Friedrich Nietzsche claimed that all great art emerged from the clash within man between the Apollonian impulse of order and Dionysian impulse of lust. Rock is certainly no exception, but from case to case, one impulse seems to trump the other. After all, rock spans a great range of sounds, from the gentlest folk ballad to the loudest misanthropic metal freakout.
This weekend the Black Cat showcases just such a dichotomy. Friday night sees yet another installment of the yearly Teenbeat Records anniversary party. Saturday night, those dulcet sounds will be blasted away in a torrent of Dionysian bluster, as Fu Manchu, which has as much claim to Spinal Tap’s mantle as any other band today, descends upon the District.
Along with the harder sounds purveyed by the Dischord and DeSoto labels, Teenbeat lies at the center of the Washington area’s formidable indie reputation. Athens, Ga. circa 1983 or early-’90s Seattle the District may never be, but Teenbeat in particular has spent the past decade quietly releasing records from bands such as Versus and Tuscadero that have become household names in the indie world. This repuation is based on a simple but unique sound that relies on solid pop production and songwriting, and a close-knit, nurturing attitude toward the creative process.
Teenbeat was founded and is still run by Mark Robinson, who led the legendary Northern Virginia indie punk outfit Unrest. Robinson returns to the stage headlining the show with his latest band, Flin Flon. Perhaps the most anticipated set, however, will come from indie popsters Aden, whose new record Topsiders will be released in early April. With any luck, their set will feature some of this new material. Also look out for +/-, which includes Richard Balayut and Patrick Ramos, in their first project since the breakup of Versus. All in all, this year’s lineup is the strongest anniversary bash in recent memory.
Fu Manchu has been at the vanguard of the reemergent “stoner rock” genre since its 1994 debut No One Rides for Free. Since then, the band has honed its sound with each new record, gaining plenty of new stoner fans along the way. With their ‘70s Southern California pot-and-skateboard iconography, there’s no mistaking where these guys are coming from.
But what exactly is “stoner rock”? It probably isn’t what you think. The self-indulgent wankery of the Grateful Dead and its followers may very well be loved by stoners everywhere, but what is today termed “stoner rock” represents the antithesis of those mind-numbing, endless jams.
Fu Manchu, as well as similar bands such as Queens of the Stone Age and Monster Magnet, is certainly self-indulgent, but its self-indulgence is in the greatest of rock traditions?it is the hedonistic ethos of the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, among others. It is a glorification of the good time above all else. Remember the famous ethos “sex, drugs, and rock and roll”? Well, Fu Manchu certainly does.
The band’s sound incorporates the bone-rattling thud of the aforementioned Sabbath and Zeppelin with a good measure of psychedelic sonic experimentation. It’s a potent combination?turn this stuff up loud enough, and your thoughts will blur to the point that you might as well save your money on that nickel bag. Saturday night, expect the band to turn it up to 11 and the crowd to give off a certain earthy, herbal aroma.
So whether you like your rock sordid or subtle, there’s something for you this weekend at the Black Cat.
The Black Cat is located at 1811 14th St., N.W.
