Twas the night before Thanksgiving, blogspot readers
and this pilgrim is a "Revel Without A Cause"!
Tonight, SouthSide's making special Black Wednesday appearances at two events before taking a mini holiday break. First, she's at Bottom Lounge for William Control's "Revel Without A Cause" tour which featured Davey Suicide and the fun lads from UK - Fearless Vampire Killers with The Relapse Symphony opening. Afterwards, she made a mad dash to Door No.3 (located at Double Door) to see the Karen Black horror classic - Trilogy of Terror featuring soundtrack music by Peter Propaganda with JoJo Baby hosting the event, blogspot readers.
Despite missing most of The Relapse Symphony's (http://www.therelapsesymphony.com) opening set, this reviewer had fun rockin' out the final minutes featuring intense, hard-hitting metal rock music, blogspot readers. Plenty of head-banging sound and energetic momentum that thrilled their audience besides generating excitement especially when the band performed Panic Time Is Running Out. The Relapse Symphony was the perfect start to kickoff this hot lineup. SouthSide highly recommends checking out this band from Washington D.C. at its next show, blogspot readers. Also, check out the Hollywood glam rock by her good friend Davey Suicide who triumphantly announced to his fans "...the circus is back in town..." And what a circus it was! Looking like he was a character from the movie Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome, Davey sent chills down a few spines with his blood-curdling scream to "terrify" his fans to draw closer towards the stage. He had them feeling the fierce jubilant tone heard in songs like God Head Killers and Kids of America especially when he cried "...we want it all..." while strutting across the stage. Though, his presence on stage can be quite menacing, blogspot readers, but this front man used it to convey a strong message to this generation of glam rockers. Still, this reviewer found it fascinating how he projects what they're disillusioned about by today's society like "...sex sells suicide..." (from Sick Suicide). Even after giving a short inspirational speech about dedicating yourself to doing what you want to do (he was told in his young life that if he wanted to succeed he should stay on the straight and narrow to which Davey emphatically denounced as "...bullshit..."), he took a swipe at One Direction telling his fans to support (local) bands so they wouldn't have to deal with bands like that before closing with One More Night and Generation Fuck Star, blogspot readers. SouthSide highly recommends joining the Hollywood glam circus whenever Davey Suicide comes to a venue near you. For more information, visit http://www.daveysuicide.tumblr.com.
They're a fearless group of lads from the UK, blogspot readers, rockin' the stage to "kill" the mopey vampires of the Goethe scene with their music! Taking their name from the 1967 Roman Polanski comedy/horror film, the Fearless Vampire Killers rolled into town recently as part of William Control's "Revel Without A Cause" tour in which the band was kind enough to grant SouthSide an exclusive interview before their appearance at Bottom Lounge. This reviewer immediately liked the five - Kier, Laurence, Drew, Barrone and Luke (who has yet to see the movie the band's named after) when first meeting them backstage in the dressing room especially when each chose one of five words to describe the band. The lads tossed out words such as "...stinky ...visceral ...melodious ...and harmonious gits..." according to them they're "...everything in one nutshell...", blogspot readers. Since this was SouthSide's first time seeing the band, she wondered what kind of performance to expect from Fearless Vampire Killers but they told her "...never really expect anything..." The show, according to band, "...could be terrible or fantastic..." because "...one song could be sublime or craptacular [yep, a word this reviewer has used before but didn't know it reached across the pond] or great..." Or in other words, blogspot readers, Fearless Vampire Killers plan to give you "...an expensive show on a shoestring budget..." with some "...awkward gyration [and] bad dancing..." too. That's some show they had planned for their American fans especially since they rocked the stage under exuberant energy that was not only fast and fierce but an intense Goethe sound. Each one throughout the performance were generating much excited momentum in front of the semi-packed crowd of screaming fans ...so wild they were almost like Energizer bunnies hop dancing every square inch of the stage. This reviewer enjoyed how they had fun turning an 80s Phil Collins' classic - Easy Lover into a heart-pounding yet melodious cover tune with some shagadelic sex appeal and slightly faster tempo.
Fearless Vampire Killers recommend listening to the entire debut album - Militia of the Lost since it captures everything they're about as a band. This reviewer liked All Hallow's Evil for its grandiose intro to the hardcore screamo vocals to put fear and terror into yer soul ...plus it was a prime example of how the band's core music and sound could from "day" to "night". Yes, there were plenty of tingling shivers running down the spine whenever Will's primal scream rocked the room, blogspot readers. So what's happening for the band in the coming new year? Well, actually they don't have any definite plans except releasing their next album and doing more tours, blogspot readers, since they're under new management. "...now [it's] someone else's job to manage us..." And because this reviewer is all about the local scene, she wanted to know if London had any type of scene happening there which to her surprise she discovered there's a scene but nothing like what's rockin' Chicago's local music community. According to the lads, there's a scene then again it's not really a scene "...bands in England don't help each other..." So what Fearless Vampire Killers normally do is perform with their friends' bands and/or other bands they've come to know thanks to the internet. Surprisingly, there's a Goth scene but not as intense like it's here in the states or in Chicago. They call it "chill-out" or the suit-and-tie Goethe scene "...modern Goethe ...technocolour Goethe..." were also some descriptions tossed around during the interview. On the flipside, Fearless Vampire Killers told SouthSide the band get locked out of the scene because they're too jolly. Yet, that was partly true. She has never seen a cheery bunch of Goethe people rockin the stage even when performing a song about having a broken heart. "...[We] like putting a positive spin on the scene ...putting on a smile..." to which SouthSide commented with "...can't be mopey all of the time..." - it might be the band's motto one day. She did mention briefly about Chicago's Goth scene and invited them to attend Nocturna with her next time.
