It’s a chilly Saturday night in Seattle and I’ve headed south of downtown (SODO) to Studio Seven to catch a night of five northwest acts plus the legendary Koffin Kats from Detroit as headliners.
I arrived to find two dudes on stage. One was front man for Hard Money Saints, Jack Rainwater, and some other dude who sat upon a wood box and drummed it with one fist and one flat hand. Something inside said box would jangle like a tambourine while Rainwater sang a mix of country blues and rock, even doing a cover of Good Time Charley’s Got the Blues. They played to a mostly empty hall, which was too bad. Once again, those who only showed for the headliner missed out on some great acts.
Next came an Oregon artist, Aaron (Dog Bite) Harris with a stellar band that looked like a throwback to the 1970s. Guitarist Jim Leslie had silvery blond curls cascading from his cowboy hat and played stunning guitar. Dog Bite himself is totally adorable wearing his baseball hat backward and a gutsy and sometimes guttural voice. These guys also played solid country rock. The growing crowd moved close to the stage to take these guys in. They were that good.
Hot Roddin Romeos were up next. My last few attempts to see them failed due to circumstances beyond my control, so I was ecstatic to learn they were one of the supporting acts. They did not disappoint. Singer Johnny Rocket seemed to have his own fan club as there were several shouts of his name from various regions about the club. He often joked with the audience and oozed charm. Meanwhile, on guitar, D.C. Wheeler drove the power, while Billy Burns Doghouse thumped at the bass strings and drummer Joel Herrea polished off the rhythm section. I looked around and couldn’t find a still body in the house. It was great seeing HRR again.
Angie & the Car Wrecks were next and sporting a new look. Upright bass layer Skwerll, AKA KC Mauk, wore his mohawk in a row of neat little curly cue rows tinged a nice day-glo chartreuse. Not to be upstaged, guitarist, Delinquent, sported a paintbrush mohawk dyed a bright burnt orange. One might think this was enough, but nooooo. Singer Angie wore a wig of long wavy dark hair with a huge flower pinned to one side. Top it all off with a tight black dress, black fishnet stockings and black shoes. Halloween isn’t even here yet and these guys looked ready. These hillbillies were definitely looking more psycho than hill. They put on a great show as always. Skwerll always plays barefoot and no shirt stays on him for more than two or three songs into their set. Singer Angie can change her voice from guttural growls to angelic tones and back again in just one song and the macabre get-up did nothing to hide her charisma. I’ve probably seen Angie & the Car Wrecks about half a dozen times now and they have never put on a lousy show. They even got several requests throughout the club for “one more song.”
Following ACW was Seattle’s Hard Money Saints. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Hard Money Saints. Though they don’t quite have the zany energy of ACW, after about the third song, the growing crowd was once again clustered close to the stage and dancing up a proverbial storm. This rockabilly trio can play fast and furious, then switch gears instantly to smooth and placid. Drummer Nick Scott violently slams the skins, yet never seems to break a sweat nor does one hair ever get out of place. It was good seeing them again.
After five magnificent openers it was finally time for Koffin Kats and this was the wildest KK show I’d attended yet. I was slammed into the stage so many times I should have been chopped off at the waist and some dude kept stepping on my heels. Life in the mosh pit. There’s nothing like it.
Koffin Kats hit the stage like a tornado and the whirlpool they created never waned. They cranked all their tunes macabre with guitarist EZ Ian and bassist/singer Vic Victor swapping instruments in an almost sleight of hand operation before swapping again. Vic is one with his bass, often riding it like a horse, lying down beside it, holding it above his head, then like a guitar without ever missing a lick. He even tossed it in the air several times before catching it. Drummer Eric “E Ball” Wall bullied his kit and he broke a sweat.
Including the encore, Koffin Kats played for about an hour and a half to a very enthusiastic crowd. Seattle got its annual dose of Koffin Kats and judging by the overwhelming enthusiastic reaction from the now packed club, no one went home disappointed. I know I didn’t. Can’t wait for next year. Meanwhile Seattle hosted another night of great music.
Holly has photographed the Koffin Kats many times over the years. Here are the Koffin Kats in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018
