ROCKET from the TOMBS on TOUR!

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The band that gave us Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys. The band that gave
us punk rock and new wave (er... -h)! Rocket From the Tombs are touring...

Here's the line-up:

David Thomas, Cheetah Chrome, Craig Bell, Steve Melman, Richard Lloyd.

Here are the planned dates:

6/3 Columbus
6/4 Chicago
6/5 Cleveland, Beachland Ballroom
6/6 New York, Village Underground
6/7 New York, Village Underground
6/8 Philadelphia
6/9 Hoboken

― hstencil, Wednesday, 23 April 2003 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey scoop,

Where are you getting these dates? They're not all on the Ubu website..

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 11:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Ach. You got me all excited there. Any more dates, hstencil? Like, West Coast or international?

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 11:25 (twenty-two years ago)

this is the only thing I've seen, and it was from the nyhappenings email list. I'll try to dig a bit deeper and see what I come up with.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 23 April 2003 11:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, good lord; I try to avoid all reunion shows at all costs (barring Mission of Burma), but I guess I'll be there, bells on. I hope David Thomas isn't in faux-beatnik mode...

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 12:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Woah. This summer's shaping up to be a great summer for seeing bands.

― die9o (dhadis), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

yep! now if we both have jobs, it'll be even better!

(sorry)

― hstencil, Wednesday, 23 April 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

oh, what a buzzkill. ha ha

― die9o (dhadis), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry bro, I'm just at work and MAJORLY BUMMED, 's'all.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 23 April 2003 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

oh man, sorry.

― die9o (dhadis), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)

no biggie.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 23 April 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

damn, gotta get some cash together to make a trip to ny for that!

― simon 803 (simon 803), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I might make it a point to visit NYC for the first time to see this show.

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't they play in LA a month or so ago?

― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 24 April 2003 01:32 (twenty-two years ago)

yep. Thot it was a one-off.

― hstencil, Thursday, 24 April 2003 01:42 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

Who in this mug lives in Columbus?! Anybody go last night, or hear any reports?

Show is tonight in Chicago ... not sure what to expect ...

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Let us know. Going Friday (and possibly Saturday) in New York.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I am considering going to see them in cleveland on Friday.

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll try to write something up tomorrow..

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

They are playing New York on Friday!

― hstencil, Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to the Maxwell's one, I think. I haven't been to Hoboken in a while.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 4 June 2003 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I saws them in Cowlumbus. I think David Thomas is trying to stay interested.. but he's not quite there. Some of the arrangements seemed like they were to alleviate the dread of yet another performance of Final Solution. .. And his singing off of a lyric sheet didn't do much to contradict that feeling.

I found the whole thing to be a bit dull. Life Stinks & 30 Seconds Over Tokyo were standouts.. Other than that, they never really got to rockin'. The crowd was really into it .. not sure why...

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 5 June 2003 11:22 (twenty-two years ago)

So, last night's show was pretty great. Not mind-blowing or anything, but it turned out to be about exactly what I had imagined beforehand. It took them a few songs to get going (I'll post a set list below). They definitely still seemed in the process of working out the kinks. That's kind of problem when you're only playing like 6 shows! The new drummer's timing was a bit off; quite often he seemed to be pushing things forward a little more than the songs called for. There was definitely a loose, careening quality to the whole thing (come to think of it, just like most of the stuff on The Day the Earth Met..!). Thomas was edgy all night, and yeah as dave225 mentions, singing from lyric sheets was a bit off-putting. But he seemed to abandon them about mid-set - perhaps as he grew more comfortable with the idea that he was once again fronting this band.

But from the first Cheetah Chrome chord, that biting Gibson SG sound really grabbed you. His enthusiasm, perhaps more than any of the others, was unflappable - even when a slightly annoyed Thomas cut him off as he strummed the intro to "Never Gonna Kill Myself Again", and told him to calm down and play slower. On the replay, by the time the rest of the band came in, the tempo had lept up again and Thomas could only roll his eyes and swig from his omnipresent flask of whiskey.

Lloyd, playing a Strat, sounded great as well. Really the best part of the night was hearing these two vets mesh the contrasting tones of their slashing chords and rhythmic strums, with the more fleet-fingered Lloyd taking the bulk of the solos. Craig Bell was fun to watch as well. He looked fresh off the golf course in his collared shirt and close-cropped hair, and seemed to be enjoying himself even if mostly hanging in the background. In fact, the moment the show came together for me was when the band launched into "Muckraker" with its great, stomping "Jean Genie" rhythm; Bell stepping up for his vocal turn. They really seemed to lock in here and it carried over to the next number, a great take on "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" - with a wonderful, explosive moment in the mid-song breakdown - definitely the high point.

The show was relatively short, and ended right around midnight, so bear that in mind if you plan to attend. If I sounded too analytical - sorry, what I meant to say was it rocked!!! You should all go!!!

Frustration
So Cold
What Love Is
Ain't It Fun
Muckraker
30 Seconds Over Tokyo
Sonic Reducer
Never Gonna Kill Myself Again
Amphetamine
Down in Flames
Final Solution
encore - Life Stinks

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 6 June 2003 01:32 (twenty-two years ago)

that's pretty much the set they played tonight. It was awesome, they were really together, didn't have too many problems. Cheetah kicked ass. I got the chills hearing most of this stuff. Might go back tomorrow night and Monday.

