A Missed Opportunity… The Independents

Everyone will always have their lists of concerts that they should have gone to. Recently I added another band to my list: The Independents.

They played Peabody’s in Cleveland. I wasn’t there. Why not, you ask?

I had just come off a concert binge. I was less psyched about concerts than usual, and Peabody’s is kind of a divey bar/venue anyway. The first time I went there I was in 10th grade. I road tripped in to see The Adicts. It was a Tuesday night and someone hit me over the head with a beer bottle.

Nice place.

I had no concert buddy, and felt uneasy charging into a bar were i had already been assaulted once. Also, parking that close to downtown isn’t easy, and if it is…it’s because you’re parking in a neighborhood that you don’t want to be walking around at night.

I was tired.

So I stayed home.

But if only…

The Independents are a horror-punk band. Their music is catchy as hell, has a fast tempo, and the lead singers vocals are so reminiscent of Elvis that he is dubbed “Evil Presley”.

Sometimes I feel that horror-punk can weigh a little too much – there’s not enough spring in it’s proverbial step. While it’s good, sometimes I feel there just needs to be more energy involved.

The Independents have none of these issues. While topically they are most definitely a horror-punk band, there is an undeniable ska undercurrent. I think it’s a pairing made in the Capitol Rotunda. Ska has the potential of going over the top. The Aquabats – despite my enjoyment of them – come to mind. Horror-punk has the tendency to take things too seriously in it’s almost Nerdy B-movie interests (The Misfits come to mind there).

Now, if you were to throw those two together with a dash of Elvis seasoning, what do you get?

Songs about murdering cheerleaders (and keeping their bodies) that you can skank to.

They also have this wonderful song called “Little Blue“. The chorus goes something like “Little Blue, tell me why do you do the things you do?”. As my car’s name is Little Blue and one of the headlights flicks on and off intermittently, they hold the honor of creating a theme song.

What to take away?

Concerts in Cleveland can be scary enough to deter even the most dedicated music goers. Horror-Punk + Ska = good.

What to expect?

Amazingly danceable songs about horrible topics.

What drink to pair it with?

Cheap American bourbon – possibly Wild Turkey.

Favorite Songs?

“Bleeding in the Streets” is pretty epic. The beat is good, the lyrics pretty amusing, and his voice occasionally goes a little goofy in a way that makes me wonder if he has any current medical conditions.