In my fake bloodstained shirt and cheap eyeliner dead eyed I managed to get to the Glasgow barfly tonight without attracting more than the one “you got in a fight no?” question. Fools! This is a way of life, not a costume!
Karloff I could watch for hours, they just are everything you want in a bloody “horror punk” band. In my day we called them something different but no matter what the genre name it still comes down to having the best tunes to fit the ’50s horror fashion punk mohawks and gore theatre that these guys do so well. It’s a shame that I felt they were just more or less going through the motions a fair bit during the set tonight, probably due to their place first on the bill and Glasgow’s reluctance to ever get down the front and show enthusiasm. Or maybe we were all scared of the blood we were expecting to come our way, thank gods for the mic cable spilling it all and keeping us in the audience clean and dry …
Next up Zombina and the Kepitones, yes, the Kepitones not the Skeletones. Lacking their usual drummer, Kepi from the Groovie Ghoulies sat in on drums — and I must admit quite seemlessly for the most part. My expectations were still met however, vocals fitting straight into everything I’d listened to before the gig.
Lacking any extreme “we’re dressed as zombies” gimmick for the night we were left with more bare bones tunes than a full theatrical performance may have given and I heard no complaints. Zombina and The Skeletones were a band I thought would rely a lot of the live show on the visual side but I was proved wrong tonight. I wouldn’t have been surprised at all if my jitterbugging parents had got up to dance with extreme–mohawked 21st century punks, both as happy as each other. First class dancing tunes all round.
Groovie Ghoulies played an absolute classic rock‘n’roll set — barely ever reaching a 3 minute song but each and every tune having enough energy and interest to carry through to the next. Maybe there was twice the crowd had enough time to clap and cheer while it was quiet between tunes, and trust me, we were all looking for that chance to cheer. The only complaint I can imagine from anyone there would be that with such short–burst fun–played tunes there was plenty time to squeeze in more, and then another few after that. And maybe a couple extra ones. And then maybe one more. And hey, fuck the curfew, lets play another. And an encore. In fact in the best tradition of pop punk I guess even at 4 am most of us would still be there asking for another request …
But, while Kepi & the Ghoulies could have kept playing until next week for everything I wanted, my memories will be stuck with appreciating how much Zombina’s stuff was, even live, so danceable and simply made me smile happily for being there in person to experience the live gig show, so much better than staying at home with CDs or MP3s could ever be.
If asked, I’ll tell you the highlight was watching two of my favourite folk dancing away in front of a stage full of excellent music, performers and fake zombie blood to a perfectly fitting I Love Rock‘n’roll; Or wow — who in the crowd didn’t smile & sing along to the Groovie Ghoulies’ Ramones covers? (I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend, R.A.M.O.N.E.S., Pet Cemetary)
But those who noticed my grin at the time will understand that the lasting memory will be how I remember, for an endless moment, I fell head over heels in love with some guy in silly dead psychobilly makeup as he deep bass growled Pretty Lil’ Angel Eyes … gigs don’t get any better than that.
Punk’s Dead — but rock‘n’roll is undead. It’s maybe a bit stale for some folks but very definitely still dancing and kicking like a loon when there’s bands like these that play it so well. I quite seriously think you’re stupid if you missed this gig or never take the chance to dance to such.
