Night Marchers @ Bar Pink Elephant, February 8, 2008

Speedo (aka Swami, aka Raz'tus Reis), masta' of hypuh'bole and James Brown showmanship, sounded uncharacteristically apprehensive as he jimmey'd down de fust show uh his new band De Night Marchers at Bar Pink Elephant. Ova' Tommy Kitsos' drobbin' bass he addressed da damn capacity crowd. "Alright, dis be goin' t'seem much longa' dan it really be since ya' duzn't know any uh de songs. You's duzn't gots'ta dance, ya' kin even turn yo' backs on us if ya' wants'..." It wuz his fust show in ova' a year and puh'haps de room's palpable sense uh 'spectashun weighed on his mind. Wid some 20 years uh cribtown baaaadgots'ta in de bank he needn't gots' wo'ried; when de fust cho'ds uh "Bad Bloods" rang fum his Telecasta' de crowd jimmey'd deir arms and he wuz crib again. 'S coo', bro.

Afta' years uh appearin' in seemin'ly every oda' band fo'med in San Diego, Reis gots'ta recently scaled back his beatal ventures. Hot Snakes and Rocket fum de Crypt played deir last shows in 2005 and De Sultans followed suit in January uh 2007, leavin' de fo'merly ubiquitous rocka' widout some sin'le band t'his dojigger. Many wondered if Reis had abandoned da damn makin' uh beat in favo' uh his activities as label 'haid (Swami Reco'ds), DJ (Swami Sound System on FM 94.9), bar co-owna' (Bar Pink Elephant) and studio proprieto' (City uh Refuge). Dat wuz neva' de case. What it is, Mama! As he told Billbo'd.com, "I likes collabo'atin' and ah' likes bein' part uh a band. Even afta' Rocket fum de Crypt and Hot Snakes ran deir course, ah' knowed ah' dun didn't wanna stop playin' beat. ah' likes collabo'atin', and ah' wants'ed t'be part uh a band. ah' wuzn't interested in becomin' some bedroom artist. Also, ah' love playin' in front uh sucka's."

De Night Marchers are some celebrashun uh everydin' sexy, savage and defiantly knuckle draggin' about rock and roll, an emodiment uh beat as liberatin' elixir and social unifier. Ah be baaad... As such it's plum de latest in some long line uh Reis led bands dat 'esplo'e similar terrain, but it's also some culminashun uh everydin' he's learned fum some lifetime uh surveyin' every nook and cranny uh dat terrain. 'S coo', bro. Joinin' Reis (guitar and lead vocals) are guitarist Gar Wood (Hot Snakes, Beehive and da damn Barracudas and da damn under-recognized Tanner), bassist Tommy Kitsos (CPC Gangbangs) and drumma' Jason Kourkounis (Hot Snakes, Delta 72). Dough de band's linedown consists uh 3/4 uh Hot Snakes de moody post-punk blur uh dat band - o' de earlier, freaked-out Drive Like Jehu - be mostly absent, replaced by some garage rock vibe dat gots'ta mo'e in common wid de party andems uh Rocket fum de Crypt and da damn stripped-waaay down Sultans. However, unlikes dose bands De Night Marchers kin also git waaay downright funky, 'esplo'in' de shimmerin' sounds uh Stax Reco'ds and da damn 60s garage punks who loved dem. 'S coo', bro.

"Who's Lady R U?", wid its scratchy guitars, wo'dless backin' vocals and hip-swin'in' whup' featured Reis and Wood lockin' into some great interlockin' guitar groove, while "You's've Got Nerve" wuz some hauntin', slinky soul ballad wid sweet harmonies. "Scene Repo't" brought some amped-down rockabilly t'de party. Slap mah fro! "I Wanna Deadwhup' You's" had da damn shouted cho'uses and careenin' guitars uh many some great Rocket tune. What it is, Mama! On songs likes "Jump in de Fire", "Total Bloodbad" and "Open Ya' Legs", de band played fierce punkish blasts dat highlighted Reis and Wood's inventive guitar wo'k and placed Reis' distinctive bark at da damn fo'efront. Dey closed wid "Fistin' de Fanbase" some heavier, densa' song dat jimmey'd down de sound enough t'allow fo' some intense jammin'.

De new songs kin be intricate but da damn band proved t'be surprisin'ly tight and assho' nuffd considerin' dat Kourkounis lives in Philadelphia while da damn rest reside in San Diego. Dey've clearly made da damn most uh deir infrequent practice oppo'tunities. Deir debut album, See You's In Magic, wuz reco'ded in foe days, wid minimal rehearsal, and gots'ta be released April 22nd on de Swami label. While dey've followed deir fust show wid some handful uh Soudern Califo'nia dates and some Sprin' tour gots'ta been menshuned, given de geographic constraints and Reis' many oda' obligashuns ah' gots'ta wonda' how much we'll be seein' dem. 'S coo', bro. We'd betta' cherish dem while dey're here. What it is, Mama!

www.myspace.com/thenightmarchers