Tacocat: Right On Time (live in LA)

TACOCAT

BOOTLEG THEATER, LA

11 OCTOBER, 2014

Returning to Southern California for the first time since a spring jaunt, Tacocat were the perfect pick for a Saturday night at the Bootleg Bar, tearing through a dozen songs and ending perfectly with a Ramones cover. Short, sharp, and shocked, Tacocat did not overstay their welcome and were the perfect party guests. With S and Colleen Green nearby in Claremont for the evening, it was a Southern California invasion for Seattle-based Hardly Art, with Green also opening up for Tacocat at Friday night's show in San Diego.

Hard to believe it was already half a year ago when last we caught up with Tacocat, perched precariously in the loft of Origami Vinyl. Setting the tone for the evening with "Cat Fancy", they moved on to the pure sugar rush of "Bridge To Hawaii", one of a clutch from their most recent LP, NVM. Following up with the one-two punch of "Party Trap" and the mass transit ode "FU#8", they sprung "Psychedelic Quincienera", before reaching back to the Tonya Harding inspired "Skate Or Die". Throughout, the trio kept up with vocalist Emily Nokes nonstop gyrations, wrapping airtight harmonies on top of Eric Randall's charging guitar work, more than making up for the missing horns that adorn some of the studio versions. The driving rhythm section of Bree McKenna (bass) and Lelah Maupin (drums) kept things in check. Past the halfway point, "Hey Girl" got a huge response, and "Spring Breakup", from the Take Me To Your Dealer EP, set the stage for the final rush led by menstruation ditty "Crimson Wave" and topped off with a deep cut Ramones cover, "I Can't Make It On Time", from their End Of The Century album. It was brief, it was brutal, and it was funny as hell. Ladies and Gentlemen: Tacocat.

Sad note to an otherwise brilliant night from bassist Bree: "Lelah got mugged at gunpoint last night-she is ok besides some scrapes from falling, but they took her purse/passport/money. Fucking lame :( "