There are a few certainties in life. Death, taxes, and the fact that at least 10 times during an Eagles of Death Metal show, Jesse “The Devil/Boots Electric” Hughes will remark on the aesthetic of an audience’s “laydeez”.
“Y’all f*cking ladies,” he’ll say, comparing the way the female half of the Vancouver crowd made him feel in relation to his old Farrah Fawcett poster, “are the business.”
It’s a totally cheesy moment, and cheesier still when one considers it’s being delivered by a tattooed, moustachioed, long-haired rocker in a Rolling Stones-tongue sleeveless. But that’s what makes the Eagles of Death Metal (nope, sounding neither like Death Metal nor the Eagles) absolutely awesome.
They’re just stupid, pounding, rocktacular fun. And Vancouver got two nights’ worth at the Commodore as EODM rolled through town on July 20 and 21.
Vancouver Loves its EODM
It’s the second time that Jesse Hughes’ band (originally formed with Queens of the Stone Age mate Josh Homme) have been back to the Canadian West Coast in less than a year. Two shows in a row - in front of a crowd becoming younger and prettier – isn’t what one would expect of a So-Cal band of late-30s and 40-something men who, shall we say, are older and gnarlier than their growing following.
So what is it about EODM and what’s with the Vancouver love? From the opening grind of Peace, Love and Death Metal’s “Only Want You” into Death by Sexy’s goofy “Cherry Cola” and “Don’t Speak (I came to make a BANG)” it was pretty clear. Not only is Hughes an absolutely stellar showman (all tongue-waggling, strutting, air-kissing, sleaze and appeal), but his band seemed to have only one objective: they came to sweat. And yeah, to rock. May have mentioned that before.
Boots Electric and Bar Fights
It's not just Hughes who merits mention. Certainly, Boots Electric is compelling, even if most of his songs sound kinda the same (though Heart On’s “Now I’m a Fool” provided a rare big-guy-heart-broken moment). He’s even fun to watch when he’s prowling around the stage, looking genuinely amazed that so many people showed up tonight...and will come back tomorrow.
Hughes is also especially fun to watch when he's putting on makeup. Makeup, he explained, he needed to hide a dent he got the night before in a fight with “a redneck in Washington” who was “disrespecting his woman”. Awwww cute!
But EODM’s sidemen are as much the show as their oddly endearing and fearless leader. Guitarist Dave Catching and bassist Brian O’Connor are pure grit and dirt and breakneck pace – “Miss Alyssa” and head-bobbing “Secret Plans” both sped past heads at lightning speed. The audience sing-song: “I want what I want what I want what I want...” and it’s just a good ol’ boys and girls party.
Joey Castillo - Demon Drummer
If there’s a real star after the Devil, it’s undoubtedly drummer Joey Castillo (who also drums for QOTSA). A truly enormous chunk of pummeling Muppet Animal magic, Castillo is mesmerizing for both the size of his tree-trunk arms and his ability to somehow prevent his kit from being reduced to powder. “Anything ‘Cept The Truth” and the storming, used-in-adverts “I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News) stand out tonight.
So what if it’s all been done before? In the encore, the band’s cover of Stealers Wheel “Stuck in the Middle With You” (renamed “Stuck in the Metal”) and the Stones’ “Brown Sugar” proved that if you’re the Eagles of Death Metal, it’s okay to wear your rock heart on your sleeve(less).
Right...laydeez?
Eagles of Death Metal at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver was presented by Timbre Productions Concerts. See EODM live on tour in Canada, the US and Europe, now. For dates, visit eaglesofdeathmetal.com
Read Suite101.com’s interview with Jesse Hughes from the Eagles of Death Metal or read other EODM live reviews
Mikala Taylor - Mikala Taylor is the creator/writer of BACKSTAGERIDER.COM, an editor/interactive producer, and was the former associate editor of ...
