Midnight Masses, Ghost Knife, Dead Space, Gloves
North Door, Jan. 2The best Free Week bills show off Austin at its most eclectic, as reflected by this North Door gig. After three tunes from visiting Chicago electrofunkateer Netherfriends, Gloves came on in long-sleeved black T-shirts and gold chains for a brief set of post-punk pop as heavy on groove as on unconventional chords. The Dead Space grimly filled in its eponymous condition, the local trio’s wall of guitar reverb, resounding bass chords, and aggressive drums giving it a propulsion not often found in likeminded Joy Division worshippers. Fronted by the Riverboat Gamblers’ Mike Wiebe, Ghost Knife reiterated the easy pleasures of traditionally minded pop cranked up past 11, the singer cutting up between catchy riffs and sing-along choruses. Headliner Midnight Masses pushed the soul-soaked prog rock of its long-gestating debut LP Departures into Hawkwind territory. Despite the space rock anthemry, however, the songs are grounded. James Brown in Phil Lynott’s body, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead member Autry Fulbright led his six-string-centric band deep into the cosmos, aided by the relentless drumming of his TOD bandmate Jason Reece.
This article appears in January 9 • 2015.
