Butchers, Hippies, Horses & Misfits

By Frank Colucci on October 28, 2013

Sal Abruscato. A Pale Horse Named Death (photo Jane Alford)

Danzig, Butcher Babies, Texas Hippie Coalition, A Pale Horse Named Death.

On Wednesday October 9th, 2013 it was my first time attending a show at the Cuban Club in Ybor City, which is right outside on the street, located on the corner of 9th and Palm. We arrived early to pick up our credentials and were instructed that we were only allowed to shoot pictures of the opening bands. This seemed odd to me but we always respect the bands and the venues requests.

In this day and age with social media, most bands encourage fans to take pictures and video because its promotion for them. Some might say they won’t buy a ticket because they can just watch the show on Youtube in a few days, why spend $50.00 on a work/school night when it will just be uploaded to the internet? But really, the live concert experience usually includes memorable experiences that you can always look back on. I believe live concerts are awesome and nothing beats seeing the real deal.

The first band on the main stage was A Pale Horse Named Death. I thought that was an odd name for a band but my mother always told me not to judge a book by its cover and I’m glad I followed her advice. A Pale Horse Named Death is a bit of a dark super-group. Guitarist, singer and song writer, Sal Abruscato is the co-founder of Type O Negative. Originally a drummer, Sal appeared on the first three Typo O Negitave albums and two albums with Life of Agony. The group’s current drummer, Johnny Kelly replaced Abruscato in Type O Negative in 1994 after being the bands drum tech. Kelly is also the drummer for the band Seventh Void. A Pale Horse Named Death formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2011, released their sophomore album this year in May, Lay My Soul to Waste. Their sound is a cross between Alice and Chains and Type O Negative. I love discovering new music and these guys sounded great live. Enough to keep me interested and even check out more of them on Youtube and on other outlets. Take that Glen Danzig! Just kidding, you created the Misfits and for that I bow and say thank you.

Cord Pool, Texas Hippie Coalition (photo Jane Alford)

Next up was a band that I was excited to see for the first time; Texas Hippie Coalition, also known as “THC.” Do you see where they are going with that? THC is straight up southern metal with a twist of stoner rock and lots of killer groovy guitar riffs; opening with the first track of their latest CD Peacemaker, “Hands Up.” This really got the crowd going with the chorus “Get your hands up, I said reach for the sky, everybody get your hands up, let me see you holding them high.” Formed in Denison TX in 2004, Peacemaker was released in August 2012, the bands third album overall. THC delivered an outlaw type show that would make any motorcycle club proud to have them play at their next family gathering. Other songs performed in THC’s set were “8 Seconds,” “Whisky,” “Sex-Drugs & Rock n Roll,” “Turn It Up” and “Pissed Off.”

Cord Pool, Texas Hippie Coalition (photo Jane Alford)

Are you ready for the Butcher Babies? I first saw the Butcher Babies at this year’s Mayhem Fest. They have two female lead singers Carla Harvey & Heidi Shepherd. These chicks are smokin` hot and they know how to bring the metal. The rest of the band consists of guitarist Henry Flury, bassist Jason Klein and drummer Chris Warner. The Butcher Babies sound can best be described as a punk, thrash, heavy metal cocktail mixed by bartender Wendy O’ Williams of the Plasmatics. Their self titled EP was released in 2011 and now out on the road supporting their first full length album Goliath.

Carla Harvey, Butcher Babies (photo Jane Alford)

Dressed always sexy and in your face, Carla & Heidi delivered an assault of metal for thirty minutes, each of them owning the stage equally. They both combine heavy metal screams with melodic undertones and harmonies, and are backed up by killer riffs and sick drumming from the guys. Henry (Amen), Jason (Azdachao) and Chris (Scars of Tomorrow) are well established musicians from their previous bands. Performing tracks from Goliath, which included “I Smell a Massacre,” Mr. Slowdeath & their recently released video and single “Magnolia Blvd.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjsAloS0ctk) This band is gaining a lot of steam in the metal scene. Sirius’ Octane and Sirius’ Liquid Metal have them in regular rotation and are providing this band an avenue to be who they want to be in a business full of being told who and what you need or should be, all the while remaining humble and approachable.

