Psychobilly Forum ~ View topic - Koffin Kats/Silver Shine/Speed Kings

The Koffin Kats / The Silver Shine / Speed Kings / Scarlet Daggers – Sheffield Red House, Sunday 12th July 2009

Short version:
Scarlet Daggers: Sad

. Speed Kings: Very Happy

. The Silver Shine: Very Happy

. The Koffin Kats: Confused

.

What constitutes a “new band”? Detroit’s Koffin Kats are on their 4th album right now, and Hungary’s Silver Shine have just released their 3rd. Yet in the world of psychobilly both can be considered relatively young, up-and-coming bands, and so they find themselves playing Sheffield’s Redhouse (dimensions: picture your living room. Make it a tiny bit bigger. Add a bar) on a Sunday night.

First up were Scarlet Daggers from Leeds. Maybe it was the fact that I walked in halfway through their set. Maybe it was the fact that I had just hiked up one of Sheffield’s many hills in what was turning out to be very hot weather. Maybe it was the fact that because of this I really needed a fucking drink, and I couldn’t get to the bar because singer Griff apparently needed the whole of the small venue to strike his rock-star poses in… but I really didn’t take to this band. Despite what has been written here about them previously they weren’t bad, exactly… but they were pretty dull, playing only average, uninspired music. Griff in particular was tuneless in his vocals and they finished with a Misfits cover shorn of Glenn Danzig’s bile and aggression.

Derby’s Speed Kings also played… Wink

The Silver Shine are from “motherfucking Budapest” and they want you to know it. Judging by the small size of the crowd they are relatively unknown in the UK, but those who did come to watch them were rewarded with a great set of fast, aggressive psychobilly mixed in with some smooth paced melodic rockers, all with a very Eastern European flavour. Singer/guitarist Ati Edge dealt with the gulf between the bar-hugging punters and the band by popping down to prowl around them with his guitar, and bassist Krista also seems not to feel anchored to the stage. They have some great material and drop in a couple of well-placed covers (‘Folsom Prison Blues’ gets yet another outing, and was that a Manowar song at the end?!), and for me they were definitely the highlight of the evening. And counting 3-2-1 at the start of songs sounds cool in Hungarian.

So to the Koffin Kats, who seem to feel some words are better spelled with a ‘K’, and that people at an English psychobilly gig might not know who the Damned are (their cover was ‘Shadow of Love’, if you are interested).

I’ll be honest here. I wanted to like the Koffin Kats. They do some great songs. They seem to have amassed quite a following in their native US. Vic Victor is a good vocalist, they seem like pretty cool guys, they are great musicians and were clearly having a lot of fun playing.

But watching them play was, unfortunately, something of an ordeal. It’s not the bass acrobatics (Vic clambers all over his, swings it above his head, lies on the floor…). It’s not the metallic edge to their sound (although that will probably put some people off). It’s the fact that the songs (which, despite a handful of stand-out tracks, are a little on the samey side) frequently break down into lengthy guitar, bass and drum solos which are, frankly, boring. You can’t wreck to it, you can’t dance to it, and so apparently we are supposed to just stand in awe as Vic and guitarist Tommy Koffin go for that sweet Guitar Hero points bonus.

Which is a shame as when they reign in the fret-wankery, Koffin Kats have some damned good tunes. Opener ‘Graveyard Tree’, ‘Chaos’, ‘V8 Nightmare’ and ‘Well-oiled Machine’ make just the right sort of racket, and goofy fan-favourite ‘At the Bar’ rewards the faithful calling for more at the end. But a set which is on the long side and heavy on the guitar histrionics sees a good portion of the crowd deserting long before that point; the Kats having, for them, failed to konnect.

top review, Andy! and the short version is funny Smile

)))
you're great reviewer! Smile

nice stuff Mr mash! if I only had the originality to style my reviews like that...

i'll just poach your format though next time Laughing

maybe the koffin katz took frenzy as their inspiration though, and then waaaay overdid it?

Wreckmaster Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 1634

Yeah a great honest review mate......good use of "fret wankery" Wink

Guest

You didn't like scarlet daggers "performing" ididot, damn what a shame

Great review though

Good summary of the night, I feel the same about The Koffin Kats. Maybe if I was drunk it would have been better, doubt it tho.

Top review, but why no write up on the Speedkings?

Haha! I should have seen that one coming! Laughing

REALLY fucking enjoyed playing that gig... Even the girly, fat, string vest wearing, heckling goth didn't stop me enjoying myself. Greg didn't enjoy the beer can at the side of the head much but then he shouldn't play fucking jazz should he?

Was good to see you there mate... I expect a proper review when we play with DAG in Mansfield *plug* Cool

It's always a good night down there though... Rob doesn't get the credit he deserves for the work he puts in. Top promoter.

And, Tobe... You sure you're feeling alright?

I'd have just settled for one word with four letters to describe the Koffin Kats.

Nice guys though.