Despite the silly names and the outward appearances, this certainly wasn't a safe rock 'n' roll show, by any means.
Instead, the Goo Goo Dolls and the Muffs, two East Coast bands with ties to the New York hard-core scene, whose names sound almost like harmless childrens' toys, showed a Thursday night Zephyr Club crowd what rock 'n' roll is all about - taking chances and playing no-frills rock the way it was meant to be played.The headlining Goo Goo Dolls, a Buffalo trio whose members look like they belong in Bon Jovi (singer/guitarist John Rzeznik), Drivin' 'n' Cryin' (bassist/singer Robbie Takac) and the Beastie Boys (drummer George Tutuska), respectively, certainly didn't sound like the sum of their appearances. What they did sound like is a furious, fast-paced mix of much-missed Minneapolis quartet the Replacements and early power-pop pioneers Cheap Trick.
For example, the numbers by Rzeznik (who looks perilously like Jon Bon Jovi), "On the Lie" and "We Are the Normal" (from their justly praised "Superstar Car Wash," the best major-label release so far this year), sound suspiciously like lost songs from the Replacements' "Tim" LP (not too surprising since the latter was written by former Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg). However, live, the band put an indelible stamp on each, especially "We Are the Normal," which they humorously mutated into "We Are the Osmonds," a snotty statement aimed at the Salt Lake crowd.
Even better, when Takac (a dead ringer for Drivin' 'n' Cryin's Kevn Kinney) took center stage, with raging guitar-smoke numbers like "Lucky Star," "So Outta Line" and "Up Yours," the band showed a devastating crunch, in particular on the latter, which got some Zephyr patrons (a more casual dancy crowd) slamming.
Not to be outdone, though, Rzeznik performed brilliantly (but all-too-briefly) on the solo acoustic number, "Two Days in February," a pretty anthem that's not nearly as sickeningly sweet as most songs of its ilk these days.
The band's musical mix of crushing power-pop, bruising hard-rock and punk-styled raveups makes it unique. Fortunately, they're even better live, as most song tempos are wound almost uncomfortably tight.
About the only negative thing you could say about the band's set is that it almost entirely consisted of songs from "Superstar Car Wash" and "Hold Me Up," their two major-label releases. But they can perform some of their older songs (like their mugging of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" and "I'm Addicted") next time they come back (please?).
Openers the Muffs definitely proved a difficult act to follow. The new quartet from former Pandoras singer/guitarist Paula Pierce, the band sounded like a cross between Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and the Ramones, two late-'70s and early-'80s legends.
"I Do" and "Old Rust" were solid (if not spectacular) examples of two-chord punk-rock, with great musicianship. Elsewhere, "Can You Hear Me?," "Help You Out" and "Get Me Out of Here" showed off a grungy side comparable to L7.
Best of all, though, the mock-country swinger "Another Day" and the sneering put-down "Horse Face Abby" were snotty, furiously paced roof-raisers.
Despite some early indifference by the crowd (much of which seemed to be rolling in from the Jazz game), the Muffs even got excited by what they were doing, spitting on one crowd member who wanted to shake his booty rather than slam his body.
Although only about 150 people eventually showed for the concert, kudos for the Zephyr Club for bringing such a brash and raging show. Hopefully, next time more people will be there to appreciate it.