Frank Black & The Catholics

Met Cafe, Providence, RI

Okay, I know I'm getting old because I complain more and more about (a) why shows start so damn late, and (b) why everyone insists on chain smoking. We got to the Met about 9 or 9:30, and the opening act didn't even hit the stage until 10:15. (I felt bad for those who showed up when doors opened at 8...but not really.) I know it's not cool to get home by midnight, but some people work during the week. And I guess it was good to be in a smoke-filled club; I was going through withdrawls from my lack of second-hand-smoking recently. Okay, enough sarcasm and bitching about that; I'll bitch about something else...

Reid Paley opened the show, and it was probably the worst thing I've ever seen. It was Reid and his guitar singing songs about drinking and...well, drinking. I can't describe it — horrible? boring? lame? — other than to say that I know I wasn't the only one in the club who wanted to shove the microphone in is rectum and smash his guitar over his head. And he played for almost a full HOUR. Reid thought he was cool, clever and witty, but only the drunkest of those in attendance could've possibly thought the same. And there were more than a few people (myself included) trying to catch a nap (not possible) to pass the time. Overheard after Reid's set: "Hey, what've you been up to?" "Trying to stay awake."

Thank God Frank Black & The Catholics took the stage pretty quickly after that disaster. Too bad I couldn't fully enjoy the show 'cause my eyes were burning from the smoke and we had some frat boys to our left. Frank (no longer the biggest man in alternative rock...at least not figuratively) has assembled a great band with The Catholics; guitarist Rich Gilbert was doing some amazing work with little effort. They played a bunch from their new self-titled album (on SpinArt) which sounded pretty good (I haven't heard the new record), as well as some songs from a yet-unreleased album. It seemed like they played a bit too much new stuff early on, but Frank eventually played some more familiar material ("Czar", "Speedy Marie"), even including a couple Pixies songs ("Wave of Mutilation" and "Holiday Song")! Towards the end of their set, they went on a tear of disjointed songs — "Los Angeles", "Two Reelers", and others — and Frank commented "I think all of our songs are disjointed." Decent show, but hearing "Whatever Happened to Pong?/ Thalassocracy" almost made up for having to sit through Reid Paley...

Uploaded October 1998