Of all the shows I've been to in my life, one of the best moments came on Thursday at Maxwell's in Hoboken when Mike Watt finished his set, raised his bass in the air and screamed, "Start your own band!" He then huddled behind his bass amp with Raul Morales and Tom Watson before closing with a great version of Television's "Little Johnny Jewel." The set was the same the following night at the Mercury Lounge, but that was OK. I finally got to see Watt in a band not the Stooges, and I was not disappointed in the least.

Watt opened both shows by screaming "1 2 Surf's Up" and jamming on "Surfin' with the Shah" by the Urinals. It was one of the many covers which included two great Wire songs, Roky Erickson's "Sweet Honey Pie," the Stooges' "Funhouse" and, the absolute best, Blue Oyster Cult's "The Red and the Black," a song the Minutemen used to cover.

For Minutemen songs, they were all great, but seeing Watt almost pass out after singing, "He's chalk/ He's a dartboard/ His sex is disease/ He's a stop sign" from "One Reporter's Opinion" was wonderful. D. Boon's supposed to sing that about Watt, so it was a mind trip hearing it in the third person. Both nights the band was excellent. All of them flyin' the flannel, with much of the audience, from early 20s to 50s, doing the same.

You could tell they're comfortable with each other after a month of touring. The band hardly paused between songs. Watson's guitar was very unique, like D. Boon in some ways, but a little bit jerkier. I was very impressed. Morales' drums were dead on. He even had the Hurley hair swinging thing going on. Mike Watt helped him out sometimes, smashing his fist into the cymbals during some songs. Watt's skills on bass were mesmerizing. He makes it look so easy!

For the second night, the Mercury Lounge was packed and Watt came out to introduce a band he's friends with called Lite. He announced it was the Tokyo band's first U.S. show and then bowed to them. These four guys came on stage and killed. Everyone in the crowd seemed amazed. Lite's style would probably by genre-defined as instrumental math rock, though I think that's a horrible title for them. Math is boring. These guys were exciting to watch, you didn't know what was gonna happen. I was standing in front of the bassist, and he was definitely channeling some Watt through that bass. Like the Missingmen, these guys were tight. They started and stopped on a dime, mid song, while jumping around playing these intricate lines that alternatively harmonized and deharmonized with each other. That's the best way I can explain it. I don't think anyone there had ever heard them before, so it was a real treat.

After each show, Watt stood in front to sell T-Shirts, hand out stickers, take pictures and shake everybody's hand. What a great guy! I can't wait for Watt at Summerstage with Nels Cline on August 1.

Thanks to my friend Mike for the photos. Much Respect.