Burning low desert vibes and hypnotic grooves: Brant Bjork Trio leaves Grand Rapids spellbound with Slumlord Radio and Carbon Decoy
The Brant Bjork Trio at the Pyramid Scheme
Rolling out from the Californian desert, the Brant Bjork Trio stopped at the Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids for a night of heavy grooves and fuzzy boogie. Their latest album, Once Upon A Time In The Desert, is a study in the art of the groove. Rhythmic forward thanks to the exceptional low end of Mario Lalli, this album is heavy in the pocket music guaranteed to blow your mind while setting you free. But before we dig into the main event, local rockers Carbon Decoy and Slumlord Radio heat things up.
Carbon Decoy
Channeling the heavy tones of Church of Misery and Acid King with the sonic psychedelia of Hawkwind is Carbon Decoy. I’ve had the great fortune to see this band a number of times, the most recent being at GIG. Their set was captivating, with the fuzzy bass and drums driving hard as the guitars painted a scene of lysergic dreams. Be on the lookout for a new album from Carbon Decoy coming soon!
Slumlord Radio
Swedish lords of garage rock from Grand Rapids, Slumlord Radio, were up next. Their music is best described as loud and proud heavy rock in the vein of pioneers such as MC5 and The Stooges. Kicking things off with “Gonna Be A Riot,” the guitars of Tommy Erickson and new guitar slinger Trey Lavish roared with grit. Powering the band into songs “Til’ The Wheels Fall Off” and “Shirley’s Backroom” is the hard-hitting rhythm section of Matt Claucherty on drums and the “Wolfman” Michael Todd on bass. Slumlord Radio spiced up their full-throttle set with a couple of killer covers, including the Stooges “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and “A Shogun Named Marcus” by Clutch.
Brant Bjork Trio
A darkened stage lit only with red lights gave the impression of the evening glow of a desert sunset as the Brant Bjork Trio took the stage. Joining Brant to round out the trio is Mike Amster on drums and Mario Lalli on bass. They are journeymen in the stoner rock genre, with Brant and Mario arguably being the founding fathers of stoner/desert rock.
They kick off their set with “Sunshine Is Makin’ Love To Your Mind” off the new Once Upon A Time In The Desert. Immediately, you feel the impact of the rhythms crafted by Mario and Mike. With Mike locked on the groove, Mario is free to explore. This leaves Brant to focus on weaving a melodic tapestry with his voice and guitar. The effect is a sonic wave that pulsates through you. In some ways, you feel you are in an expansive landscape with the sun’s heat casting shimmering waves that have become sound.
The setlist spanned the depth of Brant’s extensive catalog of music, including “Budda Time” off Black Power Flower, “Bread For Butter” from Bougainvillea Suite, and “Let The Truth Be Known” on Saved By Magic. Each song was delivered in rapid succession, allowing the audience to experience the flow of the music. Again, that sensation of expansiveness was present as the Brant Bjork Trio transfixed and captivated the crowd.
Brant dug deep, tapping into his first solo album, Jalamanta. The band played “Too Many Chiefs” and “Low Desert Punk” before closing out the evening with “Lazy Bones” and “Automatic Fantastic.” With a quick thank you, the house lights came up, and the Brant Bjork Trio exited the stage. However, the spell of the music lingered on as I made my way home.
Pictures
Check out the galleries for Carbon Decoy, Slumlord Radio, and Brant Bjork Trio for more photos.
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