The Birthday Massacre at The Wiltern
Feb 10, 2009 at 12:17 AM Live Review: The Wiltern
By: Jay Scott Goldberg
"What got me into guitars was metal… but when I was growing up I liked Cyndi Lauper and Roxette… everyone in the band has pretty varied music taste,” admits Rainbow with a smirk. The Birthday Massacre, a six-piece group from Ontario, Canada, defies genres, and the same can be said of their fans. Punks, candy kids, and metal-heads alike filled LA’s Wiltern Theater to sold-out capacity. Each subculture stood united; this wasn't just a rock concert, it was a phenomenon.
As the lights dimmed and The Birthday Massacre took the stage, a sea of mohawks, fairy wings and leather jackets rallied together and screamed, “Chibi!” in unison. And their cries were heard! A petite temptress dressed in a school girl uniform arose from the darkness, flashed a crooked smile and demanded everyone's attention as Owen struck the opening chords on his synth keyboard.
There is no longer need to hire a composer to score a horror movie; The Birthday Massacre creates industrial-fused-synth-rock that the likes of Freddy Kruger would listen to as he slashes sugar-coated dreams into blood-soaked nightmares. The essence of TBM's music is pure emotion. The group demanded feeling with each song, whether it was pain, love, or the beauty in loving pain. And for any non-believers, TBM is not a Goth group.
"We are whatever kind of music you want us to be. You can't place us in one genre," warrants Rainbow. Besides, when was the last time you saw a kid with a Metallica shirt at a Goth concert? My point exactly!
Simply, this tight-knit band of musicians are pure entertainers. While marching onstage, Rainbow routinely cracks his skull with his fist (in between chords, of course); not too shabby for a man whose name signifies something quite passive). And like the mythological Sirens, Chibi’s enchanting vocals transform songs like “Looking Glass” and “Happy Birthday” into gorgeous death cries.
Be sure to check out The Birthday Massacre in support of Mindless Self Indulgence, Tub Ring, and Julien-K this summer. Their new album, The Looking Glass EP, is available at shows and on theiir website. This compilation features new material, remixes, and a dark, synth-soaked cover of Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now."
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