DMBQ
(with zZz, Federation X)
Live @ the Sunset Tavern
Seattle, WA
By Cheryl (SugarBuzz Seattle Correspondent)
Photos by Cheryl
March 7, 2006
Psychedelic garage noise rock from Japan!
DMBQ has been stampeding the underground scene since they got together in 1988 in Sapporo, making Tokyo home since 1990. Sadly, the band recently experienced the untimely loss of their drummer, China, after the band was in a car accident while on their US tour last fall. Subsequently, their previously scheduled Seattle appearance was cancelled. Knowing China would want DMBQ to keep on rockin, they kicked off their US West Coast tour here in the Northwest.
As I entered the Sunset Tavern, I caught the last of drum and organ duo, zZz, who recently rode in from Amsterdam. Wow. Think Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek on X and Red Bull playing a sexy, disco, spaced out trance set on the playa for burners… cool stuff.
Up next to rock this Seattle joint was Federation X, consisting of a drummer flanked by 2 guitars; chugging, peeved, dirty blues rock that is deep-fried and fuzzed out along the lines of Fu Manchu. Sure, I’d sleep in the van, it rocked that hard!
Enter the somewhat androgynous skinny rocker men sporting bootleg jeans, floral print shirts and long hair of DMBQ, who’ve been tipping back the Miller High-Life tall cans all night. They kick off with rocked out 70s groove and boundless, deranged energy. Bass player, Ryuichi Watanabe’s wild mane of hair nearly concealed the two light bulbs glowing from his forehead. Halfway into the first song, Ryuichi charged some guy near the bar, seemingly aiming for his jaw with the neck of his bass, mixed around with the crowd, leaving us all fearing the next assault.
Front man, Shinji Masuko, and guitarist Toru Matsui lead the free-form jazz odysseys that weave their way into the funky groove, insane heavy sound of DBMQ, best described in their bio as “fistfights between Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin” noise wall and coordinated high-kicks.
Toru begins to play the electric guitar with a bow, as the new, drummer, Shinji Wasa, takes off to replace his kick-pedal that broke mid-set.
Taking a break outside, standing nearby some members of Federation X, some guy in a mustard-yellow hoodie walked up to us and asked, as wiped his fingers rapidly against his nostrils, “Do you have any more coke?” While a drug inquiry happens occasionally to we innocent passers-by outside of clubs, the key is that this guy used the term, “more”, which implies that we were standing there with dusty-white blow all over our faces (??). We all kinda shook our head, “no” and busted out in fits of laughter after that guy went inside.
Loud and punishing, the entertaining and psychedelic set continues, ending with Shinji with a gas mask over his face with the mic inserted inside, howling, while standing on top of Toru and Ryuichi in a heavy wave of noise and distortion as we looked on in awe.
DMBQ likes to say, “Making noise is fun!” I’m right along with ya man. DMBQ definitely puts on an entertaining show… but am paying the price for leaving my earplugs in my car last night.