Saturday Night: Boris at the Great American Music Hall

Boris
Great American Music Hall
August 2, 2008
Review By Kirsty Evans

There aren’t many bands that can pull off stoner rock, sludge, drone, psychedelic, noise and ambient all in one show, but Boris is the exception to a lot of rules.

For a start, they have a female lead guitarist. Not too many of those in any genre of rock. They also have a bassist who plays a sort of bass/guitar hybrid that I’ve never seen before and somehow manages to sing at the same time. He has a surprisingly sweet voice, not at all what you’d expect from what started out as a screamy hardcore punk band.

They hit the stage Saturday night at the Great American Music Hall like a band utterly confident in their own ability to blow away their audience. Drummer Atsuo came out looking like a rock star straight out of the 70s, with skintight pants and a shirt hanging open to reveal some impressively toned abs and hair that must take serious effort and a whole lot of hairspray to maintain, and immediately began banging on a massive cymbal hanging behind his drum kit. Guitarist Wata was surprisingly soft and feminine, and I couldn’t help but like her more for not conforming to any of the various looks expected of women in rock bands. Bassist/vocalist Takeshi was almost as much of a ham as the drummer, striking some classic rock poses and tossing his hair around in a way that showed a definite flair for engaging an audience. No doubt about it, the members of Boris are pros and they know how to work a crowd.

The Japanese trio has been around since 1992. Over the years they’ve morphed from hardcore punk to an act that experiments with all sort of musical styles: all of which they seem determined to pack into every live performance. Heavy, sludgy, trippy as hell, fuzzy and distorted, with occasional cock rock flourishes, Boris live is something of a cross between Black Sabbath, The Melvins and the weirdest noise rock band you’ve ever heard...or occasionally, Mudhoney played at half speed. It’s an odd combination, but it works.

They’ve also recently added guitarist and long time collaborator Michio Kurihara to their touring line-up. It’s a good addition, one that beefs up their sound and makes everything just a little bit richer. It also gives guitarist Wata the chance to sing on "Rainbow," which is a good thing, because she has a lovely voice, one that it would be nice to hear more of.

Overall, during live shows Boris attains a balance that’s spot on. They move from full-on metal to a bluesy psychedelic sound to slower songs that are downright pretty without missing a beat. Their sound is big, rich and often surprisingly mellow. That’s not to say that it can’t get heavy at times too; there were some full-on metal moments where the crowd was moshing like crazy, and Wata can really shred. As good as they are at drone and sludge metal, though, it’s the flair for experimentation and refusal to stick to just one genre that makes Boris really stand out. That and the stoner vibe that permeates all of their work no matter how many genres they churn through. At times I felt like I was about to get a contact high just from listening to the music, which is a very good thing indeed.

Boris has been getting a lot of attention from the American rock press since signing a deal with LA’s Southern Lord records, and when you see them live it’s not hard to see why. Technically solid, with a flair for experimentation and a love of classic late 60s and 70s rock that allows them to actually recreate the sound of their albums on stage, Boris draws a diverse crowd. The Great American Music Hall was packed to the rafters, and shows all across North America have been selling out. With a strong American following and a supportive label that just keeps churning out the re-issues, Boris will most definitely be back. Let’s hope it’s soon.