Luna/Liquorice

Jennifer Charles would appeal to the Mazzy Star fan. Actually, the Mazzy Star fan would probably have a hard time telling Hope Sandoval from Jennifer Charles. Their marathon set (I thought it would never end) was a real tribute to Mazzy Star, it was kind of like the Mazzy Star experience. I kept wanting to yell "do Fade Into You!" This band blows.

Liquorice was in fine form tonight. Their sound was very good, Jenny and Dan have been playing together for long enough for their guitars to mesh nicely. Jenny made up some new words in "Team Player" and pulled a stupid face at Dan who laughed at her for forgetting her own song. The crowd, who was definitely ready for Luna, got a little fidgety, especially when Jenny spent about 5 minutes describing a Bates Stamper to introduce a song.

Luna was basically amazing. They opened the set with "Friendly Advice" from Bewitched and commenced to play about three quarters of the album. I figure they either don't know the material from Penthouse as well as the old stuff, or they don't like it as much. In any case, they sounded perfect--the guitar solos were long and complex, yet they never felt drawn out because they were so well done. They ended with Beat Happening's "Indian Summer" from the Slide EP and it was a beautiful thing, a spiritual experience. Penthouse may not be the greatest album ever, but Luna is a great band.

David Robbins