The Universal (Boise) and Star Anna @ Java Jive april 23

[caption id="" align="center" width="400" caption="The Universal with the small ship from Close Encounters"][/caption] The Universal was formed in Boise Idaho around 2005 when Lawrence Van Bishop (Luscious Fuzz, Tommy Dirtweed) and PS Perkins (Caustic Resin, Godzoundz, Size Of Alaska) joined forces with Matt Perkins (Skipper Lindsey, The Falldowns) and Phil Merrell. The sound could be described loosely as psychedelic rock, but their latest full length album demonstrates that The Universal isn’t so easily pigeon-holed into a certain definable sound. “Everything Is Everywhere” (april 2009) gallops across genres as if they were never there, and at once retains a common spirit of careful composition – peppered with experimentation and bizarre, often tongue-in-cheek lyrics infused with a certain innocent self parody and amusing plays on words: “…day dreams of night time and moths dream of butterflies…” “…it’s bigger than anyone can see…” “…wild dogs trapped in the stinking mud, they bray and moan for you…” The belied innocence is certainly not to imply they are naieve – these boys have been around the block a few times. All are long time veterans of the Boise music scene and have many previous notable projects under their action utility belts. PS Perkins (drums) was a founding member of Caustic Resin, claims he can trace his oil drips up and down I-5 on Google earth, and played on “Keep On Truckin” (UP!2004). Lawrence is recognized among touring bands as the sound guy at Boise’s rock roadhouse Neurolux, where he has worked for years. Lawrence has played with Jr. Private Detective’s (Portland) Bo Fikle in Boise band Luscious Fuzz as well as a stint as lead guitarist for Tommy Dirtweed (Tom Romich of Caustic Resin). The Perkins brothers are a formidable rhythm section, compounded by layers of swirling psychedelic guitars and the occasional three part vocal harmony or Rhodes electric piano accompanied by grumbling churning mini-synth. The live show by The Universal is dynamic, engaging and interesting, and sometimes audience members will even join them onstage for their final song with shakers and tambourines in a sort of snake-handling backwoods pagan religious ecstasy. Here are some relevant links to the bands performing that night: The Universal's website The Universal on MySpace Star Anna on MySpace Doors at 8pm, show at 9ish $3 cover