Royal Baths - Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa, 31/8/2011
by Andrew Carver
published: 28 / 8 / 2011
intro
In a chaotic show Andrew Carver sees San Francisco garage-psych rock act Royal Baths eventually win over the audience with their feedback-laden pop at a gig at Zaphod Beeblebrox in Ottawa
San Francisco’s Royal Baths are part of that city’s burgeoning garage-psych scene; along with bands like the Fresh & Onlys, Girls, Thee Oh Sees and Sonny and the Sunsets, they put a woozy take on the rock and pop of the 60s. While most of San Francisco’s acts incorporate a healthy dose of the the 1960s scene’s sunnier side, Royal Baths investigate murkier, paranoid sonics - The Velvet Underground is frequently and aptly cited as a touchpoint. There were a few wrinkles in their Ottawa appearance. The first was that by a strange coincidence, several of the personnel for the Ottawa bands that might have opened for them were down in California (for AwesomeFest, among other events), so the promoters made the offbeat choice of local electronica performer Adam Saikaley to open. The second was that as Saikaley began his set around 9:30 there was no sign of the headliners. Fortunately the affable Saikaley is an able improviser, and after a couple of long pieces he threw in a few improvisations based on a recent fascination with dabke - Middle Eastern wedding music. After an hour amp and guitar-toting Royal Baths members started making their way into the club, with only thirty five minutes to go before the club was supposed to be turned over to the dance night. The trio of Jeremy Cox, Jingmae Baer and Eden Birch quickly soundchecked, then launched into some blistering fuzz. With two guitars and Birch’s floor-tom-heavy, Moe Tuckerish thump the band sounds quite a bit like groaning buzz-merchants Heavy Meadow. While the late arrival curtailed their set slightly, Royal Baths still wrung forty minutes of feedback-laden pop from their instruments, just enough to satisfy a small but dedicated crowd.
Picture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
previous editions
Microdisney - The Clock Comes Down the StairsWorld Party - Interview
World Party - Interview with Karl Wallinger
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EP
Ain't That Always The Way - Alan Horne After The Sound of Young Scotland 2
Steve Harley - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Ruts - Life After Death ? : A Profile
Leprous - Photoscapes
most viewed reviews
current edition
Serious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning DewMarika Hackman - Big Sigh
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart