Demigods of delirium

Riff Raff crowd treated to great night of rock

This article was published on 07.17.03

NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT <br>Guitarist Tom Skowronski of Oroville band Botchii gets in the mood for some serious amp tipping during last Thursday’s gig at the Riff Raff.photo/Tom AngelThe Dik DiksWet ConfettiBotchiiRiff Raff Rock BarThursday, July 10Demigods of deliriumRiff Raff crowd treated to great night of rockby Jason Cassidyoboycowboy@hotmail.comBotchii is god. I’m not saying you should worship them, but I do. A two-piece with de-tuned guitars and a children’s drum set, Botchii opened the show at the Riff Raff this past week and blended speaker-rattling bursts of noise with their trademark nervous, odd-timed melodies, as well as hilariously obtuse intra-band banter.Botchii uses the noise (as well as the physical act of making the noise) to tear apart rock-’n’-roll conventions and build it back up in their own distorted vision.During one of the more impressive moments, lead singer/guitarist Tom Skowronski tipped his amplifier face first atop the screeching guitar he’d already flung to the stage. He then climbed on the wreckage and began dancing and screaming along with the noise, while a stream of late-comers passed by, hardly noticing his attempts to entertain. Next was Portland three-piece Wet Confetti. With a tightly wound rhythmic approach akin to the Fugazi-inspired output of Washington, D.C.’s post-punk legions, Wet Confetti layered a dissonant dual-guitar whitewash over very insistent rhythms that had the moderate-sized Riff Raff audience undulating in approval.Rounding out the night was pure rock and roll. Chico’s newest and best band, The Dik Diks, kicked out the jams! Leading the show was über-frontman Micah Warren, who moved like a spastic combination of Iggy Pop and Prince. Warren pushed his presence out there, throwing himself into a sexy, rocking dance party, while the rest of the Diks chugged out a refreshing soundtrack of late-’70s New York-inspired punk rock ’n’ roll that brought my summer to life. žEtheridge rocks KonoctiMelissa EtheridgeKonocti Field Amphitheatre, Kelseyville, Friday, July 11by Kim HigmanThe sun was just setting behind the hills of Clear Lake when Melissa Etheridge hit the stage at 7:45 p.m. She went right into “All American Girl,” energizing the crowd. By the second song everyone was on their feet.Clad in black T-shirt, tan leather pants and worn cowboy boots, at one point Etheridge noticed a group of cheerleaders from Clear Lake High School in the crowd, asking her guitar player, “James, am I seeing things?” Then later, “Oh, the cheerleaders are having a raffle.” Starting into “Similar Features,” Melissa announced that her first album was to be re-released inthe fall. The crowd almost drowned Melissa out as it sang along with her.Melissa gave the band a break and invited everyone to sit down. “I’ll sit, too,” she said, walking to the edge of the stage, sitting and dangling her legs over. She then offered her “world premier” of “Will You Still Love Me.” She sang with such expression, her eyes also told the stories as her strong voice captured and electrified the crowd. Entranced, we were pulled into Melissa’s private circle. If only for a few hours, only for this night … Melissa was ours.She sang 15 songs, with a two song encore. “All the Way to Heaven” had us floating, filled by her voice and energy. She closed with her signature statement, “Speak True.” ž — NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Guitarist Tom Skowronski of Oroville band Botchii gets in the mood for some serious amp tipping during last Thursday’s gig at the Riff Raff.photo/Tom AngelThe Dik DiksWet ConfettiBotchiiRiff Raff Rock BarThursday, July 10Demigods of deliriumRiff Raff crowd treated to great night of rockby Jason Cassidyoboycowboy@hotmail.comBotchii is god. I’m not saying you should worship them, but I do. A two-piece with de-tuned guitars and a children’s drum set, Botchii opened the show at the Riff Raff this past week and blended speaker-rattling bursts of noise with their trademark nervous, odd-timed melodies, as well as hilariously obtuse intra-band banter.Botchii uses the noise (as well as the physical act of making the noise) to tear apart rock-’n’-roll conventions and build it back up in their own distorted vision.During one of the more impressive moments, lead singer/guitarist Tom Skowronski tipped his amplifier face first atop the screeching guitar he’d already flung to the stage. He then climbed on the wreckage and began dancing and screaming along with the noise, while a stream of late-comers passed by, hardly noticing his attempts to entertain. Next was Portland three-piece Wet Confetti. With a tightly wound rhythmic approach akin to the Fugazi-inspired output of Washington, D.C.’s post-punk legions, Wet Confetti layered a dissonant dual-guitar whitewash over very insistent rhythms that had the moderate-sized Riff Raff audience undulating in approval.Rounding out the night was pure rock and roll. Chico’s newest and best band, The Dik Diks, kicked out the jams! Leading the show was über-frontman Micah Warren, who moved like a spastic combination of Iggy Pop and Prince. Warren pushed his presence out there, throwing himself into a sexy, rocking dance party, while the rest of the Diks chugged out a refreshing soundtrack of late-’70s New York-inspired punk rock ’n’ roll that brought my summer to life. žEtheridge rocks KonoctiMelissa EtheridgeKonocti Field Amphitheatre, Kelseyville, Friday, July 11by Kim HigmanThe sun was just setting behind the hills of Clear Lake when Melissa Etheridge hit the stage at 7:45 p.m. She went right into “All American Girl,” energizing the crowd. By the second song everyone was on their feet.Clad in black T-shirt, tan leather pants and worn cowboy boots, at one point Etheridge noticed a group of cheerleaders from Clear Lake High School in the crowd, asking her guitar player, “James, am I seeing things?” Then later, “Oh, the cheerleaders are having a raffle.” Starting into “Similar Features,” Melissa announced that her first album was to be re-released inthe fall. The crowd almost drowned Melissa out as it sang along with her.Melissa gave the band a break and invited everyone to sit down. “I’ll sit, too,” she said, walking to the edge of the stage, sitting and dangling her legs over. She then offered her “world premier” of “Will You Still Love Me.” She sang with such expression, her eyes also told the stories as her strong voice captured and electrified the crowd. Entranced, we were pulled into Melissa’s private circle. If only for a few hours, only for this night … Melissa was ours.She sang 15 songs, with a two song encore. “All the Way to Heaven” had us floating, filled by her voice and energy. She closed with her signature statement, “Speak True.” ž

