Reuben and Evan stepped out on stage and immediately lit into "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, which got everyone's heads bobbing. After a couple of their own songs Reuben disingenuously introduced his friend Jason, and Newsted stepped onto the stage, easily twice as tall as Reuben. Newsted was quick to make it clear that he was there merely as backup, that the real attraction were these two amazingly talented kids. I would wager the identifiable Metallica fans in the audience were there just to see him, and I myself had a few giggly moments. I had spent a significant amount of energy my freshman year of high school loving Metallica because the boy I had a crush on did, and there was something incongruous about seeing Newsted onstage at Ashkenaz, a small Berkeley club known for showcasing music from around the world and known as a proponent of social activism. With all of the posters behind the performers calling for justice, action, and peace, I thought of all the time Metallica wasted recently trying to take down Napster. Rumor has it the Napster debacle was one of the reasons Newsted decided to leave Metallica. I hope it's true.

But I digress. The Moss Brothers. Their music generates a joy that was felt by everyone in the audience, parents and children and friends and hipsters alike. I especially liked their surf-guitar-inflected instrumental pieces during which Evan and Reuben had the opportunity to let their musical abilities shine without any distractions. Their lyrics pretty much dealt with what you might expect young teenagers to sing about: sports and the ethics of cheating on a test ("completely fictitious!" insisted Reuben). Just a shade more cutesy and they'd be sliding dangerously into Shonen Knife territory. And what if Reuben's voice changes? I can't wait to find out.

The Moss Brothers, Ashkenaz
April 1, 2001
http://www.mossbrothers.com