Harlow’s usually isn’t the place to catch local music live. Sure, local promoters bring in offbeat national acts and locals during weekdays. But Harlow’s, on weekends, relies on such cash cows as Double Funk Crunch, Wonderbread 5, Tainted Love and others to pull in a crowd willing to pay from $10 to $20 to hear covers.
So Thursday’s last-minute show with Team Sleep, the new project featuring Deftones frontman Chino Moreno, was an anomaly on the club’s June calendar. Listed as a Soul Clap gig with special guests, the only promotion—sans a few color handbills at record stores—was a small mention on the Harlow’s calendar the night of the show. Unless you were hooked into Team Sleep’s e-mail list or visited www.teamsleep.com, you probably missed this rare appearance. But over 300 fans did show up.
Although Team Sleep stalled for what seemed an eternity—the show didn’t start until after 11—the band did not disappoint. With ex-Pocket for Corduroy guitarist Dan Elkan joined by Todd Wilkinson and Moreno, the guitar firepower emanating from the stage was larger than life, like an indie version of the Allman Brothers Band. On songs such as the opener “Blvd Nights” and crowd favorite “Solid Gold,” Team Sleep played with renewed vigor compared to its last Colonial Theater show—and appeared confident in its material.
Drummer Zach Hill, with his single-kick calisthenics and tricky stickwork, was the true star of the night, though. Unlike his current band, Hella, whose set lists usually time out around 20 minutes and feature a nonstop barrage of neo-prog rock played at 150 beats per minute, Hill showed his ability to lay down deep, cutting grooves behind his fellow bandmates, plus Rick Verlaine and DJ Crook. On tunes like the off-kilter “King Diamond” and “Kool Aid,” Hill was even afforded the opportunity to take center stage and mix up the beat contingent.
Among the many local celebrities in the audience was Moreno’s Deftones bandmates Chi Cheng and Abe Cunningham, plus members of Will Haven, Tinfed, and various 720 Records bands. Moreno’s followers, who made up more than half the audience, knew all the words to some of Team Sleep’s unreleased material, tracks like “Mercedes” and “Acoustic One.” Chalk that up to the wonders of Internet streaming. Team Sleep’s upcoming release is due in the fall.
A friend described the show in three words—“majestic,” “engaging” and … well, the other one eludes me. For the sake of argument, a simple “magnificent” will suffice.
(SN&R)