Reverend Horton Heat und Messer Chups

Like Marilyn Manson, the moniker ‘Reverend Horton Heat’ both refers to the individual - in this case, Jim Heath of Corpus Christi, Texas, a man once described as “the godfather of modern rockabilly and psychobilly - and to the group that he fronts, a trio that have been going by the moniker since the mid-eighties. Unlike similar, more general genres of unmistakably American music that have failed to prove themselves a genuine success outside of the States, though, the punk stylings of Reverend Horton Heat’s sound - not to mention the raw energy of their live shows - have made them cult favourites across the globe. With eleven full-length records now nestling firmly under their belts, the Heat have continued to hit the studio and the road with equal levels of vigour - their latest album, REV, was released in January of this year. They continue to tour tirelessly across the United States, playing increasingly eccentric sets that showcase the instrumental diversity of their music, but have been missing in action from the UK live scene for quite a while, at this point; fans will hope that the release of REV will mean a slew of dates in support of it on these shores shouldn’t be too far away.

Our first gig in Belgium, and an opportunity to see the band in Europe as they've never made it to the UK. Magasin 4 is an absolutely no frills venue, a converted warehouse I guess but with real class. Friendly and welcoming promoters at the door and great staff. The first band Pirato Ketchup were a great warm up with a heavy rock n' roll attitude, very fun. Having heard only Crazy Price which is littered with samples and theramin spookines and a handful of other bits and pieces. It was difficult to imagine what Messer Chups were going to sound like live. They performed with a projector screen with classic horror and cheeky nakedness aplenty, and with core drums, guitar and bass. But the performance was far more than the simplicity of the setup. The guitar performance in all its basic rock and roll roots was all over that fretboard like a bad rash and actually put many of his peers to shame. Drums casually laying waste to each song and the cool bass doing precisely what was needed to hold the sound together. An absolutely solid performance and I'd say a nearly packed venue of smiling faces.