As rock and roll supergroups go, D.C. based Golden is a modest assemblage. The group features Phil Manley of local heroes Trans Am, Alex Minoff of post-punk stalwarts Six Finger Satellite and drummer Jon Theodore, who has done time with space oddities Royal Trux. The quartet’s wild card is guitarist Ian Ealgleson, and it was his spiraling playing and understated singing that was a key component of Golden’s show at Iota Monday night.
Unlike many part-time rock projects, Golden’s music is engaging and varied, cutting and pasting surf, jazz-fusion, Rush-styled arena rock riffs and a tinge of Tropicalia into a whole that has turned all three of their records---especially their latest, “Golden Summer”---critical favorites. Monday’s set didn’t quite achieve the high standard of their recordings, but it was likely due to the equipment malfunctions that plagued the performance more than any lack of spark in the group’s playing.
The songs the group did perform were well-executed. Typical was the choogling “Hot”, which was sounded like the rock and roll body of Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” being systematically disembowled using lessons learned from Miles Davis’ early 70’s bands. Though the aforementioned equipment troubles sapped much of their momentum, the show was still a good example of Golden’s unique musical hues. The group will no doubt have their equipment repaired before their gig at Decatur Blue next Thursday.
The Rolling Stones’ “Country Honk”, “The Notorious Byrd Brothers” and the early 90’s insurgent country movement were a few audible touchstones for Canyon’s opening set, the latest in a string of shows that has begun to earn the D.C. quintet a strong local following.
Washington Post, 2002
