Live Concert
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Southpaw, Brooklyn, April 23, 2004
After a five year hiatus, the Muffs return with their brand of poppy
punk and a twinge of country twang. Armed with just one guitar, a bass,
a drum kit and Kim Shattuck's demonic growl they packed Brooklyn's
Southpaw with everyone from old school punks to haughty hipsters to indie kids
and the just plain curious. The second Shattuck opened her mouth to sing
and simultaneously launched into the first chord of "Big
Mouth" the
crowd
roared and the ride began.
I stared in disbelief at the stage, the crowd, and even at myself as I watched
the Muffs rip through track after track of almost all of their albums with the
exception of Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow. It was like a wave of nostalgia passed
over me, taking my heart and ears back to the early '90s and making me forget
anyone was around as I belted out the words along with Shattuck, barely realizing
that my inhibitions took a hike. As if that weren't enough, each time Shattucklet go of one of her trademark howls my skin tingled and I wished they would
never stop playing.
Though the band hammered out the hits, they also offered the audience a taste
of what's to come by peppering a few new songs throughout the set. The crowd
ate up each new serving as though it were the main course and cheered when Shattucksaid the new record would be out in August.
The Muffs ended their set with two encores that consisted mainly of songs from
their first, self-titled album including the rock anthem "I Need
You." I
can't think of a better way for the ride to end than for Shattuck to sing "Something
always snaps in me whenever you're near," letting a final ferocious roar
fill the room and bringing the band to a screeching halt.
By Jim Keller
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