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Elvis on Speed, Amplified Heat

Now that the Great Garage Rock Revival is at an end, the next genre to resurge from the past seems to be '70s-style hard rock and boogie, as Wolfmother, Rose Hill Drive and Black Stone Cherry discover their inner James Gang, Motörhead and Cactus. Surprisingly (or not), several other rising bong-friendly acts are based up the road in Austin. The Sword's D&D/Conan thunder rock has already broken through nationally, and these two hirsute power trios are coming on strong. Elvis on Speed (Billy Leger Jr., guitar/vocals; Chris Gillis, bass; Shawn Alvear, drums) has a blistering, Southern sound given to frequent guitar freak-outs on the catchy, crunchy "I Was Rock and Roll" and "Stacked Deck," while "Corn Fed Fred" is a stone-country picker. The Ortiz brothers of Amplified Heat (Jim, guitar/vocals; Chris, drums; Gian, bass) are harder and more frenetic, and they seem barely contained by speakers. The death of their father, Gian and Chris's street-fight stabbings and a recording studio flood may have taken things down a notch, as the upcoming How Do You Like the Sound of That? (Arclight) is more grounded and groove-oriented than previous LP In for Sin. This more mature sound suits them, and the trio also has just rereleased 2003's self-titled debut EP. All told, this is a great double bill, definitely influenced by the past but not chained to it. Whorehound opens.
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Bob Ruggiero has been writing about music, books, visual arts and entertainment for the Houston Press since 1997, with an emphasis on classic rock. He used to have an incredible and luxurious mullet in college as well. He is the author of the band biography Slippin’ Out of Darkness: The Story of WAR.
Contact: Bob Ruggiero