Russell CroweStory and Photo by Rob Grabowski
"Russell Crowe? I thought we were seeing the Black Crowes!" was one man's loud and comical quip that brought quite a few ice cold stares from the many women in attendance at the Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts show at The House of Blues last night. Seeing how everyone in the movie business these days wants to be a rock star or vice versa, Russell Crowe is no exception. He and his band came to Chicago with the intention of being a genuine rock-n-roll band.
The audience consisting virtually of women was ready to be entertained by whatever musicical genre their Hollywood heartthrob had to offer. After a barber shop quartet from Wisconsin, a wannabe comic, and an Aborigine in a loin cloth (don't ask), the charismatic Crowe emerged to play songs off their latest album, Bastard Life or Clarity which isn't available yet in the U.S., except online. The first disadvantage is that they are singing songs, for the most part, that no one has heard of until this point. However, with his rugged good looks and his playful and flirting banter with the crowd, he soon won the hearts of the audience, not as Russell Crowe the movie star, but as Russell Crowe the rock star. It might be noble for him to be loyal to his friends/band, but their talent level wasn't up to arena rock status, let alone a small club. Russell and company were extremely entertaining with their original brand of music, more along the lines of power ballads, but mixed up well with some good old-fashioned hard rock.
It was extremely amusing to watch Crowe head bang while clad in true metal regalia. With hair tossed back and a lit cigarette in one hand he belted out his unique brand of screaming pitches while the guitarist did his best to keep up. A girl threw her panties on stage (unfortunately, I didn't see how they wound up off of her derriere) and being the showman that he is, Crowe took out his lighter and lit them on fire. Now we're talking Rock-n-Roll! Fire, womens underwear and headbanging. What more could you ask for?
If this band rolls around again it is recommended that you pay the price of admission. This goes for both sexes, because fella's let's face it, a crowd of hot and sweaty women that are worked up, is always a good thing.
