Urban Transit went suburban and played it slick and smooth at Six Pockets Saturday night. Despite falling snowflakes the size of manhole covers some folks managed to make it out. Urban Transit's main thrust is keyboardist Jon Tucker, who typically ads the B-3 cream to Steve Grills & The Roadmasters. So it was a pleasure to hear him roll through some piano-based stuff. The band played Steely Dan and Ramsey Lewis smooth with its supple tones and circular grooves, and stayed that course when dishing out the originals as well. The twin guitar attack --- including Promise's Adam Bradley --- added a nice 'n' nasty electric edge to the music.

And speaking from experience, it's hard to play your heart out for small crowds sometimes. But it's even harder when whatever joint you're filling up with music leaves the goddamn TVs on. That's just plain rude.

Later that night is was back into the land that time forgot. The last time I hit the Penny Arcade, Anthrax was on stage. But on this particular night it was Johnny Smoke's on-stage celebration for its new CD For A Dollar,which apparently is a little right wing in the lyric department. Pumped through The Arcade's mammoth PA the band sounded outstanding, full of the rock swagger and bravado a lot of new American bands have forsaken.

I talked with Bernie Talty --- a.k.a. Skull --- the other day, and he says there's hope. You see, Talty gives guitar lessons and a lot of the kids are coming in wanting to learn Angus and Tony and Jimmy riffs again. That's not to say that the old stuff is the only stuff, but until the new bands stop whining, stop over-thinking, and get back to the danger, the masters are all we have.

Which leads me back to Johnny Smoke. It ain't young and it ain't necessarily doing anything new, but it's got balls, and it will not be denied. Kids are just gonna have to put down the Coheed and Cambria and go dig some rock like Johhny Smoke, or The New York Vaults or Methanol or The Veins or Wolfmother or Buckcherry. Oh, and turn off the TV, already.