Review: Witchcraft 11/11/06

#50
Saturday November 11 2006
Witchcraft
Danava
Rock and Roll Hotel

I got A, Esq. and some of his friends to accompany me into NE DC to check out the Atlas district. The Rock and Roll Hotel opened a few months ago, but this was the first time I've been over there to check it out. It's a nice space - upstairs there is a bar and a pool table and lots of random furniture arranged in two long rooms. The downstairs show-space has another bar and a small stage at the other end.
Danava was OK I guess. I really only liked the drummer's mustache. [why do I find that so attractive?] I don't think the sound was mixed very well - you couldn't understand any of the vocals and the guy on keys and effects had a mic, but for what purpose I have no idea.
Witchcraft was awesome! Coming from some freaky Swedish timewarp, they're like early 70's era Black Sabbath, man! Their posted set time was 12:45 but it was after 1 by the time they took the stage. I was afraid they were going to get yanked at 1:30 (like at the 9:30 Club) but they played for at least an hour. At one point, one of the kids up front got on stage attempting a stage dive (indicated by his hand motions to the crowd) but when he jumped, everyone parted and he just fell on the floor. He was down for at least a full minute and the singer called for more stage diving, but it was clear it was not that kind of crowd. Near the end of the set, the singer from Pentagram (we had to ask, OK?) came out in a gold-foil-print RUFFLED shirt and did some old Pentagram songs. Crazy shit.