Halloween and legendary Punk Rock band Misfits seem to go together hand in hand. Established nearly four decades ago, the New Jersey bred band have built a name and style for themselves which is easily recognized, even outside the Rock community. Dusted off and polished up by long-time bassist Jerry Only back in 1995, Misfits found second life with Michael Graves on vocals for five years until Only took over the task. Now built around Only, guitarist Dez Cadena, and drummer Eric “Chupacabra” Arce round out this undead team of musicians which still draw major attention from audiences of all ages. Staying true to form, just in time for Halloween, Misfits made a stop in New York City to rock Irving Plaza on Tuesday October 28th. The same night Motley Crue was claiming the stage on their final show at Madison Square Garden, Misfits were ready to keep their legacy going as a crowd filled with fans painted in ghost faces, wearing denim and leather vests, piled into the the venue.
First to the stage was Hatebreed vocalist Jamey Jasta. Marking the first of four shows as support for Misfits, Jasta came out with guns blazing. Establishing himself as the force behind the well respected Hatebreed for over twenty years, Jasta has also been apart of Kingdom of Sorrow, and as of 2011 released his solo debut titled Jasta. Performing mostly his newest solo material such as “Mourn The Illusion,” “Something You Should Know,” and “Walk the Path Alone,” showcasing his less melodic vocals on Hardcore Thrash tingling tracks. Breaking into the song “Heart of A Warrior,” Jasta revved up the crowd to form the biggest pit of the night and cause beautiful chaos on the floor. Mixing in Hatebreed anthem “I Will Be Heard,” Jasta and his band of Steve Gibb (guitar), Charlie Bellmore (guitar), Chris Beaudette (bass) and Nick Bellmore (drums) put on a fantastic opening set that everyone enjoyed. Cattch him on tour with Black Label Society from December through January.
With the crowd now at almost full capacity the walls of Irving Plaza were practically sweating with anticipation for Misfits to take the stage. As the lights went down and the crowd began to swell with excitement, Only and company came out kicking things off fittingly with “Halloween.” Crooning with a strong amplified voice, Only looked and sounded as vital as ever as they went into a list of Misfits classics such as “Hybrid Moments,” “Astro Zombies,” and “Some Kinda Hate.” Devoted to giving the fans a well-balanced set of not only classics, but newer generation tracks, the band played on with “Dark Shadows,” “Fiend Club,” and “Scream!” At rapid speed, with little for the crowd or band to catch their breath, the music kept coming with adrenaline pumping moments with “20 Eyes,” “Where Eagles Dare,” “Static Age,” and “She.” It was every Misfits’ fan dream come true and thankfully Only, Dez, Chupacabra, and Only’s son Jerry II on guitar, have the balls and stamina to pull it all off.
Taking time to engage the crowd in the few moments between the songs, Only thanked everyone for their support and proved as humble as ever. Rattling off more fan-favorites, “American Psycho,” “Dig Up Her Bones,” “Hatebreeders,” and “I Turned Into a Martian” had everyone’s hands in the air as they enthusiastically chanted along. The velocity did not slow down for a moment and the set continued to bounce all over the radar of the Misfits’ long career ranging from pieces like “Vampire Girl,” “Helena,” “The Devil’s Rain,” to “Die, Die My Darling,” and so much more. Only, clearly loving what he does, grinned in high spirits leading the fantastic celebration and concluded the 38-song set with newbie “Zombie Girl” and oldie “Hellhound.”
The Misifts put on a show that never seems to get old, no matter how many times one sees it. Their music is still as raw and blood pumping as ever and they are a cornerstone modern Punk Rock should cherish. Their 2014 touring in North America wraps up on December 7th before they conclude the year with dates in Mexico and Germany, so get a dose of the fun before it is too late.
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