Gut Bucket / Black Vendetta / Zombie Fighter / Arsenal / Chuckles The Klown
Firehouse 13, Providence, RI 9/2/2012
Tonight I get in for a can of Beefaroni and two dollars. Which is great, I wish that happened every night. In fact, I’m sponsoring a bill that just might make this happen. We just have to keep our fingers crossed or, if we’re girls in Catholic schools, our legs as well. It’s a benefit for “Meals on Wheels,” a food bank and it’s two instead of five if you bring a can of non-perishable goods and I’m happy to part with my beloved Beefaroni. It’s a great cause and didn’t Fear have a song similar to this?
Somehow, I miss the first band. I was eating rat poison at the McDonald’s across the way instead of my Beefaroni. Don’t eat unhealthy, but if you do, check out the dollar items- McDouble, McChicken and small fries for $3.50. I guess I just blew what I saved on the door fee. Damn!
So, this is a metal night and since Bang is performing emergency brain surgery I’m elected to observe. First band I see is Arsenal. They do a traditional type of metal with just dabs of death and thrash thrown on their metal music canvas. The singer’s pretty funny and lots of the songs are humorous, unusual for this genre. A song called, “I Just Shit Myself,” is a perfect example. They end their set with a request from the sound man to do their cover of “Master Of Puppets,” by Metallica. This they do, with other musicians jumping onstage to sing along. At one point in the mosh pit two smaller guys jump on the backs of bigger friends and then they begin jousting each other in front of the stage! This is a fun band to see.
Well, talk about funny- seems like they have “Chuckles The Klown” doing skits in-between the bands sets. It’s two clowns with some assistants and their style is for “mature audiences” (that’s pretty funny, in itself) .They do X-rated, violent skits, not what you want for your nine years old birthday party. My favorite is when an assistant, who has been given apple juice from the men’s room, goes into convulsions and starts to have a baby. Then, to the soundtrack of Alice Cooper’s “Dead Babies,” the clowns deliver the baby, chop its head off and throw it into the crowd. Yes, family entertainment at its finest, indeed.
Zombie Fighter is next and though I’ve seen them only once, (not counting standing in line at McDonalds), I’m anxious to see them. First of all, I have to say they’re doing a terrible job. Oh, not musically; that they’re doing great! But as far as fighting Zombies- every other day I read about someone eating someone’s face it seems. I do believe it’s more common than people devouring Beefaroni- for this there is no excuse! But back to reality, I thought they were really good before but they’ve improved and are now more confident in their playing. They play thrash with a capital “T” and this they do quite well. Every song just bursts at the seams with energy; strong death vocals, full trebly bass, churning drums and two squealing guitars- I doubt we have a punk or hardcore band on our site that puts out more energy than these guys. For me, they play the set of the night. They’re looking to play more gigs in the Boston area so bands and promoters, I highly recommend you check them out.
Black Vendetta is next and I believe they’re death metal. At first I’m not enjoying them too much. The drums keep rolling without setting a steady beat and the vocals are high pitched sounding like a tape played at a fast speed. But then, midway through their set, when they play a song called “Necrophilia” they start to pick it up and start thrashin’. People are getting into it and moshing, as well. I like how, during one song toward the end of the set, the huge bass player throws his bass down on the stage and proceeds to leap off into the crowd and start moshing while the song still plays. I must admit, I had my doubts, but they won me over.
Gut Bucket are a trio in which all three sing and all play bass except for one. They are two bassists and one drummer who play short, brutal, heavy, menacing songs that are sometimes as fast as hardcore but with vocals that are black metal or death. The heaviness of the music is lightened by the banter and jokes in-between songs. The drummer introduces one song as such, “This song is called “The Sadist,” it’s a romantic number…it goes out to all the ladies.” I’ve seen these cats do their thing before and find them intense, committed and highly enjoyable to hear and watch. They’re experimental without being ponderous, heavy without being depressing and brutal with an artistic touch.
Another fine evening ends at the Firehouse as I must make my way out of the city, onto the highway, around the curves and swerves of 95 back to Boston. The cool night drifts in my window, Fats Domino drifts into my ears from my cars cassette player deck.
I dare you- find a better time for two bucks and a can of Beefaroni.
(Slimedog)
