Magic Christian, Christian Black & Little Caesar
Frankie & Tommy's Social Club
The Viper Room
West Hollywood, CA
July 27. 2006
By Victoria
(SugarBuzz Hollywood)
Photos By Victoria
Thursday night on the Sunset Set Strip means its Frankie and Tommy’s Social Club at the Viper Room. Great bands, cool people and a great DJ. Tonight is no exception. Dayle Gloria, Queen of the Strip is spinning, San Francisco’s Magic Christian in their 5th LA appearance this year, Little Caesar doing their first show in years and Christian Black Band’s debut. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. We are crashing this party we’re lookin’ to catch the bouquet.
We know Christian Black from his previous life in the Chelsea Smiles. Did some cool shows last year opening for the New York Dolls. He even got a cameo in the rock-doc “New York Doll.” Serious Street Cred in our book. Tonight is his new band’s first show and he was dressed to the nines. Duded up in a suit like a Beatle on the Ed Sullivan show with hair slicked back like Elvis.
The first couple of songs were just a little shaky. We’ll write that off to nerves. This new band is a three-piecer and Rockabilly ready with bass and drums backing up Black in the persons of Atsushi and Anthony Smedile respectively. Christian switching off guitars with one very pretty Gretsch hollow body. Serious singing, Christian has one of those good old fashioned voices, tough and tender.
The songs were very Carl Perkins meets Link Wray. Straight ahead, clean, dark and mean. Thanking the crowd for coming out early twice and “Let’s give it up for the “Graveyard Train” ripped it up. Nice cover of Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline” with a lot of energy and a forceful delivery.
Newly hitched and rumor has it Mrs. Black has a little rocker in the rehearsing studio, if ya know what I mean. Mazel Tov!
Next up, not necessarily a one hit wonder, Little Caesar hasn’t played in a while and the fans came in from the hills. They did their hit cover, “Chain of Fools” and re-souled their motorcycle boots with the Temptations beauty “I Wish It Would Rain.” Biker Soul? We like.
Headlining tonight’s Social Club, with fill in drummer, Victor Penalosa of Paperback Writer, is San Francisco’s Magic Christian featuring Cyril Jordan of proto-punk band, The Flamin Groovies. They did their covers from the British Invasion that we all love. Stone’s “Got to Get Away” a B side from the London Years. And the two Beatle songs “Things We Said Today” and “Any Time At All.” New songs were “All the Stars,” and “Tomorrow Never Comes.” Pretty much the same set they did last time around at the Echo. And like that same great show, Eddie Munoz of the Plimsouls joined them on stage for the Easy Beats’ “Have a Good Time Tonight.” The evening’s only disappointment - where was the Groovies classic “Shake Some Action.” Cyril?
www.myspace.com/thechristianblackband