413 THE GRAVY, Federal Twist, Pistola, TT The Bear's Place, Cambridge, MA USA, Thursday 5 August 1999

A day spent shopping for CDs up Massachusetts Avenue, with none other than Jed Parish of The Gravel Pit as my guide! A tremendously enjoyable and humbling experience at the same time. I then chill out before heading off at 8.30 to TT The Bear’s Place, just off Mass Ave, for the Gravy show. Have to go back to Ed’s for my passport, having been “carded” on the door (I’m 34, for fucks sake, and I’m not even drinking!!), so finally get into the small venue at 9.

Meet Michael from the Gravy and chat endlessly during the first band Red Planet, who peddle a standard rock fare despite the vocalist’s cool leather trousers. Michael introduces me to the hyper energetic Todd Spahr, Gravy vocalist and former Cavedog. We check out the second band, Pistola, who are much better, an odd looking 3 piece with good tunes and a dual vocal attack reminiscent of the Jam. Federal Twist, 3rd on, looked quite eclectic, with a large black bass player wearing a zoot suit, suggesting an element of swing or even ska in their music. However they played a disappointing sub-US rock radio mishmash, with slight plodding Radiohead overtones.

I bump into Ed at the bar. Ed is staying at Carrie’s again tonight, as she’s going to be out of town for the next few days. However, I’m down the front for The Gravy, on at 11.45. They rock a lot harder than their quirky but slightly muddy pop CD suggests, with Todd in particular a very dynamic and energetic frontman, reminding me of early Julian Cope. The punchier sound is no doubt aided by guesting drummer Tom Polce, formerly a Cleo and now a Senor Happy, who bangs a mean drum and contributes to the more hard rocking show. A superb set, despite my unfamiliarity with their new material, with oldie “Memory” my best memory of it!

Converse with Tom Polce outside the venue after the show – an entertainingly odd conversation in which Tom replies “awesome” to pretty much everything I say! – then risk the spooky walk through Norfolk Street which despite my slight trepidation is actually no problem. Hit the hay just about 2 a.m. after a quick chat with Toirm the sub-letter, who is getting his stomach checked tomorrow and has been on Peach Juice all day.

468 THE GRAVY, The X-Impossibles, The Linwood, Boston, MA USA, Friday 20 October 2000

Second gig of the night after The Fly Seville at TTs, and we taxi over from there, hitting the Linwood in Fenway (a dodgy part of town, according to all the guidebooks) at 11.50. The Linwood itself is a bedraggled and smoky bar-room resembling none other than the Kidderminster Market Tavern! The essence of dirty black rock'n'roll, and onstage the X-Impossibles are plying some rocket-powered but tune-free in-yr-face punk rock, straight out of the Descendents' back catalogue. Luckily, we bump into both Todd Spahr and Michael Jordan of The Gravy in quick succession. Michael in particular is as friendly and welcoming as I remembered him to be from my first Boston trip last year. Great to see them both again!

Okay, so the hour is late, and other shows - including the CMJ Festival in NYC - are clashing, but the turnout is totally dismal for this one. A handful of punters at the front are stared out by disinterested locals playing pool and huddling around the dilapidated bar as The Gravy take the stage at 12.30. They are nevertheless witness to an astonishing performance of power and precision by an utterly superb "live" rock act. I've mentioned so often that most Boston bands change for the better when onstage, but with no other band is the metamorphosis more pronounced than with The Gravy. Their brand of pop, occasionally over-complex yet always slightly-delic and brain-hugging, quite simply grows demonic wings and soars live. "Underwire" becomes a cauldron of demonic bass and sleazy dance, "The Thong" is revealed to be blues boogie of the most dynamic order, and newie "Kid Is Gone", with vocal chores split between Michael, Todd and Jim, features precision-sharp 3-part harmony worthy of The Gigolo Aunts. Yup, that good.

"Memory", though, totally crystallises the transformation, stripped of the layers of guitar on the CD version to its' core and becoming a totally kick-ass rock song with a powerful strident chorus. Exhilarating stuff - and the visuals are dynamic as well; these boys know how to put on a rock show, no messin'!

Tiredness sets in as we hang out afterwards, and once packed up, Michael kindly gives us a lift back to our digs. A fitting end to a great night and a great show from The Gravy!