Thee Swank Bastards Show Review

[Szandora]

I was doin' the ol' "ego search" on google tonight and I came across an article written for the show I played with my band in Vegas last weekend... Check it out...

Thursday, February 03, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Kick Out the Jams: Bacon, Malpache, Thee Swank Bastards at Double Down, Jan. 29


As Saturday evening extended, so did the sideburns. I'd have written it off as coincidence but for the odd correspondence between these and the overall presence of each band: the longer the sideburns, the fiercer the aesthetic.

First up was Bacon, goatee-and-ballcap rockers shorn at the temples, yet still able to furnish some pretty good, fittingly gristled hors d'oeuvres to a Double Down mob of the tousled and tattooed--less than groundbreaking stuff, but good and loud with a few hooky protuberances here and there. Next came L.A.'s Malpache, a Latin ska-punk outfit with debonair frontman Giovanni Blanco donning a black pin-stripe and burns down to the earlobes. These guys snuck up on the crowd midway through a higher-and-higher energy set, and the smallish statures onstage seemed as attentive and comfortable with each other as they did with us. As such, Malpache was easily the night's climax of inclusivity and organic vibration, culminating in late-set jams of solid synergy, call/response and a bit of surf-tone noodling that foreshadowed what would follow.

Thee Swank Bastards followed with their own lite darkness. If they couldn't match Malpache's vigor, it may only have been from lack of a voice, strictly instrumental surf-rockers as they are. Swank? Yes, it appeared that way. Bastards? I couldn't tell, but the power-trio's hour upon the stage was sweetened by a few non-musical elements:

1) The background monitor, which looped a technicolor montage of B-grade horror flick images over the heads of all three bands. It's a common kitsch-enhancement device not really meant for much scrutiny, but still, wax museums and black lagoons during Bacon's set just felt like the TV had been left on from the night before.

2) The final fruition of guitarist Jesse DelQuadro's extravagant mutton chops--each one a powerful swank-nexus from which surfy energy boiled forth until they left the stage with the rest of him.

3) The sultry hula-hoop stylings of fourth member Szandora, a striking and nearly naked hipster-vixen with electric hair and her own website where $19.95 a month will strike the nearly from her naked.

There may have been a fifth member--an attention-seizing imp who periodically scurried up to pelt the band with empty water bottles--but I don't know if he added anything.--Dave Surratt

http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2005/.../25774102.html

[Tequila Zaire]

"Hipster Vixen With Electric Hair"...now if that ain't the name for a song I dunno what is.

Sounds like a hell of a fun show.

[spdstsposeo]

You should film a show sometime

[Szandora]

Well, we have some footage... =) Hopefully we can shoot some more sometime. I wish we would have filmed that show it was so much fun. I moved to Los Angeles like four months ago, so it has been a while since we've played "together". I really miss them and my cool friends. =/

I do have some pics from the show.

[spdstsposeo]

Hehe, i've always wanted to see film footage of you hula-hooping...or however you say it lol is there anywhere where i could get access to some music of the band?

[Tequila Zaire]

Cool candid shots, looks like some sinfully good fun. How's L.A. treating ya?

[Hypnotic Vampire]

That's a cool quote they gave you...I like the 'Hipster Vixen with Electric Hair' as well as the quip about 'striking the nearly from her naked'...definitely one for the clippings file !

So, is hula-hooping good exercise or what?

[hewhoisagod]

Looked like a good time.

[CPRB]

how long can you hoola hoop for? how many hoola hoops at one time?

[Szandora]

Hehe, i've always wanted to see film footage of you hula-hooping...or however you say it lol is there anywhere where i could get access to some music of the band?

Yea. on our ******* account... The music seems to be down right now though... Check it out at http://www.*******.com/theeswankbastards

I love it... Nothin' but surf.

[Szandora]

Cool candid shots, looks like some sinfully good fun. How's L.A. treating ya?

Thanks! It was so much fun...

My band is supposed to open up for Link Wray in April you should try to come out and see it... When I get all of the details I'll let you know the when and where.

L.A. has been great! Thanks for askin'.. How have you been?

[Szandora]

That's a cool quote they gave you...I like the 'Hipster Vixen with Electric Hair' as well as the quip about 'striking the nearly from her naked'...definitely one for the clippings file !

So, is hula-hooping good exercise or what?

Yea, it's really great.. It uses a lot of mental energy as well. I usually feel drained the day after a show but the feeling durring is so worth it.

[Szandora]

how long can you hoola hoop for? how many hoola hoops at one time?

I've mastered two hula hoops at a time; and how long? well it would depend on how many shots of jager the crowd has given me that night.. my longest time runs for about four hours I think and my usual time for a show is about an hour or so.

[Szandora]

Looked like a good time.

It was, indeed.

[spdstsposeo]

Yea. on our ******* account... The music seems to be down right now though... Check it out at http://www.*******.com/theeswankbastards

I love it... Nothin' but surf.

That style of music is quite addicting...once you start listening to it...it seems as though it's all you want to hear.

[CPRB]

wow tow hoola hoops and 4 hours....I am not allowed near hoola hoops I am the poster child of how NOT to use a hoola hoop oh well.....

[Szandora]

ahahahahaha! I've seen some bad hula hoopers in my time... usually drunk people at a show that get a wild hair up their butt from youth and usually fall down when they try it out. hahahaha. Most of the time guys want to hula hoop... weird huh.

[spdstsposeo]

Oh wow, this music is sublime(not the band sublime lol). Their style is something I'm not too familiar with but is very very enjoyable to listen to...you should post a list of bands included in this genre.

[spdstsposeo]

Gah...I get an error while trying to download one of the songs. Anywhere else I could aquire What'sYourFavoriteFlavorTang?

[killerkat]

any surf band with a chick hulu/ing with the Lavey symbol,on her arm, is high on my list...........keep rockin' you Sexy Hula Devil...........




sounds awesome, by the way, it nice to hear a good surf band the ones i've heard lately aren't that great.,,than again i do curently rezide in GA, where there isn't much surfing..........haha

[Tequila Zaire]

Thanks! It was so much fun...

My band is supposed to open up for Link Wray in April you should try to come out and see it... When I get all of the details I'll let you know the when and where.

L.A. has been great! Thanks for askin'.. How have you been?

Cool cool cool...I'll make sure to pen it in on my calander then. Just gimme the dates when you get em, sounds fun.

I'm doing good...better than I was. Hit a bit of a dark time in the closing months of last year but things are brightening up. Glad to hear L.A. is treating well and good...I think you're a perfect fit for it. Plus you give the place some much needed shot of color.