Sometimes I wonder if my editor tries to set me up, just baiting me with bands that sound too ridiculous to be true (Nope. – JS/Scene Ed.). And I thought Saturday would be one such instance, were it not for that Dagger of the Mind from Portland managed to somehow entertain a crowd of semi-inebriated Arcatans that weren’t drunk enough to not care.
DoTM gave us a collection of Shakespeare’s words backed against a heavy metal backdrop, while 33 1/3 tried their darndest to entertain us in the twilight of the evening.

Dagger of the Mind started off our evening heralding its commencement atop bars and tables, making sure that no one could possibly ignore them. Dressed in tunics and whatever it is they called pants back in those days, they rocked hard with Iron Maiden-esque guitar solos, wailing vocals, and the worst fake British accents that would send the Bard spinning in his grave.

But they rocked the Casbah with excerpts from classics like Hamlet and Measure for Measure, even throwing in a costume change before a ballad that made us all say a little prayer hoping he was wearing a dance belt. Throwing iambic pentameter to the wind, the singer belted out a mishmash of tragedy and comedy that could only be better were at the Globe itself.

Dagger of the Mind reminded me of those times when our teachers in grade school would try to make learning “fun” and “hip.” Like when they’d make the multiplication table into a rap song or show us a video in Health starring Joey Lawrence. They were like School House Rocks meets the Renaissance festival meets the Ashland Shakespeare festival. I think they should tour the country, playing in high school gymnasiums so one day, hopefully, that burnout kid in a Slayer shirt at Bellmont High in Decatur, Indiana will have a lightbulb go off in his head and runs straight to the library. But I guess that’s a longshot.

33 1/3 closed out our night in a deflated sense, as a three-piece band with no lyrics to speak of would have a tough chore to try to upstage a band using words from the English language’s greatest writer.

But they did alright, I suppose.

Turning out a quick 45-minute set, they showed us what they got, and all they were capable of. Heavy chords and quick drums served as the meat of their set, occasionally giving us a side of fancy guitar work. But the fact that it only took me 45 minutes to see what they were capable of was the only disheartening part of the evening. They weren’t awful or anything, it just got a little repetitious and formulaic. Like all I could see them doing with that kind of music is opening for CKY and being played during the credits of Bam Margera skate video.

Good luck with that, fellas.

So it was a good night after all. I feel like I experienced some culture. I got Shakespeare on one hand and only a mild reaffirmation of musical ennui that left my ears only slightly ringing. But what do I know? This is only a review written by a cynic, full of Olympia and bourbon, signifying nothing.

Despite rumors circulating around Eureka, Josh Duke is alive and well. But why confine your thoughts to The Shanty? E-mail to fun@arcataeye.com.

Twas a tale of the most noble of rockingness at the tavern of Ye Olde Alibi last Saturday whence came from yonder land of Portland a quartet of merry fellows who did bringeth the rock.
Dagger of the Mind! Yea, I doth saith Dagger of the Mind! A rose by any other name could not smell as sweet. Oh, how doth I love them. Let me count the ways.
1. Showmanship. Whatever these guys lacked musically they definitely made up for in bravado. Throughout their entire set they not only interacted , but engaged their audience with extremely entertaining theatrics and a wonderful sense of humor. Showmanship is what seperates the men from the boys in a live performance. Doubly so when done in a dress or tunic.

2. Creativity. So 4 guys are sitting around playing D & D and listening to Judas Priest when one says to the other, Hey! Let s start a Shakespearean Epic metal band!‘sIt doesn t sound like such a winner at that point. As a matter of fact it sounds like a number of drunken proposals I, and probably you too, have made at the peek of a staggering huddle with an old high school chum. What makes such ridiculous ideas, and the reason why I m not in an awesome Shakespearean Epic metal band, come to life is the imagination and creativity it takes to make such an idea relevant and cohesive. One of the most mind blowing attributes of this band is is that they honestly wrote a metal song from Hamlet! Think about that for a second.

3. Quirk. The general quirkiness of this band pays off big. Quirk is that anomaly found in both the best and worst of conceptually formulated music. The concept here , obviously being Shakespeare and the Elizabethan dialogue and dress, gives this bands already ludicrously original style the edge it needs to truly work.

Should these gentlemen evergrace our fair city again I wilst thank the Heavens. And to thee who wouldst be nay sayers, saith thee Nay and I curse thee with boils on thy prostate and splinters through thy nipples!

Hark! What else dosth mine ears did entertain, though lo I didst woe to think there would be no more rock! The sounds of 33 1/3 who did in fact have metal Heavy and loud to allocate amongst the taverns hordes unsparingly.

I’ve been wanting to catch this band for awhile. Instru-metal is a new favorable commodity in my CD collection, and I’ve been excited to hear what the home team had to offer. I was nervous about how they would fair after the pillaging from Dagger of the Mind, but I am happy to report to you today that without a second’s hesitation the band took hold of the nights reins and steered us through the rest of the evening with a very heavy and hard hitting set that complimented the first act and was, for me, the polish that made the evening shine.

Daniel Lewis edits and distributes The Plague zine around Arcata. Check it out, rock-lovers.

This should be top of your list: Dagger of the Mind, left, at the Alibi Saturday night. Shakespearean metal.

First sentences from the forthcoming Jan. 15 issue:

Leave the glow sticks and fire sticks at home – the real spin action in Arcata persists in the form of contra dances.

Forget about those washboard abs you resolved to work toward for the new year.

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EDITED: Well, somehow the remaining sentences disappeared when I hit “Publish.” Consider my mellow harshed.

Anyway, it’s a cool issue. Check it out Tuesday.