Clockcleaner – 9.13.07, Philadelphia, PA, First Unitarian Church
Though Clockcleaner’s Myspace page features a photograph of Philip K. Dick, if the band were to have a science fiction doppelgänger, it would more likely be Harlan Ellison than Dick. Like Ellison, who is more known for his persona, editorial rants before his stories and general outspoken views, Clockcleaner is likewise known (and celebrated across the web) for their caustic antics and disdaining opinions of the Philadelphia music scene. Clockcleaner legend has garnered the band press everywhere from Vice Magazine (check out the Vice Web-isode on VBS.tv Practice Space) to the Philadelphia Weekly, which most recently declared Clockcleaner “Philly’s most hated band”.
The question is: Is Clockcleaner really chaotic evil? Clockcleaner’s recent gig at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia proved two things, the first being that “No, Clockcleaner is not the anti-Christ”, and the second being that the overall weirdness of a venue can always outdo whatever schtick your band has up its sleeve. Go to Google and type in “First Unitarian Church”. Click the first hit and take a good gander at the church ladies and bingo night. The dimly lit basement where Clockcleaner frontman John Sharkey dry-humped a fan onstage may very well be the same place bingo night is held. But for all of Clockcleaner’s antagonism, the band’s act is just that, an act. From bassist Karen Horner’s opening announcement that she broke her finger “fingering” her boyfriend, fans and band alike seemed in on the joke. Albeit, a lot of the jokes were fairly crude, but they were jokes nonetheless.
In the end it is nice to know that there are bands like Clockcleaner out there who want to do more than just play music by putting on a show and stirring people up in an attempt to shake complacency and mediocrity. Hopefully Clockcleaner will continue to stir the shit and eventually challenge their newly anointed nemesis, the Philly band Man Man, to a rock-off, milk challenge or whatever. That will be a show that no one will want to miss.
Click here to see photos from the show.
Two things:
1) In light of your Philip K. mention, this might help illuminate the meaning of “Missing Dick”.
2) Anti-Christ or no, somehow the venue doesn’t strike me as too bizarre.
Oh, those wacky Unitarian Universalists. They mean well. If they have a motto I think it must be: “Hey, it’s all Good.”
I saw the Minibosses and Chromolodeon at that venue a few years back. It was pretty cool but kind of funny how you can exit the concert area to the left and find Sunday school rooms.
Pete – Haha, that’s great about PKD and “Missing Dick”. Who knows. Maybe that is what the song is about.
I love the couple Minibosses versions of songs I’ve heard but I got to say “Chromolodeon” is an awesome name. Is it even a real device? It sounds like the holographic nickelodeon you’d find in the theatre lobby in some a down-on-it’s-luck retro-futuristic 1920s universe.
Come on buddu: throw a credit in the chromolodeon, ya’ know ya can spare it. Have ourselves a little joy ‘fore we hit the streets again, eh?
Even though I once crashed on the band’s ringleader’s living room floor after a concert, I never asked what the name was supposed to mean. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromelodeon (note my misspelling) doesn’t say either, but I bet it has to do with the fact there are so many members with so many different instruments, a chromatic, full-spectrum of sounds. There were, I should say, as they recently held their last concert again at the above locale.