The Detroit Cobras April 6, 2007

9 PM in the Ballroom w/ Living Stereo
$12 all ages

One of the earliest groups to emerge from the Detroit garage rock scene, the Detroit Cobras were formed in 1995, with a notion to perform standards and obscurities from the vaults of r&b and soul music and '50s, 60s and 70s rock & roll in their own raucous and original way. Untrained and undisciplined (and how!), singer Rachel Nagy started out by belting revved-up rock yowlers and has grown into the gen-u-ine gutsy, vulnerable, delicate and commanding soul-on-the-edge singer. She effortlessly glides from R&B sass, to girl group pathos to kitten-with-a-whip toughness with a snap of her chipped fingernails. Longtime musical partner in crime, guitarist Mary Ramirez keeps the DE-troit Motor City in the Cobras with her body shop wallop, greasy rock 'n soul rhythms and a bold grasp of old school, big room arrangements. Their first record in 3 years, Tied and True, is out in April on Bloodshot Records, and features their own take on songs originally recorded by Gino Washington, The Equals, The Melodians (who, oddly enough, perform at the Beachland the next night, April 7), Irma Thomas and Garnet Mimms. The band is filled out by guitarist Joey Mazzola (ex-Sponge), bassist Carol Schumacher (of the Reigning Sound and Beachland staffer) and drummer Nick Lucassian (Shipwreck Union, Catfish Mafia). Cleveland's Living Stereo is comprised of musicians that have been in a whole bunch of noteable bands, including Breaker, Sidecar, Lesbianmaker, GBV, Cobra Verde and Lives of the Saints (to name merely a few). Music inspired from the birth of rock and roll in the 50's up to the punk/new wave explosion of the late 70's and early 80's, the band throws down without messing around, just getting down.

Official Website: http://www.beachlandballroom.com/