It only takes one listen to the new record Cosmetics from ‘super group’ Diamond Rugs to be won over by their cheeky charm. Which is why it was a bit of a disappointment to catch them at the start of their current tour on a recent Friday night at Bowery Ballroom. Unpracticed and disengaged, it felt like watching the six guys on stage have their first band rehearsal in months. They didn’t know their songs very well and they didn’t seem too embarrassed about it. Of course, that didn’t stop everyone from having a great time, but they weren’t their best.
Without Deer Tick’s John McCauley, it’s tough to say what Diamond Rugs would sound like. He takes the lead on vocals with nearly every song, lending that signature cool rasp. Allegedly they killed it in Providence at The Met the following evening, McCauley always seems to turn it up on his home turf. His harmonies with fellow front man T. Hardy Morris are naturally smooth and complementary. The two switch off from song to song, along with Ian St. Pé (formerly of the Black Lips) but the real hidden gem of Diamond Rugs is the dynamic Steve Berlin of Los Lobos. With his deep, rich saxophone (you ought to see the size of this thing), and enchanting keyboard melodies, Berlin is set back, but you can’t miss him. Berlin was absent from the Diamond Rugs’ last tour, but they’re damn lucky to have him this time around. As St. Pé said at one point, when Steve Berlin joined, they “became a real band”.
Playing a setlist of songs from both their self-titled first record and their latest, the guys sounded a little rusty overall. The beginnings of their songs seemed to be trial and error, but once they would all get on the same page and in the swing of things, they sounded better. A few tunes came easier for them, like the oldies “Hungover and Horny”, a raunchy audience fave, and “Totally Lonely”, another off their first record. Opener Justin Collins, along with his ironic tattoos, joined them on stage (several drinks deep) for a handful of tunes including Cosmetics’ standout “Killin’ Time” and “Big God”, and it was hard to tell if McCauley was into it or just irritated at the general level of debauchery. A new dad, he seemed a bit exhausted and out of sorts, which was strange as he is usually the ultimate showman.
Perhaps it’s because all these guys have other commitments, but this show just wasn’t up to par. They even admitted it a few times, having to start “Blue Mountains” over again after screwing up the beginning, and then encouraging us to come back for their show at Brooklyn Bowl on April 11th, where they’ll “actually know” their songs. “Thanks for bearing with us,” they said. When all was said and done, Morris lead the band into the light, taking center stage and really commanding the attention of the crowd with songs like “Live and Shout It” and “Country Mile” and “So What”.
Diamond Rugs are a killer band and even though they got off to a rocky start, it’s a sure thing they’ll pull it together for the remainder of this tour.
