Cosmic psychos Sasquatch & the Sick-a-Billys get a groove on BY BOB GULLA

Dave Caetano knows he doesn’t have as many friends around town as he’d like. The gritty, outspoken leader of the band known as Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys has, by his own admission, burned a few bridges over the years. But he’s OK with that. It’s not that he has no regrets — he says he has a few. It’s just that things are going pretty well with his band, well enough to offset the ill feelings that occasionally dog the straight talker on the local scene.

" I think I have a chemical imbalance from all this shit, " says the embattled artist. " You see all the cliques in Providence. In public, everybody says, ‘We need a scene. Yeah! Let’s get a scene going!’ But the next thing you know they’re pushing people out of their little cliques. "

He adds, with a bit of that aforementioned regret, " No one has helped me get to where I’m going. I put a lot of bands out there. So many bands have had their first gigs with me. Meanwhile, I’m the black sheep dickhead. ‘Oh, don’t go near Dave!’ I’ve got problems in my head because of all this shit. "

It could be that Caetano, longtime friend/drummer Jamie " Diablo, " and new bass player Johnny Custom often perpetrate some pretty radical behavior. Like many punk and psychobilly acts, Caetano finds that tactics like berating his audience has an exhilarating effect on the show, as well as a therapeutic effect for him. Lately, he’s also been known to set his pubic hair alight, which turns heads, as you can imagine (though he says to repeat that trick he needs to " wait a bit so it grows back " ). " The drama with the band has just kicked in. Our rep is getting out of hand. Me and Jamie fuel each other. I can’t seem to control myself right now. I blurt anything out. It’s not an act, though. Some people think it is, but it’s real — we’ve totally lost control onstage. "

Fortunately for Caetano, these insane tactics are, against all odds, earning the band some serious attention. Lately Sasquatch has been turning heads in places outside of Providence, including Worcester, New Haven, and Boston, where they have regular gigs and often outdraw the local headliners.

" We’ve done what we could in Providence, " he says. " We’re concentrating on Jake’s and the Green Room. We had it packed in there pretty good. We’ve been surprising ourselves. I’m not sure who’s coming, but it seems like they’re coming out! "

Caetano, a veteran of a bluesy rock band called Altered Minds, discovered rockabilly and country music late in life. After leaving Providence in the mid-’90s, Dave went to Dallas for a year, where he encountered a crazed roots music legend named Wayne Hancock. He caught Hancock at a club one night and was overwhelmed by the sight. " I hated country music when I moved to Dallas, " he admits. " I left my van at the bus station and just took off. It was my first time away from home. It was tough. But the show and the people I met there had a big effect on me. "

In Dallas, Caetano lived in some dodgy places, including on the street for a few weeks. He played some open mikes, but never assembled a band. Soon enough, fueled by his newfound interest in country and roots music, he returned to Providence and has been on a collision course with punk-flared rockabilly ever since.

" I’m a maniac about it. It was tough to get a band, but now that I have one, and a damn good one, I’m not gonna let anything stop us, " he says.

Of course, despite his ambitions of world domination, Caetano still has some more mundane concerns. " I’m afraid to death of tornadoes, " he says, commenting on his Achilles heel. " I have this nightmare where there’s a tornado and we’re playing a club and Jamie’s stealing cases of beer to bring home and I’m trying to get my ass out of there. "

Another thing that gets to Caetano is the current world war scene. " I just want God to come down and hug me and tell me it’s gonna be all right, " he says, exhibiting a somewhat softer side. " Someday I hope to get my angel wings with side pipes and cruise around heaven playing little lounges. "

Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys play Jake’s on Saturday, October 4. The show features New Hampshire’s Satan’s Teardrops. The band will also play with Wayne " The Train " Hancock at the Green Room on October 24. Check out dauntlessmusic.com for further details. While you’re there, be sure to pick up a copy of the band’s new live disc.

SEE-THROUGH NEWS. Transparent recorded some new songs last week and, according to the band, the roughs sound great. Someday, they’ll " even have enough money to mix and release it! " Plans to go to Buffalo to record with Frank Vicario (Snapcase) have been delayed, but are still on the table. Be sure to drop by the band’s practice spot, Bambu Tattoo, on Tuesday(the 7th) from 9 to 11:30 p.m. It’s a chance to have a look at the space, meet the artists, and see Transparent and the Commercials play for free. The space is above Club Hell and Jerky’s on Richmond Street in downtown Providence.

BABYSHOWER? State of Corruption’s last show of the year promises to be a blast. It’s on Friday (the 3rd) at the Green Room, and also stars Shed, Imprint, and the Incidentals, the latter a side-project with SOC’s DJ Thrill and ex-SOC bassist Paul Phillips. They’ll be giving away 100 copies of their new three-song EP as a taste of the new record to come, which will be out early next year. The night also serves as a benefit for local music VIP and father Timothy Larosee, who died in a recent car accident. The show is all ages, and a $10 donation is encouraged. It’s the band’s last show for at least six months, says SOC’s Mike L., because he and his wife are preparing to have twins, and in damn short order.

WANDERING EYE. Planet Groove plays Lupo’s on Friday (the 3rd). You can buy tickets in advance at www.planetgroove.net/tickets.html and save $4. The show is all-ages. The Psycads will play their brand of psychedelic ska, rock-steady, and reggae with Fungus Amungus on Saturday at the Century Lounge. And Swamp Yankee play at Pub Hollywood in Gloucester on Saturday. Check out www.swampyankee.com for info on the band.

It looks like the Top Cats will be opening the Hot Club Festival on Saturday at 2 p.m., with Big Nazo following at 3:30. Entrain, Professor Louie and Crowmatix and the Rock of Ages Horns playing the music of the Band, and headliners Black 47 also appear.

A new-ish band, Orbis Rex is an " instrumental, aggressive modern jazz/funk quartet. " Hailing from Providence, they have been playing the local scene for a little less than a year. The personnel includes Greg Takemoto on alto sax, guitarist Ray West, bassist Dave Witham, and drummer Alex Chapman. They’ve performed with the likes of Ryeduc, the Kim Trusty Band, Joe Parillo, Funkshun, Clave Logic, Bridges Fell, and more. The crew recently began a Thursday night residency at the Century Lounge. On Friday, they’ll open for Uncle Everett down at the Bon Vue Inn in Narragansett as part of the club’s Oktoberfest celebration.

Finally, there’s a big show on Saturday at the Safari Lounge, starring the Essentials (9 p.m.), Fooled By April (10 p.m.), and the Everyday Visuals (11 p.m.). Obviously, there’s lots of great stuff going on. You read it here first.

E-mail me with your music news at big.daddy1@cox.net