Tetsuo's Ardis Redford
Against the sparkly red backdrop of the stage, Murfreesboro punk rock shredders Tetsuo (who debuted in 2010 with an onslaught of grating riffage on These Crystals Don’t Burn) opened for themselves at The Springwater in Nashville, Sept. 10. Celebrating the release of album number two, Inmates, they were the first to go on in a lineup of four. If that struck any showgoers as odd, they merely drank beer as front man Ardis Redford, a somewhat ironically self-proclaimed “punk rock icon,” prefaced songs with animated quips and babble, and announced that a third record’s worth of songs are already lined up for recording.
They may have a rough and broke-down sound, but they’ve sure got their shit together. Never with a set list, they ripped into their latest (some of the best: the whining catch of what sounds part teen television show theme song, part drugging anthem “New Breed” and “Tamiflu Park,” a tune that could make Black Flag proud with its choked up guitars, harsh vocals and heavy drums), plus a few from These Crystals Don’t Burn. The new stuff is sonically in the same vicious vein, though they deserved more clarity than Springwater’s sound system allows.
The 1-10s were up next, another glitch in the order of the lineup, and proved they’re still some of the thrashiest, dirtiest and, somehow, sexiest rockers in the area, splicing Chili Peppers funk bass with grueling Zeppelin-like riffs and a touch of stoner rock shabbiness in Will Floyd’s howl. They trolled through cuts from their first LP, Fighting For A Golden Age, but also four incredible never-played songs: “Above the Surface,” “Chemicals,” “One in a Million” and “The Occupation.” P.S. Catch the original foursome while you can, as guitarist Adam Grothjan is leaving the band.
Following a sudden downpour, things got tense. As Nashville punk outfit Cannomen began setting up, they got into it over the already screwed lineup with The Black Shades, visitors from the north in matching red pants, who were under the impression that they were playing third as well. In the end, Cannomen lost and left the stage . . . and the venue. Not getting to watch Cannomen rage brought great sadness, but then peace was restored. The Black Shades simmered down the vibes with spare and poppy guitar melodies. Tetsuo vanished from their record release. But there were beers, all four 1-10s hanging around, and the memory of a moderately successful but nevertheless fun show.
