When I use the name The Misfits, I use it loosely. Really, I should use the term "The Misfit", because they only (no pun intended) original and consistent member playing in the band is Jerry Only. They played as a three piece, with Only obviously on vocals and bass guitar, Black Flag's Des Cadena on guitar, and too be honest I had no fucking clue who was on drums. But after doing some research I found that it was Eric "Goat" Arce on drums, some nobody that joined the band in 2010. I find it really dumb that they couldn't find one of the eight drummers that have played with the band in the past, but I guess they settled for the "Goat" instead...
Let me first say that I was a bit bias going into the show because in my opinion you cannot have The Misfits without Glen Danzig. Also I have been spoiled a bit having seen Danzig and Doyle play together a 30 minute Misfits set back in 2006 on Danzig's Blackest of the Black Tour, both here in Atlanta and Orlando.
There was two local bands that opened the show but I didn't see them, because honestly I only was interested in seeing The Misfits. Unfortunately, I was unaware that The Misfits was touring with a band signed to their in-house record label "JuiceheaD" and yes, the D is capitalized for some reason. So I had to sit through that set, enduring a horrible cover of Operation Ivy's "Knowledge". Juicehead's originals were no better.
Finally, after a lengthy set up, the lights dimmed and The Misfits took the stage. Jerry Only's only words into the mic before they started playing was "HALLLLOOOOWWWEEENNN" and Im sure you could guess what song they opened up with. From there on they ripped through about 10 to 15 songs from the misfits original catalogue, all back to back with only "One, Two, Three, Four" separating each song. They hammered through songs including "Vampira", "Earth A.D.", "Attitude" and "Hybrid Moments" all seeming faster than the last. The over all sound of the show was worse than any Misfits album that was recorded through acoustic guitar amps. You couldn't here any of the vocals over the over distorted guitar and bass. I swear, at times I didn't even think that Only was playing his bass. In between about 5 Misfit songs or so, Des would introduce a Black Flag song and go right into butchering that. "Six Pack", "Thirsty and Miserable", and "Rise Above" were some of the prime cuts that were ruined. After they played through most of the catalogue on Collections one and two, they went into the newer Misfits material that Danzig is not a part of. Let me just say that I know none of the songs they played from their post-danzig albums, nor do I care to know them. I have already explained my views on the band, and I dont own nor have I listened to a single Misfits album that doesn't have Glen Danzig singing on it. So I wasn't paying much attention to that part of the show because I was too busy numbing myself to witness what seemed like a cover band ruining one of my favorite bands. And like every other band came the unnecessary encore, the band left the stage only to get half-assed cheered back on. Then came more songs which I didn't know nor enjoyed. Only spoke into the mic saying "Heres your last chance, last song of the night", ending the show with "We Are 138", breaking every string on his homemade bass.
As you can tell, I didn't think the show was that great. And that not because Danzig wasn't singing...it was because in all honesty, it really wasn't. The sound, the performance, and the experience, was just as I expected. The one positive thing about the show I will say is that when The Misfits ended, Only didnt even walk off stage. He threw his bass to his roadie and his arm bands into the crowd and started shaking hands and signing everything in front of his face as the house lights came back on. Class act that guy, he stayed on stage until everyone was pretty much gone.
If "The Misfits" ever come back to town and you haven't seen them, check the show out. You will probably have a good time. Although, I dont know if they ever will considering they are so old that there is no need for make up to look that undead. For all those old school guys that had seen them in 80's, keep your Misfits experience at that...
Frank "Dont Care"
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