Concert Review: Dirtbombs @ The Magic Stick
You can’t stand still and listen to the Dirtbombs. Don’t even try it, it is a futile effort. Holding a bash in celebration of the release of their third album last night, the Dirtbombs rocked the Magic Stick once again. This is a band that is really great when they’re on and really bad when they’re off. These days however, they seem to be on all the time and they are getting better and better. The dual drum rhythm machine comprised of Ben Blackwell and Pat Pantano was rock solid. In front of them, Mick Collins had the crowd wrapped around his finger. As usual, Jim Diamond pumped out some solid bass on Mick’s left-hand side. The position of bass on Mick’s right has called up various ranks of the Detroit rock family after Tom Potter left the Dirtbombs to focus on the Detroit City Council. This show brought in Witches frontman Troy Gregory. Gregory seemed to be a perfect fit with backup vocals that blended wonderfully with Mick’s booming baritone.
A band with a reputation of a notoriously dirty and rough garage rock sound, the Dirtbombs clean
things up a bit on their new record, Dangerous Magical Noise. The production is much cleaner and the songs are a bit more accessible. Proving they are not ‘stuck in the garage,’ the album contains some catchy pop tunes complete with chorus-like background vocals and Mick’s stylish falsetto (“Motor City Baby” and “Earthquake Heart”). Mick, in fact, has called the album “disgustingly radio-friendly.” Fear not though, they haven’t turned into Justin Timberlake. The first track, “Start the Party” shows they get things goin’ just as rockin’ as ever. -Ryan Sult
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