PHOTOS COURTESY OF RIDDLEOFSTEEL.COMSaturday night’s show at the Rocket Bar, a local band showcase put on by the scenester website Rocknrollshoes.com, was supposed to be the triumphant return of the ’90s punk heroes of the St. Louis area, Back of Dave, playing a reunion show after a long time gone. Back of Dave were the headliners, but two of the openers, Riddle of Steel and the Shame Club, proved they were the new heroes of St. Louis rock and roll.
After a quick opening set by the Botanists, the Shame Club took the stage. Sporting a standard rock band lineup of two guitarists, bass, and drums, they cut into their first number quickly and didn’t let up until the end, pausing their gigantic riffs and Keith Moon-style wild drum assault only for a quick “thank you” between songs. Their music is pure rock and roll, and they’re the loudest band I’ve heard in a long time-like a mix between the Who and Black Sabbath, their distorted fuzztones and wild, out-of-control vocals pummel the listener into submission. They closed the set with a spot on cover of the Who’s “I Can’t Explain,” a preview of their next gig, where, on March 12, at the fabulous Hi-Pointe upstairs (home of the dirt cheap pitcher), the Shame Club will play a full set in tribute to the original instrument smashers themselves. For all intents and purposes, it should be a good tribute-the Shame Club embody young, sloppy, loud rock and roll.
The Riddle of Steel are a progressive punk power trio who regularly play the Rocket Bar, and their regular presence was rewarded with a solid fan base at the front of the stage. Their music is a mix of seventies prog-rock-Yes and specifically King Crimson influences abound-and the more cutting sounds of early Fugazi and Sonic Youth, with a touch of the Police’s Andy Summers in the odd, reverberated guitar work. With the influence of all of these bands coursing through their veins, one would tend to think that the Riddle would be indulgent, but they strip away the solos and pare it down to a punked out assault that is equally avant-garde and accessible.
The Riddle opened with “One Inch Deep,” the first track from their recent album “Python,” guitarist Andrew Elstner taking the vocal duties. Bassist Jimmy Vavak took over the microphone for the best track from the album, “Saturn Eats His Children,” a fairly conventional rock song that breaks into a spazzy, speedy freakout at the end that had the front row of the audience convulsing. For all of their musical assault, the band were very affable between songs, giving props to the Rocket Bar, the audience, and the website that put together the show.
After playing a couple of new, impressively experimental songs that have yet to be released and an amazing version of the album closer, “Revenge of ROS”-featuring Elstner engaging in some jazzy fingertapping on the neck of his guitar-Riddle of Steel closed with “Fire is a Special Occasion,” a barnburner of lightning-speed arpeggios and an almost hardcore breakdown at the end. It was a hell of a set, and they play around here all of the time, so keep your eyes peeled for the next Riddle sighting.
When Back of Dave took the stage, nostalgia filled the room. But Riddle of Steel and Shame Club had already filled the band’s long-empty rock and roll shoes.