then have to recalibrate when it gets turned off then on again. Got to keep those neurons hyper-firing.

It was a great comeback, and I'm looking forward to them honing their show, and more songs. It's only going to get bigger and better.

bzzzzz

Salt to Bitters

A few Wednesdays back I headed out for some dinner. Saw a free show at Local 506. I missed out on the opener, Gambling the Muse, who I'd seen previously at Troika, and really enjoyed. But saw Salt to Bitters.

Salt to Bitters is a band that seems to be dedicated to the practice of consuming, imbibing, vomiting, recovering from, apologizing for and celebrating alcohol. The flyer for the show portrayed a body hugging the can presumably puking, the pertinents for the show printed over her back. Foreshadowing for the night.

Tony T. Raver, lead singer is baby-faced, with a weathered look, his guitar looks haggard, beaten. You can almost look at the guitar and know how the music will sound. The music gets started, and it's boozy, wild. Tony is all over the stage, careens wildly, spitting and slamming his pick into the strings. His hair is in his face, and he's stumbling, but in control. Maybe. The drummer is Jenny Tonic, bassist from Jimmy and the Teasers, and she's just plain hot. The rhythms careen as well, with a regular irregularity, jerky stops, that makes you feel like you just might fall over if you try to dance to them, like one too many shots of tequila. There's a violin too. That seemed a bit disconnect, but it lent the perfect hint of whine to the raving emo lyrics. And the violinist was energetic, and moving.

The song content was about love, lost love. Booze, drinking. Sex. Morning after. Great friends, and how they're drunk. It's acoustipunky bar brawl music, makes you feel like swaggering and making inappropriate comments to strangers.

And that's what happened. Just before the cops came. Drunk and disorderly conduct encouraged, next thing you know, the audience is fighting. Apparently the alcoholic disinhibition lead to an over-step of a comment, then the female recipient of the comment hauled off and punched the commenter in the face. Well, when you're drunk, and just got hit by a woman, what's the recourse? You call the police of course. I dunno, did the music make him do it? The glory of the sauce. And that was the end of that.

It was all vertiginous and bombastic. Next time I think I have to drink more to really let loose. I like it though. I was left feeling a little anxious and worried about something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Maybe the music just triggered a little of that swerving, slightly deviant, violent side that I typically suppress.

bzzz

Shows this Weekend 11/16

Great music to be had this weekend:

Friday 11/16
Duke Coffeehouse- 8:30pm The revived bill from the previously cancelled Troika show. Now at music lovers price, $5!
-Polynya
-Cantwell Gomez, Jordan

-Veronique Diabolique
-Des Ark -- Aimee solo

James Joyce Pub FREE 10pm

-Blood Red River

-Scott Waite Debacle

Local 506- 10pm $6
-Dirty Little Heaters-- new lineup, but the long-awaited return of Reese Gibbs!
-The Loners
-Adult Filmmakers

Saturday 11/17

Hillsborough Road Coop-- 621 Hillsborough Rd, Carrboro-- $10 all you can eat/drink
This is a house party eating and drinking pre-Thanksgiving festivity.
-Hammer No More the Fingers
-The Bronzed Chorus

Nightlight 10pm $5
-Future Kings of Nowhere
-The Payola Reserve Baltimore
-American Aquarium
-The Black Austin, TX

Sunday 11/18

Local 506 9pm $8

-Rat Jackson
-Red Collar
-The Blakes- Seattle, WA