BITE ME! Skinny Puppy Live

Skinny Puppy & Tweaker @ Henry Fonda Theatre

What was the best show of the summer? I’d have to say it was a tie between Velvet Revolver and Skinny Puppy. Both shows were amazing, and both were cool on different levels.

I walked into the club and was greeted by dueling DJ’s who were spinning tunes at deafening levels. I never thought I would say this, but the volume was obnoxious. I could not wait for Tweaker, and when the band hit the stage it was a welcome relief. It’s not often that the drummer sits front and center (I’ve only seen this once before), but Tweaker is Chris Vrenna’s baby and he can damn well sit wherever he wants. Funny thing is, he didn’t steal the spotlight from the rest of the group. Vocalist Nick Young was on a platform directly behind Vrenna. He had on a white suite and sported an elfin hairdo that called to mind Weiland at one point in time. Clint Walsh (guitar) & William Faith (bass) were on each side of the stage and had plenty of room to shine. Overall, the guys gelled nicely and gave new life to the compositions. In fact, Tweaker’s material really takes on a whole new context in a live setting. The boys played a number of tracks off the new album, 2 A.M. Wakeup Call, as well as some old favorites. The bittersweet intensity behind their songs is not only tremendous, but also exciting. I’ll be honest…I was impressed.

Bridging the gap between dancey EBM and old school industrial, Skinny Puppy’s sound is uniquely their own. Over the course of 22 years and 13 albums the band has developed a cult status. Many thought they’d never see this legendary band in a live setting again after the death of Dwayne Goettel. But, thankfully, that wasn’t the case, and Henry Fonda Theatre was packed with many adoring fans.

When Skinny Puppy finally took the stage it was a dramatic event. Basked in a glowing blue light, cEvin Key, William Morrison (guitar/bass), and Justin Bennett (drums) hammered out the intense musical sounds of “Downsizer”. Ogre was nowhere to be found, but his voice filled the venue. He finally emerged at the beginning of the second song wrapped like a mummy and wearing a tribal bird mask. He thrashed and weaved about the stage and when the mask finally came off the real antics began. Luckily, I exited the photo pit just minutes before the outlandish frontman started spewing blood into the crowd. We were all here for a show, and Ogre had every intention of giving the crowd what it wanted. He had a bucket full of blood, guts, and who knows what else and he doused his adoring fans with these wonderful treats all throughout the night.

The stage was adorned with TV monitors and a large move screen graced the center. Both broadcasted deranged images that supported Ogre’s let-winged philosophy on animal rights, war, and drug abuse. Those susceptible to seizures were warned in advance about the strobe lights, which added to the madness. There was so much going on visually that it was impossible to focus on just one aspect. Skinny Puppy played a plethora of tunes from their vast repertoire, such as “Gods Gift (Maggot),” “Warlock,” and “VX Gas Attack,” and “Inquisition” and also played a number of tracks—“Pro-Test,” “Neuworld,” and “Empte”—off their latest, The Greater Wrong of The Right. Every one was dancing and moshing and the floor pulsated with their energy. The whole vibe was electric. We fed of the band and the band fed off us. Believe me, no one left the venue without being completely blown away. It was everything we expected and then some. -NIN