453 PLUTO MONKEY, JACK DRAG, The Wardrobe, London Kentish Town Bull & Gate, Monday 24 July 2000

Did a bit of research for this one, after I found out that Boston's Jack Drag, a band we nearly went to see in Beantown in May (their TT's show clashed unfortunately with American Hi-Fi!) were following up their recent UK single with a debut UK date. In other words, I phoned Boston rock oracle James Horrigan, an old friend of JD mainman John Dragonetti, for the lowdown on the current Jack Drag incarnation!

Thus armed, the Swindon branch of BRAS (Boston Rock Appreciation Society, sadly!), i.e. Rachel and myself, hit the capital at 7.30 and after a couple of games of pool, arrived at the venue, a new one for me but virtually next door to old stamping ground The Forum, at 8.15. I made myself known to John in the bar, who was incredulous about having Horrigan and Valauskas namechecked by a Brit! We chatted about Boston rock, and he introduced us to his girlfriend, who turned out to be none other than Blake Hazard, smiling support star of gig 447 in May! So we completely missed first act The Wardrobe. Never mind.

Jack Drag themselves took the stage at 9.30. The current incarnation reflect the more introspective, less fuzz-rock mood of their current material, with vocalist and serious axe hero John being backed up by keyboardist Evelyn, some drum tape loops, and... er, that's it! The set crept in politely, with slow-fi folky pastoral shapes reminiscent of Kraus' lot Jr. Corduroy, but powered up assuredly and steadily. I'd been led by James to expect a shrinking violet onstage, but John was a confident performer on good form. "Crazy" built like a Sheila Divine number, all sturm und drang and unascended crescendos, and single "At The Symphony" provided a libidinous rhythm to really let John cut loose on the guitar. Throughout, however, the set was nothing if not emotive, the songs heading straight for the gut and scoring every time. Another fine Boston rock set, but hey, did we really expect otherwise?

Quick compliments with John after the set, which was rewarded by a gift of one of Drag-mate Evan Dando's old guitar picks! We then headed back into the venue for Pluto Monkey, offshoot of Dawn Of The Replicants and fronted by their barmy mainman Paul Vickers. the wild-haired Vickers, a man never even remotely acquainted with his own chuff, was as mad as ever, assuring us that the fire exits will be adequate in the event of a fire, "but you never know where a fire is likely to start!"; informing us that DOTR were actually all killed in a, "strange boating accident in Keever Canyon!!" and arguing with his back-up guitarist as to who was the first stigmata (!). Musically, they were shambling and untogether like very early Fall, but entertaining all the same. Didn't buy the CD on offer, though! We left following another chat with John - another Boston buddy in the making!

484 JACK DRAG, Monkey Steals The Drum, Morbius, Camden "Barfly at the Monarch", London, Monday 5 February 2001

A ferocious recent gig pace is maintained, as I met Rachel from work and we hit the M4 for our 3rd gig in 4 days. This time I'm pretty much guaranteed nobody landing on my head, though... Took a relatively leisurely drive along the beat route to Camden, given a bit of cold floating around my head, parking up in the High Street just before 1/4 to 8 and having a drink in the Monarch downstairs bar. John Dragonetti, boy genius and inspiration behind Jack Drag, wandered in at 8 with girlfriend and new Jack Drag keyboard player Blake Hazard, both of them greeting Rachel and I like long lost friends, which was nice. Spent 1/2 hour or so chilling and chatting with the softly spoken but very sweet and open Mr. Dragonetti, also meeting touring bass player and old Jack Drag hand Joe Klompus, a real frizzy haired rock throwback and a total gent, in the process. Shame old Gigolo Aunts buddy Steve Hurley wasn't still touring with John, as he'd been recently doing in the US, but excellent to meet another Boston rocker!

Had a wander upstairs to catch the first 2 acts of this eclectic Shifty Disco showpiece. Morbius, a couple of DJs resembling dodgy accountants, pounded out migraine-inducing hard house on banks of battered keyboards, before the splendidly named Monkey Steals The Drum regaled us with some unfortunately clumsy zeitgeist-chasing shouty hard and heavy US rock. Not really impressed by either!

