Weird Side of the Moog: flamtronic and My Special Agent at OT Friday

Not every band has a name that matches its sound ... and I can't decide if flamtronic is one of those bands or not. I suppose at the base, the band's music and name are equally weird, so, perhaps that's the connector? Regardless, this one of Toledo's most innovative acts.

flamtronic is a three-piece collaboration between Joel Roberts (of GoLab fame), John Hubbell (formerly of Shuttlecock), and Brandon Boltz (Toledo rock n' roll mainstay). Their music is ... well, frankly, hard to describe. It falls well into the electroclash genre, and what that means here is that the music is driven by Roberts' unique craft for synth sounds and grooves, which are backed by Boltz's pulsing rhythm bass. In a unique twist, the drums in this band aren't your typical beat-keepers, and Hubbell is far from your typical drummer. In fact, he's more of a mad scientist of rhythm. His prominence in the band is marked in part by his placement at the front of the stage, rather than buried in the back. From there, Hubbell commands a spaceship of sounds that are both sequenced and played live. Because I don't actually understand what the hell he's doing, my description is far less impressive than witnessing the act live. Just trust me and go - it's amazing, and you won't see or hear a band like this anywhere else. That, I promise.

Joining the band for the evening is the dark, groovy, spacey rock of My Special Agent, featuring members of Hemline Theory, The Wide Awakes, The Dashburns, LazerLove5, and many other familiar names from the local scene.

flamtronic and My Special Agent play the Ottawa Tavern (1815 Adams St.) on Friday, December 16. Music starts at 10 p.m. No cover. www.otavern.com

flamtronic

My Special Agent

Published: 12/15/2011 7:00 am

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