Garage rockers Hot Laundry top bill for free show at Winters Tavern in Pacifica
Winters Tavern in Pacifica hosts a free garage-rock birthday throwdown Friday night featuring local bands Hot Laundry, the Control Freaks and Minds Without a Face.
In the space of a few short years, Hot Laundry has risen to become a leading light on the local garage-rock scene. Fronted by pint-sized spitfire singer Janette Lopez, the entertaining band matches the vocal harmonies and sass of legendary girl group the Shangri-las and the high-octane R&B of Ike and Tina Turner with the blistering proto-punk guitars of Detroit heroes the MC5.
Flanked onstage by back-up singers Ileath Bridges and Gena Serey with matching tassled/spangled outfits and tandem dance moves, Lopez and her vocal support provide the visual focal point for the group's entertaining live show that is powered by founding guitarist/songwriter Grady Hord and the rhythm section of bassist Casey G. and drummer Arun Bhalla.
While Hord was writing material intended for the band as far back as 2017, the sextet didn't make its proper recording debut until the release of their EP Shake Slide Twist in 2021. In addition to building a following around the Bay Area with their regular club appearances, Hot Laundry provided one of the highlights to the Mosswood Meltdown in Oakland that same year.
It didn't take long for Hot Laundry to follow up with its first full-length album early in the summer of 2022. Packed with catchy, fuzzed-out groovers like "Work It" and "The Dance," Pawn Shop Gold manages to capture the kinetic punch of the group's live show. The band recently released a new video for their digital single "Made Like This." For this free show at Winters Tavern celebrating the birthdays of local punk legend Greg Lowery (Supercharger, The Rip Offs, The Zodiac Killers) and SF DJ Tiki Nancy, Hot Laundry will be joined by Lowrey's current unhinged band the Control Freaks -- who have released several albums on noted garage-punk imprints Slovenly Recordings and Dirty Water Records -- and tuneful Oakland-based quartet Minds Without a Face.
Hot Laundry, the Control Freaks and Minds Without a Face
Friday, April 26, 8 p.m. Free
Winters Tavern
