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After Okkervil River, we headed to see The Raveonettes. The line at the venue was enormous, at least 100 people waiting. Luckily there was a sort of back door entrance. Unluckily only one of us made it. So while Brendan got through, I tried “plan b”: running to see random bands with totally awesome names. Heading to The Beauty Bar to see The Homosexuals, I expected a show of fabulous proportions. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Homosexuals, as it turns out, were a British punk band from the late 70s. Apparently hugely influential at the time, they fell into obscurity over the years, having built themselves almost entirely on the strength of their live performances. Their one LP was released 12 years after they formed. Now rediscovered cult favorites, they’ve reformed and put on a blistering set. Even at 57, frontman Bruno Wizard channeled Johnny Rotten, giving the whole show a sense of it being a living, cultural artifact.

Next, I saw The Bloody Beetroots… a band name I couldn’t pass on. Turns out they were an Italian electro-punk duo. Dressed in WWF-style masks, they got the place hopping. But to be honest, I was a little disappointed by their flirtation with techno cliches, but then again maybe my ignorance of the genre just kept me from appreciating what subtleties they may have had. I ended the spree with Mexican indie pop group Hello Seahorse!, since I’m a firm believer that exclamation marks in a band name and good music go hand-in-hand. Hello Seahorse! was, of course, no exception. The one big shock: they closed with a cover of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind,” ending when they forgot the lyrics… at the chorus! I didn’t know that was possible.

Click ‘more’ for photos!

Hello Seahorse!

The Bloody Beetroots

The Homosexuals