I guess I have to start this article out with a confession: I’ve never been a fan of Psychobilly. OK, that’s an exaggeration. Sure I’d heard of band names like Horrorpops and The Cramps, but I didn’t really know anything about the genre beyond those two groups. By the end of the 2nd Annual Spring Fling show at the Bottom Lounge, I felt dumb for not knowing enough.
The Spring Fling was put together by Mickey Kraft, who also performs with his surreal band named Curtains. Truth be told, all the bands in this show can be described as such, since they all make the genre bend to their will and not vice versa. Granted, one can make that argument for any music genre, but for psychobilly, this tactic is more evident. Every set has its own unstoppable kinetic energy. Not to mention its own self-contained atmosphere was worth way more than the fifteen dollar cover charge. It’s really cheesy to say it, but the show was all kinds of awesome. The show featured seven psychobilly bands, included Curtains, The 13 Angels, Reckless Ones, Koffin Kats, The Brains, The Memphis Morticians, and headliners The Matadors.
To my pleasure all of the bands on the bill put their stank on it. Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive in time for the opening act performance by Angel 13. I tried to find some info on these guys but came up empty. Still, being that I’m not a pessimist, I’m sure they did well. However, I was there for the second band, The Curtains. The vocals and guitar work by Alex, whose appearance is a dead ringer for Roy Orbison, provided a slithery atmosphere for Mickey’s slap bass and Willy’s drum work.
Coming from the cold-ass Montreal, Canada, this trio of pompadour wearing cats brought the house down with their hard hitting sound of buzzed-out psychobilly. If you ever thought for a second that there’s no way for a upright bass to sound heavy then you need to look these guys up and recognize their skills.
Of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention The Matadors, whose set was decorated by a man-servant pouring a bottle of whiskey into the lead singer’s mouth as he was playing hits like “Right to Booze“ and “Teenage Zombie Sluts“. All in All, it was just a bunch of awesome.
Upon leaving I truly felt that the show expanded my mind to another degree. It’s always good to experience something new that will make you aware of what else is out there. Next year Mickey plans to extend the Spring Fling for two days, no doubt salivating the mouths of those cats that couldn’t get enough of this year’s show. Has this show made me a psychobilly convert? Well, it certain made me want to check out more bands from that genre. Though I can’t envision you’ll see me with a pompadour and rolling in a hot rod anytime soon.