Black Mountain – The Sadies – at The Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA

March 21, 2009

The night began on a bad note. For some unexplained reason the Echoplex saw fit to hold everyone in line an hour after posted door times. I don’t know what my problem is, but I cannot be late for anything. I always arrive exactly on time and end up inevitably waiting for whatever or whoever it is I’m waiting for to be ready. You’d think I’d learn my lesson, but no. Anyways, this was, thankfully, the lowest point of the evening.

Maybe the delay had something to do with a band canceling, because (much to my delight) there was only one opening band before Black Mountain, The Sadies. You know you’re getting old and cranky when you get really excited that there are only two bands playing. I mean, usually by the time headliner plays, your feet are tired and you can only think about how you really want to eat a burrito or something. Again this goes back to me always being earlier for anything and, even if I have no interest in the opening bands I have to see them.

I swear I’d heard of The Sadies before and after an impromptu BlackBerry wikipedia search I learned that they were an alt-country band from Canada. They took the stage and launched into an epic Ennio Morricone inspired instrumental, which pretty much hooked me from there on. What I liked about these guys is that they didn’t just stick with one genre, instead they ran the gambit from country/bluegrass, outlaw ballads, surf rock, and Buddy Holly era rock and roll, and they did it all well. Sometimes bands like this run the risk of being all gimmick and no substance, but the two front men (the brothers Dallas and Travis Good) are good song writers and work really well off each other.

Next came Black Mountain. For those who have never heard them, they’re basically stoner-rock 70’s fetishists, complete with awesome riffs, Steve Miller-esque synth, and a whole lot of extended guitar noodling. One thing that struck me during their set was that I had forgotten how 75% of the songs on their albums are mid-tempo and that I always just listen to the faster songs. That’s not to say that I was disappointed, though. I fell right into a head-bobbing groove as the songs riffed by.