Yesterday I got to see the funk guitar virtuoso Eddie Roberts and this afternoon it was a guitar maestro of a completely different kind, the founder, lead guitarist and singer of punk tinged rock outfit Rocket from the Crypt, John Reis. This Californian has really paid his dues and cut his teeth playing in too many bands to name and it is easy to see when you saw the confidence and precision that was present whenever he played his instrument. Reis is well known for trying to getting his fans involved in Rocket from the Crypt’s music not only through audience participation but also with antics like the time when he announced in a fanzine that any person with a tattoo of the band’s logo could get into their live shows for free. He really tried hard to get some audience interaction but his efforts really suffered from the language barrier. There was a very human bonding message in the middle of the set when he told everyone to turn to their left and shake someone’s hand and then turn right and do the same thing. He then went on to say that they didn’t come all the way from San Diego to make a lot of noise but they came here to make a lot of friends, and that their show was all about connection. The set’s closing number was an epic 10 minute affair with alternating bursts of noise followed by interludes of just the stripped down rhythm section. The show finished in a haze of guitar feedback which was skillfully engineered to leave a lasting impression on the crowd.