Stagestruck
ALICE DONUT
@Room 710, Austin, TX
March 16, 2004
Alice Donut. Remember them? Kickin' Alternative Tentacles act that disbanded in the mid-90s? Well, kids, they're baaaack, with a new album, Three Sisters. Donut is about to embark on a small European and U.S. tour, and we were lucky enough here in Austin, Tejas, to be the site of their first new shows outside of NYC. Hooray for us hillbillies! And with Room 710 (one of my fave outposts for inexpensive Lone Star guzzling) as the venue, could life be better?
Oh, yes, did I mention Alice Donut is my favorite band? The site is called High Bias, after all.
The line-up is the same as when they left off: Tomas Antona singing, Sissi Schulmeister bassing (not like, you know, on a boat with wind noises and blue blockers, but, like, playing that thing that makes low noises), Stephen Moses drumming (and tromboning) and Michael Jung guitaring, and that's that (except for when it's not, more on that later). The only change (in theory) is no more two-guitar attack. The drummer told me ahead of the show that new tunes would get little representation on stage this evening. Lucky for me, as I've only heard the two mp3s off the website! The set started with "Mrs. Hayes" and "Tingler". Ten years gone and the Donut can still rock, but you could feel that things were a bit loose. Last time I saw them was towards the end of the Dry Humpin the Cash Cow tour and they were tight with a capitol "kick-ass". I still count it as one of the ten best shows I've witnessed to date. Needless to say my expectations are on the high side. Anyway, the next two tunes, "Mr. Pinkus" and "Helsinki," were from the new album. If the rest of Three Sisters is similarly interesting, I think the fans will be happy campers. Steve described the album as "straight ahead rock and roll," these tunes counting as firm proof—very much a Mule meets Revenge Fantasies sound. Three more tunes from Untidy Suicides made my day and made me sad. "Everyone is on Sale," "Hang The Dog," "Son of a Disgruntled X-Postal Worker Reflects on His Life While Getting Stoned In The Parking Lot of a Winn Dixie Listening to Metallica"—you can't play these songs without two guitars and have them sound right. The band was at its loosest here, with wrong notes, missed lyrics and what not, but you could feel them really warming up. I mean, hey, it's been a while since they been outta town. Silly me. "Kiss Me," a catchy new tune, and a killer "War Pigs" renewed my faith. Steve came out from behind the drums on the Sabbath cover, his trombone taking the place of the vocals—always a crowd favorite.
The set ended with "Mother of Christ" (the first Donut song I ever heard) and an amped-up "Egg." For the encore they brought out a second guitarist who has played with the band in the past ( and whose name I can't remember for the life of me, appy-polly-loggies). Encore tunes: "New Jersey Exit," "My Severed Head," "Moon Pie," "My Best Friend's Wife," "Bucket, Forks, Pock." With the exception of "Moon Pie," the second B-side of the evening I hadn't heard before (the first, early in the set, was that "Chicken Door?"), THESE songs sounded like the Alice Donut I wanted to hear. The two guitars make all the difference. Despite Sissi's new heavier/grungier bass tone, the band still needs filling out. Please go with the five piece chicken dinner! Even my ball and chain (who I have recently indoctrinated with the Donut) remarked how much better the encore sounded and felt.
But hey, I'm really nitpicking here. Tomas still sounds like he is 12 (which means he sounds just as original and raw as the recordings). Sissi's bass is as solid as ever—her vocals on "Everyone is On Sale" still get me riled. The whole night, Steve was on fire behind the drum set, capably holding things together and getting the crowd grooving. And Michael's guitar playing is perhaps more adventurous than ever. Most bands wouldn't be able to recover from a hiatus of such length, much less continue with energetic performances. Maybe this time around Alice Donut will finally get the recognition it deserves. Michael joked to me on my way out of the club, "Just don't call it a reunion tour!" You got it. Welcome back! JJ Weber
