By: David de Young
 |
|
David Joe Holiday of Belles of Skin City - Photo by David de Young (click here for full photo gallery from this show)
|
In one of the best bills in town Friday night, Belles of Skin City held down the prime middle slot in a show opened by the “second coming” of Coach Said Not To and headlined by Fort Wilson Riot.
This was my first time seeing the Belles, and it was about time I did when you consider they were voted “Best New Band” by the City Pages earlier this year. But at least I wasn’t alone in being a newbie. Radio personalities Jason Nagel of Minnesota Music on Cities 97 and Mei Young of Drive 105's Radio Homegrown were also on hand to hear them for the first time.
Belles of Skin City started out almost casually. Lead singer David Joe Holiday even appeared to still be eating something when the band began. From the first song, “Illiterati,” from their new EP Ha-ha Boardroom Think Tank Tantrums I was reminded of a rhythmic and funky, not to mention far less gruff, Tom Waits like something from the album Real Gone, or specifically the highly percussive “Kommienezuspadt” from Alice. Immediately gripping and interesting, musically “Illiterati” appeared to be taking place as much in the space between the notes as anywhere else. Cyn Collins described them to me saying, “[they create] complex rhythm layers, yet their perfect phasing makes all the beats and vocals ring loud and clear.” One lyric was “are you actually convinced you’re re-inventing the feel?” intelligent and clever, if not frequently cryptic.
Holiday introduced the second song as “Owning a Volkswagon Passat does not entitle you to two parking spaces,” the short version of which might have been “Asshole Pass.” Though this title probably grew out of a specific incident, it still made me glad I didn’t buy a Passat a few years ago when I was looking at cars. (Toyota Corolla owners unlikely to have similar charges leveled against them.)
Helping to create the rhythmic complexity, a second drummer was usually up front playing some sort of contraption that looked like it was straight out of a Dr. Seuss book: a big white barrel with a light bulb inside, a clear plexi bass drum on top, and an empty propane tank hanging off the side. Sometimes the glowing monstrosity was played by Holiday himself, at others by Benny Solberg or Ben Wells. As the band switched off instruments frequently, it was hard to keep track, though I believe drummer John Broms stayed at his place behind the kit for the whole set.
 |
|
David Joe Holiday plays the propane tank
|
The next song was the again cleverly-titled “The Phermones and the Damage Done,” also from the new EP.
My primary reaction to hearing Belles of Skin City was to smile. I can’t remember the last time I was so glad I had taken the time to check out a band I had not previously seen. And judging by the audience reaction, I wasn’t alone. I wouldn’t be overstepping myself to suggest this band is likely to go very far, very fast.
The next song was “More Rhythm, Different Penicillin.” When singing Holiday looked a at times like Ben Weaver might look after being tattooed and drinking a pot of coffee. He closed the song saying “Thank you,” sounding like Jim Carrey out of Ace Ventura, Pet Detective.
“Everything I needed to know about history I learned from Iron Maiden” generated a cheer from its introduction alone. Benny Solberg’s guitar served as a rhythm instrument rather than providing melody. This song was funky as hell, and I noticed the entire front row bobbing along as if the dance might break out at any moment.
The band made an odd reference to Chuck Norris at the end of the song, something to the effect that “Chuck Norris isn’t hung like a horse, horses are hung like Chuck Norris.” Holiday then described the hallway in the Dayton’s ramp downtown as smelling like a combination of Karmelcorn and tobacco, imagining, he said, that’s what a pedophile’s basement would smell like. How this related to the show, I really can’t say.
The final song was the scandalously-titled “Lighten Up Katherine Lanpher,” also from the EP. With a breathy, almost orgasmic rhythmic vocal close from Holiday, the Belles ended the set. Through the monitors, I heard soundman Dan Turnbull say what would be a nice summation of the whole show in just two words: “Oh wow.”
Location Info:
The Turf Club
Artist Info: Belles of Skin City
Share this story:
Article comments powered by Disqus