Drummer Sherrlia Bailey set the tone for Welcome To Ashley's show Friday at Darkroom before her bandmates played a note. She started things off with a "Be My Baby" intro to "I Love Monday Mornings" that she slowed just enough to bring a dark side into the joyous beat.
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Then the band kicked in. "I live for Monday mornings," Coley Kennedy sang as guitarist Pete Javier ripped off sprawling notes. "On Saturdays I'm tired and lonely. On Sundays I go crazy. Will Monday never come? I'm so tired of waiting, but whenever Monday comes I will see your face."
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Welcome To Ashley played a tough, no-nonsense set which showcased their new album, Beyond the Pale. The Chicago band's performance, like the album, walked the line between the dark and light. Kennedy's vocals are a mixture of punk and British rock. They reminded me of Jello Biafra on "The Catbird Bird." Even on an upbeat song such as "Gotta Get Back to You," Kennedy snarled his vocals with attitude while looking like a cross between Buddy Holly and Joe Strummer.
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"These Dreams of Mine" sounded like a Strokes hit. Javier provides much of the light in the music with his economical, power pop playing. Bailey is an authoratative force on the drums and lays down a big hammer as she snaps her wrists like mousetraps. Bassist Jeremy Barrett doubles down on the beat to dig deep grooves that push forward.
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Kennedy sang with a little Johnny Rotten in him on "Nothing But Grey Skies Ahead," which closed the main set. "Nothing but grey skies ahead," Kennedy spewed, "and I'm particularly lonely. I think I'll drink myself to bed." He sang about starting anew in the morning, but by song's end he was back to talking about a bottle of gin as dawn begins. Dreary, indeed.
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But then came the light in an encore demanded by the crowd. "I fell in love with you on a Thursday afternoon," Coley sang on "Thursday afternoon." "Now I"m sitting in the April showers, waiting for the rain to bring me May flowers so that I can pick them all for you."
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Here's the setlist:
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I Love Monday Mornings Destination What a Day It Was For Dying The Catbird Seat Gotta Get Back To You These Dreams of Mine Bring on the Dancing Horses (Echo & the Bunnymen) Light of Love unknown song Nothing But Grey Skies Ahead -------------------------------------------- Thursday Afternoon
Welcome To Ashley was part of a three-band bill sponsored by KEXP 90.3 FM. The Seattle station puts on monthly indie showcases at Darkroom and visits the city for the Pitchfork Festival. The Ladies & Gentlemen headlined while The Viaducts opened.
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The Ladies & Gentlemen are a crunchy, power-pop band with a dose of new wave keyboards. Like any good power-pop group, The Ladies & Gentlemen, who are comprised of four guys, feature plenty of hooks. Skid Marks plays guitar and sings. His vocals were sweet and were enhanced by a slight karaoke-type echo effect. Normally I wouldn't go for that, but it fit the group's sugary sound. Bassist Lenny Deitsch contributed backing vocals.
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The Ladies & Gentlemen grabbed the crowd immediately with an epic pop opener titled "High School" on their setlist. "I Object!" was a trip to the big rock candy mountain. Scott Ramsayer's synthesizers sweetened the band's sound and added an element of coolness to it. A cover of "Paperback Writer" seemed slightly speeded up compared to The Beatles' original and that added to its thrill.
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Ex-Material Issue drummer Mike Zelenko, dressed like he had just stood up in a wedding, quickly loosened his tie and gave the band's music muscle and versatility. This is a group which believes in the structure of a pop single. That meant big hooks, a sweet sound and a minimum of guitar solos. The group breezed through its set of three-minute songs in slightly more than an hour.
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It took me a little while to notice songs were not being played in the order of the stage setlist so I didn't identify some early ones. Here's a partial setlist (some titles may be in setlist shorthand):
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High School I Object! Space Invaders Whatcha Doin? Kiss U Goodbye Paperback Writer (The Beatles) Only One I Wanted The Dance Floor ---------------------------- When You're a Boy --------------------------- Nobody Home
The Viaducts are a three-man outfit fronted by guitarist Jimmy Rane. I appreciated the conviction he poured into his singing of his straight-ahead, heart-on-his-sleeve songs. A number such as "Drive-Thru Girl" might seem laughable on the surface, but on a certain level there was a similar desperation for a connection below the surface in it that can be found in Bruce Springsteen's "Queen of the Supermarket."
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The band came alive late in the set on "Tell Me Sister" with bassist Philip Freeman and drummer Zoom adding to Rane's songs. They kept the good vibe going for the final two songs, "Real Love" and "I'm Your Man," which featured a fun false ending before Rane introduced the band. He earned points for humor when he introduced himself matter-of-factly as "Leonard Cohen."
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The setlist:
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It's Just Part of the Game Drive-Thru Girl Suffering Now That You're Gone It's Recognized Monster's Memory Right on Schedule Dove Bar Tell Me Sister Real Love I'm Your Man
