Gaza Strippers with Detroit Cobras and Bionic at the El Mocambo, July 7. Tickets: $12. Attendance: 340. Rating: NNN
yee haw! you’d never think these cowboys were Chicago natives, but, hell, who cares? All the tattooed cowgirls catching the Gaza Strippers at the El Mocambo on Saturday night sure didn’t. Some excellent hard rock mayhem poured out of the steamy club.
The Strippers delivered a mass of power in Led Zeppellinesque style, borrowing guitar licks and little riffs from Brit bands of yesteryear and spitting ’em out with a punk rhythm.
As if he were out of those glorious days of British rock past, frontman Rick Simms, who has gigged with Supersuckers, was clad in a velvet cowboy shirt. In traditional “I don’t give a fuck” cowboy fashion, he humped, pumped and stroked that six-string like he thought he’d be bucked off the damn equipment.
But that’s what being a cowboy is all about. Playing with power and ease, Simms provided short electric solos that complemented in-yer-face harmonies with guitarist Mike Hodgkiss.
It was all well rounded out by drummer Mark Allen, who plays in a John Bonham/Keith Moon, bang-it-till-your-arms-fall-off style.
Thrashing out tunes from their latest offering, Electric Bible: The New Testament, the Strippers’ third release in three years, they lassoed listeners and hooked ’em nicely. Yeah, ride ’em hard.
