The Bastards!

Friday evening, after fortifying ourselves on meatloaf, Amish egg noodles, and green beans - all washed down with Three Thieves Cabernet Sauvignon (comfort foodie perfection!) - Miss Kitty and I walked down the street to Club Cafe to catch the Heartless Bastards show. The joint was packed and when the Bastards took the stage the crowd erupted wildly (including me).
For years, yes years, Miss Kitty and I have been waiting for the Bastards to come to Pittsburgh. They're not a well known band, but they should be. Fronted by lead singer/lead guitarist Erika Wennerstrom the Bastards employ a fusion of punk and garage grunge that is irresistible and as infectious as pink eye in a day care.
When midway through their set Wennerstrom asked the crowd if Pittsburgh was considered the midwest, one smart ass piped up and said, "Technically we're the western edge of the east coast." Go back to your dorm, CMU nerd! Technically we're the mid-Atlantic, but why get hung up on labels?
When the Bastards launched into 'New Resolution' the girl at the table next to ours went absolutely nuts! The march-like staccato of the drum beat underlying Wennerstrom's power chords just make you want to jump up and down. And her voice! Her voice is deep and smokey so that when she starts screaming the lyrics you just want to hug her, or slam into someone standing close by.
Good times, good times. Hopefully since the Heartless Bastards received such an enthusiastic welcome on their first return to the city in four years, they won't wait so long to perform here again. Personally I'd love it if they came back in the summer and jammed at one of the outdoor festivals!