The Dirty Pearls
Cascade Studios and the Dragonfly
Los Angeles, CA
May 20 & 21 2008
By Victoria Joyce
(SugarBuzz Hollywood)
SugarBuzz Magazine
We got a chance to see NYC’s hottest band play LA twice last week. Almost three times but we missed the Key Club gig opening for Metal Skool. Oops, make that Steel Panther. The guys with the wigs have changed their name yet again. The Spinal Tap-like cover band is still the biggest show on the Sunset Strip with their decade-old Monday night Metal-fest. But they keep changing their name.
Starting life as a spoof in a Master Card TV commercial as burn out band, “Danger Kitty,” the name was changed to Metal Shop and the weekly gig at the Viper Room was the best show in town during the second half of the 90’s. Someone had a fight with somebody and the name was changed to Metal Skool and they went across the street to the Roxy for a bit and then made their home a block further west at the Key Club for the past couple of years. They still pack ‘em in and routinely get celebs and rock stars to join them on stage. But Steel Panther? WTF? A lot of people are shaking their heads.
Back to the boys from New York City, the Dirty Pearls. We got an invite to an intimate showcase on Tuesday at the way too cool Cascade Studios (thanks, Blitch!) and then a Wednesday at the Dragonfly across the street (again, thanks, Blitch.) both stages had Pearls.
New York City transplant, Blitch is the new bass player for Blacklist Union. A match made in Heaven or at least Purgatory. He’s got the look for sure, all black and silver, tats, chains and skulls. Blacklist Union is going out of town and they threw themselves a little pre-tour party. About a dozen friends were treated to a pre-tour set with long tall, lead singer, Tony West rocking wild and telling tales out of school about Carol Burnett. Not kidding.
But before BLU blew the roof off the place we got our first look at the Dirty Pearls. Lead singer, Tommy London sings with incredible strength holding the mic with one hand for leverage while stomping his foot on the stage like it’s going through to China. He’s incredibly magnetic. You can’t take your eyes off him. Nice spikey hair too.
It’s hard to tell apart the two guitar players with their matching white boy fro’s’ Johnny B and Richie White are equally wicked good. One of these guys loves Hendrix and will go into riffs between songs. Dougie Write plays bass and Marty E drums. There is a good reason this is the hottest band in New York. Dirty Pearls is just plain wonderful.
The music is fast, hard and sharp. Breaks are clean and hooks all over. Lyrics are snappy, snotty and smart. Triplets show up a lot. In “Sucker for a Sequel,” we hear “say, say, say;” “fight, fight, fight,” Either ripping off the Beatles’ yeah, yeah.yeah’s or The Damned’s “Neat, neat, neat.” Either way, they have excellent taste. In “Hollywood La,La,La” more of those three-sies. Must be their lucky number.
Called Retro Rock by people who don’t know any better. Very Ramones with shades of J. Giles and maybe a dash of Thin Lizzie; The Dirty Pearls have a strong fix on the bluesy rock with a lot of attention to details, musicianship and song structure. You know, like they have a beginning, middle and end. And you can actually tell the difference between different songs.
They sounded even better the next night at the Dragonfly. Big evening with several bands on the bill. We missed the Sex Slaves and Culture Killers to our shame and regret. Gonna catch the C Killers at the Blackboard Jungle 25th Reunion Show at the Viper on June 6th. No wait, it’s only the 7th Anniversary or is it the 6th? Kenny?
http://www.myspace.com/steelpantherkicksass
www.myspace.com/blacklistunion
http://www.myspace.com/thedirtypearls