By Dave Miller

The Wanton Looks command attention the moment they step on the stage, even before the show starts. Their soundcheck can be more interesting than other band’s concerts. Such was the case Saturday night at Quenchers.

A quick soundcheck grew into a short delay when guitarist Inga Olson experienced equipment difficulty. Instead of letting the bump derail the band, lead singer Traci Trouble didn’t flinch. First she put out the call for replacement gear for Olson. Once that problem was being taking care of, Trouble went back to getting her bass ready. Guitarist Susie Q tossed off some “Sweet Home Alabama” licks. “Turn it down,” Trouble quipped at the perfect spot in the song. A fan followed by asking Susie Q for some Edge. Trouble’s ears perked up at the misplaced request. “What does this look like, a presidential inauguration?” she snarled, clearly irked as she issued a smackdown. Then she did a 180 and started playing The Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me,” and continued when encouraged by the crowd.

While waiting for Olson to be squared away, Trouble acknowledged the delay. "If something can go wrong, it will,” she said.

“But,” Susie Q quickly added, “it’s going to be great.”

When the flame finished traveling up the fuse, The Wanton Looks exploded into their opener, “Worst Side of Me.” “All Your Fault” and “Get Thru To You” followed in fiery fashion. The band means business when it rocks, and its stock is rising. It was the fifth time I’ve seen them play in 14 months and their talent continues to soar like that of Derrick Rose.

This show was the longest I’ve seen from them, running 12 songs and clocking in at just shy of an hour. Some of the songs are expanding a bit as was the case with “All I Want Is You,” which featured a false ending. The band continues to experiment with its stage configuration as the guitarists switched places again. Olson was back on the left side, this time with her microphone standing close to Trouble’s. The positioning effectively highlighted Olson’s sweet backing vocals, which contrast nicely against the band’s no-nonsense rock. Drummer Meg Thomas’ blistering, rapid beats are a thing to behold on “Demons.” She expertly led the band’s tempo, subtly speeding it on a couple songs including “86 Me,” increasing the urgency in the band’s sound. Susie Q sported a new glamour look. She played with an increased stage presence, fittingly next to a big “Q” logo painted on Quenchers’ wall.

Trouble telegraphed herself, wearing a shirt with her name emblazoned on it across her chest. She’s a natural frontman, and a dedicated one, too. She told the crowd she’s been sick “eight days a week.” When Thomas gave her a rimshot, Trouble emphasized, “I’m serious.” She apologized when her voice started to desert her for the final couple songs, but that didn’t mean she wanted to quit. As the magnificent closer, “Electromagnetic Force,” came to an end, Trouble was laying on the stage, ripping notes off her bass strings. She continued after her bandmates stopped playing, as if doing so was keeping her alive.  

It turned out Susie Q. was right.

Concertgoers who braved the icy roads to go to the show were rewarded all night as the opening bands brought the rock, too.

The Handcuffs took advantage of every minute they were onstage. Lead singer Chloe F. Orwell and drummer Brad Elvis head the five-piece outfit, which stormed through its set with a gloriously loud, crunching sound.

Elvis pounded the drums with a manic energy and playfulness reminiscent of Keith Moon. The band’s chief songwriter brought the beat while acting as court jester. He sported a boa early in the show before entertaining the crowd by balancing a drum stick vertically on one hand while continuing to play with his other hand. He used his sticks to signal like an airport runway controller throughout the set. A controller’s headphone protection could have come in handy as Elvis and bassist Emily Togni locked in to produce gigantic grooves that were cut from mountains.

Orwell exhibited a compelling and sexy presence whether she was playing her guitar or working the small stage with just a microphone. She projected an energy to match the sonic blasts behind her. At one point she added to the boom by lowering her mic to pick up her high-heeled boot stomping on the extended wood stage. She’s got the music in her.

The Handcuffs have a great name, even with their sound being the opposite of restrained.

It was good to see the opening band back onstage with their new singer, organist Dixie Jacobs. “Thanks for coming out,” Jacobs said. “We’re The Maybenauts. This song is about the end of the world.” And with that, the band started its first concert with Jacobs singing “2012.”

While her vocals were far too low in the mix, Jacobs looks to be a worthy addition to The Maybenauts, who were on a roll until former lead singer Leilani Frey left the band. It was a blow that would be tough for any band to take with Frey being such a natural and infectious live performer. But Jacobs looks like she’s fitting in with the band, albeit in a different way. Where Frey added a fun and poppy presence, the first impression of Jacobs is she’s more of a serious and rock musician. Her mysterious organ has also altered the vibe of the band, moving it more from glam pop to underground rock – at least on Saturday.

The Maybenauts find themselves back to being a work in progress with their new singer. Jacobs and her organ were stationed on the left side of the stage with Panda mask-wearing guitarist Vee Sonnets moving to center stage. He and bassist Ellie Maybe also handled some vocal chores, while Emily Agustin continued to hold everything together and provide a kick with her assertive drumming. The band didn’t play some of its best songs from Frey’s tenure in the band. It’ll be interesting to see what they play in future. Hopefully Saturday’s show was the start of something good and lasting. 

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