The Reverend Glasseye's revival leads to Rumble crown
WBCN Rock ’N’ Roll Rumble
With Reverend Glasseye, Robbie Road Steamer, Furvis
At: The Middle East Downstairs, Friday night
Perhaps it was divine intervention.
Toward the end of his set during the finals of the 27th WBCN Rock 'N' Roll Rumble, the Reverend Glasseye, leader of a seven-piece ensemble, dared to compare his act's earlier elimination, and subsequent rebirth via a wild-card entry, to the death of Jesus.
''We died on a Friday," he stated, referring to the group's loss in the previous week's semifinals, ''But we were resurrected on a Sunday."
(Each year the Rumble host, Shred, announces the wild-card choice during his Sunday evening ''Boston Emissions" program.)
The band certainly made the most of its second life by coming back to win the event. It stormed through a vaudevillian set that at some points recalled the East European influences once embraced by Camper Van Beethoven, and at others wandered far enough outside the mainstream to include yodeling.
In a dashing white three-piece suit the Reverend cut a striking figure in front of his black-clad band, and ultimately the well-crafted arrangements among a three-piece horn section, upright bass, and keyboards made for a winning formula.
Gesticulating wildly, the Reverend worked the stage with the confidence of a sideshow barker. His enthusiasm at being included in the festivities proved infectious among his congregation, many of whom clutched flowers in front of the stage.
To reach the top of the mountain, however, Glasseye and company needed to surmount the over-the-top hijinks and the driving guitar power of Robbie Road Steamer and the catchy hooks and youthful exuberance of Furvis.
Road Steamer's shtick is undeniable, though at times the hilarity of his between-song rants proves more entertaining than the music, which lifts shamelessly from various '70s sources.
The melodic similarity between his ''I Put a Baby in You" and Electric Light Orchestra's ''Do Ya" is simply blatant.
Furvis battled initial sound issues for the second week in a row, though once the rootsy guitars aligned with its harmony vocals, the set progressed nicely.
At this point in their career, the members of Furvis happily wear their indie influences on their sleeves, but beneath that easy distinction is an impressive rhythm section as well as an aptitude for punchy hooks.
As the Reverend Glasseye accepted the Rumble tiara from the previous year's champ, Jake Brennan, he was pelted with a beer tossed by some knucklehead in the crowd.
This too, he took in stride.
''It's impossible to be king without your haters," he said with a sly grin. 