Tuesday, May 17th at the V Club was a special night of amazing music. The pirate, gypsy, bluegrass, rockabilly, melting pot of all things good about rock and roll and the devil were unleashed live by the Goddamn Gallows.
Starting off the night were new look and sound Wine and Water.
Wine and Water started out as Cody Lynch of Down Goes Frazier’s acoustic side project, and have since grown into its own entity. Cody was the guitarist, vocalist, and frontman of the act, but for this show, he played drums and did vocals. Cody’s brainchild is rounded out by Dave Mistich on bass and back-up vocals, and guitarist and vocalist Barrett Lynch.
Wine and Water’s new electric sound was well-received by the sparse crowd, due to it being a Tuesday and rainy weather no doubt. Regardless of the situation, Wine and Water played a great set that brings to mind acts like Hot Water Music, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Steve Earle, and maybe a lil John Cougar Mellencamp with a indie punk edge.
They played a high energy set and despite their drummer being M.I.A. and Cody Lynch manning the kit and handling vocals, they pulled it off nicely. Don’t know what future configuration Wine and Water are going to go with, but I’m sure whatever it is, it will be good. If you haven’t checked out Wine and Water live, I suggest you do so.
Now onto the fantastic Goddamn Gallows set.
First of all let me tell you about these guys. Just imagine characters from the movie Gangs of New York mixed with some vagabond traveling gypsies, and barter town residents from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. These guys looked like men you wouldn’t want to run into in a back alley. Tattooed faces and necks.
A standup bass player with a handlebar mustache, a spoon wielding washboard player that resembled a snake oil salesman if he was in the film Lord of the Flies, a guitarist that looked like a member of the Sex Pistols time traveled to the 50’s and was from a Marlon Brando flick, and a Madolin/banjo/acoustic guitarist that would be right at home in the movie Predator.
These post-apocalyptic looking dudes have some major musical talent. Goddamn Gallows sound has a aforementioned melting pot of great sounds that comprise their genetic makeup; straight up rockabilly, gypsy travelin’, bluegrass and country, even, dare I say polka influences were erupting from the stage.
I’ve never seen a band spit so much in my life, lol. They were hootin’ and hollerin’, spittin’ out on the floor and on each other for their whole set (ed. note: you can catch Hepatitis like that). The two songs that really stuck out for me was the Townes Van Zant cover of “Waiting Around To Die” and a cover of the founding fathers of black metal, England’s Venom, in league with Satan.
In between these covers was one of the best sets of music I’ve seen woven into a tapestry of a concert I’ve seen in a long time. The sparse crowd of die-hards ate up every second of it and wanted more. Goddamn Gallows are really something special in a day and age of musical mediocrity. Check ‘em out on youtube, buy their albums, go see them live. Bands like this don’t come around that often so if you get the chance check ‘em out.
I left the V Club a satisfied man and look forward to seeing Don Duncan at the door and shootin the breeze with lil Pat about the upcoming acts coming to the V Club, which is turning out to be the best venue in Huntington since the Drop Shop was at 1318 4th Ave. Check out www.vclublive.com for the consistent acts that come through their doors.
Chuk Fowlord over and out for WVRockscene.
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