Lunatic's Serenade
EVIL SCARECROW
Electric Ballroom, London UK
June 2016
Photos: David Bronstein
Given that this show in London, England was only Evil Scarecrow’s sixth show in the past year, it’s a surprise just how tight this band from Nottingham is. Each time you see them they seem to put on a better performance than the last and at the infamous Electric Ballroom venue in the heart of Camden the band deliver the goods again.
This show was part of Camden Rocks which sees up to 200 bands divulge into a few square miles playing in 20 different venues over one day. Evil Scarecrow has found themselves at the Ballroom, the largest venue on the site and the room is filled to the rafters. Those in the know already have smiles plastered to their faces; the newbies are in for a surprise. You see with Evil Scarecrow you’re always guaranteed more than just a straight forward rock n’ roll show.
Lead singer and guitarist Dr Hell looks like a cross between comedian Frankie Howerd in Up Pompei and The Statue of Liberty, an absolute ball of energy he is the first person from any band today to rally the crowd who sway and jump to Evil Scarecrow’s tunes.
Brother Pain is everywhere, one moment pulling the very best guitar poses (think 80s hair metal bands) the next jumping into the crowd because, well he felt like it. Kraven Morrdeth on bass looks like he’s 11 feet tall; at one point he runs into the crowd locomotion style and everyone follows suit creating a chain-link, again because they feel like it. Princess Luxury and maybe it’s just the name but you can’t help feeling she’s just stepped out of the video game Super Mario Kart, she does of course look like a Princess and plays the keyboards to devastating effect. Wrapping up the band is Monty Blitzfist the closest sounding real name of Evil Scarecrow on drums.
Evil Scarecrow does the rarest of things, they involve the crowd in their gig and they are also self-depreciating. So when lead singer Dr Hell exclaims that “that they are actually pretty shit”, it’s received with a huge roar given just how good this band are.
“You see with Evil Scarecrow you’re always guaranteed more than just a straight forward rock n’ roll show.”
The surprises on stage don’t end there when a robot with an alien head attached is brought onto stage to dance along to “Robototron”; it is treated as though it was a pet. The fun continues when the Ballroom is thrown back to its 1930’s heyday when the band gets fans to sway back and forth during “Dance of the Cyclops”. “Crabulon” has everyone scuttling from right to left and left to right, and you have to give yourself a pat on the back if you can make adults act like crabs, right?
When the show is over it’s interesting to see the positive mood which has been generated throughout the crowd. Evil Scarecrow ‘bring’ it each time and this sunny London day in June is no different. Their next stop will be at the famed festival Bloodstock in England this August. If you can, catch them and remember it’s okay to scuttle.
David Bronstein, HMS
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