Gene Ween Solo at WCL Jan. 16

 

 
If you haven’t heard of Gene Ween, you probably haven’t heard of Ween, and if you haven’t heard of Ween, where have you been for the past twenty-some years? The duo from New Hope, PA has skewered every possible genre over the last few decades, infecting everything they touch with an unequaled level of musicianship and a crudely bizarre sense of humor that borders on the surreal. Naturally, Gene Ween’s solo project doesn’t fall too far from the tree, but there is a heightened emphasis on simplicity. Lots of classic rock riffing, with creamy, distorted leads and Gene’s trademark congested crooning. Who else could pull off both the Zeppelin-like guitar lines of “Ooh Va La” and the ‘77 punk of “It’s Not Cool” and still sound totally apart from everyone else in music? No one, probably. If you’re one of those who already inhabit the goofy Ween universe, or if you’d like to try it out, head on over to World Cafe Live where Gene is playing with indie-folk man Thom McCarthy. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street, 8pm, $25, 21+ myspace.com/geneweenband Joe Poteracki