Despite premature reports of its demise, there's still plenty of fun to be had on the Sunset Strip. Those that long for the heady and decadent days of glam, glitter, sleaze and hair can find all of those things on a regular basis at the Whisky A Go Go, as well as the nearby Rainbow and Viper Room.
On Friday, March 15, it was the turn of the Peppermint Creeps to wow the Whisky faithful. Before that, the last of the many opening bands, San Diego's Foxy Roxx, successfully warmed up the baying throng. A glorious mass of shocking pink, latex and stars, this party rock troupe had some shining moments in the '90s, an antidote for some to grunge and plaid.
Songs such as "Who Killed MTV" ampex up the celebratory atmosphere in this most historic of venues and, by the time they exited the stage, the crowd was pumped.
Headliners the Peppermint Creeps took to the stage to the sound of an apocalyptic yet completely indecipherable voice telling us something dark and deep about the future. No matter, the intent was the important thing and the atmosphere was appropriately built.
"In a world of one-hit-wonders, Peppermint Creeps stand the test of time," reads their online bio. "Where most bands only last as long as they feel relevant, Peppermint Creeps march on as the 'hardest promoting band on the planet' doing it for the fans before anything else. Whether people care or not, Peppermint Creeps spread their message regardless of what critics and skeptics think."
All of those ingredients made for a heady brew at the Whisky. Like a cyberpunk take on Mad Max, the Creeps make a statement out of black and luminous pink and green. They look like mimes at a rave, and they make it work.
The songs are crushingly brilliant -- a potent blend of power-pop, glam rock and trash punk. Covers of songs by Hanoi Rocks ("Boulevard of Broken Dreams"), the Vapors ("Turning Japanese") and Ramones (the closing "Beat on the Brat" and "Blitzkrieg Bop," plus the punked-up theme to Spider-Man that the Ramones recorded), betray their influences, though those same bands are pretty clearly present in the Creeps sound.
This was the first time in a while that a band from the glam-esque world has invoked a circle pit at the Whisky, and that's to be admired. Besides those covers, highlights included "Lesbian," "Fuck Off and Die," and "Pop Culture." All of them feature sugary-sweet, infectious melodies, super-cynical lyrics and anthemic choruses, and that all made for a great Friday night.
