HEALTH, Abe Vigoda & friends helped The Smell raise money for an AC - pics

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Posted in music | pictures on November 15, 2009

HEALTH, Abe Vigoda & friends helped The Smell raise money for an AC - pics

photos by Rachel Carr

Health

After ten years collecting sweat, The Smell's fundraiser for an A/C unit, last Wednesday night (11/11), brought out excited supporters, but also protestors who enjoy asphyxiating. Neither party could resist Health, Abe Vigoda, Man's Assassination, Man, and Tearist on one Smelly lineup.

The venue traps B.O. night after night, spiritually nourishing reckless bands and raucous audiences. "In the middle of summer when the place is super hot and packed, we always say we're getting A/C, then we end up putting it off one day when it's not so bad. But this time we're really going to do it. Right away," says co-owner Jim Smith. But will the Smell be as sweet if it doesn't reek?

"I like the Smell," a feminine voice complained from the packed crowd. "It's like doing someone--until you shower you smell them all over!" True; stench always follows when primal instincts are involved.

Notice that Health's guitar straps are reinforced with gaff tape? It's all they can do to keep from rapturously flinging their instruments. Jake Duzsik sighs and chants, holding the monster effect mic to his mouth like a grenade. John Famiglietti and Jupiter Keyes whip between amps, hypnotized and rabid, as BJ Miller pounds his drums. The audience pushed, craned, and grabbed each other responsively. [LA Weekly]

The LA benefit show was three days after HEALTH played an intense set at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin. They were last in NYC in September. Abe Vigoda played Death By Audio on 11/6. More pictures from The Smell, below...

Man's Assassination, Man