Scott H Biram and Restavrant at the Tractor Tavern 9/20

Scott H Biram, Restavrant @ The Tractor Tavern | 9/20 | $12 (Get Tickets) | 9pm | All-ages

Photo from scottbiram.com

Scott H. Biram (AKA “The Dirty Old One-Man Band from Texas”) plays the blues, but someone dropped into the middle of his set at random might think that they’d found a crazy metal or punk band or (if he happened to have his acoustic guitar in hand at the time) a whiskey-soaked country balladeer. Despite being a solo performer, he achieves a massive sound without having to resort to pre-recorded loops and backing tracks – his heavy sound comes from a variety of guitars and a driving beat from feeding his footstomps to a couple of massive subwoofers. His vocals range from a distorted heavy metal growl to a gentle croon or gospel wail, with some harmonica and maybe even yodelling thrown in. Adding up all of this with his psychotic stage energy yields a furious sound that few bands can equal, no matter how many members they have.

Scott has developed a formidable reputation as a not-to-be-missed live act by maintaining a grueling international touring schedule. He once stunned an SXSW showcase by greeting the audience (who had just enjoyed a set from esteemed singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson) with “they say that was a hard act to follow… I’m a hard act to follow motherf*ckers!” and then proving it. His live set draws from his large body of original material plus (sometimes radical) reinterpretations of classic blues numbers. His most recent Bloodshot Records album, Bad Ingredients, won “Best Album” in the blues category of the Independent Music Awards and his songs have appeared in numerous TV shows and movies.

If you like the blues (especially if you also enjoy raw and aggressive rock music), this is the show for you. Scott H. Biram always draws a big crowd in Seattle, so purchasing tickets in advance is advised.

Drawing of Restavrant by Erika Jane Mallet via their facebook page

Opening for Scott Biram is LA’s Restavrant, another band whose approach to the blues ends up in a very noisy and raw place. This duo consists of Troy Murrah on guitar, harmonica, and banjo paired with drummer J. State on a kit includes junkyard items such as a stack of old license plates and a large gasoline can. Their music also incorporates a touch of electronic beats and keyboard and sometimes crosses over into dark dance music. Many of the songs have crazy hardcore tempos, with vocals that are distorted and menacing. Restavrant’s second album, Yeah, I Carve Cheetahs was released this january.

While it is doubtful that Scott Biram has ever been upstaged by anyone, these guys are definitely going to kick up a severe commotion when they hit the stage.