Brant Bjork Trio / Yawning Balch @ Knitting Factory, North Hollywood, 8th September 2023

Originally established in New York in 1987, the Knitting Factory is something of a venue franchise here in the States. This particular North Hollywood establishment was opened last year, and it is quite nice, with a balcony offering a nice view of the Santa Monica Mountains in the background. I enjoyed some moderate Friday night traffic to attend a simple two act performance of some Southern Californian mainstays of stoner rock.

First up is Yawning Balch, an instrumental side project from Fu Manchu axeman Bob Balch and the current iteration of Yawning Man which includes guitarist Gary Acre, bassist Billy Cordell and drummer Bill Stinson. The band also shares members and sonic DNA with Big Scenic Nowhere, and the music reflects this, touching upon the gentler psychedelic soundscapes of that group’s recent opus The Long Morrow. For my personal tastes, this variety of dreamy instrumental work works better in the car stereo for long drives through the country, but the band’s live effort is by no means ill-fitting.

Thanks to a fantastic use of lighting effects, Yawning Balch’s ethereal blend of Mono’s sleepwalker music and Pink Floyd’s mid-career output is quite entrancing. Mr. Balch is one of best lead guitarists in a scene known more for monster riffs (although he plays monster riffs very well). While Acre uses thumb-driven flourishes on his end, Balch soars through a colorful aural stratosphere with deft playing and magnificent control over a pedal board that would make most gear hounds drool with envy.

While Acre uses thumb-driven flourishes on his end, Balch soars through a colorful aural stratosphere…

The songs come off the group’s recent Volume One debut which was born purely out of improvisation, namely Low Pressure Valley which more than lives up to its name. My only gripe had nothing to do with the band’s performance, but rather with a profoundly annoying drunk patron up at the front. These types are usually at shows, but the smaller the show, the more irritating they become. Oh well.

Next up was the man himself, Brant Bjork. While he made his mark as the thunderous drummer for Kyuss, his twenty-plus year work as a singer/guitarist continues to capture the spirit of the desert road. His backing band included another legend in Mario Lalli. In addition to being a member of Fatso Jetson and Yawning Man, Lalli was also a member of Across The River, a band who pretty much predated most of the desert bands you know and love. Also along for the ride is Stöner drummer Ryan Güt, and most of the material emanates from the breadth of Bjork’s solo work.

Bjork’s set was 100% sun-baked bluesy beatnik fun with nothing in the way of gimmicks…

That obnoxious drunk lout was still at it, but eventually their spouse wrangled them away from the stage allowing me to enjoy the rest of the set. In stark contrast to the tripped-out space rock of Yawning Balch, Bjork’s set was 100% sun-baked bluesy beatnik fun with nothing in the way of gimmicks. I was particularly impressed with Lalli as a bass player, who used a single index finger to great effect. Highlights include a brand new track Sunshine, the solid high desert number ’73 from 2005’s Saved By Magic, and a spirited rendition of Lazy Bones/Automatic Fantastic off of his 1999 debut solo record Jalamanta. Brant Bjork is probably the most dependable artist from the Palm Desert scene. His records and live performances never disappoint, and tonight was no exception.

All in all, this was a fine and simple night that showcased longtime veterans of some Southern California’s most noteworthy stoner rock acts, and in a nice new venue to boot.

Scribed by: Rob Walsh