Friday night December 12, I once again made the long drive south to Tacoma, Washington to see yet another great show at Jazzbones. This time it was Nekromantix with Angie & the Car Wrecks opening.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen Nekromantix, but this was the most fun show I’ve seen them do.
The show began with new drummer Adam sitting in the dark slamming the skins, before Kim came out to slap the strings on his coffin shaped bass and Franc came out to make his guitar screech.
Adam is the band’s brand new drummer and he barely looks like he’s entered manhood. He’s absolutely adorable and practically stole the show with his facial expressions and youthful exuberance. When someone brought each member a couple shot glasses full of something, Adam downed his in a single gulp, then promptly puked it up less than five minutes later.
Kim constantly joked with the audience. When someone threw a black bra on stage, he held it up to his chest before tossing it aside and playing “Horny In A Hearse.” During this song about half a dozen women in full psychobilly regalia, walked on stage and performed an impromptu zombie walk before exiting the other side.
Well into the two-hour set, drummer Adam was sweating so profusely I actually saw steam emanating off the back of his head. He may be young, but he can slam the skins as well as a seasoned pro who’s been at it 100 years. This was proven when the other two members left the stage and let him slam away with wild abandon. It was nothing short of amazing.
When they played “Haunted Cat House,” Kim constantly stopped to joke around with the audience, then played a bit more of the song, then stopped to joke around with them some more.
I was totally surprised that after they played for two hours they actually came back out for an encore of “Who Killed the Cheerleader” (after several rowdy requests).
Did I mention this was the most fun Nekromantix show ever?
Opening the night was a local favorite, Angie & the Car Wrecks. Psycho hillbilly music is how I describe this band. Angie can sing like a songbird, then growl, then go back to singing like a songbird all within seconds. Her voice is totally amazing. Stand up bassist Skwerll remains one of the most fascinating musicians to watch. Always shirtless and shoeless, he had to have been wearing some weird contact lenses to make his eyes look eerily like a ghost’s. The highlight had to be when their washboard player joined them, his face painted in multiple colors as he clacked spoons against the washboard and pranced about the stage like a wild man. I’ve seen Angie & the Car Wrecks numerous times, but this was also the most fun show I’ve seen them do.
This show was well worth the long drive there and back.
– Photos property of Holly Homan, all rights reserved.
Holly Homan has seen and photographed Nekromantix at least seven times in the last handful of years. To see Nekromantix through the years, go here.
