How Was The Show - RudeGirl at Triple Rock Social Club

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RudeGirl Clash Tribute Band at Triple Rock Social Club on 12/22/07

RudeGirl at the Triple Rock - Photo by David de Young

Louis Dunlap (yup, Slim’s son) opened a bill at the Triple Rock Saturday night where later RudeGirl would serve out nearly 30 songs from the English band The Clash Saturday night in a show that was half tribute, half nostalgia, half drunken dance party and all fun. (I’m aware that adds up to 150 percent, but it was that kind of night.)

And perhaps it was planned, but if not, it was also somehow fitting the event took place five years to the day after the passing of Clash rhythm guitarist, Joe Strummer, who died suddenly, December 22, 2002.

Somehow I’d gotten it through my head RudeGirl planned to play The Clash’s 1979 album London Calling straight though at this show. (Maybe I was just imagining this after having seen the Belfast Cowboys give such a treatment to Van Morrison’s Moondance three days before.) RudeGirl didn’t play the album in order, but they did play a big chunk of the album by the time they were done, plus many, many more songs. The 10-plus-piece ensemble's instrumentation included everything from the expected guitars, bass and drums to keyboards, fiddle, accordion, and even plastic buckets.

Despite other sold out shows Saturday (like the Heiruspecs 10-Year Anniversary at the Turf), the Triple Rock was hopping when I arrived slightly after 10:00 and it was so crowded it took a while to politely edge my way to the front by the stage to begin taking photos. I arrived about five songs in, to the strains of “Guns of Brixton,” a little sad that I missed my favorite Clash song “Spanish Bombs,” though I would be treated to my second favorite “Lost in the Supermarket” later in the set. (Extended parenthetical aside: I’ve often wondered about the relationship between favorite songs and first songs you heard by favorite bands. I remember listing to a DJ on a college station from Galesburg, Illinois that I could barely pick up in my nearby hometown as a kid. The DJ had an overnight show on Sundays where they let her play good music even in the middle of the cornfields on Central Illinois. Back then, it was hard to find good music period, let alone on the radio. But somehow, the Clash’s “Spanish Bombs” still found me over the airwaves in 1980.)

A few songs later, before breaking into “Police on my Back,” RudeGirl pointed out that the first time they played the song (in a parking lot) the police actually came. (Fortunately they had a permit!) Speaking of which, “Know Your Rights” followed shortly thereafter, as well as “Koka Kola,” and the first set ended with “Rock the Casbah.” The band promised to be back with an even longer set after a short break. It was so busy at the bar in the music room that the break proved almost too short as members of the band were still in line when the band tried to start back up.

RudeGirl - Photo by de Young

Rousing versions of “Brand New Cadillac” and “London Calling” came early in the second set. At one point I noticed – and it was hard to keep track as the musicians swapped out on songs since there were so many of them – that a male drummer was sitting in from time to time. There were a couple other male vocalists who guested from time to time, but otherwise the band is all female, either the first or second most notable thing about the band after the fact that they do nothing but Clash covers.

I’m not going to say the set was always on mark. In fact, it was sometimes disorganized and tended to drift off course at times and drag at others, and the abilities of the various vocalists varies, but the set would always get back on with a particular song that they nailed particularly well. A couple such songs I recall were “Safe European Home” and “Death or Glory.” The crowd thinned out a bit as the second set wore on, but I felt compelled to stick it out all the way to the end as did many of the more serious Clash fans on hand. One of the best things about what RudeGirl does is take you along on a ride to revisit the songs of one of the best rock and roll bands of the past 25 years (some might say more.)

And it wasn’t all just Clash. Fittingly again for the day, the band had their friend Deacon join them on acoustic guitar for a rendition of the Joe Strummer & the Mescalaros' “Coma,” as part of the encore. Somehow, in a matter of perfect timing, the set closed at exactly 1:59 a.m. with a sing-along of “I Fought The Law” which featured a few special guests from the crowd on backup vocals.