Austinist Show Review: Helmet at Red 7
A band name that evokes the high-schooler or naïve college kid in many of us, Helmet were a staple of the '90s “alternative” scene, a blanket term that covered everything from major-label juggernauts Nirvana to independent scene bands like Guided By Voices – basically anything that was rock but wasn’t explicitly metal or punk. Helmet, signed to Interscope, were something of a New York hybrid of hardcore, grunge and something else entirely, with reviewers often pointing out lead man Page Hamilton’s time with avant-garde composer Glenn Branca and his interest in jazz compositions, made most explicit with his cover of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Beautiful Love” on 1994’s otherwise dark classic Betty.
Photo courtesy Tim Trentham on Flickr
Like Nirvana, Helmet had a Steve Albini-produced smash album (1992’s Meantime) but more like their peers in Soundgarden, the band fizzled out as the nineties turned all derivative nu-metal and rap-rock.
With an all-new band, Page Hamilton has resurrected Helmet, touring and releasing new material like 2000 never happened – a very positive decision, actually. While this reunion isn’t really Helmet, it gives Hamilton a chance to play for audiences who never had the opportunity to see the band when they were first together (ahem) and the years have done nothing to diminish Hamilton’s enthusiasm for heavy rock.
Red 7 played host to the show – Helmet’s first in a series that will comprise a tour of the Southwest – opening their doors at the weirdly early 8:00 for local openers Feed and Oakland band Totimoshi, with whom Helmet have already toured. The propulsive Philly trio Burning Brides have also hit the road with Helmet previously, and made the best of their opening slot by pumping out one high-energy drop D number after another. The quick, more garage-rock songs sounded best, while the mid-tempo, sludgy “San Diego” just didn’t have the same bite.
Helmet got onstage and immediately began working through some of their newer material, but threw in one of the best tracks from 1997’s Aftertaste, “Driving Nowhere,” for good measure. But it wasn’t long until the band started pulling out songs from Strap it On and Meantime, with Hamilton introducing “Sinatra” from the former by explaining it was about a girl from Hoboken, New Jersey (Frank Sinatra’s hometown) and the venereal disease she unwittingly gave him. The band also worked through oldie “Blacktop,” and a few tracks from Betty, but the best-received cuts were culled from Meantime, including the radio hit “Unsung” and “In the Meantime.” After playing a good, solid set, the band then returned to the stage for an encore at least six songs long (!), featuring audience requests. Hamilton politely deferred from playing “FBLA II,” (“That’s in like 7/8, man!”), but did not turn down a shot of Jameson.
Who knew that Helmet could still kick it? Another nice surprise: Red 7 was a good choice of venue, though the sound suffered throughout the night, and was somehow not loud enough with the collective sludge of guitars drowning out Hamilton’s frenetic soloing or the higher registers of his voice. All in all, a rocking show straight out of Cameron Crowe’s Singles or 1991: The Year Punk Broke. Is an L7 reunion in the making? Please?
