2008 Woodie Awards
Tiger Army enlists fans to fight for respect at show
By: Eric Wendt
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: Entertainment
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The night began at 8 p.m., when the smattering of fans outside was ushered into the lobby. The small crowd was an eclectic mix of punk rock kids and average Joes. Gray-haired everymen were mingling with tattooed rockabilly types as they were patted down for contraband. The crowd was comprised of die-hard Tiger Army fans awaiting the band's set.
"I just saw them in San Francisco," Holly Silva, 25, said. "The show was so good I had to see them again tonight."
The all-ages show also drew plenty of kids. Preteens wandered the classic confines of the Senator while small children were hoisted onto the shoulders of parents. Tattooed moms and dads seemed just as thrilled to introduce their kids to the band as they were to see the performance themselves.
The Memphis Murder Men kicked off the show with its brand of old school rock 'n' roll. Despite its repetitive sound, the band's energetic stage show got the crowd riled up and ready for more.
Next up was the aural spectacle known as The Phenomenauts. Complete with smoke machines and red lasers, the band had the stage transformed into a futuristic laboratory, perfectly matched to its Devo-inspired rock. Wearing identical uniforms that can only be described as "Star Trek" from hell, The Phenomenauts had the crowd in the palms of its geeky, sci-fi hands.
Throngs of people began pushing their way to the front of the stage to get a look at the band. With a sound that mixes old school rockabilly with futuristic electronic effects, The Phenomenauts is a highly entertaining band, best experienced live.
By the time The Phenomenauts ended its set, the crowd had grown substantially. While the theater was nowhere near full, the front of the stage was tightly packed with screaming fans.
Tiger Army took the stage to lighters in the air and frenzied fans screaming the band's name. Clad in black cutoff shirts displaying all their tattooed glory, the musicians launched into their first song, one of many blistering tracks from the their extensive catalogue of psychobilly favorites.
Halfway through its set, Tiger Army's lead singer, Nick 13, got into an altercation with a crowd member. After dedicating a song to his recently deceased friend, Nick 13 stopped the music to confront a young man yelling rude comments at the band. After removing his guitar and walking to the middle of the stage, a heated argument ensued between the man and a clearly livid Nick 13.
Nick 13 yelled profanities at the man as he was ejected from the audience by security.
Addressing the crowd, Nick 13 pointed toward the man being thrown out.
"That guy is a clown, bro motherfucker," he said to the crowd's roaring approval.
As Tiger Army played on, a fight broke out near the front of the stage. The band abruptly walked off and let things cool down. Once the scuffle was over and the band hadn't returned, a chant of "never die" broke out in the crowd. Starting off slow and rising to a deafening crescendo, the entire audience was screaming for the band to return.
Tiger Army came back onstage to the shrieking approval of its fans. After launching into a cover of the Misfits' "American Nightmare," the band took a cue from the crowd and ended its set with "Never Die."
After the band finished and left the stage, the crowd was left clapping and screaming, thrilled and satisfied.
"It was awesome," said audience member Alisha Rivera, 25. "Words can't explain it."
Eric Wendt can be reached at
ewendt@theorion.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Faust
posted 10/09/08 @ 12:09 PM PST
i love nick 13 and he was right to tell off that imbecil
Jade
posted 10/10/08 @ 12:04 AM PST
The Phenomenauts definitely deserve way more attention in this article, they're what held the show together and got the crowd moving!
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