If anyone walked into the Diamond Pub concert hall in Louisville, KY, this past Tuesday night, they may have wondered what was going on, who was saying that. Was there a showing of a reboot of The Wizard of Oz? Or was a band singing that, making a mockery of a familiar movie line?
No to both! It was Sinful Lilly heightening the excitement of the mass of rock mongers who had come out to see them share the same stage with Beasto Blanco (Chuck Garric, lead vocals/guitar; Christopher "Brother Latham" Latham, guitar; Jan LeGrow, bass; Calico Cooper, vocals; and Tim Husung, drums), during their Monstrous Things tour. This was their third time in a week with them, having had shows in Dundee, Illinois and Braidwood, Illinois.
I believe most of the audience had either never heard them or had but never seen them live. For the former, they had no idea what Fredi Handshoe and Nik Valklix were capable of. To say they were awestruck must be an understatement as they played "Devil Music and the Record Machine," "California Man," "Truth or Consequence," and a phenomenal cover of "God of Thunder". To accompany Sinful Lilly in this raucous thunder was touring drummer Jimmy Wooten.
Let me put it plainly: No silence, boredom, or apathy were allowed.
For those who have been to the International in Knoxville, TN, you know that when someone either plays a loud, heavy bass or bass drum, the floor vibrates and shakes. Sometimes, you may even have to regain your balance. I felt that during their set.
Then came Beasto Blanco! I just have to say, except for Alice Cooper's brief appearance in 1992's Wayne's World, I had never seen him, let alone any of his band or offspring, live. When they came on stage, there was no mistaking whose last name was Cooper. Complete with a black studded and leather vest, thigh-high boots, dreadlocked hair, webbed leggings, vampire eyes, and props like a baseball bat with nails, a Beasto Blanco flag, and a lifesize mannequin of her, it was none other than Calico Cooper.
I have said before about other bands, that only listening to their music doesn't do fans justice. Though I had listened to Beasto Blanco's music and seen their videos over the past year and a half, and been intrigued by the effortless talent, the ingenuity of the lyrics and myriad styles of music in every song, neither came close to what I saw in the flesh.
They started off their set with "Beasto Blanco." I will say that Calico stole the show, from waving the Beasto Blanco flag during "Motor Queen" to brandishing the baseball bat with nails. Also, in my lifetime, I have known lots of male-female duets, all of whom relentlessly spill their guts caterwauling about either broken hearts or puppy love. All of them pale in comparison to the chemistry between Chuck and Calico, especially during "Breakdown".
Chuck Garric got his Motorhead on and made the most of it. His gritty voice was so clear, his stage presence unhindered.
The best part was when the band teased the audience in thinking they were done with the set...only to come right back and play "Feed My Frankenstein." I felt like a Wayne Campbell in the 21st century...and so unworthy to see this.
Having said all of this, seeing Beasto Blanco was more than just a treat. It was some hard rock meat I could chew on the rest of my life.
When Sinful Lilly played, Fredi requested constant loudness, shouting, cheering, whistling, etc. Chuck only reinforced it at the end of their set with the word "LOUD" taped on the back of his guitar.
Here it is Saturday morning. I wouldn't doubt it if the glorious loudness, compliments of Sinful Lilly and Beasto Blanco combined, still reverberated in that concert hall.
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