Adam Franklin @ The Roxy Thursday

If you like guitars, you cannot deny the power of SWERVEDRIVER.  First off, so there's no confusion, Swervedriver is not a metal band.  Most considered them among the shoegazers, but they rocked too hard for that scene.  Indeed, back in the early 90s, they found their way on the UK metal charts, even though they remained criminally underappreciated in the United States.  Inspired by the likes of the Stooges and early Sonic Youth, Swervedriver's live shows were raucous and deafening affairs.  I saw them open for the Pumpkins in Chicago as Siamese Dream was blowing up, and Swervedriver stole their hometown show.  Their layered guitar attack madewhat followed seem feeble.  But U.S. fame did not come, and Swervedriver lost its way before the end of the century.  Reunited and rediscovered at Coachella in 2008, followed by a tour that came through the Fonda, the future of Swervedriver remains unknown. But vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter ADAM FRANKLIN carries on, including a show Thursday night at the Roxy with his band, Bolts of Melody. His recent solo output is not much of a departure from Swervedriver, although his new album, Spent Bullets, could be fairly characterized as the "come down" from the frenzied peaks of his earlier work.  Still beautiful though.  Franklin has never been faithful to his recorded sound live, and I expect the versions played at the Roxy will sound familiar to longtime fans.  Austrialian legends, THE CHURCH, headline showcasing their best work in a long time, Untitled #23.

Tix are still available.