In the spirit of fearlessly exploring the oft-scary phenomenon of tribute bands, Sound Check moseyed over to the Reed Pub Company last Saturday night to catch a face full of Motorbreath.
Around a hundred souls were holding down the wee pub's peanut shell-sprinkled floor and spilling out into the smokers' patio outside when we showed up. Once the openers were done, the smoke machines had the joint socked in and the audience had had their fill of obnoxious Nickelback hits on the sound system, the main event started at darn near the stroke of midnight.
Having the U.S. Bombs back in Bend for the second time in just a few
months, even on a Wednesday night, is nothing to complain about -
unless, of course, the doors open an hour late, you have to sit through
four opening bands (Rosey, Kronkmen, and Larry & His Flask along
with Boston-based Far from Finished) and the sound system prompts
perpetual complaints from the performers. As far as Sound Check could
tell, all the bands played exceptionally well, unfortunately that was
overshadowed by some of the other technical and logistical issues.
Pinback is a band of human beings. We suspected as much, but we had to see it to believe it.
