Milk Music

Milk Music didn't so much start their set as they slid into it. After a long set-up, the Olympia, WA crew set to work playing for a crowd primed for some of the plugged-in Neil Young rock'n'roll the band delivered on their recently released Cruise Your Illusion. Frontman Alex Coxen was grinning ear to ear for most of the set, but appeared as content to play to his bandmates as he did the eager crowd. Blending proto-punk with the Pacific Northwest's crunchier elements, yielding a healthy dose of noodly solos, the band started out strong, but their songs soon blended into one long jam, and not a very good one at that. A cover of Johnny Thunders' "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" ended their night with a bit of a whimper. Charming if somewhat derivative (most cities have a bar band just a notch or two below these guys), Milk Music failed to pull off the triumphant gig the crowd's enthusiasm anticipated, even if the band did look pretty pleased with themselves.