The Green Lady Killers Hollywood Alley Friday, March 9
The only thing hotter than two badass rock 'n' roll chicks? Why, that would be three badass rock 'n' roll chicks. I think the packed crowd at Hollywood Alley in Mesa will vouch for me on this one.
Los Angeles rockers The Green Lady Killers made a triumphant return to the Valley with a jamming set last night. Vocalist/guitarist Lady Van Buren and drummer Cherrybomb have been refining their act since their move to the coast. The ladies are playing as hard and as fast as ever, aided by the fat bass sound of new addition Ivy Rose.
The hour-long set showed off the shiny new bassist as well as some of the new tracks the band has penned.
It's hard to imagine that GLK could have added to their sultry visage but they have with the addition of Rose. Besides striking fat chords, she brought gritty vocals, flounced on stage, walked into the crowd, flicked her hair about and dropped to her knees at just the right times, throwing her head back. She paired perfectly with Lady Van Buren as the two played off of each other and really ramped up the energy in the crowd.
Van Buren's shrills were sharp and her guitar licks wicked, while Cherrybomb laid some foot-stomping rhythms and splashy cymbals. "Psycho Ellen" and "Power" reminded us of all the things we loved about them when they were still walking down Phoenix alleys on a daily basis, but new songs like "Beautiful Loser," with its sweet-sounding melody and steady strumming showed the influence L.A. is having on the band's music-making prowess.
"We've met a lot of really cool bands, played in a bunch of new places, and have become a part of this whole different scene," Lady Van Buren says. "There's a cool rock 'n' roll, downtown L.A. garage thing they got going on."
"It's dirty and we like it," Cherrybomb adds.
"I think we've written some of the best songs we have so far since we moved there," Van Buren says. "The songs we've collaborated on with Ivy Rose are more epic."
"It was a great change [moving to L.A.], but at the same time, it's great to be home and see all these familiar faces," Cherrybomb says. "We miss the people; and there's so much good music in this state."
While openers Grave Danger, Venomous Pinks, and The Herps set the tone for the night, the ladies mingled around the crowd, exchanged smiles with old faces, and shared stories with friends.
The Green Lady Killers play again tonight at the Inkenstein Tattoo Anniversary Party.
Critic's Notebook:
Last Night: The Green Lady Killers at Hollywood Alley
Personal bias: I now have two GLK T-shirts.
Random Notebook Dump: Damn, kid, you're gonna drink that entire pitcher of Guinness all by yourself? Rock 'n' roll.
