Back Beat Seattle | Show Review & Photos: Ty Segall, The Audacity & Idle Times @ the Crocodile

“Ty always draws a sausage fest!”– Matt Schmalfeld of The Audacity, post-show.

Well, to be fair and balanced, that was not totally in evidence at Seattle’s Crocodile on July 29th – there were definitely lots of girls in the audience. But, sure, the vibe was a little testosterone-y, but in a good way. An evening spent with garage rockers Ty Segall, The Audacity, and Idle Times is a bit like hanging out with a pack of giddy and hyper junior high school boys, each one urging the others to do something really cool and/or stupid, because cool and stupid is really fun. We were all one big collective 14-year-old boy at the Croc, smashing around and dancing to 3-minute, 3-chord odes to post-pubertal fabulousness.

Ty Segall– photos by Marianne Spellman

Ty Segall – photos by Dagmar

Seattle’s own Idle Times opened with a harder, heavier take on the garage. The trio, fronted by Brian Standeford on guitar and vocals, also brings in touches of the noisy regalia of pre-‘80s metal – just touches, mind you – with longer, winding guitar solos reminiscent of mid-‘60s psychedelia. Standeford was an expressive and charismatic frontman and Idle Times easily gained some new fans.

The Audacity – photo by Dagmar

Sunny strip-mall-and-Disney-soaked Orange County, California was represented gloriously by Audacity, a group of shaggy pals who are not long out of high school themselves, and who definitely retain the teenage punk spirit. Their complete youthy adorableness aside, most of the band members have been playing together since elementary school wherever and whenever they could, so their experience shows in a set that built confidently with just the right amount of swagger and grime, and ended with joyous tumult and smiles from all. I was further mesmerized by guitarist/vocalist Mat Schmalfeld’s glowingly-bright blond hair; it’s kind of a “Surfer Cobain” look he’s got there.

Idle Times – photo by Marianne Spellman

The Audacity – photo by Marianne Spellman

A cheer went up from some of the sausage bros as Ty Segall walked onstage, and you got the feeling that the fans, all buzzing still from Audacity, were ready to hear some big bash ‘n thrash from garage rock’s latest wunderkind. Segall, at only 24 years old, is a prolific songwriter who seems to pump out superb, critically-lauded lo-fi recordings as often as he changes underwear, which is a compliment to both his talent and personal hygiene. His latest album, Goodbye Bread, has a bit more of a laid-back and slightly-trippy vibe than his previous work, but wisely he chose to pump up the onstage versions with extra roar and speed, matching the crowd’s manic energy. The songs went by in quick and dirty succession, as Segall alternately whipped his hair around and grinned “like a mule eating garlic” (thanks, Jon Wayne). The show ended with Schmalfeld joining Segall onstage for some vocals, Schmalfeld jumping into the crowd, Segall lifting up his bassist and guitarist and throwing them into the crowd, and Segall himself doing some epic crowd-surfing as well.

Mainly, you got the idea that these guys (and one girl, Segall’s thumping drummer) are having the time of their lives. As a fan, I’ve welcomed every incarnation of garage rock as each new generation discovers and adds to the brainless beauty of the simple androgen anthem. I love them all, the boys (and girls) of the garage.

“Marianne, you sure are into some strange shit!”– a friend, during the show.

If loving strange shit is wrong, I don’t wanna be right. Cool, stupid, great night at the Croc.

Review by Marianne Spellman