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I've been looking forward to reviewing the Dead Pets again, not least because I don't think any "Vault" review has generated so much criticism as the last time I wrote about Sweeney and co. When I saw them back in December, they were just winding down a 52-date tour and frankly they looked and sounded knackered.
Happily that isn't the case tonight - well-rested after their recent US tour, the group bound around the stage like men posessed belting out high-octane ska punk anthems that Less Than Jake would be proud to own, scaling the amps for a song called "Uncle Fester The Child Molester" and covering Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire", AC/DC's "Big Balls" and (yes!) Cock Sparrer's "I Got Your Number" into the bargain. Good stuff.
And it all leaves the Horrorpops with a bit of a difficult act to follow unfortunately. You can't fault these Danish goth-punks for an eye-catching stage show - one of the guitarists looks like he should be in Motley Crue, the other looks like a refugee from the Meteors while they've got two Dita von Teese wannabe girl dancers and a PVC-clad raven-haired lass singing and playing a full-size double bass. The trouble is that after the full-on chaos of the Pets' set, their gimmicks just seem a little studied and the tunes a little monochrome. It isn't through lack of effort and maybe if I'd got better acquainted with their songs before seeing them it might have been different but somehow it all just feels a bit hollow in the middle.
Ah well...like I said earlier I didn't "get" the Pets first time so who knows, there may be hope for the Horrorpops yet.
Review and pic by Andy James
