Post by Kevin on Mar 11, 2003 14:08:22 GMT -5
Tummler and Lofreq, Columbia, Missouri, 3/8/03
Missouri experienced one of its most dramatic temperature drops ever on Saturday, falling from something like 70 at 2 in the afternoon to 20 that night, and when you’ve got some serious March cold like that, you want some heavy tuneage and tasty beer to warm you up. Tummler, on the first date of their spring tour, and St. Louis favorites Lofreq (pronounced “Low Freak”) had the sweat flying last weekend at Columbia’s own biker/horror/metal bar last weekend, enough to forget the howling arctic cold just beyond the plate glass windows at the front of the bar.
The Eastside Tavern is the coolest bar in the city, with lots of horror movie props on the walls and a smokin’ jukebox. You’re likely to find a wide variety of subcultural denizens bellied up to the old bar there. Pretty soon the place was at capacity (50 people), a number that has been reviewed VERY recently, I suspect. Lofreq arrived first, and I spent a few affable minutes passing the time with these Missouri gents. Tummler showed up about an hour later, bundled against the cold, and immediately proceeded to load in, since they were billed as the openers. Within a few minutes, they were ready to rock.
They played all their best stuff, including ‘Nitrous Girl,’ (damn!), and I thought their brand of progressive stoner was spot-on and tight as hell. Lots of heads bobbing. I was yelling stuff like “Reagers” and “Vitus” like a mofo, but it was then that tragedy…yes, I said tragedy…struck in the form of a broken guitar string. End of show, and no ‘War is our Destiy’ to cap it off, like at SHOD. Well, I thought the whole thing was most enjoyable, Vitus or not. The band thought it was a bit rough, since it was the first show of the tour and all. My opinion was more positive, but I guess you have to expect that these artistic muso types will be too self-critical, heh heh.
Lofreq hit the stage next, and proceeded to burn the place down. If you go to many shows within a few hundred miles of St. Louis, you’ve seen these guys. I saw them on the Orange Goblin/ATP tour, and they smoked then. Well, they’re even better now. They threw it down with some high-energy, sweaty stoner/punk riffage, and the crowd dug it. I suppose you would say that they’re equal parts Fu Manchu and 70s punk. My own favorites were the stonier, mid-set songs, and the newer stuff was pretty damned good as well. And you’ve got to have a soft spot for a band that takes time out to preach the “legalize it! gospel.
So: a great show, despite the hideous weather. Tummler has quite a few dates in front of them, and they get better as they go along. And if you’re within shouting distance of St. Louis, catch Lofreq, bringing along the requisite green and a bottle of Jack. RAWK!
Kevin McHugh
Missouri experienced one of its most dramatic temperature drops ever on Saturday, falling from something like 70 at 2 in the afternoon to 20 that night, and when you’ve got some serious March cold like that, you want some heavy tuneage and tasty beer to warm you up. Tummler, on the first date of their spring tour, and St. Louis favorites Lofreq (pronounced “Low Freak”) had the sweat flying last weekend at Columbia’s own biker/horror/metal bar last weekend, enough to forget the howling arctic cold just beyond the plate glass windows at the front of the bar.
The Eastside Tavern is the coolest bar in the city, with lots of horror movie props on the walls and a smokin’ jukebox. You’re likely to find a wide variety of subcultural denizens bellied up to the old bar there. Pretty soon the place was at capacity (50 people), a number that has been reviewed VERY recently, I suspect. Lofreq arrived first, and I spent a few affable minutes passing the time with these Missouri gents. Tummler showed up about an hour later, bundled against the cold, and immediately proceeded to load in, since they were billed as the openers. Within a few minutes, they were ready to rock.
They played all their best stuff, including ‘Nitrous Girl,’ (damn!), and I thought their brand of progressive stoner was spot-on and tight as hell. Lots of heads bobbing. I was yelling stuff like “Reagers” and “Vitus” like a mofo, but it was then that tragedy…yes, I said tragedy…struck in the form of a broken guitar string. End of show, and no ‘War is our Destiy’ to cap it off, like at SHOD. Well, I thought the whole thing was most enjoyable, Vitus or not. The band thought it was a bit rough, since it was the first show of the tour and all. My opinion was more positive, but I guess you have to expect that these artistic muso types will be too self-critical, heh heh.
Lofreq hit the stage next, and proceeded to burn the place down. If you go to many shows within a few hundred miles of St. Louis, you’ve seen these guys. I saw them on the Orange Goblin/ATP tour, and they smoked then. Well, they’re even better now. They threw it down with some high-energy, sweaty stoner/punk riffage, and the crowd dug it. I suppose you would say that they’re equal parts Fu Manchu and 70s punk. My own favorites were the stonier, mid-set songs, and the newer stuff was pretty damned good as well. And you’ve got to have a soft spot for a band that takes time out to preach the “legalize it! gospel.
So: a great show, despite the hideous weather. Tummler has quite a few dates in front of them, and they get better as they go along. And if you’re within shouting distance of St. Louis, catch Lofreq, bringing along the requisite green and a bottle of Jack. RAWK!
Kevin McHugh
