"Live mu
sic is dead" seems the consensus in 2020. But this sold-out gig at Hobo Kiosk last Thursday evening seems to prove the contrary. Organised by Ivan Thunders (of Thee Lucifer Sams) as a small-scale Liverpool Psychedelic Society event, the gig showed that while it might be hard for big, touring acts to play massive shows to thousands of people, the same is not true for grassroots venues and artists.
Everyone was there to see Texas Bob Juarez, all the way from Los Angeles and performing his first gig in months - at his beloved Liverpool. His last gig having been back in June, playing a Creation Records event at Billy Idol's mansion. Texas Bob Juarez a psych legend, having been a member of Creation's seminal band Television Personalities, and now his solo project Sparklestars, Bob has played all over the world, being a South By Southwest and Levitation psych fest regular, and playing in festivals as far afield as Russia. A well-loved figure in the music scene, he is a true performer, who always gives his all and send his love back to the audience.
Accompanied only by his old, battered 12-string guitar and singing without a microphone, Bob gave a passionate performance that reminded everyone why we miss live music so much. Bob started the set with an old TV Personalities song, 'Silly Girl' but the bulk of his half-an-hour set were songs from Sparklestars - including the debut of tracks from his new album, 'Alice and the Magick Theatre' which is coming out in October. Those songs, "Signs Of Things To Come" and "On Sunset Boulevard & St. Vincente She Saved Me" proved to be two of the highlights, Bobs new album will be worth a listen for sure. Though a native from Texas (as his stage name suggests) Bob's inspiration lies strongly in Los Angeles, with songs that highlight not the just sunny, but also the dark side of the city. Old groupies, Kenneth Anger, magic rituals, blood sacrifices and Hollywood are all there, in songs such as "Hello Hollywood", "Glitter Girl" and "Is Anyone There?" - little snippets of the unfamiliar reality Bob orbits. Fascinating.
Though Texas Bob's music can often deal with dark subjects, his performances are always a celebration, and the audience can't help but feel dragged by the joyful exuberance he projects from the stage. Bob also did a couple of interesting covers, Bowie’s "Moonage Daydream” and a perfect set finisher in Syd Barrett's "Vegetable Man". The Liverpool Psychedelic Society event carried on long after, with vinyl being played on Hobo Kiosk's vintage turntable (plenty of 60s Pink Floyd, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Michel Polnareff...) and no-one really intent on moving, simply enjoying music, friends and a drink, knowing they took part into something really special.
There was care taken here in the magic grotto that is Hobo Kiosk, the owners saw to it that everything was done to ensure the environment was as safe as possible and that the venue was safe; including pre-book, track and trace wearing a mask when not at a table. Such measures might've been a drag in a larger room or festival, at the cozy Baltic Triangle bar it didn't make a difference - a happy crowd well up to last orders.
Live music is not dead. Live music won't die. But in these strange, troubling times, people will need to be a bit more creative, a bit more daring, and take some promotional risks, gambling on different events. Well done though to Texas Bob, Ivan Thunders, Liverpool Psychedelic Society and Hobo Kiosk for having done it. You really had to be there.
Words and Photos: RBY
Bandcamp: https://texasbobjuarez.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texasbobjuarez/