29 Oct 11 - part 2

"...we [The Hot Sauce Committee] promise to pick up where Jerry left off..."
Brian

"...tonight, we're Nirvana ...tomorrow Prince ...the next day, your mother..."
Stephen of Model Stranger as Kurt Cobain

After an afternoon of polka at the library, it was time for some hot sauce at Elbo Room, blogspot readers. Dressed in her Halloween costume, SouthSide rocked the night away with other costumed (and non-costumed) revelers who were excited to witness the debut of The Hot Sauce Committee. This new local cover band features Serv (formerly lead vocalist of Moxxy) on vocals, Brian (formerly lead vocalist of The Branded) on guitar and backing vocals, DJ Volley (aka Matt the loveable Elbo Room door guy) on mix tables and backing vocals, and Pauly on drums. Also rockin' the stage to help celebrate THSC's debut show was The Who (aka The Plastic Boots), Sly & The Family Stone (aka Bullet Called Life), Nirvana (aka Model Stranger) and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (aka Lucid Ground).

The Plastic Boots drummer Aaron won a SouthSide Halloween award for the BEST Keith Moon impersonation throughout Plastic's performance as legendary The Who while covering classic hits like Can't Explain, Pinball Wizard, Behind Blue Eyes, Who Are You and Won't Get Fooled Again (complete with the famous primal Jimmy Page scream ...it wouldn't have been the same without it). Bullet Called Life won a SouthSide Halloween award for the BEST soul/funk band impersonation of 70s Sly & The Family Stone, blogspot readers. Dressed in in a Charles Schultz Peanuts theme (she liked last year's Star Wars theme), this band totally nailed the vibrant music and funkified sound that also featured a smokin' HOT rhythm section while performing classic hits like Dane To The Music, Everyday People, Everybody Is A Star, Hot Fun in the Summertime and Thank You For Lettin' Me Be Myself. The classic song, Higher, wildly blew the roor and fired up the creowd thus nearly topping their Pink Floyd impersonation which included the song Echoes. Meanwhile Model Stranger front man Stephen won a SouthSide Halloween award for the BEST impersonation of dead grunge rocker Kurt Cobain during Model's performance as Nirvana. His blonde hair and mannerisms brought this raspy vocalist back to life as they re-created that 90s Seattle music scene with such hits like Rape Me, Heart Shaped Box, Lithium, Come As You Are and All Apologies. Many heads were banding to Terrorital Pissings as Stephen did the best backward flop onto the drum kit to end the show. Not to worry, blogspot readers, he didn't injure himself. And Lucid Ground won two SouthSide Halloween awards - one for front man Karl for looking so hot (and tall) in his Tom Petty impersonation and BEST duet with Kurt (Model Stranger front man Stephen) on Last Dance With Mary Jane. As Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Lucid covered a wide variety of hits that included Great Wide Open, Wreck Me, Won't Back Down, Refugee, and Free Fallin before closing with Running Down A Dream.

"...who loves hot sauce ...we're going to sauce all over your face..."

It's a known fact taht SouthSide doesn't review cover bands. However she promised The Hot Sauce Committee she would bend this one rule by reviewing them despite her doubts about the guys (especially Brian) being able to perform as a hiphop/rock cover band. Besides, this reviewer gives each cover band seen and/or reviewed (which is not many) the worse kind of scrutiny possible because if the cover band doesn't know their stuff (i.e. music, songs being covered, etc) better than SouthSide, she's going to notice, blogspot readers. And with that, she was ready and prepared with pad and pen to review The Hot Sauce Committee's headlining debut after being told she would be blown away. Was SouthSide blown away by THSC and its hiphop/rock show? Honestly, blogspot readers, this reviewer was "blown" but not "away". She enjoyed Hot Sauce's cover selection of popular hits by Beastie Boys (Intergalactic, Sabotage) and Limp Bizkit (Faith, Nookie) as well as other artists like Young MC (Bust A Move), Tupac (California Love), Jay Z (99 Problems), and P Diddy (Mo Money). The band nicely re-created the original energetic momentum and spirit of each song performed during this extra long set for the excitable late night crowd. For example, Hot Sauce rocked the stage with a lively cover version of Digital Underground's Humpty Dance featuring DJ Volley (Matt) demonstrating his lyrical rap verse chops (who knew Matt could rap!?) meanwhile Serv on lead vocals during the cover of Justin Timberlake's Sexy Back was more manly and sexier than the original JT hit. Serv certainly put some extra umph into his sexiness while on stage. There's no disputing, blogspot readers, that The Hot Sauce Committee knew their stuff ...plus thses guys (especially Brian whom SouthSide has seen go from screamo/metal to rock vocalist) can rap. By now, you're probably wondering why SouthSide wasn't totally "blown away" by THSC's debut performance. Overall, it was an excellent show from silly string during Sabotage and tossing Hot Sauce dollars during Mo Money to Fight For Your Right and closer Jump Around. SouthSide did have fun yet this only their first performance. And it was also quite different in music venture and experience she has seen them perform under. This reviewer, however, is more interested in seeing them tap into that same energetic momentum and vibe like they do for their covers and create an original hiphop/rap song. Still, she's very certain The Hot Sauce Committee will have an audience and fan following as a cover band especially when they begin rockin' the stage at Durty Nellies every Thursday night. For details about that and their Black Wednesday show there, visit http://www.thehotsaucecommittee.net.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide