RED TAILS:
There are a few bands that I've been meaning to see for quite a while, but somehow I never have had a the time to see their show. The Red Tails and We March were both high on that list. We March has a reputation for high energy thrash and punk. The Red Tails hail from Logan, Ohio and are relative newcomers to the Athens Music Scene. When I found out that they were both playing the Union in the same show, I had to attend.

Red Tails pictured on stage at the Union.

See more images of the show [ link ]

Red Tails was the first band up at the Union. They looked like a young, but promising indie rock band. The tall lead singer sang almost all of the songs with his head tilted an eyes closed, as if to keep the words from spilling out of his other ear and eyes like water from a pitcher. The drummer spent most of the evening hunched over his low-slung drum kit, which made him seem like he was 6 foot tall even while sitting down.

As for their music, Red Tails reminded me of a grunge version of the Rolling Stones. Many of their songs had a roots / country rock and blues vibe to them. The band's use of distorted guitars and distorted harmonica kept the sound somewhat current. If you are looking for a local comparison, think Geraldine but a little more subdue. Or think of the Woosley band from Columbus, but a little more upbeat.

Bonus points for Red Tails harmonica solo. It started off sounding like an old steam locomotive that was just getting started--which is a harmonica cliché. I was about to roll my eyes as the train got moving when the harmonica player started yelling "Whoo" and "Hey" into his cupped hands. His voice sounded distorted like the harmonica and it took me a few woo's to figure out if he was making those noises with the Harmonica. It was a nice save.

WE MARCH:
Next up was We March. As long as I've been playing in Athens there has always been one or two bands that attract the young crowd. By young I mean barely 18 and fresh out of High School. Space Wanker 5000 was one of those bands. We March, which is basically a retooled Space Wanker, still has the young draw.

Zach Fuller, We March's lead singer, has the "drunken Billy Idol" persona down pretty well. His interpretation comes complete with slurred speech and the occasional prodding of the crowd to "come up to the front, there will be no sitting tonight!" I got the impression that this guy has been studying up on his punk but that he is still trying to figure out what he wants to be: a tortured Iggy Pop or a Johnny Rotten crowd instigator.

Or perhaps he wants to be a little like Rage's Zack De La Rocha. Sure, Rage isn't punk, but they are political. We March's lead singer had a shirt with a picture of Osama Bin Laden on it with the phrase "Wanted Dead Or Alive." I'm still not sure how I felt about seeing him wearing that. Some things should be sacred, even to punks. But I guess my feelings on the matter really depend on the statement he was trying to make. I hope he wasn't using the recent tragedy as a means to entertain people--I hope the shirt wasn't just for "shock value" because that would be insulting.

Zach Fuller of We March

Regardless of his motives he got me to thinking that somewhere out there in America, Osama is becoming a fashion statement. If you can stick Manson on a T-shirt and call it fashion, then I'm sure Osama will be on a T-shirt near you sometime soon. And to think that someone made money selling that shirt! Capitalism has limit to how low it can sink for a profit.

Politics aside, I liked We March. They have the sort of energy and raw power that I wish I could buy in bottle and drink before sex. Or such a drink exist already? The guitar player's volume level and heavy riffage makes him sound like 2 guitars. The drummer, John Daft (related story), managed to pummel his drum set like a redheaded step child. But seemed a little more tame than his Jet Lucas days. Was that restraint I saw?... nah! Try as I may to get a picture of Daft, his cymbasl were always perpendicular to the floor and I couldn't get a clear shot at him. (Tip: cymbals at rest are parallel to the floor) And the lead singer... between his stage diving, monitor straddling and pole humping, he still found time to pose for the various cameras at the show. He is definitely a charismatic budding lead singer and showman.