Review by Jason Meier
Photos by Matt Bechtold (coming soon)

On Friday, March 12th, Seattle grunge-rock legends, Mudhoney, made their long awaited return to the Bottleneck. It had been at least six years since they graced the stage of the legendary venue, and a sold crowd was very excited to welcome them back. What made this show even better was the fact that two excellent local acts would join them on this historic event. The Creature Comforts have been the subject of unfortunate news in the last few weeks due to a near-fatal car accident, that rendered drummer Bill Brimblecom serious back injuries. It would be Eric Melin of Ultimate Fakebook, who did a great job at provided the beat during their set, that would allow them to play as scheduled. It was also a great showing from Kansas City punk-rockers, Dragqueen, who are quickly on the rise in the local scene.

The Creature Comforts took the stage about 9:30 and proceeded to play a solid set of pop rock for their strong fan-base. As mentioned above, drummer Bill Brimblecom had been seriously injured in a car accident just weeks prior, and was still recovering.So for a few shows, the band sought the help of Glitter Kicks drummer Craig Hanning and Ultimate Fakebook drummer Eric Melin. Eric had the honors of playing this evening, and did a terrific job. The difference was noticeable - but only because of clear drumming style differences between the two. The set featured songs from the bands debut CD, The Politics of Pop, as well as a couple of songs that aren't on the album. The band is gearing up for an appearance at Austin's ever-important, invitation-only South-by-Southwest showcase, for which the band hopes to have Billy back by. They will also be preparing for the '99 Klammy Awards, at which they will be performing. They are also nominated for four awards. Keep an eye on the Synapsis Calendar and the Creature Comforts' official website for show information.

The second performance of the evening was from Kansas City punk-rockers, Dragqueen. I had seen this band almost every time they had played in Lawrence prior to this show, and they had gotten a little bit better each time. The band had just celebrated their second anniversary this past February and with a debut CD coming out very soon, the band is just now starting to gain momentum. The members of Dragqueen are Jessica Delich - vocals; Scotti Fletcher - guitar and vocals; Camille Hendren - bass; and Denis Dunbar - drums.

Dragqueen will also be gearing up for the Klammies, where they too will be performing and are nominated to win. The highlight of Dragqueen's set was when they played a great cover of the Jane's Addiction classic "Ain't No Right." If you like your punk rock severed up with a hefty dose of in-your-face sexuality, then Dragqueen is definitely for you. Make sure to keep an eye on the Synapsis calendar and Dragqueen's official website at for show information. Also make sure to pick up a copy of the band's debut CD, Surprise Dead Superstar, in a record store near you.

After two sets of local rock prowess, it was time for the return of Mudhoney. The sold-out crowd was very ready for a long set from one of the must influential bands of the decade. Mudhoney was a pivotal part of the whole grunge movement in the early 90's, along with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Sound Garden and Alice In Chains. Mudhoney had been out in support of its new release on Reprise records, Tomorrow Hit Today. Their set for this evening included songs from their entire catalog. The band was very excited to be back in Lawrence and proved it by playing a very solid and energetic set. No going through the motions here! These rock legends gave their fans all they could take, and then some. Song highlights included "This Is The Life," Real Low Vibe," "A Thousand Forms," "Oblivion," and "Ghost."

I have to admit that I have never been that big a fan of grunge, but upon watching Mudhoney's set, it is very easy to see why these guys are seen as such an important influence. They projected a ton of energy and emotion into every song, which rubbed off on the teeming throng of fans in a big way.

I thought that the overall bill was a great mix, and I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say that Mudhoney should definitely come back to Lawrence a little more often.