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Critters Buggin & Benevento/Russo Duo :: 10.16.04 :: Stella Blue :: Asheville, NC
I couldn't argue with anyone after I slipped out of Stella Blue last Saturday night. A mere three hours earlier I was second-guessing a $15 cover charge for a combination of bands I'd never seen before, and I may have just as easily walked away from the venue altogether if I hadn't planned on meeting some friends for the show. As a resident of Asheville, NC I have begun to realize how spoiled we are by the amount of quality live music passing through the mountains. This evening was no exception. On the bill this night was an eclectic mix of two Ropeadope groups, Critters Buggin and the Benevento/Russo Duo.
M. Benevento & J. Russo :: 10.16.04 |
Marco Benevento and Joe Russo are the driving force that is The Duo, and they opened the show at around 10:40 p.m. to an intimate audience. I was basically standing in Joe's bass drum as the crowd packed in from the very start. They began the set with a few tracks off their album Darts. I stared in awe as Russo effortlessly chopped his way through staples from The Duo's repertoire. The music seemed fresh to me, not combed-over or forced. I also got a chuckle at how adept Russo was at simultaneously juggling drumsticks and lighting cigarettes on the fly. The Duo had the full attention of the crowd from the onset, which displays a rare quality needed by live performers: the ability to engage the audience. With their upcoming CD due out in January on Ropeadope, they introduced several songs to the Asheville crowd. Some notable highlights off the new album included "Vortex," a mellow rocker that builds to a climactic ending. The four-minute "Becky" was co-written by Marco and Joe and has a Beck-like feel and is the new disc's potential hit single. They also unveiled "Scratchitti," which Marco described as their "hard, death-jazz rock tune." He noted that both Skerik and Mike Dillon guest on the upcoming album.
Skerik :: 10.16.04 |
The set also featured a memorable sit-in by Mr. Skerik himself, who tossed his sax into the fire early in the evening. He emerged for a cover song named "Sabbath," written by the amazing pianist Brad Mehldau off his album Largo. Amusingly, the heavy undertones of the song were reminiscent of a little known band you may have heard of called Black Sabbath. Brad Houser also stood in with the band, holding down bass duties for a version of Led Zeppelin's "What Is And What Should Never Be." The night pressed on and I looked around the room. I felt happy with Stella Blue's significant crowd, since lately the revered venue has been taking a backseat to the Orange Peel, a newer presence within the growing downtown music scene.
Around midnight, Critters finally landed on stage and hit the ground running. Skerik came out wearing a swami's turban and started the show off with some stage banter. The band immediately launched into a stormy, heavy sax-driven funk tune. As Critters aggressively stomped through their older material, it seemed as if the Critters' punk-jazz or punk-funk was quite a shock to the jam-friendly Asheville crowd. Not being that familiar with the band, I imagined this show must have been a jewel for rabid Critters fans.
Skerik :: 10.16.04 |
They went light on the tunes off their latest Ropeadope release Stampede, instead providing fierce versions of "Snaggletooth" and "Hello Kitty" from the rare release Monkeypot Merganser. The old school feel continued as they attacked the crowd with classic like "MT. Blasta" and "Shag," off Host and Guest respectively. Skerik ventured out and at times, adding fills on the keyboards to accompany his signature sax contributions. These runs added an ambient aspect to the music, but it's unlikely he'll be retiring the brass for the boards any time soon. One of the biggest highlights from the set came when Benevento resurfaced and sent the crowd into a frenzy as the group tore through a hectic version of "Floride" off Bumpa. This fierce collaboration pit Benevento and Skerik dueling back and forth almost uncontrollably, building a menacing wall of sound. "Panang," off Stampede, was the encore for the evening's performance. This version was extended as both Benevento and Russo added complimentary layers and fills to accompany Critters.
Surprised by the ever-mellow Asheville audience, Skerik had earlier praised the crowd's intense concentration. Truthfully, I think his sonic maelstrom severely blew the minds of more than a few locals that evening. In the end the crowd was more receptive to The Duo as they set the table for the oft-shocking and eclectic Critters Buggin. I've heard this was one of the larger crowds that Critters has played to here, so I'm sure more people will be buggin' out when the Critters come back through the mountains of Asheville.
All Words and Images: Chris Gaspar
JamBase | North Carolina
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