On Saturday Matt, another TCM photographer, and I went on a musical double date downtown St. Paul. He went to Xcel to be with a kind, sensitive redhead. Me, I went to the Amsterdam for the dark, gothy dangerous girl, that scares me just a little, but I can’t help feel attracted to.
Matts date consisted of cuddling, holding hands and chaste kisses. Me? I staggered home well after midnight, hickeys and dark lipstick all over me with a big grin. Wait, I don’t remember getting a piercing! And I better get checked out by the doctor on Monday. Who had the better time? I’ll let you judge.
Saturday’s show was organized by Kilted Farmer who deserve credit for bringing some very cool bands to Minnesota that would otherwise slip through the cracks of more mainstream venues.
The first band up was Florida’s Ghostfeeder headed by Derek Walborn and a guitar player who started their set in thick smoke. Ghostfeeder’s sound is a bit of a gateway drug into the darker world of music. There are industrial and darkwave elements but their songs are catchy and danceable. Personally, I enjoyed their set.
Not being familiar with the band, I did not know that Julien K. had a long history in the genre starting with Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck having been band mates in Orgy and the turbulent history. Now Julien K (named after Richard Gere’s character in American Gigolo) formed in 2009 returned to St. Paul and there was an instant connection to the audience that was very cool to observe. The friendly banter between Shuck and some of the fans lasted through their set – including a joke about Burnsville.
The band had great stage presence evolving through their show. Unlike Ghostfeeder the crowd came up close to the stage and Shuck interacted with individual fans. I loved Julien K.’s set and am adding their songs to my playlist as I am exploring them, especially the Orgy cover of “Blue Monday” by New Order – one of my favorite bands.
Pig, the headliner is a post-industrial project of Raymond Watts with a supporting band. Watts was an early member of Just seeing the band’s t-shirts I knew it was going to be an interesting set and I was not disappointed. Taking the stage in pig masks the band brought on Watts on stage dressed in a glitter/cowboy/fringe jacket and a peaked cap that would perfectly fit an East-German Stasi trooper or Bison (from Street Fighter). The music took a turn for harder more industrial style with metal style guitar riffs joining the synths. Watts persona on stage projects an almost sinister feel. Introductions were brief but distinct “This is Disobedience, you nasty fuckers”.
All in all, I had a great time and discovered 3 new bands to listen to.
