The Scene

Lecherous Gaze / Acid King / Kicker
Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco
January 4, 2014

Tonight was the 2nd benefit show on behalf of legendary artist Alan Forbes.  For the newbies:

On Monday, October 21st, Alan Forbes was attacked in the Lower Haight neighborhood of San Francisco. The attack left him with two skull fractures and damage to his right eye. As do a lot of artists, he has no insurance to cover the growing medical expenses. To help cover the medical expenses there are two benefit shows set up in San Francisco as well as other fundraisers.

The original bill was Black Cobra / Lecherous Gaze / Pins Of Light / Kicker... but then fate stepped in and Pins Of Light cancelled due to illness and Black Cobra were stranded in New York City by the massive snowstorms there.  All of this basically went down only 24 hours before show time!  However, in a classic case of The Scene rallying to support Alan, Acid King got their gear out and agreed to play at literally the last minute.

I was apprehensive about how crowded tonight would be given the last minute lineup shuffle.  However, when I couldn't find my usual corner Bottom Of The Hill parking space I knew that I should not have worried.   It was pleasantly crowded inside the friendly confines of BOTH when I opened the door and stepped inside. 

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!

Kicker play an old man Bay Area version of 80's U.K. Punk and feature Dave Edwardson of Neurosis on bass.  Songs about drinking pints and how life is rubbish being sung by a world weary English ex-pat who wore a "I Still Hate Thatcher" tee.  Gilman Street invaded Potrero Hill as the band's fans sang along about the rubbish of life.  Meanwhile the longhairs like Umlaut watched from the bar, but I did have a chat with my old mate Dave Ed after their set.

Kicker
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

Hometown Acid King shows are just about as rare as unicorns, so it was stunning that the band were playing their 2nd San Francisco show in only 4 months!  I'll cut to the chase and say that tonight was probably the loosest set I've seen the band play in the 20 years (!) I've known them... and I mean loose in a good way in that their bottom end groove really carved into the air and ears very deeply.  'Two Wheel Nation' was especially groove-riffic.  Acid King need to get out in their own neighborhood more often!

Acid King
[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

Lecherous Gaze feature a former bassist of the Saviours and local guitar shredder Graham Clise on guitar.  Their retro brand of 70's style Punk Rock with a bit of 70's Classic Rock sprinkled in is something I'm a sucker for...  but I'd see the band again simply to watch Clise play guitar.  He's kind of a next level player here in the 21st Century who channels 1974 here in 2014 very, very well.  High energy Lock 'N Loll!  Check 'em out.

I didn't do a merch audit, but there was ALOT of stuff for sale by the bands and Alan's Secret Serpents. Posters a-go-go! On the way back to the car, some pimply faced teenagers called us fags. Tonight was a nice way to start off the year.  It was also a nice reality check that, although the local Bay Area music scene may seem fractured, when it counts it can come together when it matters. Dogspeed to our friend Alan Forbes on a full recovery!