SINCE SCHOOL HAS FINISHED for the time being, I’ve been getting out to see live music on an almost weekly basis. My pal Drew and I caught the awesome Scott Herren a.k.a. Prefuse 73 at Lee’s Palace earlier this week, featuring the wonderful MC skills and poetry of Beans with his local backing band, Holy Fuck, in the opening slot. However, the night belonged to NYC math-rockers Battles: somewhat of a “supergroup” featuring ex-members of Helmet and Don Caballero. Having not followed either of those groups for some years now, I was unaware of this project and was completely blown away by them. Following their crunchy set of Crimson-esque riffage and ball-crushing beats, I overhead someone with a huge grin on his face say that he’d might as well leave now (after having been rocked-the-fuck out). Barely having two dimes to rub together at the show, I’m planning on dashing out this coming pay day to scoop up anything of theirs I can find. Monsters of rock – I have been inspired again.