The Northwest Ordinance CD Release Show w/The Lions Rampant & The Goody Two Shoes 2.16.08

...on a rather mild Saturday night for February, we wandered down the Oregon Express to catch we were certain was to be a grand night of raunchy rock n' roll. Well, let us say we were by no means disappointed....

...as we arrived, there seemed to be a bit of stir over opener Waterbear's early dismissal from the stage. Various accounts circulated as to the reasoning, but it seemed as if the evening had started late and was running behind, thus the soundman made a judgment call to cut their set short. Alas, the rock pressed on as The Goody Two Shoes took the stage, dressed impeccably in vintage attire as always. With requisite technical difficulties and tuning a standing concern, the band still managed to throw out a handful of somewhat engaging tunes. While the audience seemed to enjoy it, we continue to be bemused by the whole experience....



...we then made an attempt to swing over to the Nite Owl and catch some of the more nuanced indie pop flavors on tap this evening. We rolled in just in time to catch the beginning of Pomegranate's set, who were up from Cincinnati. With their audience fully in singalong mode, the band launched into some perfectly crafted indie pop, guitars winding fluidly around the steady pulsations of the rhythm section as the songs gracefully variated between subtle and bombastic, often recalling a litany of 80s British guitar heroes. While we only caught a few songs, we're eager to hear more from this young band...


...upon returning to the Oregon Express, the stage erupted with the sound of Cincinnati's The Lions Rampant. With this being their second visit to the Gem City within a month, the audience was primed for the band's blistering brand of blues-infused garage. Digging deep into the most primal elements of rock n' roll, The Lions Rampant remind us all that rock n' roll is, in fact, very much alive...




...in celebration of the release of their debut album, State of Ohio, The Northwest Ordinance took to the stage in Mexican wrestling masks and proceeded to launch into their patented brand of staggering punk. Drifting from straightforward punk to staggering, lurching rhythms, the band demonstrated its unique range of interpretation. While some implied that a little more shine would be nice, it seems as if this band thrives on the brink of collapse. As the band mixed in new material alongside songs from their album, the audience whipped itself into a frenzy, concluding the evening in pure rock n' roll bliss...