Heavy-rocking, greasy-riffing Crazy Chief—all black leather, denim and long hair—looked a bit out of place in this Downtown hipster bar. But the Chief hit hard with the psychedelic-enhanced “Angel Dust” (first single from forthcoming album Chrome Werewolf) and cowbell-clunking “Down in Flames.” He wasn’t sufficiently amplified, but frontman Drew Johnson delivered a great performance, nailing the melodies despite sometimes turning his back to the crowd huddled before a pseudo-stage by the restrooms. (The band insisted on playing inside as opposed to the bar’s back patio.) The Stooges cover “Down on the Street” should have been swapped for a Deep Purple cut. Still, whenever guitarist Jesse Amoroso ripped into a solo, I felt happy to be caught up in the Chief’s warpath. ★★★✩✩
