There were nearly as many people on stage as in the crowd at the Echo last night to witness the phenomenon that was a 35-minute set from Dark Meat, the 17-piece psychedelic rock collective from Athens, Georgia.

Dark Meat has been tearing up small venues in the South for a few years. Now signed to Vice Records, this orgiastic cacophony of punk vocals, horns, gospel, double drums, and manic prancing on the dance floor made it to Los Angeles last night.

Dark Meat immediately electrified the small but enthusiastic crowd over the course of the five song set. In closing, lead singer Jim McHugh encouraged the audience to pick up the newly re-released (and expanded) Universal Soldiers on vinyl or disc as a means to help cut into the 17-piece band's expenses, which are inflated by the exorbitant price of diesel. He then launched into the last song of the set: "This is our anthem. It's about fuckin' everything up to pieces!"

Dark Meat is in the midst of a 66 show, 50 date spring tour -- criss-crossing the U.S. in this bright green, 35-foot 1972 GMC coach tour bus. (Nick Canada)

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Listen to "Freedom Ritual" from Dark Meat's Universal Indians: