Man or Astro-man? in Seattle

This band wasn't quite the off-the-hook spectacle I had anticipated, but it sure was a lot of fun. The set opened with a lot of green hazy light and landing-spacecraft-type sound effects that reminded me of the opening of Rush's "2112." (I know, I know ... not a comparison that seems to bode well.) The band took the stage in their kitshcy pseudo-Star Trek uniforms, except for the bass player, who wore a full-fledged spacesuit with helmet. My wife (who's from Alabama and grew up in an Auburn family) noticed with amusement, "Their uniforms are blue & orange!"

From there, they took off and hardly ever let up. They were loud, and yes, their songs all started to sound the same after a while, but they were so energetic and driven that it was hard to complain. (A few of the songs had vocals, but they were buried in the mix.) The band was tight as all get-out, and the female (or astro-female) guitar player was easy on the eyes. The only times the show lost its momentum was when the drummer would step out from behind his set between songs and start rambling on the mic. It got to the point where I'd cringe whenever he'd stand up.

Clips from old grade-B sci-fi flicks kept playing on the big screen behind them, interspersed occasionally with moving star effects, as if we were cruising at warp speed (or they'd loaded an Eighties-type screen saver on the projection computer). The funniest moment of the show was when they used a theremin, and ended the song by lighting fire to it, à la Hendrix at Monterey.

Two opening acts at this one: The Audacity, a quartet from Fullerton, CA (not bad -- punky, melodic fun) and Action Bride, a five-piece from Seattle (not very memorable, except for the female member in a skin-tight silver catsuit -- although, as the set went on, she reminded me more and more of Gilda Radner's old impersonation of Patti Smith on SNL).

Missed 'em here last week and I'm sorry I did. I saw them about 10 years ago and it was, as you say, a ton of fun. Don't they have a new record coming out too?

I saw them for the first time at Austin Psych Fest a couple of weeks ago. They've never been one of my faves, but they were a hoot and a half to watch. Given how dour the demeanors of a lot of the acts the Fest were, it was refreshing to see a group having such an obvious good time. Since I'm not a longtime follower, I didn't get a lot of the between-songs commentary (and the drummer came down only once - a festival slot gives you only so much time, after all), but it was tons o' fun anyway.

Wow. I missed MOAM on their last trek through my home town. No $$$. I'd heard about them from reliable sources ca. 1993-4. I barely missed them at Tropical Heatwave festival in Tampa in 1993 since we arrived in time to find Dick Dale [whom we had made the trek to see having had our minds blown in Orlando the night before] and they were already breaking down their [elaborate] set. They finished just in time toheckle Dale while he was riding high on his awesome "Tribal Thunder" tour. I didn't get a chance to thee the lads properly until the night I trekked up to Gainesville to see them at the Covered Dish, which was the same night recorded for their "Live Transmissions From Uranus" album.

Live they were both hilarious and scorchingly intense. Their stage set encompassed a complete, projected 16mm B-movie, numerous TVs with VCRs injecting yet more b-grade sci-fi hijinx, painted backdrops, full space suits and occasional helmets. After the show, the band and several of us had a round-robin discussion on the merits of the new Star Trek film at the time ["Generations"]. I should have listened to them. It did stink.

Those early albums were incredible nitro-burning punk-surf. I actually joined their fan club - a first! The first date I had with my wife was trekking to Tampa to see them play in '95. They evolved into something a little more outré as time went on. Moving into synths and experimental influences on Touch + Go and away from their brand of surf punk on Estrus. I have scads of their amazing 7"ers - many with packaging as elaborate as their stage show. I saw them last in Asheville over ten years ago. Amused at their return. Some ex-members ran a Ticketmaster competitor in Atlanta I once bought tickets from. Their service charge was a modest $3.00.



Former TP subscriber [81, 82, 83, 84]

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The band just released its latest studio effort, Defcon 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1, a month ago — its first album since A Spectrum of Finite Scale in 2001.

Man, Delvin, you keep giving me previews of shows I'm planning to see: Residents, Specials and now Man or Astro-man?

The first place I heard of them was in record shop in Melbourne, Australia in 1995. I took my soon-to-be wife to their show the same year. They played 'Destination Venus' which turned me on to the Rezillos. Did anyone see their clone project tours? Where various clone bands played around the country?

Wow! You hadn't heard The Rezillos??!! Lucky you to finally get set right! I still can't believe I actually saw The Rezillos in 2002. That was a small miracle!



Former TP subscriber [81, 82, 83, 84]

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Just another service I offer.

Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 is next week.