The Greenhornes Rock Amoeba Records

In our ongoing quest to provide coverage of the best free gigs around town, LAist stopped by Amoeba Records last night to sample the amplified sounds of The Greenhornes.

This Cincinnati-based band is opening for The White Stripes this summer. Classic rock underpinnings make them a smart match for the Stripes. Although they draw inspiration from 70s bands like The Byrds and The Kinks, The Greenhornes have their own unique sound and stage presence.

Formerly a quintet, the [now] leaner trio is fronted by Craig Fox, who was a bit shy and awkward last night. His looks belied his vocals - which were passionate and, at times, raw. Drummer Patrick Keeler provided much of the punch for the songs. Although our view was obstructed, bassist Jack Lawrence's contributions were not overlooked. He helped fill out the sound and give the band it's vintage 70s feel.

From a small platform at the back of Amoeba, the trio rocked the store. So much so, that Amoeba offered free earplugs for fans and shoppers. As far as stage dynamics go, dialogue was sparse. The same goes for their interaction with the crowd. They came to play a great set, and they did just that. We wish that Craig Fox would look out at the crowd more often, though.

The Greenhornes performed several tracks off their new EP, East Grand Blues. For your sampling pleasure, here are a few clips from the show:

Would we pay to see The Greenhornes? Yes. The band had a no-nonsense attitude and simply wanted to deliver a great show. What more could we ask for? We also dug the garage-rock sound, which contrasts so much of what we hear on the radio. This was raw rock... something even the self-proclaimed "World Famous" KROQ seems to be playing less of these days.