Show Review: Wavves with King Tuff and Jacuzzi Boys

The energy at the Cat's Cradle on Monday night was electrifying.  We were heartbroken to have unfortunately missed the opening set by Jacuzzi Boys, a trio whose most recent self-titled release dropped this past September, but we were hyped to arrive to catch King Tuff in all his rough and tuffness.  His band’s sound is nostalgic, their influences ranging from glam rock to psychedelic garage. The crowd reached a wide range of ages, from middle school skater bros to cool dads. Towards the stage, throngs of trill bros jammed and moshed out. Even old Old Gary on drums seemed to be having a good time. King Tuffy ended his set with “Bad Thing,” off his eponymous release, a song the crowd chanted and screamed along with him. King Tuff’s persona is out of this world: totes rad, bro. He is bad to the bone.

[caption id="attachment_26932" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Rock on, man! King Tuff's scuzzy performance was loaded with killer riffs and bad 'tudes.[/caption]

Why are some people so easy to idolize?  Nathan Williams, the frontman of Wavves, attracts fervent devotees.  His casual, fuck-off charisma is magnetic.  Many of the teenagers in attendance at Monday night’s show knew all of his lyrics, chanting along to his songs while joyfully working themselves into a writhing, moshing mass.

[caption id="attachment_26933" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Wavves had the crowd in a frenzy; we stood back where the moshing was less intense[/caption]

Perhaps Williams is so popular because his music fills the pop-punk void left when Blink-182 and Green Day became more self-serious: his songs are anthems for kids yearning for catchy, angry, Endless Summer rock ‘n roll.  As Wavves’ mangy bass player announced the song “King of the Beach,” a trio of high schoolers shoved past me as they raced to the front row.  We stood back and basked in the crowd’s energy, and we couldn’t help but dance and try to sing along.

 

by e baby and Spaceman Spiff