The Gripweeds at Arlene's Grocery - Rainbow Quartz Showcase - October 20, 2007

Click image for The Gripweeds photo gallery

I've always loved The Gripweeds. Driving psychedelic pop, great songs, a drummer (Kurt Reil) who sings and plays insane drums at the same time (think Keith Moon with a great voice!) You also have two incredible guitarists (Kristin Pinell and Rick Reil) and bassist Mike Kelly holds down the bottom. This is the kind of band that makes you proud to be from Jersey. Along with Bill Kelly's Black Hole of Rock'n'Roll, this is the finest thing to come out of the Garden State in a long time.

The Gripweeds don't seem to be playing around that much...so when I saw they were the headline act at the Rainbow Quartz show at Arlene's Grocery, I went to see them. As always, I am never disappointed. Maybe one of these days I'll even get a shot of bassist Mike Kelly...he always seems to be lurking in the shadows.

The Gripweeds are: Kurt Reil- vocals, drums; Rick Reil- vocals, guitar; Kristin Pinell- guitar, vocals; Michael Kelly- bass, vocals.