Vaz, with the Conformists and Skarekrau Radio

Sunday, November 28; Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center

Comments (0) By Paul Friswold Wednesday, Nov 24 2004

Two-piece bands. Motherfucking two-piece bands. The next two-piece band that stumbles into town is gonna get a naked foot punched up their backsides and -- oh hey. Sorry, Vaz. Didn't see you guys lurking over by the Lemp. How's it going? What? No, not your two-piece band. C'mon, you know you guys are awesome. Hell, even your names are awesome! Apollo Liftoff is a fantastic name for a guitarist/frontman! And Dionysus Powerdown, seriously: best drummer moniker since Chuck Biscuits.

But what's in a name, right? It's the music that matters. And musically, you guys smoke the barbecue. You could have opted for that spazzy freak-out sound, or the bludgeoning assault of the monster guitar effects rack and Lombardo-size drum kit, but you didn't. No, instead you write those atmospheric pop songs and then rough 'em up with creepy guitar swirls and tripped-out lyrics that sound like you're singing them inside a metal cave. But the mystery of what it is you're howling about is what makes the songs so great. Dudes, "Treble Noir?" It's like the best song ever for, um, burning pages of your diary the day after another wasted birthday. And how about "Meld w/U-90?" Dionysus, your drums are propping that sucker up like bamboo centipede legs, just scrambling everywhere while Apollo's guitar/wire broom tries to scootch you out of the room. You two have it. Don't ever change. Or add another member. Vaz equals two, forever.