Takedown, Resident Clark, Moning Lisa
Grand Emporium
December 27, 1999

Review by Ryan Ashmore

If I had to make a top ten list of things not to do as a live band, number seven would probably be something like "make sure to arrange your songs so that your set does not come off as anticlimactic". In other words, the order that a band plays their songs is very important, and it's bad form to start off a set with high energy numbers only to drag the audience along for the second half. This is exactly what Takedown, tonight's openers, did. In fact, after the first half of the set was over, I wasn't even sure it was the same band playing. If it weren't for the word TAKEDOWN emblazoned upon the bass drum, I may have had to ask someone.

The first half of Takedown's set consisted of catchy, jump-around the stage poppy punk tunes. While fairly predictable in a verse-chorus-verse sort of way, I was finding it easy to get into the songs and had to resist an urge to get up and dance along. Somewhere around the middle, however, a drastic change took place. The fire seemed to have been put out, and the pop aspect of the pop punk took over. Still, Takedown struck me as a good band. My only real complaint lies in the ordering of their songs (and maybe a slight overuse of some kind of flange/phase-shifting type effect on the part of the guitar player). Punchy bass lines complimented excellent drumming, and guitar work was above average if a bit effect-heavy here and there. Without a doubt, my favorite aspect of Takedown is that every member of the band has vocal parts, and they put together some excellent harmonies. Definitely worth a look-see.

Tonight's middle child was Resident Clark. I had never heard Resident Clark until tonight, but had heard nothing but good things about them, usually describing them as a rather radio-friendly "roots pop" rock outfit. They struck me as being a bit more alternative country than pop rock, but then categories are so blurred anymore that it doesn't really matter. Hell, I'm not even sure what "roots pop" is supposed to mean. Suffice to say, Resident Clark put on a pretty damn good show. Vocalist and guitarist Ted Horrell's Don McLeanish crooning lends validity to an otherwise virtually unexplored genre in Kansas City rock, and the presence of keyboardist Joel McGinness adds enough country-esque flair (with his hat as much as his keys) to curb the appetite of any Garth Brooks fan. On the whole though, the sound of the band is more like Matchbox 20 than Brooks and Dunn, and they come highly recommended from a non-"roots pop" fan. If you can't get to a live show, Resident Clark does have a CD out, "Horseshoes and Handgrenades", on Big Deal Records.

Moaning Lisa wrapped up the night to a disappointingly smaller crowd than the previous bands, most likely as the elder showgoers were up significantly past their bedtimes. It's probably better that they had gone on home, however, as Moaning Lisa would likely have warped their fragile little minds. Loud and powerful from beginning to end, Moaning Lisa delivered a set to be remembered. Ever-so-slightly reminiscent of bands such as Big Wreck and maybe even a heavier version of Hum, Moaning Lisa, in a word, rocks. Frontman David George's powerful vocals balanced over delicately layered guitars, with driving basslines atop pounding drums define Moaning Lisa's sound. Heavy but not metal, melodic but not pop, Moaning Lisa is definitely a band this reviewer will not soon forget. With a CD entitled "Wonderful" slated for release in January, Moaning Lisa is fast becoming one of Kansas City's most popular bands. And with good reason.

--Ryan Ashmore