Review: Being Dead at The Grey Eagle
During its April 16 set at The Grey Eagle, as co-lead vocalists Falcon Bitch and Cody Dosier nonchalantly swapped guitar and drum duties midway through a rendition of “Rock n’ Roll Hurts,” Being Dead bassist Nicole Roman-Johnston persuaded the audience to take the vocal lead. As she held down the rhythm, the modest Asheville crowd recited the simple lines “Rock n’ roll hurts, baby. Rock n’ roll hurts, baby / Rock n’ roll will hurt your soul” despite the falsehood of those words.
From the moment the Austin-based power trio stepped onstage, it delivered a steady stream of melodic delights that acted as a flawless counterpoint to any cause for concern regarding the dangers of rock n’ roll. Pulling primarily from its excellent 2024 release, Eels, the band’s jangling guitars and rich male/female vocal interplay radiated a vintage ’60s spirit, evoking underappreciated garage greats like The Strangeloves, The Sonics, and The Creation. Much like those groups, Being Dead taps into a youthful exuberance that far too many contemporary bands lose as they get tangled in the weeds of music theory and buried beneath layers of overproduction. Even the trio’s moodier tracks maintain a sense of fun.
That joy has an undeniable healing effect, and no moment felt more emotionally rejuvenating than when the group finally unleashed the energetic one-two punch of Eels openers “Godzilla Rises” and “Van Goes” about two-thirds of the way through the set. Hearing those songs in a live setting, Earthly existence felt a bit lighter, a little more manageable than it had been before I’d left the house earlier in the evening.
The world is pretty fucked right now. Every day brings a fresh barrage of bullshit via the news wires. Staying informed feels like a minor duty, but it still takes a toll on the psyche. Sometimes the best remedy for that affliction appears to be a jolt of rock n’ roll electricity. Maybe someone can convince the worm inside RFK Jr.’s brain to push health insurance companies to cover the cost of concert tickets, because there’s no denying the healing qualities of Being Dead.
(Photos by Jonny Leather)
Being Dead
Seismic Sutra
