am/fm: Flying Machines @ Arlene's Grocery, April 15, 2008

Flying Machines @ Arlene's Grocery, April 15, 2008

(courtesy Erin Siegal and www.jellowrestle.com)

No, that's not the band. That's an action shot from Amateur Female Jello Wrestling, the event at which Flying Machines was playing last night.

They played a set to open the festivities; good, strong, bass-driven rock. Their songs are catchy and fun and tightly melodic.

Their lead singer looks kind of like Daniel Radcliffe (and his (model?) girlfriend is stunning, not that that's relevant), and, actually, if Harry Potter had time after defeating the Dark Lord, he'd probably love to be in this band. His voice (the actual lead singer's, not Harry Potter's) manages to be strong and lovely and delicate at the same time. He straddles the falsetto/baritone divide like a young Freddy Mercury.

Listening to their tracks on MySpace (see link above) today, the parallels between Flying Machine and Queen seem even more clear. Bombastic glam rock with lush harmonies and a relentless beat. Just less flamboyant. But a whole lot of fun.

More after the jump...

If someone ever writes my biography, I'd like the title to be "An Unlikely Rockstar." Although for that to work, I'd better get cracking on the rocking. Back to your regularly scheduled review ...

After a few songs, they bring up Stephanie -- the host of Disco Crisco Twister, another event run by the geniuses behind Amateur Female Jello Wrestling -- to sing a few songs, because "the night is all about women, and they need a woman," she says. "Boy, do we," replies the guitarist.

Stephanie totally ups the RawR factor, screaming and writhing all over the stage. She admits after the song that she's mildly drunk, but it didn't show in her performance. Not negatively, anyway. The band wraps things up with the Disco Crisco Twister theme song.

Also, I just looked it up and Stephanie herself is in a band as well, Rotten Cherri. That explains the ready-made stage presence.

Anyway, before we get to the girls, there's a brief interlude where the guys in the audience are invited to participate in a hula hooping contest. They're not very good, mostly. The sound man took the title handily, with an impressive display of "tantric hula hooping." You had to be there.

Then, jello. Again, you had to be there.

If you do want to be there next time, they hold the event once a month at Arlene's Grocery. The next bout is May 11. Girls who want to wrestle can show up at 6:30 for a pre-show lesson, and for everyone else, the doors open at 8ish.

A word on pricing: ladies, it's $10; boy and girl pair, $25; single guy $25. It's not meant to be a girlie-ogling event -- though towards the end of the night, the crowd was at least 75% male -- it's a female-friendly satire. Satire of what? I'm not sure. It is damn good fun, though. For more, check here.

eh.www.amNY.com