Formed on the foundation of the Detroit underground punk scene in 2003, the Koffin Kats have been unleashing their brand of high energy psychobilly to the masses for almost two decades. After a revolving door of member changes since the band’s formation, the founding line-up of Vic Victor (stand up bass/vocals), Tommy Koffin (guitar/vocals), and Eric Walls (drums/vocals) reunited in 2016 to bring the Koffin Kats back to their roots. The seasoned road warriors have performed thousands of shows across the globe and have a discography that runs deep. Now that live music is making a comeback, it seems appropriate that the Kats are already on the prowl.
The Koffin Kats rolled into the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs last night as part of their current West Coast Tour. The Kats brought along The Dead End and Reno Divorce to warm up the crowd, both of which had stellar performances. The crowd was dancing and moshing as soon as the show kicked off. By the time the Koffin Kats graced the stage, the crowd grew exceptionally in size. Everyone from old school rockers to kids who just got out of school swarmed the front of the stage. The Koffin Kats set began with an intro that led into “Riding High” and “Graveyard Tree.” In true psychobilly fashion, the Koffin Kats left their hearts and souls on the Black Sheep stage. The energy levels were high and the tones were perfect.
There is something to be said about the sound last night at the Black Sheep. For a three piece band with just one guitar, a drummer, and a stand up bass, it sounded like there were 15 people on stage. The mix was exceptional. Every guitar note, every thump of the stand up bass, and every cymbal crash echoed perfectly off the walls of the Black Sheep. The Koffin Kats played a lengthy set of 20+ songs that spanned their psychobilly discography. Tommy and Vic traded instruments throughout parts of the set displaying their masterful musicianship. For a band that has been together for almost two decades, they have aged like fine wine.
The energy on stage flooded into the crowd. Studded vests, mohawks, and patched jackets slammed into one another in the mosh pit as the Koffin Kats stormed forward with “Maneater” and “The Bottle Called.” The set concluded with an abbreviated break in action followed by an encore of “Way Of The Road,” “KK Rock,” and “For Hire.” If you haven’t seen Koffin Kats live, don’t sleep on this tour, you won’t regret it! It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of swing, rock n’ roll, horror, or rockabilly, Koffin Kats have a little something for everyone.
– Corey Smith
