Boothill and Lushbox
Grand Emporium
May 10, 1999

Review by Danny Alexander

Most of the crowd seemed to be out for the campy punk of Captain Howdy, but Boot Hill's opening set made my evening. Bassist Allegra Cloud may have been wearing a bright red dress to match her bright red, glittering hair, and lead singer/guitarist Gary Cloud may have been spoofing rock star moves (a little) when he played a nasty solo behind his head, but there is really nothing campy about Boot Hill, and that's probably why they seem so much more dangerous than most of the other bands on the local scene.

Camp's primary work is to exaggerate rock to the point of some kind of amused distance. It may shock you, but it does so in a way that begs you not to take it too seriously. Boot Hill's cowpunk (or punkabilly or country punk), on the other hand, makes broad gestures and defies you to try to laugh it off. When Gary Cloud sings about his "old squirrel gun" as his mojo, you are free to laugh, but you better believe he means it, after all, he revised the lyrics Monday night to let you know about recently getting bailed out of jail and the demolition derby a stressed out Allegra staged in the couple's driveway.

This band is better every time it plays. The rhythm section (now featuring ex-Captain Howdy drummer Eric Zapien) grows more aggressive yet subtly supportive of the dynamics of each song. As stripped down as the songs are, Gary's guitar work shimmers and shines across the stage with inspiring dignity. And songs that once seemed tongue-in-cheek get in your face and stay there.

At Monday's show, "Pool of Blood" sounded more dark and menacing than ever. Essentially playing at the same game as Ice Cube's "It Was A Good Day," "Hot Dog Tattoo" made sure you felt its sting even as it made you laugh. Finally, "Rant and Rave," took on very real, personal and universal overtones considering not only what the Clouds have been through lately but also the thread that connected most of the other crowd stories I heard that night as well: "I don't want to work this 9-5/Your idea of life is killing me . . . Your idea of freedom, it ain't free!"

Lushbox also turned in a surprising set. I have enjoyed each of the three or four times I saw them before, particularly the contrast between Brad Huhmann's wistful pop and Brianne Grimmer's plaintive stands ("Judo Chop" ain't what draws me to 'em). But this set seemed far and away better, building toward something we haven't seen from them yet. Brianne seems to be singing with more bravado and conviction, and the band as a whole is playing to follow that lead. Delivered that way, a song like "Coffee" becomes the anthem against burn out it wants to be, and the unpredictable melodicism of "Niki" rocks its way past confection.

--Danny Alexander

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