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Pain and Pleasure

Fashionable Diversion: Local punks Diversion showed off their musical makeover at the Vets Hall Aug. 13. Herbert and company deliver a punishing Vets Hall show By Matt Koumaras FOR THOSE ABOUT to rock, Herbert saluted its fans with a short but spectacular set Aug. 13 at the SC Vets Hall. To label the band a copy of Black Sabbath would be an injustice. Besides, Mike, their ace guitarist, still has all 10 fingers working wonders, and Mat hasn't desecrated the Alamo--although I wouldn't put it past him. The brutal bass loops Mason drove home on "The Monster" were as vivid as seeing a Wilson Phillips liposuction session during dinner time. Mat's punishing vocals on "Somewhere Close to Nowhere" were neck high in doomed power. Steve and drums underwent an orgasmic exorcism on "Buried in Greed." "The Warsong" and its jackhammer intensity were fueled by Mike's three-second fills, which make me want to do bad, bad things. Diversion should make an appearance on a Jenny Jones "Musical Makeover" episode. Banished are the innocent Bad Religion worship days, replaced by 100 percent pure, unbridled metal. Mike unleashed an intense drum solo as vicious as getting the evil eye from that one Downtown Host. Chris was a metal samurai who rocked the robin dead with some lethal fret work on "Steamcleaned." And Tas pulled off some devilish vocals and solid bass work on "Stasis." Seyance worked its way through a heavy set like a trusty lawnmower plowing through rocks and weeds. Elliot on bass and Robert on drums delivered some rhythm lines on "Disease" that were so killer they should have been wearing hockey masks. Scott's guitar was interplanetary as usual, and the slide show of Hungary in the background was a hoot. My metal detector went haywire for Live Wire, indicating this band has tons of promise. It was rad seeing grandparents shaking a leg with each other in a pseudo-pit. Next time, don't cruelly tease me with the intro to "Crazy Train"--finish the job, lads. T-Mama and the LPs Demo Teresa (T-Mama) has the most incredible voice. "Lucky Girl" reminds me of Janis Joplin and Exene doing a campfire song. Teresa sings "You're driving me cra-aaaa-zy" with such possession, it cuts to the marrow and grabs your heart. Greg's swooping guitar solo climbs up to Mt. Diablo and mocks the mortals below. "Remember When" is a delicate ballad sung with such feeling that it should make all you crusty punks down a 40 of Gerber and reach out for mama. The sassy vocal question-and-answer session between Greg and Teresa on "Sweet Satisfaction" also rules--what is there not to smile about with an "If you're givin' it up, give it to me now" chant? Meat Pizza Sandwich's Greg on drums and Ryan on bass whip out razor-tight constructs. "Unpredictable" is a sultry, swing shuffle about grabbing "the bull by the horns." L.L. Cool J left a message on your answering machine, and it said, "T-Mama Said Knock You Out." Contact the band at 214 Plymouth St., Santa Cruz, 95060 or [email protected]. Upcoming Numbskull Productions brings Epitaph's Punk-O-Rama tour to the SC Vets Hall with a stellar lineup consisting of The Bouncing Souls, H20, U.S. Bombs, Straightfaced and Union 13 (8pm, all ages, $10); also Friday, Thumbs Down kicks off its tour up to Vancouver at the Cactus Club with Out. And King of Airplanes, Meyow and Sweet Nothing play Saturday. Look for fliers. [ Santa Cruz Week | MetroActive Central | Archives ]