JACK LADDER IS A LEGEND

Last night I saw a rock star. Remember them? We used to have them. We still do, they are mostly just old rock stars now.

His name is Tim Rogers, aka JACK LADDER

His performance well after midnight last evening at THE RUMBLE: LOS ANGELES was in short, epic.

It felt like I had been transported back in time to the mid-'80's and was catching one of my 'time-machine wishes' bands perform early shows in a little club. It didn't feel 2010, but in that I don't mean that it doesn't sound contemporary > it's more about how it didn't feel like what everyone else seems to be doing these days (long, meandering songs, lo-fi, purposely being so deep and obscure, indie folk, electro indie, white belts, dogs chasing the tail). This set of music was more about a band that clearly has a vision and dare I say, personality? And long in personality are the members of Jack Ladder. Frontman/hobgobblin Tim Rogers stands on the tall side of 6"5", maybe even 6'7" and is one tall drink of water. Donny Benet on bass looked like he slipped away on his rumspringa from the Amish farm he was raised on and learned the bass by studying old Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds records. And then there is Kirin J Callinan (see below). On their myspace page he is listed as "guitar, blood", and I'm still trying to process what this guy is all about, and I mean that in the best possible way. Anyone that can rock the pants, or shall I say - green velvet knickers and not miss a beat is someone I can idolize. What Kirin was doing with his TABLE of pedals and even more importantly, with the chords and his dance moves, was stunning. Everything about the set was dangerous, inventive, and really just wild, like a scene out of 'Wild At Heart' and Jack/Tim was Nicholas Cage.

Kirin J Callinan - playing "blood"

The crew I was standing next to all felt we had just witnessed one of those special performances that you'll someday fondly look back on and be grateful you were present.

Photos by Matt Draper