DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Monday 5/25/15
UFO FACTORY
2110 Trumbull Ave.
Detroit USA
“Death Valley Girls are in love. Deeply, and always. “Summertime” is
knowing so long as you are of pure heart and open mind, the universe will bring
you together, somewhere, and maybe in the summertime, or not.”
It’s easy to mistake Death Valley Girls for a biker gang. First of all, the
members of this snarling garage-rock quartet all look like they jumped out from
the pages of Karlheinz Weinberger's Rebel Youth (an amazing book documenting
'50s and '60s juvenile gangs). And at any one of their shows, a row of ratty,
raked-out choppers can be seen lined up in classic motorcycle-club
formation.
Even their names are reminiscent of vintage biker B-movies: Bonnie
Bloomgarden is the leader of the pack. Peering out from a straight line of
jet-black bangs is a bass player who just goes by “Rocky”. Laura Kelsey
(formerly of surf/garage girls The Flytraps) plays Mo Tucker meets Nick Knox
style drums and Larry Schemel who played in the last incarnation of legendary
L.A. punk pagans The Flesh Eaters plays fuzz-heavy guitar like he just might be
the bastard son of Davie Allan.
Speaking of guitar, you'd be hard-pressed to find a meaner one than the
opening riff for “No Reason,” the most menacing song from DVG’s debut album
Street Venom. It basically sounds like Larry plugged his guitar straight into a
hornet hive and then kicked it. When the rhythm section kicks in it gives the
song a sinister kind of rumble that would make Link Wray proud. Bloomgarden’s
snotty, bratty vocal sneer cements their sound with old-school girl-gang
attitude.
| 
