At the Marble Bar Baltimore
-by Laurel Wyckoff

No doubt few Philadelphians have had the opportunity to experience Baltimore's famous Marble Bar. It was in this dingy cavern beneath an unsavory hotel on Franklin Street that I was able to see South Jersey's Reesa & the Rooters in concert. They have been given a great deal more attention to out of town than in the Philly area, even after their recent single release. The band's previous appearance at the Main Point before a disappointing crowd, with the added handicap of wretched sound people, gave no indication of the revel they can inspire on the dance floor. The Marble Bar is frequented by as many orange-haired, leather-clad gentlemen and vinyl mini-skirted girls as you would see in your neighborhood bar. The opening band, Tiny Desk Unit, kept the crowd leaning against the 20-foot slab of broken marble or lounging around the long rows of rickety cardboard tables that surround the dance floor. Their music was slow moving, heavy and morbid for the most part. No fun to dance to.

By comparison, the Rooters were a breath of fresh air in those grimy walls and foggy atmosphere. There was an immediate frenzy on the dance floor. The Rooters’ music is happy music, all for fun. Not only is it easy to dance to, but it makes you want to dance.

Reesa's costume that night was a collegiate outfit covering the parochial-school uniform matching bassist Cherie Rumbol. Larry, on the other hand, dressed simply to match his guitar style, which incorporates the most basic elements of rock, which lends a simple clarity to the songs without resorting to cliché. His writing is clever and concise, using devices like a drooping minor second chord progression to represent the infamous meltdown in "TMI." The band's momentum is provided by drummer Bob Z, whose solid upbeat energy drives the band with a polished quality. Reesa's flexible, somewhat bluesy voice pulls off the more sarcastic and satirical songs like "Eating Media" and "Ice." She also sings an interesting version of "Day Tripper." For songs which require closer attention to pitch, Reesa backs up Cherie, who sings "Ultraman In Surf Villa" from the new single.

Reesa keeps contact with her audience by running screaming into the crowd during "Nervous Breakdown" or jumping onto the dance floor with her guitar. Her playful spirit is not profound or innovative, but it is full of life and good fun.