Sadly, her time with Fearless Vampire Killers was fast coming to a close, blogspot readers, but SouthSide had one more question before leaving the lads. Fearless Vampire Killers would like to thank their fans especially their US fans for keeping interest in them though not releasing an album for awhile. They do care as well as miss their fans back home too. Plenty of "thank-you's" for coming to their shows, blogspot readers, and to the really nice people they've met while in the US. Speaking of being in the states, the lads stated this has been a "...bittersweet experience..." from the beautiful landscape to the cultural differences compared to the UK. For example, it was shocking that (in certain states) you could go into a Walmart and to purchase a gun where as in England, they can't own a gun unless you're a DCI (Detective Chief Inspector) or higher within Scotland Yard. SouthSide hopes Fearless Vampire Killers return stateside again for another rockin' time in Chicago. For more information about this band, visit http://www.fearlessvampirekillers.co.uk.
"...I love it when you scream..." ~ William Control
He's suave ...debonair ...and so ultra-cool as well as conceited, blogspot readers, especially when he rocked the stage under techno stage lighting, pulsating electronic music and e-cigarrette in hand. He is William Francis but to his many fans he's known as William Control and SouthSide was lucky enough to snag an exclusive interview with this charismatic musician who fronted the hardcore rock band Aiden before starting this side project. At the start of this review, blogspot readers, you read how this reviewer saw this musician. Yet how would William describe himself in five words or less? Though it was a bit of a challenge, he did answer with "...fucked up ...insecure ...neurotic ...immature [?] ...and emotional..." to which SouthSide followed with another question as to why he would pick such words. "...[it] seemed to be fitting for the character I portray..." And after seeing his charismatic man perform on stage, blogspot readers, SouthSide certainly had to agree with this statement. His stage persona had many female fans screaming (or swooning) and men wishing they were him ...he is THE man of mystery of the electronic scene. With that persona, William transformed Bottom Lounge as his personal own mini club while being sandwiched between a guitarist and DJ (Hans and Franz from Berlin). The show itself was what he told this reviewer earlier during the interview "...energetic from start to finish..." featuring plenty moments of "...dancing and singing..." Mostly everyone was "...having a good time..." because there's not much talking during song breaks. That's what SouthSide also liked about William Control's performance at Bottom Lounge, blogspot readers.
The atmosphere, intense at times, was continuous and free-flowing of electronic music that had many in the audience (including SouthSide) dancing to the rhythmic sound while William himself controlled the stage by looking so dashingly handsome in his business suit. Performing songs like The Whipping Haus ("...would like to stay until it's a sweaty orgy with whips and chains..." claiming he's good with a whip) and Beautiful Loser, each electronic pulse throughout his set sparked some type of reaction from his diehard fans ...always asking for more and more to keep this huge dance party going all night. "...did you say 'thank God'? Thank me..." Williams quips at one point during the show. He recommends listening to songs I'm Only Human Sometimes since it sort of described his answer for the first question and Razor's Edge "...[it's] an accurate description of the band..." This reviewer recommends checking out his new one (coming out soon from The Neuromancer) titled Illuminator for it's haunting electronic sound and smooth rhythmic vibes. However, as the show progressed, "exciting" wasn't the correct word to describe it, blogspot readers. There were moments of sexual tension gradually building in the air especially when William declared he makes music to have sex with. Watching him under that sex appeal (like when he used the microphone cord as a whip) can make this reviewer swoon a little. Again ...the crowd wanted more from William. Not just "...one more song..." blogspot readers but two more songs before having to end the concert with I'm Only Human Sometimes and the other that revealed the emotional side of William Control. STILL, they wanted more of William ...and they did get their chance while standing in the long line at the merch booth after the show.
Besides being the electronic "man of mystery", blogspot readers, did you know that he's an author? William told the crowd that he had just written a book - Revelator: Book One The Neuromancer in which he's trying to bring literature/reading back into fashion. "...I had to google what 'twerk' was ...don't understand what 'twerk' and 'dat' [slang for 'that']..." before commenting that he has reached "old guy" status. During the interview, SouthSide asked William if he found himself doing a balancing act between being the front man of Aiden and William Control. Surprisingly, he switches between the two but he's more focused on William Control now "...[it's] part of me and who I am..." in which "...I have gravitated towards William Control as I've gotten older..." Only because, blogspot readers, he's not as angry as he was before. Coming from Seattle, Washington, he told this reviewer there isn't a local scene since it's mostly hip indie bands he doesn't give a shit about. Then, she wondered what's happening next for William. He told her that he's producing a new album for the band Ashes To Angels as well as touring the US (again) and Europe in the summer of 2014. At the end of the Bottom Lounge show, William told his fans he will return to Chicago sometime in April - be sure to read this blog site for details of when and where William will be performing again. Lastly, William would like fans to know this "...thank you for supporting my art..."
SouthSide highly recommends dancing your night under the electronic music scene with the suave and ultra-cool William Control at his next performance. For more information, visit http://www.williamcontrol.com.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
