LIVE REVIEW: Steel Tigers of Death Weenie Fest 2010

Seattle's own Steel Tigers of Death use their penchant for comedy and overt punk rock prowess to engage audiences in a musically sharp yet completely over-the-top live show every time they perform. You will never see the four members not dressed up in some ridiculous costumes, and you will never see a STOD show that doesn’t completely rock on all levels. In turn, this quartet seems to have more fun playing music, and on a whole entertaining than anyone I’ve come across in recent times-- showmanship folks, showmanship. All gimmick aside, these guys play well-honed and spirited pop-centric punk rock. Catchy two minute songs, multiple vocalists, a dueling guitar attack, fist pump rhythms, and really enough gusto for 4 bands of a similar faction is the name of the game.

Last Sunday, the Steel Tigers of Death Weenie Fest 2010 went down at the STOD headquarters just across the Ballard Bridge in the back of carpentry shop-- drummer Jason Legat’s place of employment. $2 got you in the door and as many chili and cheese slathered wieners as you could handle, oh yeah there was cold Pabst too. The turnout was a moderate mixture of friends, the other bands, as well as a few brave stragglers who wanted to see the band in the most intimate of settings possible-- their own practice space.

Four bands were on the bill and killer new local discoveries were plentiful. Tax and Leisure Corp. completely floored me with an unpretentious display of noisy garage post-punk. They just might be my new favorite local band as this very moment. High Class Wreckage took the stage and lived up to the wreckage part of their name. This trio tried their hardest to bring the walls down-- you would have thought they were playing in front of thousands instead of 30. A band that will sellout and rock out that fucking hard for 30 people should definitely be on peoples radars. High Class Wreckage. Google them. Atomic Bride’s blending of eerie Goth synths and mid-tempo rock and roll was much too subdued to compete with the energy of the other three bands on the bill, thus they lost my affections early on to the keg of icy cold PBR standing mostly unattended in the parking lot.

The Tigers took the stage last of course and gave everyone a good 45 minutes of non-stop high voltage punk RAWK! Trading in their Capitol Hill Block Party bunny suits, the band instead sported penguin nun outfits before stripping down and revealing their light strand covered chests and short shorts. There is not a whole lot to say other than they killed it-- that is what the Steel Tigers of Death do.

The band deemed Weenie Fest as a success at least according to guitarist Mike Grigg and bassist Brad Beshaw-- who playfully bickered on whether next year’s mini-fest should have 7 or 10 bands. Either way, if the Tigers are going to throw another party of any magnitude, you can count on my attendance.