One of the many cutting-edge opening acts Pearl Jam has introduced to its comparatively mainstream crowd, The Murder City Devils startled grunge fans several years ago with their rowdy, noisy sets. On record, this Seattle-based sextet's songs are much moodier -- due, appropriately enough, to the nuanced voice of a singer named (Spencer) Moody. The combination of his tortured growl and the omnipresent organ brings to mind a punk version of The Doors, as the Devils inject rock riffs into eerie psychedelic dementia. This is the new, multimedia breed of the Pacific Northwest's rock monster, complete with three indie films to their credit, a classic lyrical dig at jaded concertgoers (If you're not gonna dance/get your ass off the floor), priceless interview soundbites ("Your life goes from point A to point B, and in between you've got to kick maximum ass," guitarist Nate Manny told one delighted reporter), and a new record, In Name and Blood, which blends the group's grit with some spooky ambience courtesy of new organ player Leslie Hardy. Now get your ass off the floor and check out Seattle's hardest-rocking band at a venue that offers no refuge for shoegazers. The Catheters and the Yo Yos, the Devils' Sub Pop labelmates, promise to deliver equally unforgiving opening sets.
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