It had just started snowing when Trent and I left the house for Kilby Court. I hadn't been to a show at Kilby in at least a year, and honestly wasn't looking forward to standing outside in the snow while catching up with folks I hadn't seen in a while. But the snow slowed to a gentle pace by time we arrived, making the night air quiet and still.
I was never a huge fan of Karp or Murder City Devils (precursors to Big Business), but was very familiar with their music. I'd listened to Big Business a bunch on Pandora and at the house and loved the brutal passion that Big Business brought to their music. Simple and straight ahead – two dudes, bass and drums. I've always dug the huge sounds that can come from smaller lineups like Husker Du, The Minutemen, Early Man, etc. Tonight I was going to witness this sparse twosomes noise first-hand.
After watching Form of Rocket stumble through a noisy set, a good amount of the audience filtered out of Kilby, never to return. As the Form of Rocket five-piece tore down, the much slimmer Big Business two-piece set up their drum kit and bass stack. Within minutes, the remaining audience members were closing in on the stage to see the headliners.
Jared began their set whistling the intro to "O.G.". From the moment the whistling ended until the end of the show, the room was filled with Coady's franticly tight drumming and Jared's thick fuzzed bass and powerful screams.
Not since the last time I saw Murder City or Mike Watt had I'd seen a band play as tight as Big Business. Their shit was TIGHT. Coady swings his arms behind the kit so wildly that you can't figure out how he's even hitting the drums - rocking it with his entire body. And, for as thunderous the sound from Jared's bass, you can't figure out how he's not attacking with more force. Seriously, his sound is as big as Cliff Burton era Metallica, but he maintains poise.
The thunder, the frantic and the screaming somehow come together as both a giant fuzz and a crisp song. The dichotomy of these two people, and their associated sounds, rumble the room and leave everybody's ears ringing. By the end of their set, Big Business was drenched in sweat (even in the cool winter Kilby Court), having played their asses off to the small appreciative audience.
When I left that night and returned to the silent, snowy night, I could still feel Big Business in my belly. And that feeling has never left.
Big Business will be playing at Liquid Joes on Wenesday, Aug. 1. 24tix.com isn't selling tickets for the show, so don't look for it on the site. But I'll be there to see one of my favorite bands destroy.
--Shon
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