First, my apologies to the The Beauvilles.  A late arrival and camera difficulties prevented me from shooting their excellent opening act.  But, a little birdie on Friday let me listen to the band's newest LP, Whispering Sin, and it has the potential to be one of the best local releases in quite some time.  Check out www.thebeauvilles.net for a release date.

As for The Warlocks, living up to their former namesakes, The Velvet Underground and The Grateful Dead, was a difficult task at first.  Frontman Bobby Hecksher, a Tampa native, struggled to find his vocal range with tracks like "Whips of Mercy," but gained ground and energy toward the end of the set with "So Paranoid" and "Isolation."  Once The Warlocks locked onto a solid rhythm, Hecksher was free to release himself and it showed in "Worn Thin," when he relinquished his guitar to a fan and joined the crowd for a some spirited drone-dancing.

The Black Angels were not going to let themselves fall behind.  Passing the bass guitar round like a hookah, the Angels assisted Stephanie Bailey on drums, with Nate Ryan and Kyle Hunt adding beats to "Manipulation" and "Better Off Alone."  Christian Bland proved to be a guitar savant, leading most of the popular riffs in "Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven" and "Young Men Dead" from Passover.  Vocalist Alex Maas, with tamborine in hand, exhibited his best Jim Morrisson, soaring above the fray, his skin painted in the light projection display by Adam Demetri.  At one point, I think Demetri used archive footage of atom bomb drill maneuvers, an appropriate choice considering Bailey's incessant beats (the chick must have sweated out a gallon of fluid).  I can't imagine what the show would've been like on acid.  I was on Red Bull and Vodka and swore I saw fractals.

photos by Michael Rabinowitz

Lead singer Bobby Hecksher, finding his groove.

This dude has the "too cool to be playing" look down pat. 

Here, dude.  Think you can play drone?

That's it?  Just three chords?

Black Angels' singer Alex Maas

Nate Ryan

Stephanie Bailey thinks spinning classes are for pussies. 

Christian Bland was anything but bland on lead guitar.

Did you ever wonder how big the Universe really is?

Anna godda davida, baby!

The rods and cones in my eyes are crumbling!!!!