My first thought when seeing Two Ton of Steel was: Twangabilly. After a little research, turns out bandleader and frontman Kevin Geil likes to call their music “Countrybilly”. Either way, this band has got fine chops, an original sound, a sense of humor, and a shitload of energy. If you are a dancer-- two-step, swing, whatever-- or just a plain old headbanger-- put on your dancin shoes (or boots) before coming out to see this Texas staple.
Two Tons will profoundly please (the more adventurous) country fans and plain old punk-asses alike. Based in rockabilly, they blend in punk/rock like a sneak-attack. If someone played their records for me randomly-- especially their latest, Not That Lucky, I would not be able to pinpoint their decade of origin. They are part 1950’s Elvis Presley style rock and roll and part 1970’s Ramones style punk, but here I was in an Austin club in 2009, the night before Thanksgiving. Their sound is original, timeless, and seamlessly blends several decades of musical influences.
In addition to musicians, they are performers-- most especially Kevin Geil on acoustic guitar and Chris Rhoades on upright bass. Kevin has got some serious dance moves with that guitar of his, and Chris can flip that monster bass around like it’s a pancake.. but the greatest thing about the physically-agile eye candy is that they don’t pour it on all the time, or just for the sake of being flashy. They’re feeling the music--- and if it happens to be fun to watch, well, cool! The other members stay a little more low-key, and there is much to be said for a grounded and impressive solo from electric guitar player Dennis Fallon.
They’ve been together since 1990, and have clearly developed what i suddenly call “vinyl timing”. (i’m making this up-- from my years as a kid spent screwing around with turntables..) If you were spinning a vinyl record, and slowly put pressure on the turntable to slow it down, obviously the entire sound would slow down at once. But if a band is performing live, it’s not so easy to slow down or speed up in synchronicity as a playing member.. Unless you’re in Two Tons. They’ve mastered an ability to slow down and speed up their songs at will, in a way that is, well, kinda trippy. Hey there’s the 1960’s influence.
In addition to many fun originals (which Kevin referred to as ‘non-hits‘), they generously threw in a cover of the Ramones' “I Wanna Be Sedated” and Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” (the latter of which had an electric Hendrix riff from “Third Stone from the Sun” woven into it). The night before Thanksgiving, Two Tons of Steel had us creatures stirring, if not swinging professionally. As Kevin Geil asked, after one of Chris Rhoades’ carpal-tunnel-bashing solos on the upright: “Would you like some gravy with that?”
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