 Who Dares to
Knock the Gods?
The Makers at the Crocodile
May 5, 2000
Live Review by
David Mills
It has been a
long time since I've attended a show in a Seattle
club and truly had a band rip my head off. This
is something The Makers did in their CD release
party at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe. Somebody must
have given these real live glam rockers a pep
talk before the show making it perfectly clear
that they MUST live up to the title of their
latest Sub Pop release - Rock Star God.
Not only was the
band dressed perfectly for a late sixties/early
seventies rock show, they had the energy, the
panache and the vibe to pull the whole thing off.
Now I don't know about some club goers in this
town, but I for one am really a little tired of
being bored by bands who think I want to hear
them whine on stage about their political points
of view or the fact that the world sucks and
someone owes them something. We got none of that
from The Makers last night. They have
managed to recapture what rock n roll (I
apologize to picky readers for not sub, sub, sub,
sub categorizing the genre here) was really all
about - having a good time and putting on a show!
There was Michael with his frantic pelvic
thrusts, Jamie with his tortured writhing guitar
god antics, Jay beating the skins like Keith
Moon's ghost, and Don using his vintage Epi bass
like an automatic weapon. This band whipped the
crowd into a grinning, head-bobbing frenzy! The Makers played as if their lives
depended on it but they looked like they were
having the time of their lives.
As for the music
itself, they reminded me of early Rolling Stones,
The Who (big guitars!), The Kinks, and maybe some
T.Rex thrown in. They could be sweet with
"Give Me Back Yesterday" or shocking
with "A Better Way Down." BUT before
you label these guys a rip-off band, let me say
that the songs were decidedly their own. Not all
bands can take these influences, breath new life
into them AND make them convincing. The Makers know how.
The show was
made even more interesting with the addition of
Philip Peterson on cello (Yes, cello. Have you
ever seen a cellist play lead while laying on his
back? You would if you'd been at The Makers' show), Jason Staczek on
keys, and Johnny Sangster as second guitar. The
result was a beautiful loud wall of sound that
threatened to rip the paint off the walls. As far
as I'm concerned these guys have set a high mark
for other bands in this town. Who dares to knock
the "gods" from their lofty perch?
As I walked out
of the club feeling lucky I'd been to the show, I
noticed I was suffering a severe facial cramp. It
was then I realized I'd been grinning like a
chimp for over an hour straight. Thanks guys!
Check Out Our
Incredible Makers Photos!
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