Los Straitjackets have a whole subgenera of rock to themselves—guitar-led surf instrumentals, twanging away the way The Ventures once did—and with a second gimmick all their own, Lucha Libre wrestling masks.
Even when joining forces with Nick Lowe, as they have for an album and a couple of tours, they’ve maintained their distinct identity and cool swagger. To celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary, the band is on tour that included the Hamilton in DC. Led by Eddie Angel, a rockabilly stalwart who has played with a lot of bands, and flanked by lanky Greg Townson.
With steady backing by bassist Pete Curry and drummer Chris Sprague, the band could go in any direction, but were celebrating its anniversary by largely doing originals from their dozen or so albums, with titles that sounded like artifacts from the past—from the opening “Pacifica” to the signature “Kawanga!” to their version of horror novelty, “Rockula.”
By the second tune, “Outta Gear,” the front line was arranged to do cheesy choreographed moves, augmented by their matching black suits, wrestling mask,s and matching custom guitars. There were a few familiar instrumentals—back from the days when instrumental s were played enough on the radio to become familiar. One was “Out of Limits” from the Marketts, later remade by the Ventures; and the Revels’ “Church Key,” with the drummer adding other non sequitirs in the key breaks (“bird bath!” was one).
Making an instrumental out of a pop hit is a good move, and they did so with “Love Potion Number Nine” (as the Ventures did before them). They went further, though, putting their stamp on the theme from “Midnight Cowboy” such that it retained its haunting melody through reverb. The Benny Goodman staple “Sing, Sing, Sing” becomes a set-closing stinger (with plenty of room for a Gene Krupa-like drum attack). Best of all is their unexpected reworking of the theme from Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On” into a thrilling rocker.