The Goats The Khyber, Jan. 13

Imagine the success the Phillies would have if they were managed by The Khyber. The Old City rock venue raked in money for charity on Friday from a bill that looked ungainly on paper: a Johnny Cash tribute night paired with a reunion by The Goats.

The songs of Johnny Cash lend themselves to drinkin', and the cheeky hipster hoedown for the tributes to the Man in Black grew more sincere as the intoxication swelled.

Then the twang stopped and the bass dropped, as for the first time in years The Goats were reunited on The Khyber's stage. Sort of. Although the band was back together, The Goats were still a few members shy of a full reunion. The band announced Swayzack's absence by distributing bilingual missing-child flyers bearing the rapper's picture, while Oatie was simply an unacknowledged no-show. With two lyricists absent, Madd was left to capably cover their lines, opening with "T.V. Cops."

Not content to simply take a trip down memory lane, The Goats broke the seal on several songs from a forthcoming album. Backed by dynamic guitar riffs, the rhymes on the new joints hint that Madd's time in his current home, in Berlin, Germany, has done him good. The rapper has regained the focus that distinguished Tricks of the Shade from its lackluster follow-up. The current politically charged lyrics melded seamlessly with the old songs—no doubt aided by the fact that there's another Bush in the White House and the U.S. is at war with Iraq again. "War is dead wrong like a fat chick in a thong" might just be the provocative slogan the peaceniks have been searching for.

Hands in the air, the crowd mouthed the words to "Rumblefish" and "Typical American," and roared at every reference to Philly. And just like that the show was over. Madd bolted out the stage door after a mere five songs and no encore.