Entertainment

Five thoughts on Obits’ November 23 show at Beauty Bar

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Singer Rick Froberg and the rest of Obits performed at Beauty Bar on November 23.
Photo: Bill Hughes

1. The members of Obits are all in their 40s, but they blend right in with the Beauty Bar’s youngish crowd … right until they take the stage. Under the house lights, the guys’ shaggy gray mops and salt-and-pepper stubble are much more apparent.

2. They open with a heavy, guitar-soaked intro, just a taste of where they’re going for the next hour. There are elements of garage and surf rock in Obits’ repertoire, but it’s a far cry from the sort of ’90s throwback indie music has been saturated with lately.

3. Ever make a sandwich that spirals out of control and ends up with every kind of meat and condiment possible? That’s the kind of rock ’n’ roll Obits makes. Bluesy jams converge with classic rock, ’70s punk and heavy metal—plus moments of hardcore and grunge—in a way that feels entirely fresh. Bed & Bugs cuts “Malpractice” and “Taste the Diff,” in particular, sound better live and loud.

4. “So is this the Glitter Gulch?” singer Rick Froberg asks the crowd. The crowd nears 50 or so, but surrounding the Beauty Bar’s small indoor stage, it feels like a packed house.

5. Some unanswered questions: Why does Obits’ guitar amp say “Eve 6” (the band infamous for 1998’s “Inside Out”)? Why does the girl next to me keep screaming like she’s here for a boy band? Why did it take so long for Obits to play Vegas? And most importantly, when will the band be back?

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