If you only caught the tail end of Together Pangea’s show this past weekend at Knitting Factory and wondered what was hanging around bassist Danny Bengston’s neck, it was underwear some chick threw on stage. Pink satin. That’s what this rock ‘n’ roll band does to people; it casts spells on them. How else do you explain the dude in tie-dye who jumped on stage to make out with the band’s lead singer during Friday’s encore? Or that other guy in Philly who already has one of the band’s song’s tattooed to his ass?

A packed Brooklyn house was a welcome sight for a California band never to have headlined NYC before. Perhaps the number of West coast transplants who’ve been cementing the Pangea fan base for the past five years had something to do with that. Either way, the place went nuts, especially when drummer Erik Jimenez invited all to stage dive. Tapping into an unbridled garage rock territory, Together Pangea speak their minds and don’t beat around the bush.  Frontman William Keegan rasped and screamed about erectile dysfunction and other let-downs, often sounding like Kurt Cobain. With a tongue-in-cheek attitude, the band brought a humorous tone to their stage presence, especially Bengston, who’s got a wild side that would put Joe Walsh and Chris Farley to shame. But Together Pangea isn’t quite at the point where they can start destroying hotel rooms and instruments just yet. Or maybe they are—they’re signed under the Capitol Music Group hub.

Deer Tick, get these guys to play DudeSmash Festival this year. Everyone else, go see this band live.

– Melissa Caruso