The Misfits (Live)
Whether you’re part of the die-hard Misfits Fiend Club or not, you’ve come to expect one thing from this Horror-Punk outfit from Lodi, New Jersey: an unconventional, blow your-Mohawk-off horror punk marvel.
Almost 35 years after stepping in front of the microphone and an astonishing 13 albums later, they’re still as relevant now to the punk rock scene as they were back in 1977.
They’ve had a complicated past with Glen Danzig quitting in 1983, after only two studio albums. The Misfits went into dissolution for 13 long years, until a new era of Misfits was born in the mid 90’s. This one came with a young talented vocalist by the name of Michale Graves, who would eventually quit the band along with other members in the early 2000’s.
Almost a decade since their last studio release, their new album, Devil’s Rain (released October, 2011), continues to cultivate the sounds and lyrics that are synonymous with The Misfits legacy of b-grade horror and sci-fi aesthetic.
The current lineup of band members weeded down to a trio, consisting of founding member Jerry Only (vocals and bass), former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena (also backing vocals) and former Murphy’s Law stickman Eric “Chupacabra” Arce.
Playing in front of a packed out Misfits DIE-hard crowd, the London leg of The Devil’s Rain tour was hosted by the O2 Academy in Islington. The venue housed a Misfits outfit with chilling instrumental talent but also one that failed to deliver the usual vocal set. Only’s and Cadena’s raw and untrained voices lacked the diversity of what we’ve come to expect from past Misfits singers.
While the singing was overly scruffy (even for The Misfits), the extensive playlist of Misfits classics were outstanding. The entire Devil’s Rain album was played from front to back with the delights of Misfits masterpieces thrown in the mix.
Playing tracks such as “American Psycho,” “Dig Up Her Bones,” “Scream,” and “Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight,” the line-up was a stunner. Even the bone chilling instrumental, “The Abominable Dr. Phibes” was on the bill and sure to make your skin crawl and your blood run cold. A true testament of the power brought by Jerry Only and his beloved Misfits.
The Misfits delivered a few of my personal favourites for their four song encore, performing the likes of “Descending Angel,” “Saturday Night” and the ever popular “Die, Die, My Darling” to conclude the night – almost as if they possessed supernatural telekinetic powers.
With a playlist of 30+ new and old Misfit classics back to back, leaving Only a mere breath between songs, concert-goers definitely got their £17.50 worth.
Rocking his trademark hairstyle, the devil-lock and dressed to kill in his traditional spiked jacket (one that could impale a small animal), Only delivered an almost ideal night full of horror-punk (with vocals coming short on the checklist).
Whether you’re an age-old Danzig fan or a new era Graves fiend (personally, I’m Graves all the way), I think we can agree on one thing. Jerry Only’s 50 something year old Misfits just don’t CUT it like they used to. Whilst the heavy instrumentals and costumes BLED with brilliant Misfits tradition, the vocals did not pack that punch of which we were all secretly hoping for.
Words: Alica Kroupa
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