Mary Timony is somewhat of a living legend. From her work in mid-90s grunge/post-punk band, Helium to supergroup, Wild Flag with Sleater-Kinney‘s Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, to the past five years with Ex Hex, Timony has been in the indie rock limelight for nearly two decades. Despite the credentials, Georgia Theatre was a quarter full for Ex Hex’s Wednesday night performance but that didn’t discourage the band.
Seeing Ex Hex is what I imagine it was like seeing Joan Jett or Motley Crue in the 80s. Mary Timony was decked out in a red leopard print shirt and skintight leather pants. Betsy Wright had on a Monsters of Rock 1984 Tour shirt. Both sporting black Converse with bassist, Michelle Mae sporting white ones.
The band’s style really set the mood for the show. Ripping through mid-tempo songs with big guitar riffs and killer solos, the band was tight but playful. Timony and Wright would often come together on stage to play dueling guitar riffs face-to-face, looking serious for as long as they could until they both had to smile.
The setlist was almost a perfect split between the band’s two records, 2014’s Rips and It’s Real which was released in March. Bouncing through songs like “Don’t Wanna Lose” and “How You Got That Girl” while mixing in “Rainbow Shiner,” “Radiate,” and my personal favorite “Cosmic Cave.” They closed their set with “Hot and Cold.”
While it was a great show, I can only imagine the spectacle grows exponentially by the number of people in attendance. So for those of you on the tour route in bigger cities, it worth traveling to see Ex Hex.
Tour Dates
JUL 25 Saturn, Birmingham, AL, United States
JUL 26 The Earl, Atlanta, GA, United States
JUL 27 Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC, United States
AUG 6 Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, NY, United States
AUG 16 Ottobar, Baltimore, MD, United States
AUG 19 The Met, Providence, RI, United States
AUG 20 Space Ballroom, Hamden, CT, United States
AUG 21 Gateway City Arts, Holyoke, MA, United States
AUG 22 House Of Independents, Asbury Park, NJ, United States
SEP 13 Pappy & Harriet’s, Pioneertown, CA, United States
SEP 14 Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA, United States
SEP 15 Casbah San Diego, CA, United States
SEP 17 The New Parish Oakland, CA, United States
SEP 18 The Ritz, San Jose, CA, United States
SEP 19 Zebulon, Los Angeles, CA, United States
