The Standells – at The EchoPlex – Los Angeles, CA

As the Standells prepared to play one thing was clear- these guys had not turned into over indulgent rock stars. They struggled with technical difficulties involving stage monitors and a keyboard; Apparently they had no hired tech guys to help them out. Despite the fact that this led to some standing around while they resolved the problems, it was refreshing in a way to see that these guys were so down to earth. They looked more like dads and uncles than rebel rock n rollers and there jokes about how old they were only added to this image. It was hard to imagine these guys as the provocative garage rockers of the 1960's who struck fear into parents and censorship advocates.

After the Standells finally resolved the tech problems, Wayne Kramer of the MC5 came on stage and introduced them, saying "These guys are real heroes of mine." A clip from the opening of the 1967 film, "Riot On The Sunset Strip" played behind the stage and then the band played the song which inspired the namesake of the movie.

Things were a bit shaky with none of the guys being the vocalists that they were, but the spirit was there and the history was in the air.


These were songs that were written way before most people in the audience were ever born but people were dancing and singing along as the band played "(Sometimes) Good Guys Don't Where White," "Why Pick On Me," "All Fall Dow" and "Try It."  These are all classic garage rock tunes with some occasional psychedelic undertones and they are songs that had a Punk rock attitude almost ten years before the Ramones were conceived of as a band.

The Standells closed out their set with "Dirty Water" which had everyone chanting along.

Earlier bands who had inherited garage rock tradition had been playing all day and all of them had a bit of the Standells in them. Lords of Altamont had played a badass if campy set with a go go dancer on the side of the stage and images from "Easy Rider" projected behind them. Pierced Arrows, who compose of the core members of Dead Moon received quite a bit of fanfare. Following the Standells, Peter Case of the Nerves and Plimsouls played a solo set and was followed by L.A. Punk veterans, the Zeros.

 

-Ditch-
Big Wheel Asst. Editor

 

More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 
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