Bunny rabbits are quite possibly the least dangerous animals in all of natural history. Their cute, wet noses, ridiculous ears, fluffy tails and general winsome demeanor are a far toss from the jagged and vulgar textures of any from of rock'n'roll. So, it is magical when that very juxtaposition comes together in a tongue-in-cheek celebration of Easter. This Sunday at the Hemlock Tavern, the finer citizens of San Francisco will be treated to three fantastic bands that brilliantly illustrate the mental link between cute and corrosive, Little Claw, Nobunny, and Lil Bunnies.
The opening act, Little Claw recently found their new home in Portland after relocating from Detroit, where their arty/noise vibe jived well with the arsenal of bands playing in the same industrial garbage field. With the sparse, barely-together rhythms that gave that area it's tonal flag, Little Claw depart with the eerie and beleaguered innocence that lead singer, Kylin emits when she sings, sounding like a battered moppet whose fangs have just learned to cut.
Up next, Nobunny pull up with a similar contrast reminding us that the suds rising from the bubblegum genre are not always as saccharine as they were originally intended. And though Nobunny certainly has a knack for coming up with tunes that stick to your brain like the gooey edges of adolescent malaise, they're as clever and creepy as they come and equate to a live performance that as fun as it is dangerous.
The headlining act, Lil Bunnies might have taken their name from the early 70s Cleveland art damaged act Electric Eels. This is the Sacramento act's first show in over a decade. One of their claims to fame came from an infamous hijacking of an Easter day parade in their home town that left children crying into their parents laps, questioning the existence of the magical bunny that brought them candy. As a band who dons pink leotards and rabbit ears, their sound and stage act is as malignant and belligerent as caged animals with cheap guitars and cheaper drugs.
Don't miss this show and be sure to get there early as it will most likely sell out.
