The Weekend: Life After Laserdisque tonight; Past Punchy and the Present tomorrow…

Category: Blog — @ 1:31 pm February 24, 2006

The agenda is in the headline. Please update your calendars appropriately. The details:

Tonight, O’Leaver’s will be hosting Life After Laserdisque’s CD release show for Laser of Justice. Niz wrote a nice little story on the band in the OWH yesterday (it’s here, but you’ll have to register to read it). The five-piece features Scott Klemmensen on guitar and vocals (brother of Landing on the Moon frontman John Klemmensen), guitarist Shawn Cox (Landing on the Moon) and irascible bassist Brendan Greene-Walsh, who you might recognize as the sound guy at O’Leaver’s (He’s the dude with the ponytail and trademark suspenders — yes, that guy). LAL is rounded out by drummer Jason Koba and keyboardist Ian Simons. I’ve been listening to Laser of Justice for the past few days on my iPod. The six-song EP, recorded by Mike Saklar, has a distinctively retro R&B vibe that comes by way of funk guitar lines and Klemmensen’s soaring howl. The band prides itself on its varied style from song to song. The opener is a funk deal, while the next two tunes sound like Blood Sweat and Tears (“Working in the Garden” even has a guitar lick that reminds me of “Ride Captain Ride”). “Stay Awhile” is a meandering stroller with no central melody (at least none that I could hum for you if asked), while the last two put a modern face on traditional back-beat album rock. I think there’s something hippie-esque about LAL that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s because I’m not an aficionado of today’s jam bands. That said. LAL isn’t a jam band, though with a slight push and the right weed, I think it could become one.

Also playing tonight with LAL is Landing on the Moon (Shawn Cox will sleep well after pulling double duty) and Someday Stories. $5, 9:30 p.m. Also of note, Brendan from LAL left a post on my webboard saying he spent most of yesterday evening replacing O’Leaver’s main speakers with “some very nice, vary large JBL’s.” If there’s one thing that’s been missing from O’Leaver’s since it became a bonafide rock club (other than enough space) it’s been a decent PA. I’ll check it out tonight and let you know tomorrow how it sounded.

Tomorrow night’s marquee show is at The 49’r with Past Punchy and the Present (read yesterday’s blog for details) along with Midwest Dilemma and The Ointments. Bob Thornton e-mailed me yesterday letting me in on a surprise tune that they’ll be playing during their set. Here’s a hint: I mentioned it yesterday. It’s either $3 or $5 and starts at 9:30.

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Lazy-i