Pearls!

I saw Pearls the second to last Thursday night at Subt's.  I had already downloaded their music by the time I got there. So I already like the band right? Firmly hooked by the time this post goes up. But I only walked in with half to no idea how powerfully this would hit....no idea. They self describe as sexual. I agree there is sexual energy, dominant and cool. The way an angry faerie cannot help but stay beautiful even when lethal. The anger mostly channeled through the drums and guitar does not consume but respects the calming, ethereal voice of Liz. Somehow these pure breed pits are hers. The drums and guitar strike me as garage rock, direct and aggressive, but under her control. Here and there Liz shrieks like in Ripper. The reverb adds an extra layer of mysterious. The sexual comes from how movement inducing the total package is. You are totally invited to derail the train for the momentary loss of control. I got no problem dancing to this. The use of reverb is in every song. I remember after the show some guy tried to compliment Liz on her voice while pissing on the reverb. Every remix of this guy's attempt just dug him a deeper hole, to the annoyance of Liz. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.
  In the beginning when I walk in and there is less than twenty people left to see Pearls the headliner. With this active wonder I scan the room and I see a familiar face....the guitarist for Salem Bitch Trials, Ernest? Somehow I felt at ease asking him if the show was finished or started. I think it was him who introduced me to Liz the lead singer. I took note of her costume, behavior when meeting her. She did not seem nervous or anything. These little moments that you enshrine when after the gig imprints its memory. Pearls were setting up on the floor, where the audience is normally at. This is bold and assertive, dominant, but also vulnerable as well. It made me anticipate the show more and marvel and how few would witness it. When you set up right there where the audience is at, you basically promise to bring it after you break the fourth wall. Combine that with meeting the band before and it's almost like meeting the actors before opening night. You can't help but look for tells.   I don't recall which songs I heard but I remember how Liz threw herself into full Bacchanalian mode loose in the space of the audience, contorting all over the floor as if in slight possession. So I took video and pictures 'cause this needs to be documented. It was fucking crazy....What do you mean I don't swear? Yes it was that good!
  I was completely happy to have seen what I did. I ended up hanging with the band after wards, which is way more awesome than expected. After the show I helped Joey the drummer take his gear to his place then we eventually met up with Liz and Ernest. Oh, and Liz. I still got the PJ Harvey CD we tried to play in my van. I have to get that back to you. At some point we uploaded and hung out....I took no pictures for those moments. Perhaps I did not wish to be seen as some overzealous fan. Still I was fascinated with the time spent with Joey, Ernest and Liz. I mean who doesn't want to hang with the band after wards. We uploaded the videos and pics taken and hung out at a bar a stoner's walk away from Ernest's. I arrived home at 5 am. What a long and awesome night.

Zig