The Muffs, The Queers, and Cub at Club Babyhead, August 25, 1995

Club Babyhead really scored big time having booked the Muffs and Cub on the same bill. Grrlz Punk is really enjoying somewhat of a revival, thanks in part to bleary eyed guys who love tough women, and the fact that these women are really good players. Cub was the opening band, and thanks to our Canadian friends I was ready for these three girls from Vancouver Canada and their version of punk pop. Their set was good. Lisa G. -- the drummer -- plays standing up in the old rockabilly way and uses lots of cymbals. The lead singer and bass player (another Lisa) cranked her bass up really loud and played the shit out of it. Robynn the guitar player was kind of hard to hear over Lisa 2's bass, but still rocked out.

Cub is much louder and meaner in concert than on CD. Their new CD, come out come out is easier to understand, and less thrash than their live performance. Cub's CD sound is Pop/punk with attitude. The girls aren't dumb, but intelligence doesn't st op them from covering the Go-Go's cheesy "Vacation". This is their second CD and you can get it from Mint Records #699- 810 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC Canada V5Z4C9.

Cub played alot of the tunes from come out, come out. Personally I liked "My Flaming Red Bobsled", and "Life of Crime". Lisa and the other girls joke around between songs, dedicating one tune to "Lemmy from Motorhead's big fucking dick," and starting the crowd chanting "This place Sucks!" for the Queers, who began their set with the same chant/ song.

The Queers were pretty good, if you like your punk really fast. They got the crowd moving and tried to keep them that way during their whole set. The shaved head guys up front seemed to really like it, and I caught more of them than I expected singing along when they covered "The Kids are Alright". They finished with the Ramones' "Rock Away Beach", which was pretty cool considering The Ramones might not tour anymore, and a good Ramones cover is a sweet thing.

The Muffs started off O.K. with "Lucky Guy", but things quickly deteriorated. Ronnie Barnett, the Bass player kicked over his PA because it sounded like shit. Then Kim Shattuck called Babyhead "the worst stage I've ever played on in my life."

This is the second time the new honed down Muffs have played Providence this year. Their second CD Blonder and Blonder has been out for a while, and they're hoping to get a little East Coast respect.

After playing "Sad Tomorrow" Kim stopped again and made the folks at Babyhead turn off the televisions because the cartoon network was distracting the hell out of her.

Problems with the venue aside, the Muffs were looking and sounding great. I know its the cool thing to say these days, but Kim Shattuck is the balls, and blows away most other guitar playing singing and screaming women of the new punk movement. She's probably got Billy Joe and Courtney Love both shaking in their boots. She is sort of a combination of the two, and does a better job than both of them.

They did a good mix of tunes from their first album, as well as plenty of the new stuff. They did an awesome rollicking version of "Red Eyed Troll", with the cool chorus "I don't need your attitude/ When you pick on Me!"

The band played a sped up version of "Laying on a bed of Roses" and Kim announced when it was over that the PAs up front were "Fake...Fake...Do you hear me?..Fake!"

The sound wasn't as bad as they seemed to think. Babyhead was pretty crowded but not packed, and it sounded fine over at the pool tables. I guess Kim just wanted us to know we weren't getting maximum volume. At the end of their set it looked like Kim and Ronnie got into some tiff while they were wrestling around, and he walked off. I don't know if it was a fake tantrum or what, but Roy, the drummer, announced "I'm not mad at anybody" and also left Kim to p lay "Just a Game" all alone. (Which is the way it is on the album, so I guess it could have well been fake tantrum time.)

She really did a nice version of "Just a Game" it was good to see her alone. She can switch back and forth between screaming and singing extremely well. She did the song in her sweetheart of pain voice and then left. For encores the lead singer of the Queers joined the regrouped Muffs for another Ramones Cover ("I Wanna be Sedated"), as well as a "Oh Nina" and "Stupid Jerk" which Ronnie sang.

All in all this show was better their last one at the Met Cafe, it kicked some ass, and you should really buy their stuff. Hopefully the Muffs will get some respect, besides that Rolling Stone fashion spread and mini article, and get even bigger.