By: Bob Longmore
By Bob Longmore
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Ol' Yeller - Photo by Bob Longmore
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Count Aardvark Records among the casualties of the music business in the 21st century. Owner Vince Murray says the Northeast record store will close its doors at the end of September. But along with 33% off all of his stock, Murray is going out rocking. His record store has always been a good place to catch a local or touring band in the unique environment that is Aardvark. There will be a few more before he closes the doors, including Kruddler, Alicia Corbett and maybe, just maybe, a very special guest band from Memphis that begins with an L and end with an ucero.
I am guessing about 50 people crowded in among the used and new vinyl bins to catch the in-store performance on this chilly Saturday afternoon. Mike Nicolai played a few songs solo, backed only by his 12-string guitar. Simple melodies with not so simple guitar playing are how I feel about Nicolai. He sometimes plays his guitar like a drum. He beats the hollow body almost as much as he strums. He ended with a kick ass version of Lou Reed’s “Satellite of Love.”
If Neil Young ever needs a new Crazy Horse, I’m convinced Ol’ Yeller could do the job. They have such a classic sound that, even live, they sounded like an old vinyl record dug up from the basement. Rich Mattson’s old Gretsch hollow-body electric guitar had such an unmistakable tone, it was the perfect sound for Ol’ Yeller’s classic-rock-bar-band vibe.
The band sounded great in the small space, and they ripped through songs like “I’m Not Worried” and “Reward” with abandon. The guys laughed and joked between songs with the audience, which created a loose environment. This is why in-store performances are usually so special; the invisible barrier between band and audience disappears. They ended their short set with “The Universe.” over which Mattson laid down what must have been a five-minute solo. (True to Crazy Horse form.) The intimate performance felt like a basement practice session that a few dozen people were lucky enough to witness.
Rating: 4 Stars
Location Info:
Roadrunner Records
Artist Info: Mike Nicolai, Ol' Yeller
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