I can imagine Chris Mills felt like the band Chicago did when they had Bruce Springsteen opening for them back in 1975. Fortunately for Mills, his secret weapon was not "25 or 6 to 4."
After a barn-fucking-burner of a show by Mike Ireland and Holler (see review), Mills and his drummer ("he gets all the attention," said Mills) delivered a spirited set which, incredibly, caught my attention despite having just seen Mike Ireland and Holler play one of the best shows I have ever seen.
Pre-show, we sat at the bar and offered our suggestions to Chris (me: "Watch Me Fall," "Girl in a Box," "Funeral Date"; Julie: "Fire for You.") He seemed receptive, and I was dying to know what would come of it.
Well, we never got to hear "Watch Me Fall," but fuck if I cared.
Opening with "Borderline," followed by should-be-a-hit if this world didn't suck "Brand New Day," Mills and drummer Gerald Dowd created "a six-piece sound, though it's only 2 guys," as Mike Ireland pointed out. I got to hear "Watch Chain," (also by request), and, mid-set, Chris proclaimed "this was a request" and ripped through the oh-so-brief "Funeral Date" from his first record. He also did a Flaming Lips cover (name?) and a bunch from his new, ridiculously good album "Kiss it Goodbye."
His reputation as a prickly bastard is much undeserved; he is one helluva nice guy. He deserves your support, so go buy the record, sit down and shut up.
Lc.
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