Tag Archives: detroit cobras

DETROIT COBRAS / DES ROAR / THE BAXX SISI’S

The Detroit Cobras are headlining a raucous triple bill August 12 at the Bell House, with Des Roar and the Baxx Sisi’s (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

The Bell House
149 Seventh St. between Second & Third Aves., Gowanus
Friday, August 12, $15, 8:00
718-643-6510
www.thebellhouseny.com
www.myspace.com/thedetroitcobras

When last we saw the Detroit Cobras (in August 2010), guitarist Mary Ramirez was doing her best not to get seasick aboard the Half Moon as the Rocks Off Concert Cruise ship teetered and tottered, making it difficult to stand up without holding on to something or someone. Meanwhile, lead singer Rachel Nagy wasn’t about to start the show until things calmed down at least a little bit. And of course, once the seas did calm ever so slightly, Nagy and Martinez, along with guitarist Joey Mazzola, bassist Jake Culkowski, and drummer Kenny Tudrick, ripped into a searing set of hard-driving old-fashioned garage rock that was anything but, well, calm. In their fifteen years together, the Cobras have released a mere four albums, the most recent being 2007’s Tied & True (Bloodshot); there’s been talk of a new album for quite a while now, and we’re hoping they’ll be featuring songs from it tonight at Maxwell’s (with the Booze) or at tomorrow’s hotly anticipated show at the Bell House, with New York City’s Des Roar, whose debut album, Mad Things (December 2009), was a potent combo of surfer rock and 1960s guitar pop and harmonies, and Brooklyn garage punk the Baxx Sisi’s (aka the Back C.C.’s), who might wear dress shirts, jackets, and ties but know how to cut it loose in two-minute bursts of raucous energy.

DETROIT COBRAS

Rachel, Mary, and the Detroit Cobras will help fans get their rocks off on August 20

ROCKS OFF CONCERT CRUISES
Skyport Marina, 23rd St. & FDR Dr.
Friday, August 20, $20-$25, 8:00
www.rocksoff.com
www.myspace.com/thedetroitcobras

Garage-band heroes the Detroit Cobras are working on a new record, which is great news, because we dug their last outing, their first new record in three years, TIED & TRUE (Bloodshot, 2007), thirteen covers of old-time rock-and-soul tunage by such songwriters as James Brown, Gerry Goffin, Eddy Grant, and Bob Elgin — but avoiding overly recognizable hits, instead making these relatively unfamiliar songs their own. With original bad-girl members Rachel Nagy on vocals and Mary Ramirez (previously known as Maribel Restrepo) on guitar, the Cobras rip through such gems as “Nothing But a Heart Ache,” “Leave My Kitten Alone” (complete with meows!), and “(I Wanna Know) What’s Going On,” propelled by Kenny Tudrick’s rollicking drums. If the jaunty “On a Monday” sounds familiar, that’s because when Johnny Cash recorded it, he called it “I Got Stripes.” The Cobras have just reissued their first two albums, MINK RAT OR RABBIT and LIFE, LOVE AND LEAVING, in imited-edition vinyl pressings; the records include covers of songs by Mary Wells, Otis Redding, Jackie DeShannon, and Clyde McPhatter, with such raw rave-ups as “Cha Cha Twist,” “Bad Girl,” “Midnight Blues,” “Shout Bama Lama,” and “Hey Sailor.” The Cobras will be playing aboard the Half Moon on Friday night as part of the Rocks Off Concert Cruises, with Nashville quartet Heavy Cream opening up.