By Kevin McGoldrick, SDAM Staff Writer
©Copyright 2024 SDAM.com/Kevin McGoldrick

"Anthony, more Anthony," she screams. Action figure poses, the girls tight shirts frozen in front. Masturbation for the masses, voyeuristic pleasures unleashed. I always doubt pretty boys and their bad attitudes. There stand their punk boy counterparts raising their fists into nothing but the hollow, into the air, just stuck in squares. And the corner kids silently amused and waiting for the next band. Setting the scene at the Casbah. An orgy of indie rockers fifty or so strong, the resurgent souls of the late 70's mop head who have come to listen to a set headlined by Counterfit in conjunction with the North Atlantic's CD release extravaganza. The Transit War was in the second slot following local favorite's Prizefight. Perhaps, the explosiveness and dynamic moves of Prizefight and their epic ending song "Sing at the End" minutes before detracted from the opening phrases of the Transit War. "Flashbulb memories" came off stale despite its explosive guitars, the disjointed vocals seemed more disjointed than they should be. In songs like "Forgotten July", the uncomfortable silences seemed too uncomfortable and the performance lackluster, at times lacking any discernible musical quality, that which makes a band different than a lilting late night conversation over a couple pints. And how bout man-boy art rocker Anthony receiving a showering of phermonally induced attention, especially from those of the vaginal variety. As the old rock n roll proverb states, "Forget the fans, forget their focus, just play and play loud." And to this end, it could have been much louder, drowning out all that pointless Friday night chatter. There is something disconcerting about hearing about the world of the adult job, about the corporate aspirations of the woman standing next to you when all you want is a dose of the counter culture. However, forgetting these shortfalls, some of which the band had no control over, they are lovable and huggable and I enjoyed the energy, especially those periodic pulsations of intensity coming from a frontman, a true frontman. There were striking moments where the melodies were ringing and this four piece, seven months in the making seemed destined to rescue a crowd from its own narcissism . A song such as "Break all your promises," had such a beautiful anthemic chorus that it would even make their seventh grade soccer coach proud. After all, "there is no I in team" right?. These moments, however, were few and far between, but I will see them again and they will be better next time, they should just hope they don't take the stage after Prizefight. BAND SHORTS I recently caught up with the band The Transit War at the pool tables of The Casbah for a quick pre-show chat. SDAM: How did you come up with the name The Transit War? Anthony: The name the transit war was something that just sort of came to me when I was driving home from work one day. It's not that complicated. There's no hidden meaning there. SDAM:Backtracking, how long ago did the band come together? Mike: Jim was in a band with Rob Perlman and they picked up Bernie from some surf rock band he was wearing a jumpsuit in. Then I moved from Philadelphia two summers ago and I saw an ad in the Reader for Bass. I was the fourteenth bassist they tried out. Then three of us played for a while with a guy named Carlos. He moved up to Santa Barbara and we got Anthony. And we've been this four piece for six or seven months now. SDAM:You have recently completed your self-titled debut, where does your music go from here? Jim: Our main goal for future writing is to try and do something original and a bit more edgy. Going towards a higher energy of music, a little more dynamic and progressive. The creative juices are flowing; we are just experimenting with a whole bunch of new ideas from really technical melodic music to Chris Isaak. (distant chuckles) SDAM:Your lyrics seem to be mostly about relationships? Anthony: Mike and Jim write all of the lyrics. I think they have a lot to draw from after past relationships. SDAM:Have you ever been drawn to any lyrics that are more political in nature? Anthony: I don't really know about political lyrics. I think certain people have something to say about what's going on and others either don't care or don't care to sing about it. You know? I think writing about whatever comes naturally is the best way about it really. So if one day you write a song about something political that irks you that's that. Bernie: If I have anything to do with it, NO. A sampling of some of their music influences: Weezer, Nirvana, Minus the Bear, the Rolling Stones, Guerilla Biscuit, Modest Mouse, Dinosaur Jr., Hot Like a Robot SDAM:Any local bands that you root for? Anthony: The Residuals are my favorite San Diego band right now. I also really like this new band called the Flying Douglass's, they kind of have a Radiohead sound. SDAM:Finally, any advice for the kids? Mike: Open your mind to lots of different types of music and stick it out because there are going to be lots of fights and bickering. And friendship, play with your friends. Bernie: Don't limit yourself and broaden your musical horizons. Don't just learn the guitar, learn the drums or bass, it puts you in a much better position. Jim: I would say turn off the radio, stop listening to the fucking radio. If there's good music to listen to on the radio listen to it, but I haven't heard good music on the radio in years. Learn more about the Transit War and their upcoming shows.