100 Shows of 2010 - #47: Hammer No More The Fingers @ Velvet Lounge, 7/26/10

The other half of my doubleheader evening had me ever so very excited, ladies and gents. Sure, I was already crushing on Hammer No More The Fingers because of that delightfully clever name of theirs, but their Carolina Rock und Roll gets me pretty amped up on its own. And let's face it, to see a band that is oh so close to blowing up at such a teensy little venue like my old haunt the Velvet Lounge, well, it doesn't get much better than that. The band was great. They huffed and they puffed and they nearly blew the dang roof off.

MINI RECAP: Hammer No More The Fingers = Terrific Tarheels! Overall Score: A-

Immediately likeable, the trio set the tone for their set with new song "Atlas Of An Eye", a smashing wat to begin. The song was cute, jaunty, more than a little bouncy, and just a smidge mischievious, which is really just the way I like it. Second song "Steam" showed off very kicky drum action, as hammered out by Jeff Hammer, and got a little sassypants. Around this time I started thinking to myself that Hammer No More The Fingers kinda sorta remind me of two rather fanfuckingtastic bands - The Joggers and Crystal Skulls. Something about all the driving rhythms and the cheeky overtones, which definitely puts Hammer No More The Fingers in pretty fine company as far as I'm concerned. Duncan Hammer's bass (and moustache) was out of control good on "Vodka Grasshopper", and guitarist Joe Hammer really started to get into the song, throwing out a lively little thrash hither and thither.

As much as I like them on record, by the middle of their set I was convinced that to see Hammer No More The Fingers live is really the way to love them. They have fun, they make the kids have fun, it's a real win-win situation. "Leroy", yet another fabulous new song, had quite a jolly good beat and a good bit of swagger. I loved the off-kilter intro to "Thunder'n'Rain", which was a rather fiesty little gem, very Joggers-esque but with a lot less sonic sneering. "Fuck Dave, he's out to get me," Duncan proclaimed in "It's About Caring", a very punchy little number rife with guitar intricacies. After the languid laze of the intro, the nifty guitar play and solid percussion took hold of "Fingernails", and then, sadly, 'twas the end of the line. "The Agency" was a great way to go out, as those three little stars jingle jangled their way through one last fantastic song.

They played a total trampy tease of a set, in that all but one song was new new new, and probably might just maybe end up on the next HNMTF record. Despite the overwhelming newness, it was one heck of a set. Those boys are pretty much straight up rock, and I can't urge you enough to get yourself acquainted with them as soon as you possibly can, y'all.

mp3: Radiation (Hammer No More The Fingers from Looking For Bruce)