Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, on a rainy night in Dublin something wicked this way comes to The Voodoo Lounge, to terrorize, torment and entertain all who dared attend. Horror punk master Wednesday 13 rolled his circus of horrors into the intimate venue on Thursday night with an ensemble of ghouls, ghosts and characters at his disposal for the bands Condolences Tour, all designed to give the audience a horrific performance worthy of the best.
Supporters on the night hailed from Belfast, N.I., going by the name So Long Until the Seance, or S.L.U.T.S, depending on one’s preference. A great bunch of guys, great fun to watch, collectively looking like the adopted sons of Kiss, SLUTS were about as horror punk as Bon Jovi in drag. A great Rock n’ Roll band that would lift the roof off any pub, they are just that, a great Rock n’ Roll band. If ever there was a case that looking the part doesn’t necessarily make you the part, this was it. Strip back the make-up and musically they would have been out of place on this bill. None the less, SLUTS provided an enjoyable warm up full of great riffs, catchy numbers and melodic delights – just nothing that would give your grandmother a scare.
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The evenings headliners, on the other hand, were the furthest thing from being pretenders to the throne. As the band made their way one by one to the stage amidst the sounds of their intro, “Last Rites”, which also serves as the opening to their new record, ‘Condolences,’ anticipation was building. When Wednesday 13 took front and centre on the Dublin stage for the first time in thirteen years, the crowd erupted in a tornado of arms, yells, devil horns and cell phones. Kicking off with the albums leading single, “What the Night Brings” quickly followed by “Scream Baby Scream”, W.13‘s command of the stage was second to none, delivering a musical and visual feast. The near legendary front-man played with the crowd and played the crowd, teasing them in, getting up close and personal alongside his band mates who followed suit, looking as epic as epic can be. Decked out in full horror punk regalia, with hair blown, wind swept effects, stunning light displays and dark silhouettes that would have made William Friedkin proud, there were moments when W13 would have given Linda Blair posing for L’Oreal adverts a run for her money. So worth it!
With never a dull moment to be found in the intense, compressed hour and ten minutes, from the moment the band hit their first note, the respectfully sized crowd packed into the Voodoo, reciprocated by opening up well sized mosh pits on several occasions. Costume changes between songs were filled with a dark lit stage, well planned and clever musical transitions with some famous voices thrown in for good measure, including Vincent Price before launching into “The Ghost of Vincent Price.” Theatrics were dazzling, as Wednesday‘s collection of creepy characters made cameos throughout the night; personal appearances from the Devil, a two-headed corpse, the world’s most influential ringmaster, among others, all played their part as the cast of the damned took the show to another level. Yet while theatrics and visuals were choreographed and fine tuned to the letter, there was also a sense of loose, spontaneous and infectious impulsiveness on the night, with the balance struck being nothing short of masterful.
Throughout, newer, heavier tracks such as “Blood Sick”, “Cadaverous”, “Cruel To You” as well as the album titled “Condolences” played comfortably alongside hits from way back when in Wednesday‘s catalogue. “I Love to Say Fuck” and the nights closer, “Bad Things” saw the crowd explode through an unhinged encore that saw the brittle walls of The Voodoo Lounge edge on bursting. A sincere farewell and one, “We’ll see you again,” later, the set came to a close as the devil rode out into the night.
Thirteen years in the making, Wednesday 13’s Dublin performance came with high expectations. With most in attendance having either not seen the band in over a decade, or not at all, it was going to need a strong show to send everyone home happy. Fortunately, what was delivered surpassed all expectations as a demented cartoon styled, ensemble of horror characters, plucked from the mind of the man himself, played with and against the music that came with the force of a Gatling gun. For all who purchase a ticket to any of the shows on the Condolences Tour, prepare and beware before you enter the realm of the prince of horror punk. For the king of ghosts and the master of ghouls will give you an evening you are not likely to forget.