See the full 45-photo slideshow from Summer of Weirds 2012 at Churchill's Pub.
Summer of Weirds III
With Xela Zaid, Sharlyn Evertsz, Ed Wilcox, The Jellyfish Brothers, Rose Quartz, Mr. Feathers, Crucial Taunt, Luma Junger, and This Heart Electric
Churchill's Pub, Miami
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Better Than: Taco Tuesday at a norm bar.
To Weirds or not to Weirds? That is the question. The answer, of course, is ... To Weirds.
Last night at Churchill's Pub, South Florida's premiere freeform music showcase held its third annual summer blowout. Check out the highlights after the jump.
This Heart Electric
Though the event's name might imply a consistently freakadelicized lineup, The Night of Weirds doesn't rely exclusively on the avant-garde. In fact, many times the "weirdness" in question isn't even about individually strange acts. Instead, a sense of the "weird" is caused by the cumulative experience of a supereclectic concert. So fittingly enough, This Heart Electric -- featuring Ricardo Guerrero on acoustic and Dino Felipe manning percussion -- opened the proceedings with breezy, beach party hazers that recalled a more attractive, better dressed Violent Femmes.
Luma Junger
The night's rock music prologue continued with Luma Junger, the Internet's favorite band.
Ed Wilcox
Cult free-jazz percussionist Ed Wilcox played at the very first Night of Weirds five years ago. And last night, he did a thorough job of justifying the night's namesake. His psychedelic style (free improv unfolding like a multidirectional, multidimensional plane rather than a linear succession of beats) paired with soulful, somewhat eerie crooning recalled a minimalist Captain Beefheart.
Rose Quartz
Formerly No Milk and Ant Parade, Rose Quartz traveled from Tampa and commanded the audience's attention with pulsing, ethereal, ghost-lectro.
Mr. Feathers
On the other end of the spectrum, Mr. Feathers and the rest of the Creature Tweaker Council had the Churchill's back patio on lockdown. Anyone sick of the rock 'n' roll and/or freak shit inside the main room could find shelter at this mutant e-music satellite show.
Sharlyn Evertsz and Xela Zaid
Both of these solo performers had the room overflowing with sound despite a lack of band members. The former used guitar, vocals, and assorted electronics to build a pummeling wall of sound. The latter retained a little more groove, though dissonance was still the name of the game.
Jellyfish Brothers and Crucial Taunt
Noise and rock 'n' roll go together like peanut butter 'n' celery. The Jellyfish Brothers picked up the summer vibes where This Heart Electric left off. But the Jellyfish infused the formula with a bit more traditional surf riffage and a chunkier, harder sound. Meanwhile, Crucial Taunt -- featuring members of Snakehole, Dyslexic Postcards, and Curious Hair -- were the garage-punk equivalent of a train running off the rails. At the most explosive, they recall the powerful tantrums of Jay Reatard's Lost Sounds project. Definitely a band to watch!
Critic's Notebook
The Crowd: Weirds devotees, Weirds detractors, weirdos, beardos, queerdos, New World students, New World dropouts, beauty school dropouts, DASH kids with fake IDs they didn't need, and a middle-aged gentleman wearing a backpack who looked like a Disney World tourist that had been kidnapped and then left for dead on Tralfamadore.
Overheard In The Crowd: "This is it! We're here! Churchill's Pub!"
From Stage 1: "I wrote this song for Boise Bob fifteen years ago." - Mr. Entertainment
From Stafe 2: "I don't even know your name." - Mr. Entertainment, speaking to Andrea Knight after she jumped on stage to accompany his solo guitar playing with a little rhythm from the backline drum kit set up on stage.
In Conclusion: Once and for all, Summer of Weirds III proved that, sometimes, sequels are worth indulging.
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