Tomahawk @ Showbox at the Market, 2/12
Show Review & Photos by Dagmar

Tomahawk, a titanic supergroup consisting of Faith No More’s Mike Patton, Battle’s/Helmet’s John Stanier, The Jesus Lizard’s Duane Denison and Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn (who joined the band after founding member Kevin Rutmanis of Melvins left), was last in Seattle ten years ago. Ten years is a long time. For Tomahawk fans ten years would be an eternity.

Tomahawk‘s Mike Patton

When I heard good buzz regarding Tomahawk’s new album, Oddfellows – the band’s third since its 2001 debut,Tomahawk – I listened. I listened hard and repeatedly. The buzz had it right; Oddfellows is a work of experimental rock greatness. It’s possibly the band’s very best album – I have a hard time picking between their debut and this one. Then, when I heard that Tomahawk would be in Seattle, I had to see them.

Last week’s show was on Fat Tuesday, and I expected at least a couple random Mardi Gras revelers. It turns out Seattle is just not a Mardi Gras town, and I should know this by now. The people who came out to this show were Tomahawk fans, ones who concentrated on the songs and really appreciated the performance. This felt great. From the 20-minute loop of the Tomahawk Chop song to introduce the show to the indeterminate length of the same song looped at the close of the show, the audience dug Tomahawk.

Tomahawk from top to bottom: Duane Denison, Trevor Dunn and John Stanier

And Tomahawk deserved the appreciation. The group played a rapturous set that spanned their work. Nearly equal attention was paid to all albums, Tomahawk, Mit Gas and Oddfellows – with Anonymous the only album with a single song, “Totem.” They closed the show for an encore with Totem, followed by Bad Brains covers. Singer Mike Patton was a timeless front man who talked with the audience frequently. I liked the banter. The other band members played so well; were so cool as well. I think I heard Patton mention that the evening’s “I.O.U.” was their first live performance of the song. It was brilliant. Other greats were “101 North,” “Laredo,” “Stone Letter,” “Odd Fellows,” “White Hats/Black Hats,” “Rotgut” and “Rape This Day.”

More Tomahawk! More Tomahawk! Please, and sooner than ten years from now.

Tomahawk

More Photos of Tomahawk @ Showbox at the Market

Setlist:

Oddfellows
Flashback
101 North
Stone Letter
Birdsong
Rape This Day
Baby Let’s Play
Capt. Midnight
White Hats
God Hates a Coward
IOU
Rotgut
Southpaw
Point & Click
Waratorium
Laredo
Totem
Pay to Cum/How Low Can a Punk Get (Bad Brains cover)

Setlist by album:

Tomahawk:
Flashback
101 North
God Hates a Coward
Laredo
Point and Click

Mit Gas:
Birdsong
Rape This Day
Rotgut
Capt Midnight

Anonymous:
Totem

Oddfellows:
Oddfellows
Stone Letter
Baby Let’s Play _____
White Hats/Black Hats
I.O.U.
South Paw
Waratorium