Live: Girl In A Coma, Houston

Girl In A Coma: from left - Jenn, Nina and Phanie.

We wrapped up 2010 with a cool little in-store performance Dec. 31 at Houston’s Cactus Music & Video – featuring the San Antonio punk trio Girl In A Coma.   I’ve been hearing good things about these girls since last year’s SXSW conference, and brother blogger Citizen K suggested we check ’em out.

Girl In A Coma is anchored by the rhythm section of drummer Stephanie “Phanie” Diaz and bassist Jenn Alva, and fronted by singer/guitarist Nina Diaz, Phanie’s little sister.  Nina is a ferocious singer and certainly no slouch on the guitar.  The girls have released three albums on Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records label.

From the album Trio B.C., Girl In A Coma started their in-store with “Bb” about a “little man,” and its jaunty stomp hit the right groove.  They also did “El Monte,” where Nina moons over some guy only to realize she’s “just another score.”  They also did an awesome version of Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” from the band’s most recent effort, an album of covers titled Adventures in Coverland.  They also did a new song from a forthcoming album, but I didn’t catch the title, sorry.  (Also apologies are in order for not taking photos – my camera’s busted.  Got a new one comin’ in from NYC, and we’ll be back in business next week!  In the meantime, check out the Cactus Music Facebook page for some good photos by Jay Dryden.)

I must say I was totally impressed by Nina Diaz’s style.  Don’t let her looks fool you – Nina really rocks out.  She holds nothing back, not even for a little in-store performance, and her voice is one of a kind.  Their short performance at Cactus certainly sent me to their recordings – I highly recommend Trio B.C., released in 2009, and Adventures in Coverland is pretty good too, with standout covers of Joy Division’s “Transmission,” George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and Selena’s “Si Una Vez.”

What a great way to wind up the year; it’s nice to see somebody is ready to rock into a new decade.  We thoroughly enjoyed Girl In A Coma … and if you catch ’em live, you surely will too.

Girl In A Coma official website

Blackheart Records

YouTube: “El Monte”

YouTube: “Cherry Bomb” (with Cherie Currie) and “Static Mind” at SXSW 2010

YouTube: “Walkin’ After Midnight”