Event The Pink Spiders
City Cleveland
State Ohio
Venue Cleveland Agora
Date June 09, 2008
by Ashley Snider
“This is the longest we have ever played!” Matt Friction, the stylish frontman of Nashville natives The Pink Spiders exclaimed these words happily the night of June 9th. The small crowd of no more than fifty gathered at The Cleveland Agora were witnessing the first show of The Pink Spiders’ first headlining tour. Despite the low attendance, all bands on the bill gave energetic performances that did not disappoint.
Among all the openers, a local act that particularly stood out was The Black Elevators. This two man band consisting of a drummer and guitarist/vocalist provided music reminiscent of The Misfits combined with not only the sound, but the sense of style of UK punk outfit The Horrors. What The Black Elevators lack in band members, they make for with the manic aggression of their music. Catchy drum rhythms mixed in with a dark, escalating guitar. Combine this with raspy vocals that launch themselves high and low until they reach a screech or wail, and you have a great sound. The band has an almost unpleasant-pleasantness to them. I found myself cringing at a moment when the singer let out a random shriek, and yet I enjoyed every minute of this refreshing set.
The song “Funeral Home” provides a rising and falling core guitar rhythm that makes your imagination run wild with visions of dimly lit streets with a slow fog creeping across them. “Poison Ivy’s Chamber” is a catchy tune that can easily become a sing-along song for the crowds. “Nerve Damage” starts slow but quickly becomes an aggressive, stand out song. I found this band extremely impressive. From their song titles down to their stage presence, this duo provides an adrenaline filled experience, and I couldn’t help but feel a touch of Halloween in June. If this young act continues giving performances like the one I witnessed, they are sure to become a popular local act in the Cleveland area.
The Pink Spiders came on stage as if they were playing to a sold out show, with an immediate energy and charisma. The band has added a second guitarist and keyboardist to their line up, giving a more complete feel. The band has a punk influenced sound with a twist of poppy, catchy lyrics fused with an almost retro feeling. The Pink Spiders opened up their set with “Sleeping on the Floor,” a new song off their upcoming album Sweat It Out, set for release in September. Their opening song set the tone for their performance. The song is about going to a party, drinking a little too much tequila, and ending up sleeping on the floor. The band lives by the simple idea of having a good time, and their music provides just that.
The group cruised through their set, playing a few old songs like “Talk Hard” off their Hot Pink release. Of course, all the tracks from Teenage Graffiti, the band’s most popular album, were the crowd favorites, including “Modern Swinger,” “Soft Smoke,” and their most well-known song, “Little Razorblade.” The band played about five new songs, all of which were catchy, upbeat, and kept the fans interested. The crowd got the most energetic during the band’s encore performance of “Back to the Middle.” It seemed like there wasn’t a single body in the building that wasn’t moving some part of their body. Looking to my right, I even noticed two forty-something Dads singing and jumping around even more than their daughters standing in front of them. That definitely says something about the band’s ability to get anyone tapping their foot, nodding their head, and standing up and dancing. The Pink Spiders are all about having a good time, and that is exactly what they want to give you when you see them live.
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