― hstencil, Saturday, 7 June 2003 06:31 (twenty-two years ago)

We're doing a live in-studio performance broadcast on WFMU Tuesday 3-6pm if anyone has the ability to listen online: www.wfmu.org - real player or mp3 (can't archive it, though). One of the highlights of last night's RFTT's show for me was seeing John Morton of the Electric Eels strap on a harmonica around his neck and do a minute of "Needle and the Damage Done", then take the thing off without having played a note on it.

― Brian Turner (btwfmu), Sunday, 8 June 2003 03:17 (twenty-two years ago)

uh, what are you talking about? I didn't see anyone else get up on stage with them.

― hstencil, Sunday, 8 June 2003 03:21 (twenty-two years ago)

oh maybe you're talking about Saturday's show, which I didn't get to (took too long getting out of Belmont).

― hstencil, Sunday, 8 June 2003 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Talking about Morton's band opening for the Tombs. The New Gay Motherfletchers.

― Brian Turner (btwfmu), Sunday, 8 June 2003 04:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh fuck! Wish I had known that. Damn.

― hstencil, Sunday, 8 June 2003 04:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Who opened Friday? In Chicago we had Cobra Verde.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Sunday, 8 June 2003 04:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry for the confusion -- Morton's band was the opener Friday night. I'm not sure who opened Saturday, tomorrow's Hoboken show is with Tin Huey/Waitresses member Chris Butler's band the Cranks. I heard something about Ron House or Thomas Jefferson Slave Apts opening in Columbus? Anyone see that?

― Brian Turner (btwfmu), Sunday, 8 June 2003 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

eight years pass...

Rocket From The Tombs on tour again!

The final list of dates is:

Dec 7 Chicago, The Empty Bottle
Dec 8 Newport KY, The Southgate House
Dec 9 Cleveland, Beachland Ballroom
Dec 10 Pittsburgh, Thunderbird Cafe
Dec 11 Philadelphia, Kungfu Necktie
Dec 12 Brooklyn, The Bell House
Dec 13 Hoboken, Maxwell’s

http://projexpromo1.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/philly-added-to-tour/

Current lineup:

David Thomas, vocals
Cheetah Chrome, guitar, piano
Richard Lloyd, guitar
Craig Bell, bass
Steve Mehlman, drums, organ

Should I attend the Philly date? Or will it be old guys being old?

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Monday, 14 November 2011 21:12 (fourteen years ago)

huh, i had read that Lloyd wasn't touring with them! i'd go see em again if i was on the east coast. they killed it in 03. i guess they're even older now, but ...

― tylerw, Monday, 14 November 2011 21:14 (fourteen years ago)

funny that brian turner is posting upthread way back when. i have a recording of that wfmu session, it is ridiculous, so off the hook. better than the official thing they put out by a country mile.

― tylerw, Monday, 14 November 2011 21:16 (fourteen years ago)

I saw them in 2006, and they were pretty amazing. Thomas sat down for most of the show (prompting a "Try not to seem so enthusiastic!" heckle), but Lloyd completely tore it up.

― Let A Man Come In And Do The Cop Porn (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 14 November 2011 21:16 (fourteen years ago)

oh looks like you can get that WFMU broadcast from the band now. http://www.hearpen.com/hr164.html worth it!

― tylerw, Wednesday, 16 November 2011 16:55 (fourteen years ago)

really great cover art dudes
http://www.hearpen.com/pageart/hr164.jpg

― tylerw, Wednesday, 16 November 2011 16:57 (fourteen years ago)

pretty tempted to see them at the bell house after hearing that wfmu set

― da croupier, Wednesday, 16 November 2011 17:06 (fourteen years ago)

three years pass...

Playing London December 12th!

― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 8 September 2015 18:28 (ten years ago)

The new record has surprisingly unterrible artwork!

― chr1sb3singer, Tuesday, 8 September 2015 19:59 (ten years ago)

Also this quote from the Fire records page for the album is fucking gold:

RFTT invited fellow Clevelanders This Moment In Black History to contribute to 'Black Record.'
"We've had a mutual admiration society going for years. I wanted them involved," singer Crocus Behemoth said. "I wanted to feel a rival group's eyes on us as we worked."

― chr1sb3singer, Tuesday, 8 September 2015 20:01 (ten years ago)

two months pass...

Is it worth seeing the new Cheetah Chrome-less carnation?
They got a Philly date coming up and I am thinking about going.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Thursday, 26 November 2015 07:42 (ten years ago)

Is Lloyd still in it?

― banned on ixlor (Jon not Jon), Thursday, 26 November 2015 13:03 (ten years ago)

Nope

― curmudgeon, Friday, 27 November 2015 17:21 (ten years ago)

I went to the show. Had a good time although the encore featured David Thomas getting really pissed off at guitarist Buddy Akita and after two attempts to do the song, the curmudgeonly singer stormed off the stage (as fast as a 61-year old with a cane and obviously bad legs could storm at any rate) and left a bewildered band but enthusiastic crowd in his wake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hFTwPdOOAc

I imagine there was quite the band meeting back in the van after the show.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Sunday, 6 December 2015 10:33 (ten years ago)

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