Loverless aren't technically on hiatus; they just aren't playing very much. Bassist Dan MacLeod confessed he got blood blisters from practice earlier that day. He hadn't touched his bass in seven months — if he screamed in agony on stage, he was really, actually hurting. It always seemed strange to me that I had never managed to see Loverless in the five years I've been living in Portland. On Saturday, at MacLeod's going-away party, I understood why; it's rock for dudes who like to geek out about rock. Now that two-thirds of the trio will be living in the Brooklyn, it's likely they'll be playing Portland even less. I was happy to have the opportunity to check them out.
Their profile on CDBaby.com calls the music "blues based rock and roll . . . a psychedelic swirl of sex and danger." A friend remarked that the vibe in the club made her want to jump naked into a writhing pit of snakes, which I suppose backs up the claim that they are a "psychedelic swirl of sex and danger."
Geno's was packed. MacLeod claims it was mostly "friends, not fans," but that's definitely selling the band short. For me, they're the kind of band who bob their heads to the beat emphatically while performing extremely long, feedback-ridden solos to a roomful of men also bobbing their heads in unison. I made a conscious effort to hold back my metal horns because I know it's uncool. It was a good show. Elijah Ocean, a staple of the Portland music scene, is the epitome of a rock and roll frontman. As a band, they're confident, aggressive, and put on a captivating performance.
Related:
Taboo + Ancestral Diet at the Apohadion, March 8, By Blood Alone soar with Thunderbirds, Joe Walsh goes solo, and more, The Body at Geno's, May 12, More 
- Taboo + Ancestral Diet at the Apohadion, March 8
When I entered the Apohadion, the room was nearly dark and the stage was empty.
- By Blood Alone soar with Thunderbirds, Joe Walsh goes solo, and more
Be on the lookout for BY BLOOD ALONE 's new disc, Thunderbirds , which dropped on Tuesday. They'll play a gig to celebrate on April 22 at Geno's.
- The Body at Geno's, May 12
Rumors that Providence's two-piece doom band the Body would be returning to town began as a whisper campaign in late April. With whom? No one knew.
- Old friends return
The sinewy post-punk group HUAK drop Yorba Linda , their first full-length, named for the birthplace of Richard Nixon.
- Photos: Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents at TT's
Photos from Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents at TT's
- Interview: The Wippets
One chance encounter during a trip to New Orleans back in 2003 illuminated the bulb for the Wippets' Matt Martin and Tony Depoto, two East Bay musicians seeking inspiration during the annual Jazzfest.
- From solid to standout
Maybe the most surprising thing about Portland indie band Brenda’s set at the Wilco-curated Solid Sound Festival on the Mass MoCA campus in North Adams, Massachusetts, on Saturday was that people were actually there to see it. Lots of them.
- Live Review: Big Blood + Human Adult Band + Jim Vreeland | Sep 5 at the Apohadion
Without introduction or ceremony, a contained, violent dialogue erupted between one flanneled man and his guitar.
- Photos: Cambridge Carnival International | September 12, 2010
Crowds enjoy multicultural crafts and music at the 18th annual Cambridge Carnival International at Kendall Square on September 12, 2010.
- North Star closes, but Jay Jasch's music series continues
In last week's review, that Pfeifle guy flubbed a D. GROSS song name. It's "Family Man," not "Family." He's sorry.
- Photos: Roger Waters performing ''The Wall'' live at TD Garden
Roger Waters performs The Wall live at the TD Garden on October 3, 2010.
- Less
Topics:
New England Music News
, Music, Elijah Ocean, concerts, More
, Music, Elijah Ocean, concerts, Geno's, Geno's, Loverless, Loverless, Dan MacLeod, Less
