In addition to guitar duties for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Scott Metzger leads his own power trio, Wolf!, with Jon Shaw on bass and Taylor Floreth on drums.

Favoring tight instrumentals that showcase their musicianship, Wolf! is a no-frills outfit that could serve as the house band in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Opening for Marco Benevento at Brooklyn Bowl on February 2, Wolf! got right down to business, ripping into updated takes on Ventures-style guitar music and originals from their latest studio effort, 1-800-WOLF!. Bassist Shaw’s sweater and tie ensemble added an appropriate dose of fashion irony, but Wolf! was otherwise all business until the irrepressible Marco Benevento joined them on stage. Metzger and his Almost Dead bandmate quickly fell into a familiar groove, taking the energy up another level and leaving the audience in need of a breather before Marco returned with his over-the-top set. Metzger and Marco are scheduled to rejoin forces in March for a multi-night run at the Bowl with Joe Russo and the full Almost Dead entourage.