The Stitches

The Stitches
The Generators
The Guitar Gangsters 
@ Club Mesa,  May 10th
Review By: Snack Baggs  
Photos By: Scott Wulfesteig

This review is a long time in waiting, by the time this hits the net, the legendary Club Mesa will probably not be “doing” punk shows anymore. Which will join the growing list of good clubs closing their doors. The Show tonight is a good indicator of what we will be missing when the last show at Club Mesa unfolds. I missed the first band and most of the second band The Guitar Gangsters. They claimed they hailed from London, and seemed to bring their own little fan club with them.  Unfortunately the semi- idiotic prattle of the small group of what looked to be their fans seemed to ruin the show. As they bumped the mic stand repeatedly and spilled beer everywhere, it even looking annoyed the band at times. When all was said and done they were a tight, of course guitar oriented rock and roll. Not bad but nothing too special.

            The next band up was the psychotic punk antics of the Generators. With a rather intense singer, and a bona fide psycho playing guitar these guys are a definite must see live. With a distant disattached look the Generators guitar player definitely knew his shit with a six string. They were your everyday blue collar, type of punk band with lots of pissed off aggression and venting. God how I love America!  Without a doubt, I can know see why these guys keep popping up at all the good shows in town.

            The headliner for tonight’s show was the locally infamous, the one, the only, The Stitches.  They are one of the many great, true old school punk bands coming out of the Orange Curtain. I talked to Johnny before the show and they have been in the studio for a little while working on new material, but probably wanted one last show at good ol’ Club Mesa.  Singer Mike L. was rather coherent and ready to be the belligerent shit he always is.  But that’s when the Stitches are at their best, snide and off the cuff. Guitarist Johnny Witmer is definitely one of the truly talented Guitarists in a sea of rhythm guitars. And Pete does his best . They played their usual list of  snotty punk classics, like “Nowhere” and“ the anathematic punk classic “Better of Dead”.  When you’re at a stitches show you know one thing for certain, and that is you never know what’s going to happen. Club Mesa usually brings out the best in the Stitches, and tonight was no exception. With a good number of drunk friends there slurring the worlds, and the band providing their trademark style of Punk that’s a little reminiscent of the Sex Pistols with a little of their own flair mixed in. That nights show was possibly the last show I will ever attend at Club Mesa. At least it was a good show, see you Club Mesa.

Snack Baggs

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