Too Much Rock
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Saturday June 30th, 2007 at Martyrs' in Chicago, IL
The Ladies & Gentlemen, Semi Precious Weapons, V Sparks, & Little Red & The Hoods
Scott Ramsayer of The Ladies &
Gentlemen
Justin Tranter of Semi Precious
Weapons
Prescott Kagan of V Sparks
Christine Chung of Little Red & the
Hoods
[more photos]
[14M mp4 video]

Sorry too much has happened since this show, and I'm not going to be able to give you a real account this time. Here's the short version: Little Red and the Hoods was a band in search of a musical. Straight up Broadway (Rent?) most of the time with some Dresden Dolls-type moments as well. Props for the big stage show with backup singers and bubbles and baton twirling and Theremin. V Sparks might have actually been Mott the Hoople. There was a lot of glam but even more glitter sprinkled in a set that was a lot of show, but not enough go. Kiss vs. Bay City Rollers? Gotta give it up for the costumes though. Seeing the vocalist walk in those glittery platform shoes hurt my feet (and eyes). The highlight of the evening was New York's Semi Precious Weapons. The band's uber flamboyant showman was everything you could ask for: he was raunchy, he was over the top, he was talented, he can kick over his head in pointy-heeled boots, and he writhed around on the stage. Everyone – especially fans of New York Dolls – should see this band live. Who doesn't like a little glam mixed into her/his hard rock? Unfortunately, the show should have been over at that point. It was late and SPW had already had everyone up on stage for a giant dance blow out. And although locals The Ladies and Gentlemen gave it the old college try, it was no use – it couldn't compete with the energy brought by SPW. Instead the band merely delivered a solid set of power-pop fused with new wave, and topped off with a cover of "Paperback Writer." I thought the band sounded like Cheap Trick at best, but most of the time it was early 90s college rock. I wasn't surprised when I found a member of Material Issue was in the band.