The Chop Tops, The Rocketz - their 'Helloween' shows were a success; see them this weekend in So Cal

Really? A psychobilly show in Menlo Park? Nestled among the oak trees of dot com surburbia, The British Banker’s Club is clearly one of the only places to go if you’re a bit too alternative for the Stanford party scene. The architecture and décor of the place is really interesting. Over a hundred years old, this spacious saloon has been a bank, a city hall, a police station/jail, and a public library (there’s a bookshelf of law books on the upper floor you can browse through). The downstairs bar features real Tiffany stained glass windows and lamps, and the upstairs bar was brought over from England, so the bartender told me. So even though I had my doubts about seeing a psychobilly show in Silicon Valley, I was pleasantly surprised with the venue.

On Thursday October 29, The British Banker’s Club kicked off the first of a three-night series of Hell-O-Ween shows, headlined by The Chop Tops and featuring a diverse line-up of other California bands: Death Valley Drifters, The Strikers, No Dice, and The Rocketz.

Every one of these bands has upcoming shows this weekend, November 13-15 (check out the bottom of the article for listings).

Chop Tops fans Steve and Kat V at the Menlo Park show

The Death Valley Drifters got the night started, quickly recovering from an instrument malfunction halfway through their set (the scroll on the upright snapped off, but Dave was able to borrow a bass from The Chop Tops). Their lyrics tend to be a little more thought-provoking than your average psychobilly band, but don’t let that fool you – they still rock hard.

The Strikers were the surprise of the night for me. Rob on upright and Donovan on drums fit the typical rockabilly/psychobilly look, but Joey on guitar and vocals looks like he walked out of Motorhead. They played an intriguing mix of psychobilly meets metal.

No Dice describes their music as “Nitro Burning Rock’n’Roll” and they definitely have the attitude it takes to pull that off, pummeling through a loud and fast set full of songs that could work as the soundtrack to a bar-room brawl.

Then, of course, The Rocketz, bringing Dave back to the stage on upright, Tony Slash on guitar, and Tony’s son Anthony on drums. The awkward stage set-up didn’t really allow them to move around as much as they normally do, but they still delivered a very energetic set. Their crowd-pleasing anthems always spark audience participation, whether you’re entertaining strange homicidal fantasies as you shout “K-I-L-L-I-N-G” or simply celebrating the greatness of beer as you cheer along, “We’re drinking at full throttle ‘til we can’t read the label on the bottle!”

Shelby on Gretsch & stand-up drummer Sinner rockin'
hard at the Menlo Park 'Hell-o-ween' show.

“How many of you have been in love? Well, f*ck you!” This is how singer/drummer Sinner from The Chop Tops introduces “Bitch.” You quickly find yourself bopping your head, tapping your foot, or snapping your fingers along with this vengeful song about a lying, cheating “psychobilly bitch.”

Hailing from Santa Cruz, The Chop Tops truly are “revved-up rockabilly.” From songs dedicated to all the pretty girls in the audience (“My Curse”), to a series of drinking songs in different styles (blues, psychobilly, and rock), to a cover of The Specials’ “Concrete Jungle,” The Chop Tops keep the intensity amped up the whole time.

If you love the old-fashioned Gretsch tone, you’ll dig Shelby’s amazing skills. His blistering solos are so clean and crisp – if you close your eyes you could easily pretend you’re actually back in the ‘50s listening to Chuck Berry or Carl Perkins (The Godfather of Punk, in Sinner’s opinion). Plus, the coon tail attached to his guitar is awesome.

Similarly, Brett clicks away at the upright with amazing precision. What I love about Brett’s style of playing is that you can actually hear the melody of the bass line too, adding depth to this trio while still sounding clean and tight.

You’ll also be impressed by Sinner’s unique stand-up drumming style (Slim Jim Phantom of Stray Cats was famous for this too). With just a kick drum, snare, and cymbal, Sinner thrashes his way through a frantic set, providing jokes and one-liners in between songs without slowing down a bit.

The Chop Tops are definitely the band for you if need a break from the muffled punkness of most psychobilly bands, but want more energy than a straight-up rockabilly band.

The Chop Tops: Brett, Sinner, and Shelby, from left to right (photos from MySpace)

So check out these upcoming shows in California. Just don’t forget to buy a can of Murray’s Pomade on your way out of The Chop Tops show, or Sinner might beat you up.

Friday, November 13:
The Chop Tops and special guests
Narducci’s: 622 E 21st St, Bakersfield, California 93305
8:00 PM

The Rocketz, No Dice, and Burlesque Show with Dizzy Von Damn & Kimber Lee Rose
“The Rock Around The Park Jamboree”
The Juke Joint: 735 N. Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim, California 92805
8:00 PM, $10, 21 and over

Saturday, November 14:
The Chop Tops, The Lords of Altamont, Sin Alley, and Inazuma
The Redwood Bar: 316 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, California
8:00 PM, tell them you're going!

The Rocketz, The Southerners, Craic Huas, Los Chilaqz
Club Trevi: 32250 Mission Trail, Lake Elsinore, California 92530
9:00 PM, 21 and over, tell them you're going!

The Strikers with Los Duggans, The Generators, Long Way, and The Legendary Swagger
The Juke Joint: 735 N. Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim, California 92805
9:00 PM
$10, 21 and over

Sunday, November 15:
The Strikers with Dreadful Children, Ill Gotten Gains, Bomb Pops, and The Hillstreet Stranglers
The Metaphor: 258 E. 2nd St., Escondido, California 92025
9:00 PM, $5, all ages

Death Valley Drifters with Uptown Psychos, Blue Ribbon Pabst Smears, and Burlesque performance
The Pharaoh’s Den: 3579 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92501
8:00 PM, $10, 18 and up

Watch a live performance of The Chop Tops from Rockabily Revival 2009 in Austin, Texas: