I met my boyfriend’s kids yesterday. It was definitely more nerve-wracking for me than for anyone else in the situation, but it went flawlessly. What can I say, I’m good with kids. Even though it went well and the pumpkins we all carved together are adorable, it drained me. With all of the anxiety leading up to it plus the nerves when it happened, I was just zoned out a bit and in a bit of a rush. I knew I needed to calm down and knew just the show that would do it for me.
My buddy emailed me to ensure I would be there in time to see the opening act Lung. Although I try to never miss an opener, his alert had me anxious to see what this group would be all a bit and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t weary as the duo took the stage behind just a drum kit and cello. I was worried it would be a bit too artist for me and I wouldn’t quite get it but what happened as they jumped into their thirty-minute set was quite the opposite. I was utterly captivated by Lung. Vocalist/ cellist Kate Wakefield had me in the palm of her hand throughout the set. You could hear from her vocals that she was a classically trained opera singer. There was no denying the talent but it was what she did with that talent that had me stuck. Her vocals were dark and moody but, at times, also higher than high as if she were a real-life siren. Think Dresden Dolls but even weirder, I was sold and found myself completely mesmerized by both Kate and drummer Daisy Caplan instead of taking notes on my phone as I typically do. From the captivating vocals to the straight-up odd song composition and stunning talent of both Daisy and Kate, Lung instantly became a new favorite act of mine and although I don’t see myself listening to them on a daily basis, I will definitely drop everything to go see them perform again.
Following the creativity of Lung was a more straightforward band, Speedealer. Although they were definitely more of a traditional band when compared to Lung, they were far from boring. Speedealer blasted onto the stage and powered through their thrashy set with a sense of fury and energy that fit the night perfectly. Having been around since 1992, the members of Speedealer are seasoned professionals and you could feel that as they performed. Although everything was fast and loud, there was this unspoken connection between each member that created a flawless set. Although I absolutely adored everything this second band was giving me, my head was still stuck on trying to figure out Lung and I feel like, although I enjoyed it, I just didn’t give Speedealer the attention they deserved. Because of that, I truly hope they make a stop back here in the Twin Cities again so I can see them with a clear head.
I’ll admit, after seeing Mac Sabbath twice, the novelty has kind of rubbed off for me but that didn’t stop me from laughing and smiling throughout the entirety of their set on Sunday night. Never heard of Mac Sabbath? Shame on you. Just kidding. They are an underground band but, if you know, you know and if you don’t know, you should know. Mac Sabbath, as the name would infer, is a parody heavy metal tribute band and the self-appointed founders of “Drive Thru Metal”. With Black Sabbath and other like-minded music parodies where the lyrics are about fast-food and then costumes that are demented McDonald’s characters, well, this is just one of those acts you have to see live in order to understand.
From “Fying Pan” (Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man”) to “Pair-A-Buns” (“Paranoid”) all the way to “Grill My Pet” (Motorhead’s “Kissed by Death”), their songs are recognizable and performed flawlessly to the point where, if you aren’t paying attention, you may not even catch that the lyrics have been rewritten to be about fast food. On top of the music is their flawless performance. From vocalist Ronald Osbourne’s almost spot-on Ozzy Osborne persona to the way that Slayer MacCheeze’s giant costume head bobs to the music, there’s always something to watch. Ketchup and mustard bottles used for water, a grill sitting in front of the microphone that occasionally “gets hot” and spews smoke up into the air– it’s almost all overwhelming but also oh so very fun.
As mentioned, I have seen Mac Sabbath and few times and I don’t want to say that it has gotten old to me but, as a novelty act, I feel like it has lost some of the magic. Again, I want to stress that they are in no way a bad band. All four members of this group are super talented when you take the gimmick part away from the show but the gimmick is what you go for and I think I’ve had my fill. The new thrill for me is bringing a friend to a Mac Sabbath show who has no clue what to expect. That’s where the magic is. That smile that you just can’t shake as you see a demonic Ronald McDonald clapping like Ozzy Osborne while Slayer MacCheeze, Grimalice, and The Catburglar all power through a truly entertaining set.
