The Apes / Experimental Dental School
Hemlock Tavern
June 17, 2003

Review by Jake Thomas

When I walked behind the curtains into the performance room at the Hemlock, I was greeted with some strange sounds - had I suddenly walked into a timewarp that spat me out into a depression-era carnival, and the performerson the stage were the house band for the performances of such acts as Larry the Lizard Man and the world's fattest conjoint twins? No, silly me - it's just Experimental Dental School! If I had to pick a band this reminded me of, it would be Tom Waits - but that really doesn't even come close to the sounds this band is putting out. EDS are made up of drums, organ, guitar, and distorted vocals; the organ and the vocals really set the tone for the music that you hear. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, but I'm not sure if I would buy the cd to listen to at home. But they make for a great band to see live. Also, they have a great website that everyone should check out.

I've tried to see the Apes the last 2 or 3 times they've played, but no dice. Either I show up to late or have tickets for another show on the same night. I was beginning to think that it wasn't going to happen until this night. They were great, pretty much everything that I expected. The singer was a very entertaining madman, reminding me of a more rock star version of Tim from Les Savy Fav. I find it impressive that a band can sound that much like Black Sabbath, and have no guitar in the band - driven completely by really thick bass and a lot of organ. They had the small but ample crowd of the Hemlock nearly in a state of 'dancing', which for most San Franciscans is a forbidden land just as in the film Footloose (and I'm not trying to preach to anyone else, cause this group includes me; I don't dance, and you should all thank me for that). By the end of the night my ears were ringing, my body was tired, and my head was fulfilled from finally seeing this band that had eluded me for so long.

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