Luckily, we had a trip from the ridiculous to the sublime, with the new Jack Drag threesome. A step forward in live potency from my previous experience, Jack Drag's low-key yet lip-smackingly delicious and assiduous pop benefitted greatly from the flush of live bass and keyboard sweep augmenting John's instinctive colourful guitar lines. Merrily laid-back, summery and easy-going, yet not afraid to punch you unexpectedly with a strident sample or chunky guitar riff, the hour-long set was absorbing, evocative, emotive and mighty fine, with the shimmering psychedelic rumble of "At The Symphony" my set highlight.

A lovely set, and a nice chat with John afterwards before hails and farewells, and home via the Camden Grilled Chicken sandwich. Delicious - but not as delicious as the sounds of Jack Drag!

558 DUSTBALL, JACK DRAG, Young Knives, Bath Moles, Thursday 18 May 2002

Found out about this almost by accident; checking the Jack Drag website for possible Boston shows in June while we're there, we found out he was playing 3 UK dates this week! So, we headed down to late-night Bath Moles for this, the second of his three, along with a curious Ady, who I really didn't think would enjoy this,. But hey, you never know! Hit the venue at 10, getting in on their complicated "paying guest-list". I've never understood this policy, and it made even less sense tonight as the place was deserted!

John Dragonetti, the mainman of this shifting collective that is Jack Drag, and his girlfriend/ keyboard player Blake Hazard, wandered into the club at 10.15, greeting us like long-lost friends which was as lovely as ever. We caught up with a thoroughly engaging couple while the first band were on, so I have no recollection as to what they were like, other than that they were loud! I also recognised JD's drummer Steve Scully as he arrived with bass player Joe Klompus, and introduced myself to the erstwhile Francine sticksman, who allegedly remembered me from the Gravel Pit after-show party at James Horrigan's place back in 1999! Well, I was a little drunk and loud there, so it's quite possible...

Jack Drag, on at 11, played a sadly truncated set - only half an hour - but they filled it with more ideas, interesting noises, colour and pop, and simple superb pop tunes, than most other bands would struggle to pack into 3 hours! Drawing totally from new CD "The Sun Inside". John and co. played a mighty fine-sounding set of inventive, introspective, slightly trippy but always good and groovy tunes, lent an extra edge with Steve's "live" drum lines. John again also demonstrated a serious guitar pop virtuosity, as yet another Boston band scored a direct hit in the live environment, with a fine set!

Compliments afterwards before catching Dustball, who were headlining. I dunno, I'd not seen them for years, and now they show up twice in a week. What are the chances? They were again impressive, breathless, hard-edged and spiky, with the Molko-esque frantic vocal delivery of their painfully young (still!) singer to the fore. I'll certainly check them out again, but tonight, as we cleared off after their set at 12.45, the night belonged to Jack Drag!

559 JACK DRAG, The Four Storeys, Elastic Bandidos, Oxford Zodiac (downstairs), Friday 17 May 2002

Second Jack Drag live experience in two nights; mainman John Dragonetti mentioned the previous night that this was an early one, and with an Evan weekend to come this was most welcome. Also, a promise of being on the guest-list was enough to sway us into going to two in two nights! Dragged Shifty Disco fan Beef along as well, although he had to pay to get in! Hit the venue at 8, in on the list as promised, and into the little-used downstairs room. First thing which hit us was how cold it was; then we saw the fish! A mini aquarium was built into the far wall between the venue and backstage. Weird!

Stood near the fish as the first band came on just after 8. Apparently Swedish, they nevertheless had a Pulp-ish late 60's British B-Movie soundtrack feel to them, but were a little dull for my tastes. So we chatted with John while they were on, and got him some British beer! Oxford's Four Storeys were next up; apparently 3/4s of old Britpop wannabees Thurman (seen at Reading 1995), they weren't bad actually. Not a million miles removed from their forebears, but with more of a knockabout 60's feel to them, rather than the slightly glammy stylings of old. More Ray Davies than Marc Bolan, if you like! John kind of liked them, anyway.

Jack Drag were due on at 9.20 and joined us exactly then - this was an early one, as promised! This time, we got the full works as they played for the best part of an hour, again leaning heavily on the new CD, but this time throwing a couple of more familiar tracks in from the last "Soft Songs" CD. Once again Jack Drag were bright, colourful and poppy with slightly trippy and ambient overtones, but never losing the attention or interest. "There's a lot going on in our songs," drummer Steve Scully had mentioned, and this requires the sound to be balanced well, and once again it was, despite Blake having terrible problems trying to hear her keyboard through her monitors!

