You Don't Need to Be Stoned, But It Probably Wouldn't Hurt

If you didn’t already know where you need to be this evening, you do now: Slim’s. Headlining the night is Om , aka Al Cisneros (vocals and bass) and Chris Hakius (drums), aka 2/3s of seminal stoner metal band Sleep. With a name like Om, there had better be something trance-inducing about the sound, and there is. Repeated, slowly evolving slowed down fuzzy bass, drums and chanted vocals give it a meditative quality. Not having seen them live before, I can’t speak too much about what it’ll be like in person (although you could find out about the sound by following the link I just gave you and scoping out a live recording that’s available for free download). I imagine that it’s going to be easy to lose oneself in the music.

You should remember another band in the lineup, Mammatus , that I have repeatedly told you to check out if you’re into stoner metal, heavy psych, and the like. More trance-inducing goodness.

Starting off the evening is an Australian band I’m super-pumped about checking out, Grey Daturas . It’s noise rock, but there’s definitely a solid foot in the rock category, albeit with a tendency towards metal, no-wave and sludge. These guys just put out a split with Wolf Eyes, after all. I’m excited about all the merch I’m not going to be able to resist purchasing.

Finally, somewhere in the lineup is a band I know jack about, Pearls and Brass . But they’re on the nigh impeccable Drag City label, so that’s good enough for me. And if it’s good enough for me, it better be good enough for you. After all, I can still dish out the melvins, if need be.