MSPAINT Live – Direct – Best Show
Hattiesburg, Mississippi has a music scene. I am now obsessed with the musical stylings of Hattiesburg’s own MSPAINT. Check out a rager called Acid by MSPAINT here. https://meatsheetfanzine.com/new-heavenly-wax-banshees-acid/ Blazing full speed ahead and embarking on their first tour MSPAINT seem to take fun with them to each venue.
I am lucky to catch them as they make their way through the south west quadrant of the post American sectors. The date is November 21 ’22. Phoenix AZ. MSPAINT Come through on tour to a place called Valley Bar.
For this write up I will focus on MSPAINT and MSPAINT alone, sorry. For this evening’s show I am able to secure an interview with the singer DeeDee. So as a result of that I could not watch the Soft Moon due to interview took place during their time to play.
Additionally Militarie Gun, a band that would be great to see with MSPAINT were on different leg of the tour so that was slight bummer. But I’d rather be a glass half full guy than a glass half empty type of guy.
MSPAINT met and exceeded my expectations. There’s just something magical about this band when they play live. They have a star quality to them. Let me qualify this by saying it is likely they will not be “stars” that fall in line with some major label corporate entity. This is the dark side of the “business” However, it is more likely they will ‘make it’ in a way that allows them to create on their own terms whenever they feel they want to.
I foresee they are shaping up to achieve great things. At least that is the trajectory I can tell they are on based on my quick discussions and seeing them play a mere one time.
So what makes up the components of the magic? Each player contributing their thing to the final songs and performance. Starting with Randy. I was standing closer to his side of the stage.
For the gear heads Randy plays a four string bass through a monolithic bass cab and head. Ampeg SVT. These monsters of literal rock have injured many of the Led Zeppelin era now geriatric generation. But they sound incredible.
I wish I had taped my discussion with Randy for my own selfish gear knowledge. That is to say for me and the other people who love to geek out.
This said discussion was not only informative , pleasant, and pre framed the longer discussion with Dee Dee. I learn quite a bit about MSPAINT’s experiences and how the bands they play with are supportive of each other. Hello , that is the old way of hardcore and punk. So you can say these players have tapped into something. Back to the scene of the bass.
The bass tone is fuzzy, thick, and lava like.
Hot enough to have a low end cutting effect in the mix. Flowing enough to compliment the synthesizer sounds. These sounds are cousins to the keyboard sounds you hear in Devo, Screamers, Gary Numan. By now you are either googling or you get what I’m throwing down. Nick is the purveyor of the (MIDI ?) and synth pulse
Another impressive component, the drums. Quinn is on program with the beat. Sometimes it sounds like a robotic stomp. Other times, unmistakably human. That is the finesse of playing drums with synth driven staccato music (in a punk way). Does my gear geeking self see Quinn playing a trigger pad to add even more layers to the sound? I know not for certain.
MSPAINT achieve DEVO’s anthemic, march – like feel. Other times the looseness and fun of your favorite punk rock and hardcore.
When you add Dee Dee to the mix the circle becomes complete. The vocals are intentionally direct. See also the song Confidence on their s/t EP for a stellar example of the contrast of cadences, angst, emotion. There is frustration, anger on the record and songs. On stage even more so. One moment Dee Dee is stern and looks as if he could pull someones arms off their torso. The next, a flash of iced out grill aka teeth and a smile. Disarming, whip smart, and oozing stage presence. The lyrics almost have a militant hip hop feel sometimes. Combine that with the synth and bass stomping through the mix and it is quite the sound.
There is so much visually going on when Dee Dee is singing that if you stop and check your phone, you can miss the fun antics. However fun that the band may be, they mean business. They own their instruments. Dee Dee ties it all together.
It’s like an MSPAINT bike with four seats and crankshafts. Dee Dee is at the helm but there is a symbiosis that I sense throughout the band. They all play together and off each other. My words fall short. Super fun times. How I’d love to see them rip up several venues again. If that is not logistically possible, I’ll settle for one more local gig. Conversely, I want to see this ASAP. I’m not patient but I’ll have to either travel or accept that tour is wrapping up or over and wait.
Next, after having my expectations exceeded by their set I talked with Dee Dee. Much have I learned since this talk. It comes to my attention that their hometown is actually a community of the people who want to create art. By art, I can assume music and possibly other media as they usually go had in hand.
They’re putting Hattiesburg, Mississippi on the DIY punk rock map. I love that and Mississippi in general.
Also MSPAINT are touring and picking up momentum. I learned this and much more. To sample more of the Hattiesburg culture of independent music check out this link. Tape heads and rabbit hole seekers will love it. https://earthgirltapes.bandcamp.com/
Please find a one minute snippet of the forthcoming audio to be released in future MeatSheet endeavors right below.
In conclusion, if you dig this band like I do, then you can feel how excited I am to share this audio clip and feature with you. Enjoy.
Hardwire the pics and music to your brain, plug in to Hattiesburg (+ beyond) , and make up your own hybrid stomp moshes to the music.