The word "accomplished" is terribly overused and abused, but it's spot-on when describing Jack Drag. John's songs, introspective without the wallow, and emotive without the angst, are seriously accomplished. The work of a softly-spoken but cerebrally very articulate man, and his guitar work in particular touches the ragged hem of genius. Another damn fine show, during which for me the thoroughly absorbing oldie "At The Symphony" stood out.

Shame then that the evening ended on a slightly bum note; John had invited us backstage to "the other side of the fish", and we chilled there while the guys cleared their stuff off the stage. However, the promoter then turned nasty and confrontational for no apparent reason, demanding backstage be cleared of the band's gear for his cocktail bar at 11. And this was still 10.30! So, tired and with an early start, we left him to his hissy fit, and Jack Drag to the clearing up. But hopefully we'll meet again - next month in Boston! (note, and yes, we did!)

565 HEAVY STUD, The Creature Comforts; 566 JACK DRAG, Jr. Corduroy, 608, Somerville, and TT the Bear's, Cambridge, MA USA, Friday 28 June 2002

After a day hanging out with EdV in his back garden, we have a double whammy! Too many gigs in one night gives us a logistical nightmare, leaving us reluctantly having to blow off 608 headliners The Gentlemen to try to fit Jack Drag and Jr. Corduroy in! Never mind, at least we'll see The Gents tomorrow night!

But first, we actually go to 608, getting in on the Gents guest list, which makes us feel bad about leaving before their set, although the guys are OK with it. We walk in 3 numbers from the end of the very early-starting Creature Comforts set, sounding as chunky, expensive and hookily rocking as in NYC earlier this trip. I'm glad to find out they're playing tomorrow night as well; we'll make sure we're here for all of that one!

But we're here tonight to check out the Stud, EdV's girlfriend Melissa's band. They're on at 1/4 to 10 with a new rhythm section and seemingly a new vocalist, before I realise vocalist Meredith has lost a whole mess of weight and looks good on it! The Studs set, whilst again leaning heavily on their surf-punk influences (Ramones, Muffs etc.) is much more cohesive and assured than before, with the new rhythm section making them sound "less spazzy", and a lot more like a proper coherent band. I enjoy them and I'd now like to hear their records. We then beat a hasty exit, bumping into Brett Rosenberg and Geoff Van Duyne in the process; Geoff accompanies us out and gives us the new CD from his band Army Of Jasons. Cool!

We catch a "T" over to Central and get there at 10 to 11, paying to get in the packed and very hot TTs, running into Jack Drag frontman John Dragonetti, who seems pleased - no, honoured!- that we managed to make it over for his set. We then run into Blake and also Carol Hurley, with whom we chat at length, and who promptly invites us to crash at her place anytime. We may well do so (and indeed, we do in 2003. Thanks Carol!)...

But for now, we get a good spot to catch long-time Boston buddy Mark Kraus' band Jr. Corduroy for the first time. Featuring Wheat guitarist Ricky Brennan on keyboards, Sterlings drummer Ben Hedlund on drums and "mine host" Michael Paulo on bass, this is a real gathering of friends, which shows in the easy assurance with which they approach the set. The set itself is gorgeous; deliciously introspective mood music recalling Wheat, but with an unexpected dynamism which for me evokes the quieter, haunting moments of U2's magnum opus "The Joshua Tree". Yup, that's right, I just compared Jr. Corduroy to U2. Nurse! The screens!

The set stretches for nearly an hour of angular, introverted and emotive rock, delivered by Mark in somewhere between a mumble and a hushed whisper, but the intricate melodies and unexpected oomph wins them Best New Band (not seen "live" before, that is!) of this Boston trip, easily!

We then catch Jack Drag's set, which kicks off just after midnight. His set is as colourful, gadget-and-rhythm laden, and prettily pop as his recent UK shows, and once again is underlain by some excellent guitar work from a supreme guitar hero. Once again drawing heavily from optimistic new CD "The Sun Inside", it's a bright and happy way to end this double whammy, the rhythmic "At The Symphony" being the set highlight for me. Afterwards, John calls us both "troupers", before we head off for a deserved nights kip. We also run into former Sterling mainman Patrick Emswiler, and I grab a chat with Gravel Pit mainman Jed Parish and show him my recently-done Gravel Pit tattoo. Thankfully he's not too freaked out about it!