Photos: Jay Reatard, TV Smith (of the Adverts), Screaming Females – Music Hall Of Williamsburg – 7/2/09

All photos by Bill Shouldis

Jay Reatard, TV Smith of the Adverts and our new favorite band Screaming Females played an awesome show together at Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 2nd. I wasn’t really sure how many people would turn out since Mr. Reatard played a free show the night before. Since I’m never really ever fully satisfied from the Jay Reatard live experience, I was there for the openers. But, hey, Jay was selling his new LP Watch Me Fall, over a month early, so that ruled. I probably freaked out the merch guy I was so excited.

Screaming Females were up first. Sadly, a 9 P.M. set time was a little too early for Reatard fans, so there were only about 30 people watching the band at first. People slowly started creeping in as the band hammered away at a set filled with their strongest songs, including “Bell,” “Boyfriend,” and “Lights Out.” In regards to vocalist/guitar shredder Marissa Paternoster: ”Dude, she wails,” exclaimed a sweaty devotee in front of me. Yep, couldn’t agree more dude. This band really needs to be heard by everybody. I hope that these high profile shows start paying off in the next year.

There was some concern whether or not former Adverts frontman TV Smith would make the show since he had to cancel his show the previous night at the Mercury Lounge due to visa issues. Luckily for all in attendance, he made it. As I watched his acoustic set, I envisioned several things. First off, TV Smith and Bruno Wizard of The Homosexuals should form a supergroup. Secondly, I saw TV Smith as a senior version of Ted Leo. Come to think of it, Bruno, Ted Leo and TV Smith should form a supergroup. All things said and observed, TV played an amazing and very passionate set, with a few Adverts songs sprinkled in. It’s always awesome seeing a man of his age (in his 50s) rocking out on stage that hard. It makes you love music and, well, fucking life that much more.

As much as I love Jay Reatard on wax, his live show leaves me wanting a lot more. I understand his approach to the show. Soft on record, aggressive live. Jay, however, writes some serious jams on his records and I just wish I could hear those songs a little bit more like how they are recorded. Is that too predictable? Perhaps. But I just think Jay strips his songs down way too much. The core is missing. It says something about your live show when you can barely make out which songs are being played. I’m sure, however, this won’t be the last time I see him though. I just can’t resist it.

The highlight of the show came with the encore though. Reatard brought TV Smith on stage for a bunch of Adverts renditions, including two of the more popular ones (“Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” and “Bored Teenagers). I really hope most people in attendance knew these were Adverts songs. Sadly, I don’t think that was the case. Any exposure to those gems is a good thing though. It made me realize that I need to track down all the very hard to find Adverts records.

Ah fuck, THIS is the supergroup…as of now: TV Smith, Jay Reatard, Bruno Wizard, Ted Leo…and all of Screaming Females. It’s official, I’m a geek.

Screaming Females

TV Smith

Jay Reatard

Jay Reatard + TV Smith