Low Cut Connie Preach Love, Acceptance and Fiery Rock and Roll in Portland (SHOW REVIEW)

In a landscape where good rock and roll is increasingly hard to find and genuine positivity is something of a rarity, South Philly favorites Low Cut Connie reign supreme. Eight years after forming, the piano-driven finally seem to be getting their due from a growing group of fans who are all hip to the fiery good times the band whips up both onstage and in the studio. On Friday, March 30, Low Cut Connie hit Portland, Oregon’s Doug Fir Lounge to give the people a taste of their upcoming album Dirty Pictures (Part 2), a companion to the 2017 release of the same name.

Local band Charts opened with a set of loose and jangly rock and roll that fused psych and garage rock with a touch of power pop sprinkled in for good measure. Perhaps one of the finest bands in Portland, the quintet unleashed a three-guitar attack on songs that bounced from simple rockers to 60’s-esque flower child sounds. Lead singer Michael Rowan held it all together with a voice that at times felt like Joe Strummer but with a shakier, more vulnerable side. By the time they closed out with a wall of sound and a frenzied explosion of guitar shredding, the crowd was primed and ready for the main attraction.

“Shake your asses Portland, don’t be afraid”, proclaimed Low Cut Connie singer Adam Weiner less than halfway through Low Cut Connie’s set. The timing was perfect as it kicked off what is the band’s best-known and most raucous tune, “Boozophilia”, which also happens to be a favorite of Barack Obama. This command would be taken seriously by the audience throughout the night as they danced in uninhibited fashion. Greeting the crowd like a boxer ready to duke it out, Weiner and his gold sequined jacket held a magnetic presence as the band dove right into the bluntly titled new song “All These Kids Are Way Too High”, a darkly humorous comment on the opioid crisis or perhaps the general disenfranchisement of the youth set to a boogie woogie soundtrack. Other new songs like “Beverly” carried a distinctly poppy sound that showed Low Cut Connie have been tightening up their songwriting with more radio-friendly singles. Songs from the previous album made a big impression, with the downright crazy, punk-tinged “Death and Destruction”, “Love Life” sounding slinky and funky with a vicious bite, and “Revolution Rock and Roll” delivering euphoria and liberation in the way only truly great songs can do.

Front and center on his stand-up piano named Shondra, Weiner was like the bastard lovechild of Elton John (a fan of Low Cut Connie!), Liberace, and the wild-haired Jerry Lee Lewis. He banged on the piano and jumped up on the stool any chance he got, bringing the crazed fervor of a Southern tent revival to rowdy songs like “Back In School” and “Dirty Water”, both among the band’s many glorious odes to debauchery. “Shake It Little Tina” took on the feel of a boozy, barroom romp kicked off with a soulful punch by background singer Saundra Williams, while old favorite and live rarity “Big Thighs, NJ” took on glam rock greatness with the blissed out guitar of James “Jimmy” Everhart. Seemingly determined to pack as much energy as humanly possible into an 80-minute set, the band also paid tribute to deceased rock and roll legends and sources of inspiration, putting the Connie touch on Tom Petty’s “You Got Lucky”, Alex Chilton’s “Hey! Little Child”, David Bowie’s “Diamond Dogs”, and Prince’s “Controversy”.

“Do your fuckin’ thing…as long as you love Low Cut Connie,” yelled Adam at some point during the show. This theme of freedom and acceptance through rock and roll is a cornerstone of what Low Cut Connie is all about. On Friday in Portland, the band lived what they preach by welcoming their fans with a warm embrace, at times literally as Weiner jumped off the stage to hug fans. Their set wasn’t about making some point or acting too cool for school, but rather savoring the moment and loving yourself no matter what. With their infectious, delightfully sleazy rock and roll, all are welcome attitude, and totally unhinged live shows, it seems Low Cut Connie are destined for bigger stages.

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