Kay Hanley & Superdrag @ Troubadour, 5/28/08

The band played mostly tracks from Hanley's new album Weaponize, but they did throw in "Here and Now", "Rim Shak" and "Awake" from the Letters To Cleo days, which was fun. The new songs showed off a harder edge in Hanley's voice than I knew she could muster; I especially liked "Take It Like A Man" which she dedicated to a friend in the crowd and apologized for the argument that apparently inspired it. Another favorite was "Tell Him No", which has a great chorus with catchy Oh's. You can hear samples of the album and purchase it on her website store. It doesn't seem to be on Amazon or iTunes yet, but both her solo EP Babydoll and previous full length Cherry Marmalade are available.

The venue had slowly filled during Hanley's set, and when Superdrag came out, it was to an enthusiastic, packed house. I'll confess that despite having heard their name forever, (and occasionally mixing them up with Supergrass), I only really knew the big hit, "Sucked Out". But the band was so ridiculously tight, and the songs so consistently good, that they're easily a new favorite of mine. I don't care if I'm late on this; Changin' Tires on the Road to Ruin was just released last year, and the song "Keep It Close To Me" from that album was an awesome experience, with the crowd singing along for the entire first verse and chorus. Nice to find out your favorite from a live set is from the band's current cd; usually you have to dig a little.

Bassist Tom Pappas is quite a character (the original remaining members are singer John Davis, of course, and drummer Don Coffey Jr.). In an At The Drive-In or Matt Stone type afro, bell-sleeved blouse and bell-bottoms, Pappas stood out a little from the plain-old-rock n' roll tee shirts and jeans on Davis and guitarist Brandon Fisher, and he joked around with the crowd, sometimes in a robot voice. Davis sported a casually sexy Tennessee accent and chewed gum throughout the set. Someone male in the crowd yelled, uncertainly, "I wanna have your children!" and Pappas laughed, asking, "Is that like a babysitting request or what?"

"Sucked Out" obviously got a big reaction from the crowd, but other great ones, if memory serves, were "Pine Away" from the same album (Head Trip In Every Key) and "Remain Yer Strange". I have to say they were one of the tightest bands I've ever seen. It was a really fun show overall, with an enthusiastic crowd, and I left feeling the 90s really were a decade to be proud of.

Hammer pants aside.

All photos by Stephanie Jacobson for LAist via camera phone