This past July 18th was another scorcher in Seattle and I attended my fifth concert of the month. This time the headliner was the Phenomenauts. Bringing their science and and science fiction with them, the Bay Area’s Phenomenauts are all about having fun and perhaps teaching some science along the way. This band appears on stage wearing costumes like lab coats, space helmets, and in the case of guitarist Phil T. Restrial, a tight knit black space suit with hood and two red laser light beams attached to his forehead. Leftenent AR7 was reprogrammed to play keyboard on this tour and wore a white space helmet compete with antennae sticking up out the back. On several instances he took over on lead vocals, bending the audience to his will. At one time he asked everyone to get down low. Within seconds everyone on the floor was crouching not me. Bad knees, you know). The entire band crouched as well until in one burst of energy they leaped to their feet and the audience followed. This occurred after they berated those standing in the back at the bar for not getting down.
One of the highlights was when they performed a slow song (It’s Only Chemistry) and the Commander leaped off the stage and sang from the dance floor, serenading and getting audience members to sway with him and sing along with him.
At the very end.during their song about Planet Earth, a big blue ball was tossed to the crowd where it made its rounds, being bounced by various audience members until it reached the stage once again and the Commander popped it with his guitar. Confetti immediately sprayed onto the crowd.
Then the show was abruptly over. There was no encore. Though they played close to an hour and a half, the show seemed to be over quite quickly. The Phenomenauts are a band that intends to put on a very entertaining show and they do this quite adeptly, though their songs are filled with scientific fact. I left soaking with sweat from being packed in like a proverbial sardine on a hot sticky night in a club with no ventilation. That’s rock and roll. Besides the aforementioned, the remaining Phenomenauts are Atom Bomb on bass and Major Jimmy Boom on drums.
Preceding the Phenomenauts was our own home grown The Fabulous Downey Brothers. Picture Devo with the B-52s, combined with a corny kids school play and you can sort of come close to what the FDB are like. These guys were nothing short of amazing. I had an inkling I was in for a treat when the entire band emerged on stage, backs to the audience, wearing what looked like giant green pillow cases. Then with one mighty rip, the pillowcases were off, they spun around to face their audience, revealing custom made lab coats and quirky white framed glasses looking like they were made from cardboard but by a skilled artist for a kid’s play. Singer Chandra Farnsworth sounded eerily similar to Kate Pierson of the B-52s. She wore a black shaggy wig and black lipstick and performed in stiff robotic motions in unison with the rest of the band — choreographed robotic dance moves. Half way through the show the lab coats came off and they all wore identical black tight knit outfits and each wore a giant triangle on their heads. They switched drummers (Liam Downey was the drummer for the first half before they brought him to the front of the stage and tied him to a chair with duct tape). They seemed like something out of a corny kids’ sci-fi show combined with stellar musicianship and outstanding theatrics. I love bands with a schtick and these guys are highly creative. They are an absolute must see. Besides the previously mentioned Chandra Farnsworth and Liam Downey, his brother Sean Downey also drums and sings. Freddy Dobler was on bass guitar, John Chin works their lighting effects, Alex Link played guitar and Louis Messina is the band’s keyboard player, but did not attend this particular performance.
Before the Fabulous Downey Brothers came Groggy Bikini. All the way from Black Diamond, WA, these guys played melodic pop punk tunes with lots of catchy guitar hooks and a gritty edge. They looked like they could be your next door neighbors — someone you wave to when you’re out mowing your lawn. This belied their fast paced rock and roll with a definite punk edge. Groggy Bikini are, Jon Hale, Rich Wingfield, Mike Emmick, and Wayne Flower.
Before Groggy Bikini was a band I’ve had the pleasure of seeing for the third time in about the last month. Raw Dogs are always fun. It’s Halloween every time they play. This time vocalist (Jerry H.J. Loveshaft DeVille and upright bassist Skwerll sported nearly identical neon yellowish green paintbrush mohawks. Skwerll wore black makeup around his right eye with streaks resembling spider legs spreading out from it. Jerry wore fake blood oozing from assorted “wounds” on his face and both wore pointy bat ears. Guitarist Joey Bones wore a cropped mohawk, his face slightly whitened and fresh scars still oozing on a gash across his face. Drummer Ian “Bam Stoker” looked normal by comparison, though he may have also been wearing bat ears. I couldn’t tell for sure. The band opened with Jerry screaming, “My friends are dead,” at the audience with the backdrop of grungy punk music. As I said, it’s like Halloween every time Raw Dogs are on stage and everyone knows that Halloween is the best holiday!
Starting the whole evening off was Seattle’s own Piniellas. Previously three members, they are now four, making for a fuller sound. Think of The Ramones, but cleaned up and a little more poppy and that pretty much describes the Piniellas. Add some three-part harmonies and The Piniellas put forth a very pleasantly poppy punk sound. On stage it’s bass player Leif Larson who nearly steals the show. He only stands in one place for short intervals. Otherwise he’s doing duck walks, splits and leaps complete with scissor kicks. The Piniellas were a pleasure to watch again and have grown a lot as a band since I saw them last a couple years ago. They’re well worth checking out. The other three Piniellas are, Scott Matthews, lead vocals and guitar; Jeff Mangalin, guitar and backing vocals, and Miles Freeborn on drums.
A fun night was had by all. This was obvious.
– All photos property of Holly Homan, all rights reserved.
