The Three O'Clock thrills intimate crowd at the Constellation Room

From left, Louis Gutierrez, Steve Wynn, Vicki Peterson and
Michael Quercio. Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

When I caught the Three O'Clock at the 2013 Coachella Festival back on April 21 (click here to see my review), it was an absolute thrill to see the legendary Los Angeles-based quartet back in action 25 years after going on hiatus. That same feeling swept over me again at the Paisley Underground champ's headlining performance at the Constellation Room in Santa Ana last night (Dec. 3, 2013).

The band's hour-long set on Tuesday night featured fiery and forceful performances of their most beloved 1980s material. 

Members of Dream Syndicate and The Bangles joined the 
Three O'Clock for a spirited encore. Photo: George A. Paul

Indeed, singer-bassist Michael Quercio, guitarist Louis Gutierrez, drummer Danny Benair and keyboardist Adam Merrin performed the majority of the 20 tracks featured on the summertime-issued The Hidden World Revealed via Omnivore Recordings. Songs such as the rollicking "I Go Wild," propulsive power-pop gem "Jet Fighter" and more ambitious psychedelic-tinged "As Real As Real" were delivered with the same might as when I caught the band 30 or so years ago.

And what an encore! Shortly after finishing up their breathtaking hour-long set with the fan favorite "With a Cantaloupe Girlfriend," the band came back on stage joined by several musical pals including The Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn and Bangles guitarist Vicki Peterson. Opening with a shining cover of The Byrds' "Feel A Whole Lot Better," the ensemble of players also performed a fitting tribute to the late Lou Reed via a strong version of The Velvet Underground's "There She Goes Again." The night ended with Peterson taking lead vocals on an especially gripping cover of "Time Will Show The Wiser," (which as Benair explained to me later) was a take on Fairport Convention's version of the The Merry-Go-Round original featured on that L.A. band's 1967 debut.

If you live in Southern California and have never seen the Three O'Clock, make sure to try and catch the special concert at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. on Friday night, Dec. 6. Read writer George A. Paul's special feature story on the benefit concert, which also will feature The Bangles, Rain Parade and The Dream Syndicate.