The Viper Room West Hollywood
Web: jackwestlive.com
Contact: [email protected]
Players: Jack West, vocals, guitar; Brody Schenk, bass; Matt Bent, drums, samples
Material: Sounding like Nirvana and looking like Kurt Cobain, Jack West set out to tame the Viper Room in West Hollywood on a cool, windy night. West, a New York-based alternative pop-rock artist, opened up with the Nirvana-inspired “Forever,” a grungy rock & roll tune whose surprisingly melodic chorus made the tune stand out and shine. Spicy and juicy arrangements encompassed all the tunes, which were grungy, punk rock-ish and laden with heavy power chords and angry lyrics.
Musicianship: Jack West has a good lineup, with Bent and Schenk on bass and drums. The power trio delivered on all the tunes as they churned out song after song of grunge and alternative pop that the audience felt and received with gusto. West not only sings well; his guitar work is very good, as well. Squeaks and shrieks were coming out of nowhere during songs, but could only be coming out of West’s amplifier. Bent was solid on the kit and complemented Schenk’s bass play nicely.
Performance: He might not know it, but tall and lanky Jack West towers over everyone and has very good stage presence. Schenk and Bent are great supporters, and support they did. The power trio played like they have been together for a good while now. Aside from not addressing the audience enough, the performance was very good as each song made the crowd dance and groove to the thumping of the bass drum.
Summary: Overall, a very good outing for Jack West and his crew. The material is punk in nature, but crafted with creativity and originality. The songs are performed with originality and creativity also as they take you on a rollercoaster ride that captivates as well as delights. West’s single, “Montreal,” came out Feb. 25 and the full-length studio album, titled Numb, was released May 20th.
