The Extra Action Marching Band has been knocking my socks off for nearly 10 years now.
I was inducted into the ranks of avid follower on a random Tuesday night in the early 2000s at Butter, across the street from Slim’s and the DNA Lounge in San Francisco, where all dozen or so band mates marched into the tiny “white-trash” bar and temporarily made it the best place to be in the Bay Area.
While the horns were blaring and the drums were pounding, a pair of sexy, scantily-clad pom pom shaking dancers took to the bar counter top and danced their way through a few songs while kicking over glasses and pouring liquor into people’s mouths. It was an incredibly exciting surprise in an otherwise dull night.
Since then I’ve seen the percussionists, brass blowers and sultry dancers perform in front of thousands with David Byrne, blow away people at the Knitting Factory in New York, and take over Jardiniere from the foodie elite.
I have never, however, heard them like they will be heard this Saturday night in Oakland.
Hyping the show to friends early Friday morning, percussionist Violet Angell wrote a note saying, “This Saturday Extra Action is trying something completely different. Assisted by three audio engineers we are using microphones, effects pedals, samples, analog echo, and vintage reverb to create something never heard before. Prepare to get distorted, wah-wahed, delayed and equalized by.................... "The Big Electric Experiment.””
Whether you’ve seen Extra Action before or not, you’ve never seen them like this.
Also on the bill for the night: Japonize Elephants (Punk Bluegrass Jazz), Tiger Honey Pot (Lightning Thunder Jet Rock!), Killbossa (Psychedelic Brazillian), DJ Junk Drawer, DJ Loach Fillet and KROB.
There will also be two screenings of a short film Extra Action made directed by founding member Simon Cheffins and filmmaker/E.A.M.B. dancer Anna Fitch called The Burning Wigs of Sedition.
The film is scheduled to show at 9 p.m. and Midnight just before The Extra Action Marching Band takes to the electronics.
Tickets are $12 while they last for the show at the New Parish on 18th and San Pablo in Oakland.
