Live review: Homewrecker, Voice of Pizza
Snug Harbor
Jan. 4, 2012

Judging by the balance of people who walked out the door vs. the number who stayed up front and soaked up every note and nuance, Charlotte's Homewrecker hasn't broken the mold of music being a polarizing form of entertainment.

Philip Shive, a former booking agent for the Milestone, has found a way to incorporate his two loves — film and music — under one roof. He shared a few of his short films at a Snug Harbor pizza party on Jan. 4, before a performance from his main custom music outfit, Homewrecker. It's a strange scene to watch people pull out camping chairs and blankets at a music venue.

Although Homewrecker is usually a tight band, a few mishaps showed the band's vulnerable side. The first few songs were flawless, but when progressing into a fast-paced, meticulous, guitar-leading jam, they lost the groove and had to stop, announcing they had screwed up. They attempted it again but failed a second time, all the while radiating a lack of embarrassment for their errors.

The majority of the show was enjoyable and solid. Their strange sound of beach/Gastonia-grunge/garage rock dominated — intriguing some in the crowd while turning others off. Homewrecker is a hit or miss band, driving some people out the door while others remained close to the stage, stoked at what they were hearing. Maybe it's the band's dedication to singing pizza-related songs or maybe it's just their crude demeanor.

Regardless, even those who weren't attracted to the music could not deny Homewrecker's original sound. The band is an amalgamation of different styles and while they may have a flair for the unusual, they are creative-minded and talented guys who bring rock 'n' roll to every gig they play — complete with head bangers, disgusted spectators and an “I don't give a fuck” attitude.

What started off as an idea for a public access show, Shive's film and music collective, Voice of Pizza, started off the night by showing KARP (a documentary of the band KARP, centering around the evolution of Olympia's musical rise in the late 1980s to 1990s) followed by a few of his short concert films including documentation of his tour with David Liebe Hart. Shive incorporated music throughout, demonstrating his melding of two art forms — visualizing music through live recordings of shows and accentuating his non-music films through the use of music. Homewrecker followed the films.

See which side of the divide you lay on at their next show, Friday, Jan. 13, at the Milestone with The Menzingers, The Not Likelys, Young and Barren and Old Flings. Chances are, you'll either love them or hate them.