It List: Wednesday

Pattern Is Movement/Mothfight/Florene (Swiss House): Pattern Is Movement are apparently not fans of critic-speak that mentions the alleged polyrhythms utilized in their complex prog-pop, though I imagine they hate the word "prog" being applied as well. Anyways, it's probably next to impossible to pull off polyrhythms when you're operating as a duo, however they still manage to make it sound as if there still an entire extended group of participants, thus adding to the music writer's confusion. The critics probably meant to say "time-signature changes," which are undoubtedly involved. There is a certain broadway quality to some of the song-writing, which is a hindrance if you hate that sort of thing, but these factors combined definitely set Pattern Is Movement apart from your average indie pop group.

Monotonix/Best Fwends/Rival Gang/El Paso Hot Button (The Lounge on Elm): It will be interesting to see what Israeli rock band, The Monotonix will do in the traditional club setup tonight. I have only seen them play at the late Eighth Continent, or in somebody's living room. Their well-documented ability to transcend their surroundings, as well as their fairly straight-forward but entertaining classic rock sound, is really something you don't want to miss. To put it bluntly, they really know how to fuck shit up, and I would expect the stairs and couches of The Lounge to be fair game. I have seen every band playing tonight on numerous occasions, and if there is a single theme for this fairly diverse group of artists, it would be that the "crazy live act" description could be applied to every band here. Fortunately for you, the music tonight largely stands on its own, even minus the novelty factor.

Vitamin X/Back Stabbath/Unit 21/No Man's Slave (1919 Hemphill):

Straight edge hardcore seems like it might be a lonely musical existence in Amsterdam, but Vitamin X play just that. There is a rich history of punk and hardcore in The Netherlands (groups like Rat Patrol or The EX), but Vitamin X sound like your standard American straight edge group. No Man's Slave has one of the funniest, and longest Myspace URL's I've seen in a few months.

It's Unamerican To Be Sad/Terry Sims/Mr. Dale and JTMudd (The Cavern): It's Unamerican To Be Sad evolved out of another DFW area group called The Black Lights, and though they sound similar, IUTBS are even more melodramatic, which I didn't think was possible.

Taxi Fare (Zubar)

Tito and Tarantula/De Los Muertos/Six Gun Saints/Kill Hawks (Rubber Gloves)

Photo By Matt Burgess