LA’s The Buttertones open up tonight’s show at the Cluny with some serious intent and high level energy. Filled with Crack-cloud styled post-punk-meets-rock-meets-ska they’re a great combination of sleezy guitar work, jazzy saxophone droning and lounge/louche crooning. Raw and interesting they make a unique opening act with guitarist Modeste Cobian standing out with his combination of Johnny Marr styled jangle and purposeful physical type of delivery, poise and guitar banging.  He steals the visuals in what is a very visually stimulating show. 

A quick turn- around sees LA Witch arrive on stage five minutes earlier than expected. Perhaps a little quieter since their last visit to the Cluny, the Witches nevertheless bring their A game, shimmering and shuffling across gothy jangly stoner rock. Amplified out of the dirge by lead signer Sade Sanchez’s melody lines and the ever changing, clever, rhythm patterns and glam stomps, the band play out their Cult and Mary chain influences- lapping up the 80s production sound, dooming base lines, and neat guitar solos which complement their Valley girl, Mazzy Star vocal lines which are simultaneously distant, dreamlike and delicate. The four piece shine brightest on a number of tracks including standout “I wanna loose” which is a perfect mix of dark-and-dirty-rock combined with sugary-sweet-pop-hooks.  You missed one hell of a show, from two interesting bands, if you didn’t make this.  Get to the next one.