Hell-Raising Musical Mess Of Likehell Born In Minneapolis

With bands like Guzzard, Hammerhead, Gnomes of Zurich, Cows and Likehell throttling Minneapolis these days, it makes me wonder just what goes on in that Midwestern city that the rest of us don’t know about.

These bands, and many others from the Twin Cities area, wield the most damaged and damaging music around.

“It’s just what’s natural to our environment,” said Likehell bassist Frank Thorpe (a.k.a. Pilea Shoes) in a phone interview this week.

Likehell plays Swackhammer’s on Monday with Flourish.

With long, punishing winters to endure, Minneapolis can be a hostile place to live.

The elements usually lead to cabin fever and the cabin fever usually causes musicians to go insane, hence Likehell’s and its contemporaries’ hell-raising tones. In a way, they make Seattle’s school of angst rock look as wimpy as Liverpool.

“I think it has something to do with being up north. It’s probably a geographic thing,” Thorpe said. “We have to wear long pants and coats more than the rest of the country.

Vocalist Nick Eldorado believes some other outside influence factors into Minneapolis’ finest.

“This is just my hypothesis, but there’s a garbage burning plant in downtown Minneapolis. And I think it has something to do with the tap water.”

On its debut album “Love American Style,” Likehell sculpts towering, impenetrable walls of sonic sludge and distortion with squealing guitars and fuzzed-out basses. The monster rock sound ruptures even the most tolerant of ear drums.

But what makes this band irresistible, compelling and ultimately listenable is its dynamic vocalist Nick Eldorado.

He actually sings atop the musical mess instead of yelling his guts out. And when the moment calls for it, he can wail like a man being run through a wood chipper.

Bring your earplugs Monday. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. The cover was not available.

Adios El Toreador

We’re sad to report El Toreador is closing Saturday.

Owners Martha and Jim Barrett are retiring from running the restaurant they opened downtown some 15 years ago.

For almost two years, El Toreador has functioned as a beacon for original music and local singer-songwriters. It also turned into a popular hang-out for the local music community.

Before you lament, the Mexican restaurant has two more nights of music including its farewell bash on Saturday. Tonight Pam Van Kirk and Tiana will perform. Music starts at 9 p.m. Starting at 4 p.m. Saturday, Green Apple Forest, Howard Bateman, Brad Petit, the Rum Runners, Ernie Barrett(one of the owners’ sons) and Dead Flowers with Pat Klausen will all bid the establishment farewell. There is no cover charge either night.

Curtis Salgado’s back

Distinguished blues artist and local favorite Curtis Salgado returns to the area for an intimate engagement at the Fort Spokane Brewery on Thursday.

He’ll sit in with one of the Northwest’s pre-eminent blues bands, Too Slim and the Taildraggers.

If you caught the two when they jammed unannounced at the brew pub in December, you already know this is a must-see show. Last time, Salgado lent his seasoned vocals to a number of standards and blew the dust out of his harp.

Tickets are going fast. The tickets are $10 ($9 for Blues Society members) and are available at the Fort Spokane Brewery. Call 838-3809. You must be at least 21 to attend.

Soule music

The ever-popular Seattle folk rocker Inflatable Soule will celebrate the release of its shiny new CD “Golden Boy” at Outback Jack’s on Saturday.

The EP features five tracks recorded earlier this year. To this critic’s perpetually ringing ears, this effort far exceeds anything the band has done before.

Seattle’s Ondine opens. Music starts at 9:30 p.m. The cover is $4.

Give, the gift of music

Seattle’s Give, the band comprised of a handful of former Spokanites, will play Ichabod’s North on Saturday with Spokane’s Pajamazon.

Give has produced two albums “Easy” and “Mellow Judith.” A third is said to be on the way.

Music starts at 10 p.m. The cover is $3.

New all-ages club

Another all-ages club has sprung up in downtown Spokane. It’s called the Howard Street Underground and it lies beneath Central United Methodist Church (Howard and Third).

It’s open Mondays and Thursdays. The club is looking for an array of acts from bands and poets to performing artists and visual artists.

To book your act, come on a Monday or Thursday and ask for Paul. The Howard Street Underground also hopes to include art exhibits to coincide with the entertainment.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Nightwatch picks Best bets at area clubs: SATURDAY: El Toreador’s goodbye bash (see at right); Give and Pajamazon at Ichabod’s North; Inflatable Soule and Ondine at Outback Jack’s MONDAY: Likehell and Flourish at Swackhammer’s THURSDAY: Too Slim and the Taildraggers with Curtis Salgado at the Fort Spokane Brewery