02 June 2012 (gig)
03 June 2012
Every now and again, a band comes along that completely amazes and surprises for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the band has discovered a new genre that is akin to man discovering fire and inventing the wheel. Perhaps a member of the band is the next instrument virtuoso. Sometimes, a band stumbles upon an idea that seems so completely preposterous that it shouldn’t work but does. Tragedy definitely falls into this latter category.
Here is a band that has crossed heavy metal with the music of the Bee Gees. Yes, you heard that right. The Bee Gees (and other classic disco and 80s pop bands). Sounds ridiculous? Guess what, it works. The songs shouldn’t work, really, but they do. Can you imagine metal versions of Grease, Night Fever, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, Dancing Queen or Stayin’ Alive? It shouldn’t be fathomable, but Tragedy make it work, really well!
The show is kind of like an excellent drunk karaoke session, except you find yourself wanting to listen to the music as well as singing really badly to the vocals. Combining the hard rock sensibilities of classic 80s hard rock bands like Guns’N’Roses with the ‘classic songwriting’ of the Bee Gees works even if you haven’t had a skinful. You suddenly find yourself in love with songs like ‘How Deep Is your Love’ that before made you feel physically ill.
The band throws every possible metal cliché into their members. The drummer looks like a Norwegian Black Metal wannabe, complete with corpse paint and inverted cross drawn on his belly. Their bassist comes complete with spiked wrist bands. They even have an ‘idiot intern’, towel boy Lance.
Ultimately, through very good musicianship and excellent showmanship, Tragedy makes you openly enjoy songs that were perhaps guilty pleasures previously. Concluding with ‘Hot Stuff’ (performed by the band’s alter egos Donna Bummer) and a cover of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ (complete with stage invasion), this is a band that knows how to have fun and make their crowd have fun too.
If you get a chance to see the band, make sure you do. This will undoubtedly be the most fun that you can have with or without your clothes on. Disco metal – perhaps it will catch on after all.
