YouTube Rodeo: You Shall Know Our Velocity Girl

It occurred to us over the weekend that we have yet to put YouTube through the paces as far as some of our favorite '90s acts go. And while there is no Small Factory or Versus video there to speak of, there is a surprising amount of vintage Velocity Girl, including a clip from when Unrest's Bridget Cross was in the band. We've been forthright since it happened about how the band broke our heart when they cleaned up their sound and went pop after their first full-length. Fortunately, most of the clips posted at YouTube capture Velocity Girl in its earlier days, although sadly there is no video posted of the band's unequalled single "My Forgotten Favorite." First up, is a live performance of "Why Should I Be Nice To You?" from the band's self-titled EP at D.C.'s Fort Reno music festival Aug. 3, 1992. It is a pretty pro filming job that splices together footage from a few different angles and the sound is pretty pristine. The band really lays down the rock at the end of the tune, and a second number is appended immediately thereafter. Also from Fort Reno 92 is Velocity Girl doing "Creepy" and "57 Waltz."

Here's a postage-stamp sized live video of the band doing "Crazy Town" at an unknown place and time; the song was a highlight from the band's 1993 Sub-Pop debut Copacetic. The sound and video isn't synched up, but each is pretty nice, although even at postage-stamp size the video is pretty pixelated. Here is that early clip with Bridget Cross in the band, shot in the summer of 1990 at the old 9:30 Club. We're not familiar with the tunes, "Always" and "Malibu." It's tastefully shot in black-and-white, although the camera work goes nutty during "Malibu." During the same 1990 gig Bridget takes a turn at the mic and sings lead on the tune "Not At All." Finally, perched atop this item is the Sub-Pop video for "Crazy Town." For those of you not old enough to remember the early '90s, this video pretty much nails it. To our recollection everyone looked like they played in Velocity Girl back then. Good times. And here's the other really hot track from Copacetic, "Audrey's Eyes." Thanks YouTube, that was a nice way to relax after long drives to and from PA this weekend.