The Catheters, Isabell & The Americas

The Americas, an emo-noise duo featuring Travis Wuerthner on guitar and Casey Deitz on drums opened up. Travis was spitting free-style lyrics: "writing on the wall / bands like Face Down and Nogoodnix / must have played here sometime." Travis played arpeggiated chords and noodled around on his guitar while Deitz alternated between sparse cymbal-only drums and heavy pounding, while occasionally belting out screaming into his mic. I’m always wary of bands with drummers that sing, but Wuerthner had main vocal duties so it turned out okay. I’ve seen them play before and have really liked them, but it was too damn hot and they were too damn loud for me to get into them.

After what had to be the longest set change in the history of the D.I.Y.R.G. (about 45 minutes) Isabell took the stage. I’ve seen them a number of times and they have always been amazing. They may be the best band Chico has to offer right now, and they’re damn young. Watching them reminded me of watching Kobe Bryant win his second championship and realizing that he’s only 22 (except I hate the Lakers and watching them win was depressing), and they’re even younger than him.

Isabell has an absolutely massive sound. As Trevor Sellers pounded away on chords, Ben Tietz played lead-type riffs, while Ryan Zachary drove the songs with his bass lines. Casey Deitz’s drumming punctuated the quiet / loud changes that Isabell does so well.

Tietz and Zachary are great performers. Zachary bounced spastically around on stage and pounded away on his strings on the floor when his strap broke. He used to constantly jump off the top of his cabinet, but has since graduated to a gigantic cabinet and makes use of walls when necessary.

Headlining the show was Seattle’s Catheters. They have made a name for themselves in Chico opening up for the Murder City Devils at the Blue Room and Mr. Lucky and returned Saturday on their own for the second time. The Catheters play straight up blues-based, balls-out, rock ‘n’ roll. This time out they played mainly new material, much of which should be on their new album due out early next year on Sub Pop Records. Singer Brian Standeford could easily be mistaken for Mick Jagger or the New York Dolls’ David Johansen. He’s got huge rock star charisma, along with the rock star moves. He swung the mic, got down on his knees screaming, and he constantly gobbed all over the stage. The Catheters Afro-clad bassist jumped around stage as the very young looking Derek Mason busted out retro riffs on his guitar to match Standeford’s impassioned howling.

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