After a short hiatus, Cadaver Dogs snarled back on the scene as one of two opening bands for North Carolina rockers Valient Thorr.
Before starting the set, the trio took a shot of whiskey, which seemed to be the equivalent of a battery energy pack to the Energizer Bunny. The mellowed band I spoke to before the show transformed into nothing short of pure rock and rollers. There were no apologies and there was no holding back.
The seven song set included The Beast, R’N’F’N’R , and The Racer. There was a slight hiccup in the second song played, Voodoo Drug Sluts. It wasn’t clear who was to blame, but nonetheless the band recovered quickly and finished without flinching.
Lead guitarist and primary lyricist Mat Franklin delivers one-liners in between songs such as, “women’s underwear isn’t the greatest thing in the world, but it sure as hell smells like it”, as if he were a preacher rooting for the other side.
Cole Walsh-Davis insists the lyrics can be funny but they are extremely careful not to cross the line into Bowling for Soup or The Offspring territory while Franklin says they are “offensive and intelligent on purpose”. An example from the sex-charged Got Some Strange includes “I’m just a demon with that dirty disease, I got that third leg hangin’ down by my knees/ And if your bitch’s legs are parted like the fuckin’ red sea/Well, can’t blame it on her, but it’s you who don’t know how to please”.
It’s a combination of music and showmanship that keep people coming back. It seems drummers are usually hidden and forgotten in the background, but Lex Vegas contorts his face as if possessed by the Devil himself. Cole Walsh-Davis jumps off amps and plays on top of the speakers at Kobo centimeters away from the eager and attentive crowd who hungrily begs for the party-charged music Cadaver Dogs serves up.
It’s difficult to put this genre of music into the rock and roll category, but Vegas describes it as “fucking loud” and “the best party you’ve ever fucking been to”. Listening to this band without drinking whiskey is almost blasphemous.
Unapologetic rock is what I look for when I see a band and this one never disappoints.
Unfortunately this was the trio’s last performance in Columbus for awhile. If sick with the sugar coated rock that is eerily oozing out of Columbus, experiencing their next show at Blind Bob’s in Dayton is more than worth the drive. Cadaver Dogs will also be on tour from March 24th through April 18th supporting Foxy Shazam on their Tabernacle tour.
More information can be found online at www.facebook.com/CadaverDogs.
