All Photos by: Emily Sarten
I had the great privilege to interview the Last Call Brawlers and get
an early listen of their monumental new album, The Pressures of Living,
The Darkness of the Dying. They gave me far more then their time and a
bloody Mary at Bison Witches. They allowed me to fall in love with their
music and in return be loved back. The Last Call Brawlers certainly
played to a packed bar of friends and devoted fans Saturday May 5th at the Surly Wench. It was clear in the talented guest bands, The Mission Creeps and The Besmirchers,
plus the cheering crowd, that their new album deserved a proper
celebration. With the splashes of beer flying out of our swaying glasses
like confetti, we all did our part to ensure The Pressures of Living
had one Hell of a birthday.
Kicking
off the show with their dark, horror spiked, surf rock was local three
piece, The Mission Creeps. The band could easily be called one thing or
another, be it psychobilly or garage rock, but it simply would be insult to the diversity of their music. Made up of James Arrr,
vocalist and guitar, Miss Frankie Stein on bass, and Joseph "Crowley"
Elias on the drums, they put on a powerful live show full of various
influences. Match their, punk, rockabilly, bluesy, surfy, psychedelic sound with their goth presence and you have a forerunner in Tucson's live music scene.
Diversity, as promised to me by the LCB, was the theme of our party. Reverberating off of The Mission Creeps surf guitar we landed, face first in The Besmirchers
punk chaos. One of the most visual, aggressive sounds to come out of
Tucson, the band had me gasping with excitement each time singer, Lenny
Mental, banged his microphone into his forehead. Seemingly blessed with a
G.G. Allen sensibility, Lenny didn't waver in his charged performance,
spitting out his punk truths every time his head slammed into the stage.
Band mates, guitarist Superstar Penis Demilo, bassist Skrew, and drummer PBR
Destroyer matched their infamous front man with their in your face
assault on their instruments and the crowd. The band is one of those
splash zone shows and unless you got a poncho or a strong will you
better step back before "One More Slut" or "Pussy 
and Smack," bloody up your top.
and Smack," bloody up your top.
When the Last Call Brawlers took the stage it was one of those show
experiences you remember long after your weekend is through. Each new
song fell on receptive and long awaiting ears and there was an
unbreakable momentum pushing the audience closer and closer to the
talent on stage. Always making sure to thank those who made the album
possible, The LCB
reveled their diverse new tracks. Blending shining examples of punk and
rockabilly with folk, surf, blues and Tucson rock and roll, the band has
cemented their place as a Tucson staple. Vocalist Marty Muerto,
enthusiastically sang of the power of music against violence in, “Six
String Rhythm,” the track containing the title of the album. Eric Eulberg
was literally on bass, standing atop the large instrument while singing
back up vocals. In what is my favorite song off the album, “1/20”,
Justin Valdez trades in his guitar for mandolin in this beautiful track
about loss. The song was the first drummer Joel Dunst has written and
the sincerity of it all was inspiring.
The Pressures of Living, The Darkness of Dying, is an essential album
for, not only us desert dwellers, but also music lovers of all variety
of climates. All at once, it serves as a definitive punk-rockabilly
album and a diverse take on the highs and lows of everyday life. Aided
by the talents of special guests, The Mission Creeps and The Besmirchers,
I can only hope that we the audience gave the Last Call Brawlers the
kind of celebration they deserved. Whether you made it out to the album
release show or not, make sure to support this band and get yourself a
copy of their stellar album. It is available at Itunes, Zia Records, Toxic Ranch and 17th St. Market.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the Last Call Brawlers for
letting me play a part in this. Tucson is lucky to have you.
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