The year 2020 felt more like a decade for The Black Tones. Eva and Cedric Walker were mourning the loss of a loved one, a global pandemic hit hard, and the unjust killing of George Floyd sparked another massive civil rights movement. On top of that, mourning the loss of live music was something we all collectively had to cope with. Coming out of the year 2020, it was an amazing feeling just to be alive.
For the Rain City Relief vinyl compilation, The Black Tones gave a truly infectious performance of their song “Ghetto Spaceship.” I was familiar with the song already, as it often has extended stays in my head with its super catchy chorus. This particular live performance, however, seems to have an extra special energy to it that transcends through the screen.
It almost seems like this performance was an emotional release for the band. You can even hear Eva Walker take a big breath of relief at the end of the song. At the same time, it felt fun and exuberant. I remember reading an article in Crosscut where Cedric and Eva likened playing in a band together now to playing with toys as kids. That feeling of nostalgia comes across not only in their performance but also in their punk, rock, and bluesy sound.
Those kinds of intense emotions combined with the high energy performance leaves me wanting to rock out with The Black Tones every time I listen to this recording. Now, come and take a ride on through this “Ghetto Spaceship” for two.
