Golden splinters of feedback

Echo, feedback, and sitting down - all vital parts of Oakland, CA, group The Gris Gris' synapse and amp-torturing show. An awesome performance from this quartet who entirely fulfilled my expectations (based on their killer debut album). Band leader Greg Ashley has played with psychedelic garage punks The Mirrors (who have two very good albums to their name) and has a super-fine solo album too. He may also be the most normal-looking musician I've ever seen; really, he could play Joe Average in any TV commercial. But his sound had hair down to its waist. Best use of feedback in a show that I've seen, ever.

Dave Aardvark, feeling all echoey, introduces the band.



Greg Ashley and a cavalcade of distortion-inducing pedals.



While Ashley twisted knobs, Lars Kullberg did a feedback-dance with the Squier amp.



Bassist Oscar Michel does some dual deelie manipulation and keyboard playing ...



... tootles squawkingly on the clarinet ...



... but spent most of the time playing the bass - occasionally with a cello bow.



Drummer Joe Haener had ripped his mallets to shreds by the end of the show.



And here's the band all together and way out there, man.



A killer, buy-everything band. Some trip, man. Interesting T-shirt colours too (hmm, orange or turquoise?).

• Show reminder: And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead destroy the Capital Music Hall with The Black and The Sword (that's two bands, not one, I gather) tonight.