THAT PETROL EMOTION REVIEW

[sevp@PWCS.STPAUL.GOV (Sev Pearman)]

That Petrol Emotion/Salem 66
First Avenue, Nov 4, 1987.

Arrived late and missed Salem 66.  "My sources" told me that they were
(unfortunately yet again) a lame presence on stage.  What is with
these guys?  I like their recorded stuff, but I've yet to see them
play  with any enthusiasm...

TPE were very fun!  Like their 2/5 Undertones predecessors, they are
a big guitar band, and big guitars is waht you get.  Three of 'em,
loud, piled, stacked, and screechy happy-go-delic guitars.  They
played almost everything off of _Babble_, with versions that were
simultaneously faithful to the recorded version, yet contained X-tra
interplay and grunge.

The lead singer puzzled me, wearing cute-sy spandex bicycling trousers
and a _Man From U>N.C.L.E._ T-shirt (WAY-cool) he kept bounding around
the stage encouraging, even imploring the people to "get off your
aahses ahnd DAAHNCE!"  I'm being deadly serious when I say that his
schtick reminded me of Simon LeBon's when Duran Duran opened for Elvis
here in Mpls in 1983.  Happy, HI-NRG, big smiled Simon who bounded
onstage and proclaimed, "We've come 3,000 miles to MAKE YOU DANCE!!!"
Sort of like seeing Richard Simmons front for Albini and Big Black...

Highlights of the evening were their renditions of "Swamp" and
"Creeping to the Cross."  The band members seemed to really get into
these two, as opposed to the "Instant Club Hit" zzzz obligatory "Big
Decision."  perhaps it had something to do with the politics that
inspired the first two...

Two covers made up the second encore:  One by Pink Floyd, and a Pere
Ubu song (NOT "Final Solution")   I'm sorry that I can't provide the
titles, but they were both songs that you hear and recognize, but just
can't quite place.

BOTTOM LINE?  If you liked The Undertones, if you like BIg Guitars
(and who doesn't { #|-) } if you like sincerety and enthusiam in
pop/club music, spend the dough.

7 out of a possible 10.

s e v

"I'd buy _THAT_ for a dollar!"