Nervous Gender don't exactly go easy on everyone's musical prejudices and habits. They take every thing we know a rock or punk show should be, shake It around, don't pick up what's fallen off and randomly throw what's left in our faces. It could be called musical if you're desperate for labels, but that's really stretching it a bit. Most of the spectators sipping on their draft beer wondered whether or not to stretch it that far. Meanwhile the band didn't make things any easier for the watchers, they shrieked and howled and spat out ugly sentiments and immature curses, pinched their electronic hardware 'til it hissed and throbbed with machine pain, stuck blades in the circuits and pummeled a token electric guitar that must have been last tuned around World War II and buried in the ocean since. All the band members sang, but the guy with the glasses won the cake for sheer terrorizing lunacy. Everything remained fierce and absolutely un-hummable, the audience went from helpless fascination to unreasonable aversion, depending on their need for newness, mental challenge, easy references or a box of Excedrin.

And, since Nervous Gender even look like they sound, the most hostile amongst the victims never really dared to express their doubts out loud. One never knows with mutations: They have a way of striking when you don't expect it ... me, I was amongst the fascinated ones. For reasons not very clear yet. I will keep you informed as to how my investigation is going.

After THAT, it was back to Earth. Eddie & The Subtitles sound okay, they rock in The Ramones vein, with a bit of California beach music thrown in. Dancable as hell and safe for the children, the college kids relaxed and ordered more wine for their date, the punks routinely tapped their toes while talking to each other and the early drunkards pogoed by themselves. The Outer Limits episode was being forgotten by everyone, and the beat went on.

The Plugz terminated the evening with the classic Plugz finale (see other review). They haven't been anything below excellent for a couple of months and they were not about to start that night. They fired everything they had and everyone surrendered. By now this town must have a band for everyone's needs. Take your pick, it's all there.