Wouldn't it be cool to take a trip to outerspace, and check out what The Jetsons, Mork, and the cast of Star Trek have been up to since their Tv Shows? Therefore, considering a seat on a Space Shuttle to blast off to the moon costs millions, about $20 to hear "Spacemen 3's" music, that has the ample supply of "fuel" to project a person onto another planet, is probably a more feasible option for most earthlings.
It was a rare opportunity, indeed, to see two members of the influential band "Spacemen 3" play together, again. The two English born and raised "bandmates," Jason Pierce (A.K.A. Jason Spacemen) and Peter Kember (Sonic Boom), had enough hates toward one another they had went their separate ways in the early 90's. It has been reported Pierce's chemical dependencies were the "final straw" that broke the band's back (www.myspace.com/spacemen3 2010.)
"Spacemen 3's" run had sprung in 1982, and they were marked for "rocketing" the "shoegazing movement" from "sea to shining sea." Also, their sound is well-suited and fitting of the genres termed "post-rock,"space rock" and "neo-psychedelic." Additionally interesting, is "Spacemen 3's" goal was documented as being: "Taking drugs to make music to take drugs to." "Spacemen 3's" second album, appropriately titled "The Perfect Prescription," ignited their still "kicking" cult fan base who deem it as the band's "masterpiece" (www.myspace.com/spacemen3 2010.)
Now, one month after 4/20, Jason and Peter are to magically appear in Peter's band "Spectrum," which he had formed after "Spacemen 3" "went up in smoke."
When I arrived at The Darkroom, in Ukrainian Village, a light bulb went off in my head. The venue displayed artwork of images created by flames on fabric. Hmmmm, maybe I can make some good cash from the burn holes I have on my comforters, from all the times I've passed out in bed with a cigarette still lit in my hand? Such pieces at The Darkroom are priced at $475! And, do have obvious careful artistic skill, plus talent to them compared to my burn-hole "accidents," however.
Another surprise to me, was there weren't any green-colored species, with cadillac-sized foreheads or alien saucer-like eyeballs, inhabiting the venue to catch "Spectrum's" performance. The main age frame of the fans in earth years was 30's--they wore hip clothes, and a few seemed crazy or super-glued to the front of the stage. They weren't budging, and clearly were determined not to miss getting any "hits" of "space-rock" when Jason Pierce and Peter Kember were to take the stage, after already waiting over two decades since their alienation. Ya gotta love and admire fans who are so stuck on a band and devoted!
Almost immediately following Kemper getting up on stage, and the band playing their first song of the evening, he took a flying leap off toward the sound guy to make some adjustments. Regardless, of the intially heavily irritating sound difficulties, I was eventually "sucked in" to "Spectrum's" "minimalism" style, absent of a wide array or variation of chords, drum beats and intensity of drum pounds, as well as vocal pitch and range. Plus, Kember seductively spoke just about all of the songs they played, sounding so much like Jim Morrison's voice, I couldn't help but wonder if he was channeling him all the way from his grave in Paris, France to the U.S.A. Some dead guys are "dug" to the extent of coming up with a lot of "frequent flier miles," if you will.
Kember lived up to his noted "hypnotic otherworldliness legacy," and not a single soul dashed for the exit or "Porcelain God" from the start to finish of "Spectrum's" performance (www.sonic-boom.info/spectrum.php 2010.) The four-man set, possessed with their droning guitars, eerie theremin and keys, and typically "chill" demeanor, made them suction-cups to people's pupils. Crazy glue is known for being long-lasting and working extraordinarily well, though, too!
As expected at a "Spectrum" show, they performed most of their songs, and their one "You Satisfy Me" was the highest fan-pleasing. However, the audience's hunger for "Spacemen 3" tunes was satiated when the band performed "Revolution" and "Suicide" later in their set.
Fans "cranked out" dance moves that were "eye-brow raising"--highly unusual, yet in a refreshingly mentally stimulating and invigorating sense. For instance, there was a ballerina babe, in a 1950's-style, perfectly tailored and form-fitted blouse and pants, topped with all black stilettos, twirling, spinning, all the while "sporting" gracefully set hands and fingers.
Plus, there was a guy looking as if he was pulling a semi-truck horn while he moved his head and neck forward and backward, and marched in place to "Spectrum's" monolithic beats. Or was one to believe he had to pull an imaginary string to be able to have his extremities "come to life?"
Anyway, the opening band "Apteka," were on the other end of the scale since their pieces were wildly lively, loud to the max, and colored by unpredictable instrumental detours--I couldn't figure out where they were going to go next during their songs. Also, Apteka's drummer played with amazing strength, perpetuating lots of "Woo's!" from the rocked crowd. Their new song "Death" I suspect is strong enough, as well, to awaken a drunk passed out in her car on the railroad tracks.
In close, Jason Pierce is to continue performing in his long-living "neo-gospel" and "trance-rock" band "Spiritualized," and "Spectrum" has a new album said to be released toward the end of this year (www.sonic-boom.info/spectrum.php 2010.) I am going to make a wish upon a star Pierce and Kember will play together again soon, and have another dead guy, Timothy Leary this time, "fly in" for it!
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