Tag: The Murder City Devils
Subtle Like A T-Rex: The Murder City Devils in So-Cal
Jessica Moncrief
August 26, 2019
Almost every time I have seen The Murder City Devils in the past, it has been with some indie or experimental band opening that is not even close to the same vibe as theirs. On one hand, they are opening up their fans to a broader perspective of music they enjoy. On the other hand, many of their supporting bands, in my opinion, have missed the mark in building up the energy before the headlining set. Those who were fortunate enough to make it to Vegas this year for Punk Rock Bowling had the chance to see MCD with fully punk line-up including Le Butcherettes and The Flytraps. While I was sad I couldn’t make it for such a glorious event, I was please to find that punk/indie alumni, The Intelligence, would be joining them for their 2 night stint in Southern California. The mic-deep throating started at The Observatory in Santa Ana the first night and the insanity continued at The Teragram Ballroom in DLTA the following evening. As much as I enjoyed the presence and energy, I wouldn’t be reporting accurately if I didn’t mention that the sound mix was off during MCD’s sets both nights. Spencer’s vocals were
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The Murder City Devils at Teragram or: How Spencer Moody Learned to Love The Stooges
Rob Shepyer
April 19, 2018
After seeing The Murder City Devils for the 2nd time on Sunday at the Teragram Ballroom, I spent a great deal of time contemplating the band’s sound and impact. During one especially thrilling interlude, lead singer Spencer Moody told the story of how he was born in existential crisis, wondering what his purpose would be. Then, one day, he skated to the record store and flipped through vinyl until fatefully landing upon a Stooges record. In his own words, it changed his life. Iggy and The Stooges made him feel like he wasn’t alone, that there were other people in this crazy world that thought like him. The Stooges gave him purpose. Dwelling on this point and correlating it to the band’s sound, I feel like I have an easier time comparing The Murder City Devils to the godfathers of punk like The Stooges, The New York Dolls, The Dictators, or The MC5 than I do fitting them into today’s slew of garage rock bands. That organ they employ, most prominently in songs like “Press Gang” harnesses a throwback sound but it’s not just the music that feels old, it’s the entirety of the band’s presentation. You feel that swinging saloon
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The Murder City Devils Cast Voodoo Spells at Teragram Ballroom
Rob Shepyer
February 14, 2017
Some bands wow audiences with epic light shows and costumes and confetti and dancing bears. Some bands wow audiences with tits and ass and more tits but other, more rarified artists bring nothing but their gear and raw talent. No filler. No fat. No stage banter. No politics. No masturbatory instrumentation. Just sweat and pure passion. The Murder City Devils do just that. Their show is a collaborative effort between band and audience that hits the perfect pitch of what rock and roll once was and is showing signs of becoming once again. Raining, the night was a stripped-down affair with 2 minimalist supporting acts before Murder City Devils. Seattle’s Corey J Brewer took the stage first. Just him and a briefcase of electronics that he used to tap into our psyche’s and pull and knead them like taffy. His music can be many things like a trippy mix of war and jungle drums, sampled wolf howls, and reverbing shamanic vocals all spewing from a scrawny North-Western-white-boy. The first thing that went through my mind as I meandered between the early comers during Corey’s set was figuring out what kind of people were into Murder City Devils. Baseball/Trucker caps abound,
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