Some Cat From Japan, Brooklyn Bowl, 3.25.10

Some Cat From Japan Set: Hendrix Set.  Will Bernard dedicates the set to photographer Jim Marshall, who pas

sed away yesterday.  Cool.   Jim Marshall has taken the most iconic music photos.  You have seen them.  RIP Mr. Marshall.

Ok.  Now, here we go.  I have not seen any of these guys except Nigel Hall, keys and vocals and Will Bernard, guitar.  I do not know of Scott Metzger, guitar; Ron Johnson, bass;  and Louis Cato, drums.  I was in for a pleasant surprise.  I know better than to disregard insights from friends that know.

There was hardly more than 50 people in the house.  This truly was the antithesis of claustrophobia, and luckily for me I was able to twirl, take notes, get up close and take pictures and dance.  I love NYC for things like this – hardly a crowd yet totally insane rocking out on the stage.  Life is good.Nigel just does his James Brown wailing thing, outrageous on its own.  Will Bernard and Scott Metzger rage out on their guitars.  Ron Johnson keeps that funky bass line chugging along, all the while Louis Cato going sick on the drums.  This is a groove, a funky line that gets my body moving, all the while Hendrix bound through the evening.

Set List: Changes, Isabella, Crosstown Traffic, Manic Depression, Dolly Duger, Hey Joe, Freedom…. That is as far as I got, which is pretty good for me, Ms. Non-Setlist (w/ help from Tony).

Bernard is technically perfect.  He’s way frikkin talented.  The bowlers were making a racous, we heard screaming at one low point of the set, which was absolutely perfect.  I started laughing thinking either the screamers team just won, or she threw a strike.  Either way, it was pretty hilarious to watch these musicians jam while bowling was going on.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard the bowlers before.

This Cat from Japan was soulful, groovy, funk, having fun with those who were there, the crowd was appreciative.  Just have to say when Bernard wasn’t shredding, Metzger was, and both these guys can play that instrument extremely well, both technically and soulfully.  I enjoyed my evening, starting with my favorite Moonalice, ending with checking out a bunch of new guys that I’ve never heard before, and loving every moment.

Again, another smile.  Again, another night at The Brooklyn Bowl.

Moonalice, Brooklyn Bowl, 3.25.10 – Updated

Preshow: Line: none  Bar: empty  Dance floor: the anti-thesis of claustrophobic  Mood: Chill

I was supposed to be meeting a NYC Twitter crowd (finally!) but I have never met any of these people before, and this was hindering my ability to recognize anyone from a small little Twitter avatar.   Alas, we move on.

Grab a drink and a menu.  Settle on a potato knish and check out the surroundings.  The bowling lanes were packed.  I was having a series of déjà vu’s of the Bowlive craziness that went down while waiting for my food.  I feel at home at The Brooklyn Bowl, the vibe is always perfect.  Tonight was no exception.

Moonalice Set: Pete Sears, keys and bass; Barry Sless, guitar;  Roger McNamee, guitar and vocals;  Ann McNamee, vocals;  John Molo, drums.

Moonalice comes on a little after 8 and plays full through 10:15ish.  It was a nice set, they really sound great with Roger and Ann on vocals, Sless plucks that guitar eerily like Garcia.  I was told he plays the guitar made by the man who made Jerry Garcia’s guitar.  Well, the tone is the same.  Makes sense to me. My heels turn upward into a bouncy hippie jig that comes out only during certain tunes and certain types of guitar plucking, thank you Mr. Sless.   Pete Sears wails those keys, (he sings too!) and the bass.  Um.  When Barry and Pete go off together either while Pete is on bass and Barry is on either the pedal steel or the regular guitar… wow.  They go deep together.  John Molo on drums keeps the beat for everyone in the room, constant, like a metronome.  Close your eyes.  Listen to the groove.  Fun.  Bouncy.  Sweet.

Roger McNamee gives a shout out to the Twitter-verse and the Facebook crowds, which was very cool.

After a team huddle, they played the sweetest Stella Blue.  Sears singing, Sless plucking, Molo keeping time.  Wonderful.  Sless decides to sit for a while at the pedal steel guitar.  It gave the song this sweetness, this intermingling of notes that twinkle…that shine.  Ahhh, Stella Blue.  Barry and Pete then end up going low and fast, grooving together, my feet were bouncing, my eyes were closed, I couldn’t stop smiling.  Thank you Moonalice.

Setlist (thanks Roger!): Down the Road A Piece, Love to Remake, Foxtrot Uniform, Who Can Say? > Daylight,  Fair to Even Odds, Break Out in Handcuffs, Wish We Had, It’s 4:20 Somewhere, Man in Me, I’m Glad You Think So, Stella Blue, Whiter Shade of Pale, Tell Me It’s Okay, Kick It Open, On the Road Again