Jesus Christ Taxi Driver previews Lick My Soul at the Aggie
July 8th at the Aggie welcomed openers Elke, Salesmen, and The Crooked Rugs to play for Jesus Christ Taxi Driver’s album release party for their newest album, Lick My Soul.
Elke
Elke went on at 8 pm, with a sizable crowd already settling into Aggie’s multiple levels. They played a setlist full of reverb and ethereal vocals. There is something hauntingly feminine about the four-piece; watching them feels as hypnotic as they sound. You can catch them on July 14th, opening for Isadora Eden at the Lyric.
The Salesmen
The Salesmen were second to play, a crunchy psychedelic band that the crowd ate up. The energy kept increasing exponentially, partially due to the band’s great stage presence and partially due to the manic guitar riffs. They played their song “Little Plans,” a folksy recent release of theirs as well as the crowd favorite “Redrug.” While the guitarist is clearly talented and the drummer is smooth, the bassist really brings this all together. I couldn’t think of any better opener for the energy of the night.
The Crooked Rugs
This psych-rock band has been a Fort Collins essential since 2019 and always promises a great experience. They play a smooth mix of psychedelia, head-bobbing rock, and Western riffs without becoming corny. They welcomed Aaron from Cactus Cat Band as a guest saxophone player and had a setlist with some lesser-heard songs. We can overlook the partial clothing (I have now seen more expanse of man-thigh than I could’ve ever wanted) for their consistent talent. You can catch them on July 14th and 15th at Psychs Peak in Moffat, CO.
Jesus Christ Taxi Driver
The main course of the show was truly an incredible performance; despite their setlist being cut short, you can really feel the effort the band put into this performance. Dressed in all pink like a bunch of self-proclaimed dog d*cks and giving some wonderful vocal melodies. You can see how much they are loved by the crowd, two people (subsequently dressed up as JC and a taxi driver) tossing flowers periodically at the frontman when he wasn’t lovingly crowd-surfing. Of course, they played some selects from their recent release Lick My Soul, all truly a treat to hear live.
The last time I had the chance to watch this band was from the backyard of a neighbor’s house, and now seeing them on Aggie’s stage settles their energy into something electrifying. It was one of the most active crowds I’ve seen in a while, the sacrilegious lyricism and smooth vocals riling everyone up. Diabolical Catholic easily takes the spot as my favorite off of their new album for its catchy melodies and crispy guitar lines, but don’t take my word for it. Give the whole album a listen and decide for yourself.