Heidi Shepard, butcher Babies (photo Jane Alford)

If you haven’t seen them live, get out there when they come to your town because experiencing a Butcher Babies show will provide you the aforementioned memories that you will look back on.

For tour dates (https://www.facebook.com/ButcherBabiesMusic/app_123966167614127)

Carla Harvey Butcher Babies, Rocket Sports & Entertainment

Camera Shy

Now for the guy everyone came to see Mr. Glen Danzig, just don’t take any pictures to show your friends. Touring for the 25th anniversary of his self titled debut release, he brought an old friend with him from the band he fronted before going solo; original Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein. The first half of the show was material from Danzig’s solo albums, performed without Doyle, followed by an eight song set of Misfits classics with Doyle joining in on guitar.

Starting the show off with “Skincarver” off the album Circle of Snakes; the crowd was fired up and ready to rock. “Hammer of the Gods” was next followed by “Twist of Cain,” “Am I Demon,” “Her Black Wings,” “Devil’s Plaything,” “Blood and Tears,” “Tired of Being Alive,” “Dirty Black Summer” and “How the Gods Kill”.

“Doyle, get out here” shouted Danzig. Doyle erupted on to the stage stomping his feet to the heavy beat of the drum, while simultaneously banging on his guitar; No shirt, face painted white and the devilock hair style made famous by the Misfits themselves almost 35 years ago. Standing well over 6 feet tall and just towering over Danzig, Doyle appeared bigger than the stage and the Tampa crowd loved it. Now, if you’re a fan of pre-solo Danzig material and you love songs about ghouls, vampires, zombies, cutting off girl’s heads and killing babies and you didn’t go to this concert, you’re probably going to regret missing it. The next eight songs were so amazing to see live and those in the mosh pit didn’t give up for one second. Don’t get me wrong, seeing just Danzig and his current lineup would have been awesome in its self but this my friends was a real treat. The Misfits songs were “Death Comes Ripping,” “Vampira,” “I Turned Into a Martian,” “Skulls,” “London Dungeon,” “Astro Zombies” & “Last Caress.” WOW! Did I just witness this? One word – AMAZING. Doyle then exited the stage and Danzig went right into “Soul on Fire” followed by his biggest hit “Mother”. Then the stage went black and the crowd is chanting DANZIG!, DANZIG!, DANZIG! The band came out for another song from Danzig’s first album – “She Rides” and finally one more Misfits favorite with Doyle to close out the night. “Die Die My Darling.”

Glenn Danzig is a pioneer in creating early punk rock with the Misfits and in my eyes as well as many others, a legend in this genre of music. His current band lineup sounded amazing with Johnny Kelly on drums, former Prong lead singer Tommy Victor on guitar and on the bass guitar is former Samhain (another band once fronted by Danzig) drummer Steve Zing.

I’m still puzzled about the picture policy. It’s 2013 and everyone has a cell phone with a camera. Everybody wants to capture a personal keepsake. I understand not allowing professional cameras with detachable lenses that can take the kind of photo that magazines and websites would pay for, but a cell phone. Really? Come on.

At one point of the show, during “Blood and Tears” specifically, Danzig pointed to a guy in the crowd who was actually videotaping with a small camera or phone and said “Somebody punch that fu**ing a**hole right there.” I didn’t see what ended up happening to him but did he certainly didn’t deserve that. If you are going to have a “no cameras of any kind” type policy, make a statement in regard to it prior to Danzig’s set telling the fans at the venue what the parameters are. This way they will know what to expect and they won’t be removed from the venue.

Tonights multi-stage event had something for everyone, including an up and coming new band in the Florida local scene named Murderfly. We will be keeping an ear out for them and the Cuban Club and their security did a great job under some extreme circumstances. Multiple mosh pits can be problematic, to say the least.

For the fans who have attended this show, It was a special night. Possibly the last time you will see Danzig with anyone from the Misfits crew, and the sets of music and the onstage performances by all the bands tonight was truly memorable.

MORE PHOTOS BY JANE ALFORD