Upstairs and Downstairs at the Labor Temple

Upstairs, in the Union Hall, Eddie was fronting Blessiddoom, while devoted fans leaped and knocked each other around the dance floor.




Downstairs, in the Union Club, Mudslide Charley was delivering a truck load of danceable blues.






Often, I have mentioned on this blog how much I love Missoula and the music scene here. Now, I want to stress how much I appreciate diversity. One might expect an old coot, such as I, to lean to the oldies, but I always want to hear something new and different. I also love bands, who never do the same song quite the same way. Long live improvisation! Praise innovators of all stripes!

Regular readers know some of the bands I love in Missoula. Mudslide Charley has appeared here often before, along with Zeppo and Black Velvet Elvis. The iNHUMANS have received a lot of coverage, lately. I will continue to follow these groups, whenever I can, but I want more. Hell, I want it all, but the universe doesn't work that way.

This was the first time I had seen Blessiddoom, since the PBR battle of the bands, back in March. They surprised me then, and I thoroughly enjoyed their performance. I want to see more of them. The other night I saw Walking Corpse Syndrome, playing down in the Palace. They had two drummers creating a complex rhythm foundation for a metal sound worthy of more attention. They are another band I hadn't seen since PBR in March. They made my ears bleed and convinced me of the need for ear plugs. Still I wanted more.

When the American empire has steamrolled the world, and everyone is wearing Levis and Nikes, eating McDonalds and KFC, and drinking Coke or Pepsi, I'm moving to another planet or dimension, because it will be too damn boring to live here.