Gary Lucas/Gods & Monsters

Gary Lucas/Gods & Monsters

Central Presbyterian Church, Saturday, March 17

What made guitarist Gary Lucas' solo set so riveting hindered an otherwise brilliant performance that followed by his band, Gods & Monsters. In the Central Presbyterian Church's wood interior, towering arches and reverent ambience, Lucas provided a mesmerizing soundtrack to the 1920 German Expressionism classic, Der Golem. Donning his customary wide-brimmed hat and switching back and forth from an amplified acoustic guitar to an aqua-green Fender Stratocaster, both channeled through an armada of foot pedals, Lucas created a spectacular mélange of eerie and otherworldly sounds that ricocheted dramatically around the room. When he took the stage with G&M for the final showcase slot of the evening, the cacophony produced by five instruments overwhelmed both the PA and the room's delicate acoustics. Nevertheless, the former Captain Beefheart guitar wizard delighted his loyalists with an explosion of avant-jazz fusion and post-rock pyrotechnics from across the band's career. With former Talking Head Jerry Harrison on keyboards, they ripped through a "Poison Tree/Jack Johnson/Ghostrider" medley from their 1992 debut, a modal Abdullah Ibrahim cover, and selections from the band's new album, Coming Clean.