A seering performance by the British band Thee Hypnotics Tuesday night at the Zephyr Club proved once again that a rock 'n' roll recording is no substitute for a live performance on stage. Returning to America to play for the first time in three years, the five-member band gave its best with 10 solid songs before a small but comfortable crowd.
Despite those who label the band's music as psychedelic blues, Thee Hypnotics displays an "aggressive" and "hard rock" rhythm, according to lead singer James Jones. "That's what I really like, and it feels good," he said.Blasting tunes from their recent disc release "The Very Crystal Speed Machine," the band supplied the right touch of volume, never clouding Jones' dynamic voice. Beginning with an earlier track, "Earth Blues," the songs moved into their harmonic and sultry rocking ways with "Keep Rollin' On" and "If the Good Lord Loves Ya."
Lead guitarist Ray Hanson wailed away to make "Heavy Liquid" and "Tie It Up" add even more devilish force to a true performance. The addition of guitarist Dave Bush for the U.S. tour has given an extra electric jolt to a group that has waited long and hard to play again after the death of band member Craig Pike in 1992. Jones and the band dedicated "Crystal Speed Machine," which was produced by the Black Crowes' Chris Robinson, to Pike.
The Hypnotics' appearance and sound are some-what similar to the Crowes' but do not distort Jones' style. "People compare us to whomever they like," he said. "That's OK. I'm Jim Jones, and that's all!"
The true blues sound simmered brash and perfectly loud from Jones in a mild set of "Goodbye" and "Caroline (Inside Out)," hypnotic love songs that supplied ample fever for a hot summer night. The band closed out the show with an extended hardened version of "Justice in Freedom" for the psychedelic blues touch Jones felt obliged to give.
Igniting the crowd for Thee Hypnotics was Raleigh, N.C., locals Vanilla Trainwreck, a four-member barrage of guitar play with speeding tracks "Dromat" and "Sister." The band appeared right at home opening for the British band with its own hit-and-run loudness that rushes well with the slower bang of Thee Hypnotics.
Building effectively into their routine, Trainwreck ended with a hearty fashion of guitar tunes: "Jet," "Quagmire" and the frivolous romp of punk in "Florida".
The heightened sound of Thee Hypnotics on stage was the lasting echo of vibrance on the night, however. Compared to the complex but limited sound on recording, the band torched the stage aflame with a slamming rock-blues delivery and the magic of Jones' knockout scream.