The Bell-Rays

Diamond Nights

Spaceland - July 11, 2006

Live Review by Adam McKibbin

Bands are often terrible at describing themselves, either inventing genres that signify nothing (“post-grunge?”) or concocting nonsensical, namedropping formulas (“Radiohead leaves XTC at the altar and runs off with Robyn Hitchcock underneath a Harvest Moon”). Kudos to The BellRays, then, for giving themselves the somewhat obvious but spectacularly accurate tag “rock and soul.” That’s exactly what they play, and they’ve been preaching to and bruising the masses for quite some time.

Spaceland isn’t typically the first place an Angeleno would go if they wanted to get some soul in their system, but The BellRays have set up shop for a month-long residency (free on Monday nights) and, son, Lisa Kekaula expects you to set down your PBR and get those hands in the air. Kekaula is a formidable stage presence with a powerhouse voice, a touch of Tina Turner and a touch of Mick Jones. She adds gravity to her band’s songs (“You’re Sorry Now” was a reliable standout) and has been a vital and unique (and consistent) presence on the music scene. Truthfully, she can be a little overzealous at times, perhaps still clinging to a bygone era when audiences looked to musicians and gladly gobbled up exhortations about living life to the fullest, bringing out their inner stars, etc. Anyone who has spent so much time in California should know that the Spaceland crowd isn’t going to dance like there’s no one watching, but Kekaula wasted too much energy on self-defeating banter along the lines “You’re your own person! Don’t be afraid! Set yourself free from the rules! Now clap your hands! Everybody clap your hands!” Huh?

The band’s muscular sound is something of a one-trick pony, but it’s a nice trick to behold, and the intersection of SoCal punk/hardcore with Southern gospel is made to feel like a natural place. Their songs are set steadily in overdrive, finishing with rock-star crescendos. The BellRays remain more energetic than their descendent bands, which helps make them substantially more enjoyable in person than on record.

Impressing the packed house earlier on were Diamond Nights, who are a little like The Darkness without so much camp. They seemed to be a good-humored bunch all the same, and showcased some entertaining tracks from their EP, Once We Were Diamonds, and beyond. They have a knack for repackaging Thin Lizzy-era riffs and rasps in a way that makes them enticing for those who likely went running and screaming from the source of inspiration. They don’t even shy from the jammy instrumental breakdowns. Fearless! Diamond Nights are in the midst of a rigorous tour and, so long as the retro love holds up, it’s easy to imagine them playing larger venues in the future.