It's cool to see the Crazy Horse Saloon, a longstanding and very popular Southern California Country & Western establishment is booking bands that aren't what you'd normally expect from a venue that regularly books artists like Ricky Skaggs and Pam Tillis.  It's like  they've gotten into the affirmative action mode and are offering equal opportunity for a wider variety of bands on Thursday nights.  I'm not sure how long this will last, so get out to the Irvine Spectrum and check it out while you can. 

I went to this show to check out Orange County Punks Foxy, and was surprised to find Motorsoule opening the show on short notice.  They weren't on the bill when I made my plans to check out Foxy, but thanks to Motorsoule for coming through and filling in for whoever dropped out of the opening slot.  They were excellent as usual, and I'm totally digging their new material.  Especially that one song that starts off with the words that go "Love is for the birds, damn the people who cage them."  Beautiful stuff you guys, I'm all choked up over it.

Foxy took the stage and tore into a new song called "Love Kills" off their due out in December full-length record.  I'm too stupid to figure out if LP's outfit was her regular choosing or a sarcastic stab at the Cowboys and the Crazy Horse in general.  I guess it doesn't really matter one way or another, she had her Cowpunk going on and everybody loved it.  You know what they say, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," and f*** �em if they can't take a joke, that's what I say. 

For forty minutes Foxy played a mix of catchy  songs with memorable hooks and driving guitar lines. Guitarist/Vocalist Greg Antista has played a couple of these songs with former bands of his, but with Foxy he's done some changing things around, and those old familiar songs sound better now than with any of those former bands.  LP takes and makes Antista's  "Without You" into something more multi-dimensional than it's former self with the addition of her female voice, and while I wouldn't call what she sings easy listening, it's easy enough to listen to. 

"Tear You to Pieces" is a prime example of Antista's originality and what sets his songwriting apart from the rest of the pack.  He stomps, snarls, and sweats on this number.  Antista has great pop sensibility and he's crafty with the words.  Guitarist Jonathon's sound is huge and it helps create that classic pop/punk sound without drowning out the rest of the band.  The kid sure showed them Cowboys a thing or two about Punk Rock.  Bassist Moises and drummer Spider hold down the low-end perfectly and are a capable rhythm section to compliment Foxy's two-chord cacophony.  Foxy got on a plane and left for a 7 week headlining tour of England the day after this show.  Ain't that a b*tch? 

And in closing here, I'd like remind Big Sandy that I'm bigger than him, and I never asked to review his show anyway.  Not on my worst day!

Download Foxy mp3's @  www.loudenergy.com (browse music, punk, scroll to foxy) 

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