Follow that Trail

... And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead put on a very solid show at the Capital Music Hall Thursday - not as transcendent as Gris Gris or Black Mountain a week earlier (at least to my biased ears), but definitely satisfying. It certainly drove parts of the audience to fits of adulation. There was something slightly calculated about the destruction and crowd-pleasing stunts like bring a crash cymbal out for the audience to whack on (surely not for the first time) but it was still entertaining.

Jason Reece smashed his kit up, had it put back together by his drum tech (who should be nominated for an MVP award, if not sainthood), then smashed it up again during their encore of Richter Wave Madness. I found myself thinking of Henry Rollins even before I noticed he was sporting a Black Flag T-shirt. He certainly liked jumping about - he's airborne in about half the pictures he's in. Kevin Allen at left, Conrad Keely at right.



Is that you, Henry?



How much am I bid for this cymbal?



Guitarist and vocalist Conrad Keely grimaces.



Guitarist Kevin Allen, the most low-key member on stage (I grant you, this doesn't mean much). Behind him you can see the keyboardist whose name I never did catch ...



Danny Wood has recently joined on bass.



And one more picture of Danny, under the lights



Extra percussion was provided by Doni Schroader (ex-Forget Cassettes). Kettle drum, gong, chimes ... he's got the lot.



Jason behind the soon-to-be smashed drum kit.



Conrad and Jason came back to the edge of the stage after the show was over to talk with audience members. JC was fetching bits of smashed-up drum and sticks to give to the crowd as souvenirs. No rock-star attitude from these guys. This next picture's a bit dark, but you can just make them out to the right of bits of the late Ludwig.



Smashing show ... um, literally ...

• Show reminder: Rock, rock, rock at Cafe DeKcuf with C'mon, The Double Pumpers and Iron Giant!