photo by Daiana Feuer

The rain let up the other night. Was it a receding storm? A parting of the Heavens? Or was it because we were at Spaceland where Lemon Sun opened up for the Hotrats while people such as Har Mar Superstar, Thom Yorke and some of his Radiohead band mates, and Britt Daniel from Spoon watched along with a packed venue of fans? I like to believe the latter.

Lemon Sun—featuring several members from He’s my Brother She’s my Sister—were a fine fit for the English imports that night. Not only did their blend of garage rock compliment the headliners, but with their cover of Supergrass’ “Pumping on Your Stereo,” the band truly found a niche in the hearts of the dancing audience.

Now, what do you call something that isn’t necessarily a super group nor a spin-off? Oh yes, The Hot Rats. Featuring guitarist/singer Gaz Coombes and drummer Danny Goffey of the British band Supergrass, the power duo play entirely “cover” songs. Here, the word cover receives quotes around it because during their encore, the band played the Supergrass song “Caught By The Fuzz,” and is it really a cover if they play in the original band?

While the stage was decorated with mannequins and Christmas lights, the boys in the band dressed themselves in sailor outfits. Making use of an array of pedals and confusing the audience in the back who were unfamiliar with the group’s setup, the two filled the venue with the sound of a full band as they launched into the Velvet Underground’s “I Can’t Stand It.”

Their new album, produced by Nigel Goodrich of Beck and Radiohead fame, features The Hot Rats playing covers of classic vintage rock and roll. And for this reason, many of us weren’t too surprised to find the aforementioned celebrities mingling amongst the crowd. Some of the show’s highlights were The Cure’s “Lovecats,” Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up”, Sex Pistols’ “EMI”, Bowie’s “Queen Bitch”, The Beat’s “Mirror In The Bathroom”, and The Beatles “Drive My Car.” The last two songs mentioned were not featured on their record, and they were especially pleasing to fans. My personal favorite had to have been The Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right” which received a revamp from its original raw groove to a chord progressing anthem.

—Steven Carrer