NOISE

LOUD!


Taking it (a little too) easy with the black Jetts


As the Black Jetts' signature sherbet speaker stack began to blast Divebar with the first few chords of "Right on Sound", amateur comedian, all-around social menace and official Black Jetts groupie Jon DeCelles yelped, "These guys make me go crazy!"


And though the post-First Friday crowd was too tuckered out to dance, they were no less enthralled with the quartet. They strained over their tables to see guitarist Roy Page on his knees, eyes closed, rocking out his solo in the center of the unpopulated dance floor; they bopped in their booths as Chad slaughtered the skins. Bassist Thomas Choi was his usual reticent self, cigarette dangling out of his mouth, occasionally chiming in to back Gabe Stiff's vocals.


It seems Choi's sedate sensibilities have rubbed off on the rest of the band. Stiff certainly sang his heart out, but his black shirt remained on and he refrained from charging the crowd or climbing on tables and bar tops. Even Chad's impassioned percussion seemed slightly less sweaty than usual. Not at all representative of the rock-star shenanigans we've come to expect from the fearless foursome.


But perhaps they're tired of playing for the passive and often sparse Vegas crowds. Genuinely confounded by the local scene, Stiff conceded, "We've got our regulars, but I don't know how to get people to come again. We could light Roy on fire, and it wouldn't get 'em back." Page smiled, throwing his arm over Stiff's shoulders in silent agreement.


Their confusion is justified. On the other side of the Pacific, in Japan, The Black Jetts pack basement bars. And after only two weeks touring alongside Japanese rockers Akima and Neos, the guys fell in love with the Far East. The Jetts' roadies goaded Chad to go on the record with his affection for Asia, but he shyly declined, citing a sake overdose.


Readying themselves for their second recording in under a year, The Black Jetts are looking forward to touring with their new album next spring. Stiff said this disk will have a rhythm-and-blues influence, though their rock roots will remain intact.


"All our songs are written with the live performance element in mind, but it's the whole package that counts. You've got to have a good live show, stage presence, look sharp, records that sound good with the right art, everything. It's all important." Let's hope in the future they don't forego the first part, even if the crowd sticks to their seats.




Jennifer Henry




No post-bottling panic for Urie


Say what you like about Panic! At the Disco's music, fashion sense and annoyingly long song titles, but credit frontman Brendon Urie for his manly display of fortitude at England's recent Reading Festival.


Felled by a bottle to the face—and reportedly knocked out for several seconds by the hurled projectile—Urie eventually regained his footing and, some seven minutes after falling to the stage midway through "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage," picked up the song where he left off. The band went on to finish its set, apparently even earning a few cheers from an otherwise hostile crowd for a cover of Radiohead's "Karma Police."


Footage of the incident, recorded from several different angles, can be viewed at YouTube.com. In the clearest version, it appears Urie gets clocked by a large bottle—unclear whether it's glass or plastic, empty or full—on his right cheek, collapsing amid a mix of laughter, cheers and booing. His stunned bandmates continue playing for a couple of seconds, then halt their performance as roadies and medical personnel rush to the singer's aid. Though the video cuts off before Urie returns to action, reports indicate he was down about seven minutes before continuing.


"You can't take me out. Let's see how well you guys do with my left side," Urie then dared the crowd, according to British music website NME.com.


After the festival, Urie told NME.com: "I'm doing all right now, I could be way worse, I could be dead. What I remember is I got hit, got knocked out, woke up and finished the set! I was out for a couple of seconds, I guess. Then we played some music, it was good. I've got a bruise, but it looks good. It makes me look rugged and tough."


The YouTube footage has drawn more than 2,400 comments in response, from both Panic! supporters ("it's so sad watching him go down") and haters ("If I was nearer the [thrower] at the time, I'd have shaken his hand"). One poster referred to Urie as an "emo muppet," while another provided a "list of things that rule more than Panic!: fish sticks, Rick Santorum, PBS programming, thermometers ..."


Urie had the last laugh, when Panic! took home Video of the Year award for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" at last week's MTV Video Music Awards, beating out efforts by Shakira and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.


Urie's fearless bottling bounce-back also showed up tough-guy rapper 50 Cent, who cut short his Reading '04 set amid a hailstorm of (plastic) bottles. Panic! also outlasted The Mars Volta, who walked offstage recently in Seattle after being hit by one or more bottles reported to contain urine, though we agree soldiering on after a urine pelting would be far more stupid than courageous.




Spencer Patterson




Backing Into a Record Deal


It's typical for Las Vegas bands to wait impatiently for the often-elusive record deal. But it's less common for record labels to wait on Vegas bands. However, that's just what Intravenous Records' Roger Gisborne is doing—waiting on The Pandas.


According to singer and guitarist Bobby Martinez, the Vegas-by-way-of-LA garage-rock revivalists have been talking with the label for almost three years. Intravenous has featured The Pandas on a sampler the label sent to South by Southwest festival organizers, and has been interested in releasing an album by The Pandas for quite some time.


"We were going to do an EP," Martinez says. "That never happened—they were busy with other bands. I sort of got impatient."


Since Intravenous first showed interest, Martinez and the band relocated to Las Vegas. After a new flurry of shows in LA and Vegas, Intravenous started to take notice of The Pandas again. A day after the band decided to make a record and put it out independently, the label called.


"They sent us a proposal e-mail," says Martinez. "And it all sounds pretty good—distribution, T-shirt design, EPs. We're kind of happy about what happened with The Gun Shys—[Intravenous] helped those guys a little when they needed it, and they got signed to Warner Brothers/Sire."


Whether or not Intravenous will distribute it, The Pandas are in the process of recording a new album at the Tone Factory, the project studio of Vinny Castaldo, drummer for Mama Zeus and The Fab. As for the question of Intravenous' involvement in The Pandas' future, Martinez remains optimistic. "We really wanted to do it ourselves," he says, "but the record is a one-off thing—we can't see how it could really hurt."




Pj Perez


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