DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997              TAG: 9704170044

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E7   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Music Review

SOURCE: BY JEFF MAISEY, SPECIAL TO THE DAILY BREAK 

                                            LENGTH:   53 lines

L7'S ROCK PACKS POWERFUL PUNCH

DONITA SPARKS, with platinum hair, wore mascara applied so generously that she closely resembled the replica played by Daryl Hanna in the movie ``Blade Runner.'' She also, along with her L7 band mates, ground out one of the most unpretentious rock performances that you'll ever want to see Tuesday night at Peabody's. The crowded house got a raunchy, gut-gripping taste of what rock 'n' roll is really all about.

Flaunting their razor-sharp edges was no problem as the rough-and-tumble city girl quartet came out kicking with the scratching guitars of ``Anderes,'' which was the big single from 1994's ``Hungry for Stink.'' These 10-year veterans of what-you-see-is-what-you-get/in-your-face music, laid it down hot and heavy for the entirety.

Clad in black T-shirts, the bad girls of rock concentrated mostly on material from their fantastic new album, ``The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum.'' The throbbing bass lines of former Belly member Gail Greenwood enhanced the engaging vocals of front woman Sparks on ``I Need,'' followed by the sliding notes of their current hit, ``Off the Wagon.''

The full-speed velocity of ``Bad Things'' hit home like a bashed-in car window, with the growling voice of guitarist Suzi Gardner attacking with Black Sabbath-like darkness on the slow, menacing ``Must Have More.'' ``Drama'' was splendidly deranged in a more raw version than is found on disc.

A tempo change occurred on the ominously delirious ``Bitter Wine,'' as the guitar sounds were augmented by phase shifters with Gardner's gothically sedate vocals. The power-chord-fueled ``Shove'' provided a gleeful moment for old-time admirers of L7.

With a musical enticement - but no takers - for fans to dance naked on stage with the band, L7 huffed and puffed through an all-out rocking encore that included ``Packin' a Rod'' and the E-chord dominated ``Lorenza, Giada, Allesandra,'' their tribute to fans everywhere. L7 could not have been any better.

Probably the best thing that ever happened to Combine was losing their indie label contract. They've never sounded better than Tuesday night. Norfolk's own opened with the power pop illumination of ``Know Regrets.'' Super sonic bassist Daryl Lewis went galactic on the phat ``Fat Sore Pilgrims,'' as the rice crispy crunch of Brian Pafumi's guitar was outstanding on ``Angel Food.'' Combine were smashing on the accents and skillfully ballistic on the fret boards. If Oasis were a bit more noisy, you'd think they helped compose the psychedelic melody on ``Superfriendlier.''

It was a great night of loud rock music. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

MUSIC REVIEW

L7 with Combine

Tuesday at Peabody's in Virginia Beach

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