Throughout, Sinner joked around with the audience while slamming the drums and shouting and growling out the songs. Shelby shredded the strings and for some reason displays a coon’s tail hanging off his guitar.
Bass player Josh is new to the band this year but fits right in and he’s adorable. He was all smiles and charm, yet slapped the bass strings as if to bully them to his will.
At one point Shelby tipped his guitar into the sparse crowd and one girl attempted to pluck its strings while another attempted to lick it.
Though the show wasn’t well attended, that didn’t mean I wasn’t knocked about and slammed into the stage a few times. I was! I don’t know why this show was so ill attended. Perhaps it wasn’t publicized well (I didn’t learn of it until the day before) or not enough people are familiar with the Chop Tops. Whatever the reason, a good show was missed by too many.
The Chop Tops were the proverbial icing on the cake. They shared the night with several outstanding local bands. Prior to the Chop Tops was the legendary Hard Money Saints. I’ve seen them many times now and they’re always good. Singer Jack Rainwater shredded guitar chords while crooning and growling through their songs which range from psychobilly to rockabilly with a bit of country and good ol’ rock and roll tossed in here and there. Rounding out HMS is Armondo Nienhuser on slap bass and (Lil’ Dirty)Scott who slammed away on the drums but never seemed to sweat nor did a strand of his hair get out of place.
Preceding HMS was yet another Seattle psychobilly/rockabilly legend, The Hot Roddin’ Romeos. Fronted by Johnny Rocket who sings into an old style square mic with a grenade wrapped around the mic stand, he sang in a rolling growl while flashing intermittent smiles, belying his “bad boy” appearance. D.C. Wheeler adds the howling guitar while Billy Burns slaps the Doghouse bass and Joel Herrea slams the skins. This is the band that will be playing for those entering the gates of hell. They’re dirty, grimy and tons of fun.
I arrived just in time to see Seattle up and comers Jack Rabbit Starts. I’d seen them earlier this year opening for Creepshow and was just impressed this time around. These guys play old fashioned rock n roll in more of a smokey rhythm and blues sound reminiscent of Howlin’ Wolf. They came on stage looking like 1930s gangsters wearing black trousers, white shirts (except the bass player wore a bright red shirt) and suspenders. JRS are Knuck on lead vocals and guitar, Hank on bass and vocals, Rooster who bullies a harmonica until it squeals and screeches in protest, and Danny on drums. Their sound was so authentic I could almost smell the cigarette smoke of a 1930s to 1940s night club.
Unfortunately I missed the two bands who opened the entire night, but I’m sure I’ll catch up with them another time. I usually do. Too bad for those who didn’t make it out to see this show. Roots rock/psychobilly seems to be making a comeback in Seattle and that’s a good thing.
