King Adora / Vinny and The Cuse
Birmingham Promoters
Hare and Hounds
7/04/10
It’s as if Vinny and The Curse are chiseled out of rock god sex stone and with new addition, John ‘Rivers’ Presley on the low notes (and smouldering pouts) they have the stature to make many a fair maiden clot up their knickers with excitement.
Their psycho-blues is like the soundtrack to a Russ Meyer film done by The Stooges. Note recent single – ‘The Suicide Twist’, it’s a voluptuous mistress of agitated lust, and we’re supposed to believe that it’s composer, Scott Abbott, was unaware of it’s moniker being the name of a sexual maneuver. Pull the other one mate.
VATC’s previous outing at the liver obliterating Hott Date was, to be honest, a helluva lot more exciting, the band pulverising the Bank Holiday revellers into submission with their amazing headline set. But in fairness, this crowd are only here to see one band tonight.
After a six year hiatus and a seismic shift in trends, fashions and passions since the band emerged at the turn of the century, we wonder how King Adora are going to come across. But lets face it, it’s not as if lead singer Maxi is going to have piled on the pounds is it?
As ‘Juliet Bravo’ launches the set it’s clear that nothing has really changed. He still screams like an attention starved slut, Robbie’s cheek bones still look like the surface of a Stealth Bomber, Dan still lashes his kit in anguish as if his drum stool is in fact a vat of hydrochloric acid and Nelsta’s guitar is still an almighty phallus that ejaculates visceral guitar licks, transforming the heaving crowd into an ecstatic bukakke bath.
The main difference with the newly reformed four piece is the extension of the set from the 20 minute, in-out date rape that made them so dangerously exciting and is tonight stretched out to around an hour of eating disorder references and tales of sexual deviancy only matched by the Catholic Church. Debut album ‘Vibrate You‘ is aired in it its brazen entirety along with a nod to the pretty much forgotten follow up with ‘9″ of Pure Malice’ threatening to; “Make you go wow” and “Tear yourself a new hole” – filthy beggars.
Aaaah memories
Although the songs maybe a tad structurally formulaic and reminiscent of familiar classic rock melodies, the attention to detail of arrangement and inventive use of backing tracks (which still, surprisingly hold their own, standing the test of time as they were originally so forward thinking) provide a digitally enhanced kaleidoscope of awkward and volatile lust. Along with melancholic desperation from Browne’s “teenage drama queen” vocal, King Adora still pleasure the parts you’re too ashamed to admit to being aroused.
It’s clear that the band themselves are enjoying tonight’s comeback and coy hints are made that suggest we may see more of them soon. If they can recreate the intensity of tunes such as ‘Scream and Shout’ and ‘Bionic’, which tonight are real hair standing-on-end moments, then there’s no reason why King Adora can’t make a sustained come back and reintroduce some freakish glam to British rock.
Great to see the original Super Muff Divers again.
Andy Roberts
See another review of this show over at The Hearing Aid blogspot
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