Hands down, the best concert I've witnessed this year was Tom Waits at the Opera House in Detroit. Up until now, my second favourite show was a toss-up. I've been to several spectacular gigs, but none had emerged as the clear cut silver medalist. That's changed now after seeing The Asylum Street Spankers.
Tonight's gig was my second Spankers experience. The previous night I headed to Tower Records in Shinjuku to watch an in-store performance by the Texas sextet. Admitedly, I knew absolutely nothing about the act. I simply thought they had a cool name and was in the area so I checked them out. Jaw droppingly good, as soon as they finished their short acoustic performance I knew I had to see them again.Formed in 1994, The Asylum Street Spankers have spent the last 12 years crafting their unique, and often innovative blend of country, jazz, blues, rock, punk, and hip hop. The ensemble works a wide array of instruments into their sound including double bass, washboard, musical saw, ukulele, mandolin, fiddle, and even a rubber chicken! 
"How you doing, fuckers? Good to see ya," screamed washboard player Wammo early into the act's rollicking 100 minute Quattro set. The slightly older crowd of Japanese and expats cheered in response and continued to do so throughout the fantastic performance. Beginning with "Everybody Loves My Baby" from their most recent effort, Mommy Says No!, the Spankers worked in rousing cuts from throughout their career, along with a few tracks from individual members' solo discs and some covers to boot.Wammo along with fiddle/mandolin/ guitar player Sick were the two coolest cats on stage, no easy feat when you are surrounded by so many talented folks. Wammo's custom washboard was one of the most badass musical instruments I've seen in a long time. Fitted with shoulder straps so that it hung like a large, metal backcatcher's chest pad, it had a cowbell and a cymbal mounted on its corners. A very boisterous dude, he cracked jokes with audience members and his bandmates when not playing washboard, harmonica or singing. The mohawk and tattooed Sick added a definite punk edge to the band's acoustic stylings. Stepping to the mic to sing a bluesy song about New Orleans, the charismatic musician channeled Tom Waits with his deep, animated singing and gritty lyrics. 
Wammo brought out Hiroshi Asada from music promoter Tom's Cabin to translate a short speech for him. He said that the band were going to mix two styles that he always felt had a lot in common - gangsta rap and country murder ballads. Donning a pair of sunglasses Wammo stood front and center and started waving his arm from side to side while dropping southern rhymes over the country "beat" supplied by his bandmates. Sick jumped up to serve as back-up emcee part-way through and the two started shaking their behinds to the wonderful "hick hop" being turned out. Someone started squeezing a rubber chicken towards the end of the number with the sqeaking noise sounding exactly like a DJ scratching.
After working a little Sabbath, Skynard, Zepplin, and Sex Pistols into their set The Asylum Street Spankers wound things down a cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Closer." Everyone made a barnyard animal sound during the well-known chorus as attendees laughed along. A rip-roaring eve of awesome music and showmanship, I'll definitely be amongst the first to line up for a spanking the next time the group is in town.
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report by shawn and photos by hanasan |
| photos : Uri Nakayama / Asylum Street Spankers Part1 / 2 |
 mag files : Asylum Street Spankers ビールの飲みすぎはお尻ペンペンです : (06/09/18 @ Yokohama Thumbs Up ) : review by taiki, photos by hanasanTwisting Minds And Tanning Behinds : (06/09/17 @ Shibuya Club Quattro ) : review by shawn, photos by hanasan酒があって、笑顔があって : (06/09/17 @ Shibuya Club Quattro ) : review by funabashi, photos by hanasanphoto report : (06/09/17 @ Shibuya Club Quattro ) : photos by masayophoto report : (06/09/17 @ Shibuya Club Quattro ) : photos by hanasan |
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The official site Asylum Street Spankers http://www.asylumstreetspankers.com/ check 'em? -->  The latest album  "Monny Says NO!" ( ) |
previous works "Pussycat Bootleg Series, Vol. 2: Live Rarities 2000-2004" (US import / 国内盤)
"Strawberry: Bootleg Series, Vol. 1"(US import / 国内盤)
"Mercurial"(US import / 国内盤 / )"サイドショー"(国内盤) "Nasty Novelties"(US import) "My Favorite Record"(US import / 国内盤 / )"Spanks for the Memories"(US import / 国内盤) "Dirty Ditties"(US import) "A Christmas Spanking"(US import) "Spanker Madness"(US import / )check the albums? |
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