The Max Levine Ensemble

Just Spaceship, TMLE, 1905, Chase, Shakedowns
Electric Maid, NW DC
01.20.02

Bob writes:

"Another cool show at the Electric Maid is over. This place gets better each time I see bands there this show had to be one of the most diverse shows ever at this venue so far. Just Spaceship opened it all up. I came a little late so I only saw half their set. They had this whole indie rock thing going on. Indie/emo, not really my thing but I kind of dug them. They played really slow and sludgy. They sounded good for their first show. Mat Lewis from the Pocket Rockets / TMLE played guitar/bass.

The Max Levine Ensemble swarmed the stage and went next. And let me tell you something, they rocked. If you could put Elvis Costello, the Clash, the Queers, Mr. T Experience, Operation Cliff Clavin, and Randy in a giant mixer add in some high school, teenage anguish and experience and you would have TMLE. They played an extraordinary set of mainly new material. "Conventional" isn't that new of a song, but I really like it. It features mainly Alex Belvadere on vocals and butt trumpet. I cannot wait to hear these new songs on an album including a new instrumental, "Rock N Roll Asshole", "Leopard Print Skirt", and "Embryonic Rockabilly Polka Dotted Fighter Pilots". These new songs sound so much different and the music and vocals are more complicated. That's what makes TMLE so good. Each time you see them they change. You never get the same set or the same band. Their new stuff didn't rock the crowd as much as their old stuff like "STOP", "***** You I'm Not PC", and "Defenestration."

Next up was the experimental 1905 who did some crazy shit. They read poetry, played tribal like drums beats, yelled a lot, rocked a little. They had the indie vibe kicking as well. They had a female singer who could belt it out. They told their crowd they usually aren't this controlled but they had a poetry tone feel to them tonight. I'd like them to see their real thing. It was something different that I totally dug.

The Chase played following 1905. I was mad I missed most of their set. I was interviewing the motherfuckin' ShakeDowns in their toasty van. But I heard from everyone they played a rocking set of old school hardcore. They are one of my favorite hardcore bands. They played an Operation Ivy song, an awesome sing along number, "The Crowd." You have to see these guys it's all about indie rockin' hardcore kids. They dance all funny.

The ShakeDowns rocked it out as the headlining band. They definitely put the rock behind the buck during this set. Which was short and sweet. They played a lot of awesome new songs that rock in a way I never thought I could rock before. During their new songs they seem to have managed a way to turn their guitars up to 11. Is this right? I don't know. Who am I to question rock n roll? The song that epitomizes their new sound is "Soul Rockin'." They also did some of their stuff from their first album on like, "Hey I Got Your Number." They tore the place down at the end with the Kiss-like anthem "I Don't Want to Rock No More." The ShakeDowns prove once again they are some bad motherfuckers that walk on the wild side."
Review taken from http://www.dcska.com