Ryan and I were fortunate enough to see Cyril Jordan (of Flamin' Groovies fame) play with his new band, Magic Christian Friday night. Now, before I start going off into some sort of drooling fan girl rant about how Cyril Jordan grinned at me at least twice (possibly three times) I really have to say that I sincerely enjoyed myself at this show. I can tell the kind of time I'm having by how big the grin gets on my face and Friday night it just wasn't going away at all. It is, all pleasantries aside, totally fucking awesome to see one of the people who's music you've listened to so many times, blaring out of the stereo, dancing in the corner of the kitchen singing at the top of your lungs, right there live and in person. Standing there, having that guy less than two feet away from you and knowing they wrote that song..yea, that song..the one that gets stuck in your head all infectious like. I'm glad I haven't lost that. Years of show going sometimes wears you down. You end up like the rest of them, standing in a corner head-bobbing looking somewhere between confused and bored because really you've seen this all before. Realizing you're still capable of being all starry-eyed and infatuated, well, it just feels straight out cool and that's how I felt Friday night at Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown.
I'm not sure what I expected from this quartet of old rockers. I went only hoping that I would get to hear The Groovies' Shake Some Action played live and even just that would have been enough and worth the price of admission. (And oh, how it was!) However, I was surprised. The band did play a few covers as was expected. Their version of The Who's Out In The Street was right on as was The Plimsoul's Everyday Things. For fun, and maybe as a tribute to four of the most famous pop boys, The Beatles' Any Time At All was revisited and sped up and executed perfectly. All night we were told they'd be delieving the real thing, and these boys, they did. Original song, The Real Thing is a kick ass tune with an underlying blues sound but fast enough that yes, you can in fact totally dance to it. However the highlight was the new tune Tomorrow Never Comes. With a psychedelic intro reminiscent of early 13th Floor Elevators and echoing guitar riffs that would give Pete Townshend a reason to swoon, this song is a perfect trip back to a time when rock and roll was sweet and sloppy and could get all over you in just a few long notes.
One of my favorite things about Magic Christian is that the members are a collaboration of three different bands, each instrumental in their contribution to almost three decades of rock and roll. Eddie Munoz of eighties new wave band The Plimsouls manages to make playing the bass look as easy as tapping your little hipster chunk heeled foot. I don't believe the man's facial expression changed once the entire evening and yet he was a delight to watch play. On drums, 70's punk pop darlings, Blondie's Clem Burke managed to not break a sweat as the band pumped out one fast paced jangly guitar power pop song after another. The only member of the band who does not appear to have an affiliation with any previous recorded band is front man Paul Kopf who both looks and sounds like he was meant to play with these boys. And then, there's Cyril. Really this band is his baby. Watching him on stage, rocking out with his trademark striped shirt and Plexiglas guitar, the smile and spark in his eyes not once leaving his face, you get the feeling that he needs to be there. It's in his blood and he's sincere. Granted The Flamin' Groovies were a remarkable band in their heyday, but like most good and sacred things, time keeps moving on and what we have rarely stays the same. My kudos to Cyril for not milking that horse unlike other pop rockers who utilize what they were back then to make a buck today. (Hey Chilton, I'm calling you out man!) Cyril has managed to put together a band that represents almost thirty years of rock and roll and yet manages to keep it fresh with new tunes that still keep your head bopping and your heart racing and for a little bit, it still feels like 1969, and we're there waiting for it all to be discovered.
(Been a little swamped lately with the real world. I'll try to get to posting a review of MC's Evolver within the next few days...In the meantime, I love youtube and you should too...)
Turn Up The Heat - Magic Christian (Live in Portland 9/22/07)
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