Pussy, Pyledriver

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on May 9, 2007 7:28PM

Seeing Artimus Pyledriver play last night at Double Door made Chicagoist want to grow our hair long(er), stop bathing, quit our jobs, start drinking, and just hit the road.

We missed the band last time they were in town, but were told by no small number of attendees that these Georgian upstarts nearly stole the show with their energy and antics. Last night confirmed these reports as the five-piece's stoner Southern-boogie metal tunes drenched the stage in sweat. We admit that the songs don't really do anything to rise above the formula currently applied by the majority of touring metal party bands, but the band's energy takes average tunes and inflates them into anthemic calls to arms.

The band's secret weapon is drummer Travis Owen, whose sideways set-up allowed the crowd full view of all of his drumstick-twirling, stool-jumping, acrobatic tom-beating, and manic face-making. Owen was a whirl of tattoos, teeth, and sweat as he beat the hell out of his kit and worked his snare so hard we swear we saw it send beads of perspiration bouncing off its own head.

After all that, headliner Nashville Pussy didn't stand a chance. They too play a brand of metal that largely distinguishes itself through the virtue of their live sets, but we have to admit that we haven't really seen their live set shine since they lost the Amazonian fire-breathing bassist Corey Parks. The band is tight, and the interplay between the husband-wife team of band leaders Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter Suys is entertaining, but last night they didn't seem to be able to offer much beyond a solidly and professionally delivered set devoid of the passion flaunted by their opening act.