The HorrorPops @ Capitol,Perth (21/04/11)

Tue 26th Apr, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Psychobilly. It’s what you get when you cross an underground carnal lounge and a 1950s high school ball. It’s sexy, it’s naughty, and it’s bizarre.

The Perth leg of international band The HorrorPops’ Kiss Kiss Kill Kill tour at Capitol put some sex in psychobilly. With frequent gig buddies Blazin’ Entrails and The Chainsaw Hookers supporting, the night was guaranteed to expose the most ghoulish and taboo of fetishes.

Disco balls hung from the ceiling as a cohort of sexy, corset-wearing women and burly, quiff-sporting men, stood watching the Chainsaw Hookers kick off the night. Tattoos and piercings were a prerequisite, and unsuspecting onlookers may have confused the gig’s patrons for entrants in ‘Perth’s best sleeve tattoo’ or ‘highest Mohawk’ competition.

Meanwhile the Chainsaw Hookers were giving it their all on stage. The adrenalin was clearly pumping for the hard rock quartet. Front man Lucky Toscadero came out sans facial hair, sporting a truckers cap and patched denim jacket and giving it his Lemmy-inspired best. From the moment they started to the moment they stopped there only seemed to be two rules to the Chainsaw Hookers. Play fast and play loud. The nonchalant crowd was initially resistant to the band’s attempts to woo them into participating, however once the drinks started flowing more readily, so too did the bodies, and by the end of the Chainsaw Hookers’ set there were some signs of life in the stagnant audience.

Following the Chainsaw Hookers came The Blazin’ Entrails. Following an ominous introduction, the Blazin’ Entrails showed the crowd what real psychobilly was. Front man Caleb Merrey had the greaser look down-pat and the band jumped into energetic, fast-paced psychobilly at its finest. Halfway through the set Merrey introduced two sensual and alluring dancers who added some eye candy to the set. Towards the climax, Chainsaw Hookers’ guitarist Jacques Van Thunder was called to the stage to join in on the final song My Baby is Possessed.

Now it was the HorrorPops’ turn. You would struggle to find three more unusual looking people. Front woman Patricia Day with her lavishly decorated double bass, sleeve tattoos and black airhostess hat (the look for which she sued Mattel for using on Hard Rock Barbie), guitarist Kim Nekroman with his foot-high quiff-hawk, and drummer Henrik Nierdermeier with his long, blonde Mohawk. The band came out, all set to rock the Capitol, then myriad technical difficulties began. From the beginning of the second song Day’s bass began to malfunction, knocking the wind right out of the sails of the band; who were expecting to just get out there and rock out. The capricious bass wasn’t subdued for several more songs, effectively quelling any attempt by the band to build up fervour within the crowd.

Shortly after this hiccup, Day left the stage to order a shot of Jaegermeister from the bar while the band played on, however it clearly wasn’t her night as the bar staff, unaware that the front lady of the headlining act had halted the show to get a drink and was now waiting at the bar joking with punters, refused to give her priority. This left her band in the somewhat awkward position of playing alone onstage. Whether a stage stunt or not, it was clear Ms Day needed that drink by the time she got it.

Initial stumblings behind them, the HorrorPops found their stride and made the second half of the night a lot more memorable than the first. The crowd were singing and dancing and the atmosphere became much lighter. By the end of the night there was no doubt the HorrorPops were glad to have it all finished without any more catastrophes.