The Dik Diks Wet Confetti Botchii Riff Raff Rock Bar Thursday, July 10

Botchii is god.

I’m not saying you should worship them, but I do.

A two-piece with de-tuned guitars and a children’s drum set, Botchii opened the show at the Riff Raff this past week and blended speaker-rattling bursts of noise with their trademark nervous, odd-timed melodies, as well as hilariously obtuse intra-band banter.

Botchii uses the noise (as well as the physical act of making the noise) to tear apart rock-'n'-roll conventions and build it back up in their own distorted vision.

During one of the more impressive moments, lead singer/guitarist Tom Skowronski tipped his amplifier face first atop the screeching guitar he’d already flung to the stage. He then climbed on the wreckage and began dancing and screaming along with the noise, while a stream of late-comers passed by, hardly noticing his attempts to entertain.

Next was Portland three-piece Wet Confetti. With a tightly wound rhythmic approach akin to the Fugazi-inspired output of Washington, D.C.'s post-punk legions, Wet Confetti layered a dissonant dual-guitar whitewash over very insistent rhythms that had the moderate-sized Riff Raff audience undulating in approval.

Rounding out the night was pure rock and roll. Chico’s newest and best band, The Dik Diks, kicked out the jams! Leading the show was über-frontman Micah Warren, who moved like a spastic combination of Iggy Pop and Prince. Warren pushed his presence out there, throwing himself into a sexy, rocking dance party, while the rest of the Diks chugged out a refreshing soundtrack of late-'70s New York-inspired punk rock ‘n’ roll that brought my summer to life.

Demigods of delirium

Riff Raff crowd treated to great night of rock

More Music » Reviews

Etheridge rocks Konocti

Anything but sleepy

I (too) love rock ‘n’ roll

Driven to drink

Gamma Jam