The Nightwatchman

Parish, Thursday, March 15

“I’d like to begin things with a bang,” declared the Nightwatchman, the nom de guerre of Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. Instead of presenting cuts of acoustic protest music, however, Morello introduced the Satellite Party’s Nuno Bettencourt and Perry Farrell, MC5’s Wayne Kramer, and Velvet Revolver’s Slash. WTF?! Bang indeed. After a gleefully freaked capacity crowd sucked down two shots of Jane’s Addiction, Morello pulled from his imminent One Man Revolution in solo mode. Such drastic gear-changing asked a lot from an amped-up crowd, but songs were received politely, and then some for RATM’s “Gorilla Radio.” Alexi Murdoch sang one before Kramer, and full crew launched into “Kick Out the Jams,” perhaps the only time with three acoustics. Mortal sound engineers would’ve melted, but the Parish’s Chris Payeur saved the day in the VU-meter department. Morello then asked Les Claypool to join the dozen onstage for “This Land Is Your Land.” Clusterfuck? Sure, but a memorable one. As the house lights arose, Morello saluted, “Have a nice weekend, but you’re not going to top that shit!”

This article appears in March 23 • 2007.

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