Whoever thought to put Thunderpussy and Black Pistol Fire on the same bill is a genius. This past Wednesday night at the El Rey Theatre was a sweatastic event. Thunderpussy started their set very quiet and mellow with guitarist Whitney Petty bowing her strings in a spot light. One-by-one the band took the stage until finally dripping with sequins, vocalist Molly Sides struck a pose center stage. From that point on the show ran full tilt. It really does not do Sides justice to call her a vocalist, although she’s a great one and showed off her chops to a Jefferson Airplane cover, she’s a whole body performer known for her high kicks and back bends plus the slinky bits in between. The rest of the band frames her energy beautifully. Bassist Leah Julius and drummer Ruby Dunphy with Petty although, slightly more stationary, have high energy moves of their own which is why they were the perfect openers for Black Pistol Fire.
Black Pistol fire is only a two-piece consisting of vocalist / guitarist Kevin McKeown and drummer Eric Owen, but the duo absolutely dominate whatever stage they are put on. Over the years, those stages have steadily grown bigger.
Owen hunkers down behind his kit sinking beats into the audience’s chest, shirtless and hairy with a bit of a caveman look about him as he pummels everything in front of him. Its McKeown who dominates the rest of the stage and then some. Their music, like Thunderpussy’s, is pure rock and roll; an unapologetic direct evolution of all that has come before and it’s fantastic.
Black Pistol Fire’s live show can not be missed because they truly put on a show. Be prepared if you are in the front row for stage diving and sweat showers and if you hang out in the back you better be dancing along because both of these bands give you everything they have.
Word & Photos: Kim Zsebe of ZB Images
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