Show Review: Gluehead, Laurel Canyon, Superswell, Joudy at Arlene’s Grocery. March 23rd, 2024.
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“There’s free Jäger shots at the bar”
March 24, 2024
Back again so soon? Yes, another night at Arlene’s Grocery, what can we say. We’ve got some special coverage off the beaten path coming next weekend but last night we witnessed Gluehead, Laurel Canyon, Superswell, and Joudy lay down the rock gospel.
Gluehead took the tried and true quiet/loud/quiet dynamic for a joy ride, juicing it up to a loud/louder/loud dynamic. Some songs were part of a soundtrack to warp speed space travel with a thundering rhythm section barreling relentlessly into the future. Lead guitar was a piercing melody that surfed on these massive supersonic waves. We wrote all this down in real time and then they revealed a slow ballad, so they had a whole bag of tricks. But themes remained, at the ballad's climax Gluehead tried to throw the thickest sound they possibly could out of the speakers.
You’ve heard of the Blues Brothers, but have you heard of the Psych Rock Cousins? That was Laurel Canyon. Suits, ties, and a Rickenbacker bass and guitar coupling made this group feel right. They say never get high on your own supply, and for good reason. This was some great shit. Laurel Canyon had full faith in what they were selling, and we bought it. They delivered number after number of gritty and fun rock and roll. They were disciples of the riff, and so are we. We were fascinated by Nick Cave Jr. on vocals/second guitar. A big standout were the great lyrics full of attitude and with two lead singers the vocal narratives really drove these banging songs.
Superswell was vigorous, with the articulate energy of prog rock. Second guitar wielded a sweet Paul Reed Smith, we love those bird inlays. Vocals were belting, so much so the lead vocalist prepped two cups of water on stage before starting. They took another spin on the quiet/loud/quiet dynamic, turning it into a simple on/off switch. When it was on though, things were really ON. There was a transcendent moment when all the lights turned red and the lead singer jumped into the center of the audience.
Joudy opened with a noise intro that was akin to watching a standing rocket launch off the ground. They stood colorless, dressed all in black, which curiously gave their sound more color. Does that make sense? Bass was deep and melodic, like a low frequency snake crawling a slow S shape through the noise. They used noise as an effective tool to build suspense. Sometimes acts encourage the audience to come closer to the stage. Joudy brought the stage to the audience, leaping off of it to rip guitar solos in the crowd.
Another great night at Arlene’s Grocery. We’re excited to see these bands in bloom in spring. Connect with them on social media below to catch their next show!
