Solid State

Well, do you? I know I do. And tonight there's a particularly potent evening of rockin' on tap in a space typically reserved for mellower and indier fare, Radio Bean.

Now don't get me wrong. I dig the singery-songwritery stuff too. And I loves me some pretentious indie shit from time to time as well. But sometimes you just gotta feed the need for pure, unadorned ass-whoopin' rawk. Enter Empire State Troopers.

I was actually introduced to EST by Josh Schwartz from False 45th, who, coincidentally, is quoted on the band's MySpace page. Here's what he has to say on the matter: "One of the most obvious elements to EST is the powerful chicksinging of Kelly Murphy. A force to be reckoned with, Murphy seems tobe on a tear in every song. If the band is a '71 Challenger, she's thebottle of Super 104 Octane Boost." Well played, sir.

Murphy, to borrow a line from Wayne's World, wails.

The timing of the show is a tad unfortunate since there's a whole lotta rockin' going on tonight with Amadis, Made In Iron and Arkain playing at Higher Ground's Showcase Lounge and the debut of Jesus Vanacho at Nectar's. But the show starts at 11 p.m. — with opening support from the deliciously named Che Guevara T-Shirt — so as Josh suggested in a recent e-mail, perhaps you could consider the show as a Metal Night Afterparty. Works for me.

Have a great weekend!