Bullied By Strings at Mal’s Bar, 2-20-20 Concert Review

Bullied By Strings performing "Reach Out"

Eight years had passed since Bullied By Strings last performed, and so it came as a fantastic surprise when the notice went up that they’d be doing a reunion show. Of course, with Gabe and Kristen being married, it probably wasn’t all that difficult to get them together. Still, these songs hadn’t been performed in nearly a decade, songs I missed hearing. These guys could always be counted on to provide an excellent, powerful, high-energy show, and I was excited about this concert from the moment it was announced. However, the show almost didn’t happen. Gabriel “Front Row” Rowland was suffering from vertigo, and there was a moment when they thought they’d have to cancel. But, not surprisingly, he decided to power through. This is, after all, the guy who once continued playing while his head was bleeding so much that blood was dripping onto his snare drum.

They took the stage at Mal’s Bar at 8:37 p.m. (which had to be the absolute earliest this band ever played – I remember them starting a show at The Landing Party at 2:30 a.m., which seemed about right). The “Bullied By Strings” light revolved in Gabriel's kick drum, and seeing it told me for sure we were back in Bullied land. They got the show off to a great start with “L.A. Me.” And that energy, that magic, that groove were all present straight away. It was as if no time had passed whatsoever. That wild beast had been lurking just below the surface, waiting for the moment when it would be summoned. And when it was finally summoned, it burst up with a wonderful force to take over once again, taking possession of not only the musicians but the audience. And what a great tune to open the show, to get us all moving. That rhythm is so damn cool.  “Bullied By Strings, eight and a half years later,” Kristen said after that first song. Clearly, she could sense that everything was just exactly right, that the passage of time had diminished nothing. They then went straight into “Big Mouth.” “Oh man, we tell the truth, we tell the truth, we tell the truth.” Oh yes, indeed!

“Line Of Fire” has a mean, thumping groove, and packs an even harder punch than it did eight years ago, Kristen belting out the lyrics. Then “Georgee” featured some cool percussion, with Kristen grooving to it. That was immediately followed by a slower number, “Wrong Way,” a song that seems to stalk you in the dark, creeping up on you. Then “What If I Like It” exploded gloriously with a great dance beat. This was always one of my favorites, and it still has that strong effect, throwing my body into motion, getting me to shout out the chorus. Ah, it is so fucking good to hear these songs again, to let them take over. That was followed by “Unnecessarily Rude,” with Kristen prowling about the stage at the beginning, ready to attack. And then suddenly, bam, she explodes into the chorus. Fantastic! “Why don’t you dry up and blow away/Thank you very much and have a nice day.” After the short “Kapt Kirk,” they launched into “Reach Out,” another powerful and totally enjoyable number. And, man, Kristen had certainly lost none of her acrobatic talent in the intervening years. We were then caught off guard when, after that song, they left the stage. Their set was so short, less than thirty minutes. I was craving more.

Gabe said afterward that the strobe lights got to him at one point during their set, but we in the audience had no idea because there was no sign of trouble. These guys delivered on every song. Though it was a short set, it was excellent. Now that they’ve resurrected these songs, will another show be on the horizon? Gabe at first said it was likely a one-time thing, but Kristen later expressed the desire to do a few more shows. I can’t imagine they could keep this beast silent for very long, not after it was let loose like that last night.

Set List

1. L.A. Me
2. Big Mouth
3. Line Of Fire
4. Georgee
5. Wrong Way
6. What If I Like It
7. Unnecessarily Rude
8. Kapt Kirk
9. Reach Out

"L.A. Me"

"Big Mouth"

"Line Of Fire"

"Wrong Way"

"Wrong Way"

"Reach Out"

Mal’s Bar is located at 2331 S. Hill St., in Los Angeles, California.