Friday June 9, The King of Clubs hosted an evening and invasion of horror punk, a devils vortex, a hardcore God Stopper and killer toys with creepy dolls. The perfect menu and recipe for the pogo’ing, slamming into the circle pit with horror punk pioneer Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein storming the stage playing a set of loud, blunt, unapologetic love songs. A screeching, squealing set of bone shakers and shatterer’s that no lighter would dare flicker to. Suicide Toyz and Ever Lasting Godstopper opened things up, as touring support Red Devil Vortex brought a powerful red lit trio’s performance. Columbus was the second to last stop on the tour and they weren’t gonna allow the gathered ghoulies to forget they were there. .
Doyle and horde brought their costume vintage punk aesthetic playing all tender, ripping ‘love songs’ starting and ending in punk style simply walking off stage after the last twisted note. Vocalist Alex Story took full advantage of the space running back and forth, near perpetual, climbing the speakers at one point reigning down vocals.
As the evening sun slowly descended, every creepy horror movie including and revolving around creepy dolls came to mind as Suicide Toyz took the stage. Not that the weird, wooden eyes or outfits stole the show but many in the crowd and venue watched them with concern and curiosity waiting for an eye to move or limb jerk. Whether it was the dark wooden (literal) rocker, the center stage clown-like curiosity or the burned out, cracked cranium stage left, it all added to the uncomfortable, loud aesthetic.
With a logo incorporating a multi-armed patchwork doll giving modern meaning to Silent Night, Bloody Night, guitarist, singer, tin-man and ringleader Zagg Omicron helmed the wickedness that came. Drummer Rob Burchard kept the straw in, exercising his brain on the skins with bassist/vocalist Jonathan Boyer had the hair of a roaring lion. Though the dolls could’ve been considered still life munchkins, the set felt more akin to the dark world Dorothy returned to in the ’80s..
The Toyz are tailor made to be background music for any after midnight ghost team exploration creepy crawling down any given pitch black ominous corridor.
The slow twisted cranking Jack in the Box introduced “The Bums Rush” while “With You” carried the clanky hardness of a non-lubed Tinman, with touches and tastes of punked up blues. “Stress” pounded the brain and pulse like a tattoo needle buzzing for an Asprin break.
While similar, well… not really, it definitely wasn’t no Willy Wonka creation, produced or prepacked. Everlasting God Stopper came steering, snarling ready to get out in the crowd if needed and kill. They opened wasting life, showing scars on “Believe the Lie.” “City of Fire” cued up the pit, stomping style, as lyrical fire was screamed and pelted into the crowd.
Vocalist/actor Charlie B. Koyote looks both throwback to the dangerous/reckless Pistols era while sporting the mohawk, leather, patched aesthetic. The four-some looked horror movie grim and not a group you want to see waiting at the end of an alley, subway tunnel or your backyard. You’d have to look bad-add to share stages/events with Overkill, Wednesday 13, Motograter and The Misfits.
“Darkness Falls” took the deepest piano keys and creepiest acoustic twangs opening haunted house doors to spooky, other-wordly elements and the darkest backwoods back-porch jam party north of hells gate.
Was it a Rubik’s Cube of the demented or an updated cenobite box “Athena” introduced one and all to A Nightmare in White. The dark one got some extra gab in during “KODM.”
A dance floor cybernetic “Spider” creepy crawled across the stage while “A Call to Arms” loudly, unapologetically infected Columbus and the masses. For the God Stoppers, the wait is near over, once summer surrenders to the cooling, cracked nails of fall new record Grotesque will drop Halloween.
Performing like a band already signed with label backing, the three dwellers of the Vortex took the stage in V’d down fashion giving the crowd a good head-banging and thrashing to start. The So Cal crew were too young for the ‘80s but brought an MTV in spirit vibe to the set cranking out seven tunes with a big show feet with lyrical apocalypse, mysticism and carnal desire and rage.
The explosive wall of sound began with an “Undaunted” war cry, mission statement. “The Devils Place” glowed lyrically, forked tongued hot and red. Guitarist/vocalist Luis Kalil and lead vocalist/bassist Gabriel Connor lead the three man tribe swinging hair and smashing necks front stage as drummer/vocalist Eduardo Baldo smashes drums.
“Alive” had the best danceable beat for the infernal dance floor. Pulling a page direct from the Sunset Strip “Viper” told the electric pole neon narrative of the all night dancer, working girl, club cuttie in all her painted up glory and backstage infamy. A song or two have been written about her and probably some coworkers.
“Something has to Die” dug into the guitar neck, drawing blood and leaving marks as they finished the show, leaving an impression. With two EP’s, a single and a live recording at the legendary Whisky these self-made DIY’ers are following in their early ’80s forefathers footsteps. Much like the glowing V’s, there’s blood to be spilled every show whether on the stage, crowd floor, lyrically or on camera. V is for Vortex
The guttural scream and dark dragging opening of “Abominator” started the horror punk psychosis. The predatory psycho “Beast like Me” snarled its loud breath through the speakers. It was a sweet, demented dance through the cemetery as only Doyle and crew could lead. Spirits and stiffs knew to stay put and still while the living danced on their grave.
Every tune no matter how dark, morbid or monstrous was sung with love and rapid motion. Rotting corpses were reanimated though incanting “Witchcraft” and lightning riffs along with the evil of a black hearted woman.
It was a necromantic symphony with noisy, creepy dancers ready to bite with Story mounting the speakers, being graveyard romantic eye to eye with the balcony viewers and below from the highest pulpit available.
The ladies with no life are the hottest when it comes to the horror punks, starting with Gein continuing today in deadly, dominating dreams. The beast was present and accounted for as the goth kids, young and experienced danced to Doyle’s shredded domination in beast mode.
Only Von Frankenstein could make a guitar shriek and scream like a frantic running victim about to trip.
They played ready to get the hell out of there and in true genre style finished playing and left without a word, “Hope Hell is Warm.”
The argument/discussion of who would hell’s house band be usually starts with Slayer, closely shadowed by some Norwegian black metal folks and Deicide, Doyle would definitely qualify to be on the main stage lineup. If not the netherworld, definitely the world underground.
Images/Words –Mike Ritchie
Doyle – http://officialdoyle.com/
Red Devil Vortex – https://reddevilvortex.com/site
Everlasting God Stopper – www.everlastinggodstopper.net
Suicide Toyz- http://suicidetoyz.com
