Live Report:
Powerman 5000 Charges Up Austin Crowd
by Darren CowanCo-Publisher
www.louderthanhell.net
Powerman 5000
Dirty Dog Bar
Austin, Texas
4-28-13
Photography by Kim Stock
“It’s about to get 1990s up in here,” said one fan right before Powerman 5000 took the stage. Some people may not have heard Powerman 5000 since that time. This time period was certainly the group’s zenith. Their 1999 opus Tonight the Stars Revolt! Sold over million copies and featured such hits as “Supernova Goes Pop” and “When Worlds Collide.” In fact, ’99 and ’00 marked the peak of the ‘90s most popular metal style, nu metal.
Even though Powerman 5000 released four albums in the last decade, upon seeing the show’s flyer, many were surprised the group is still active. Spider and his web of musicians are still active and were actually on this tour to promote an upcoming album. The night’s performance included a sneak peak of this coming album, but before their fans received this treat, local heroes Powderburn lit up the stage.
While Powerman 5000 contains a ‘90s musical identity, Powderburn possesses more of a contemporary sound. Their modern metal sound is full of groove and pummeling metalcore passages, but the band pays homage to classic metal and thrash. The group really igniated during a medly of Billy Idol covers, standing on tables in front of the stage. (Ironically, just the day before the show, one Facebook fan remarked on how close Spider of Powerman 5000 resembles Billy Idol.) The crowd let loose a tremendous uproar of approval after watching the band’s guitarists trade off leads while standing on the bar. It’s not clear if this was planned or they just walked through the crowd to grab a shot (which they did on top of the bar); but they elicited a tremendous result.
A dark stage was illuminated only by Powerman’s backdrop that encompassed the entire back wall. The group entered Dirty Dog’s low-lit hall from the side of the stage. Dressed in form-fitting, heavy, astronaut clothing the band played an hour-and-a-quarter of body-moving hard rock that conjured images normally seen in a planetarium. Their bassist helped realize the late ‘70s and early ‘80s science fiction aura through playing a bass with a neck lit up like a light saber.
On the 8th anniversary of Dirty Dog bar, Spider moved the crowd with his distinct point-finger-move-hip type of swagger. Much like his brother, Rob Zombie, Spider’s on-stage swagger is something distinct and eye-capturing. The band’s newest, unreleased track “How to Be a Human” has a cybernetic groove consistent with the danceable rhythms that brought in so many women to this metal show. Songs such as this and “Horror Show” contained excellent solos to broke up pogo hopping and hip thrusting. “City of the Dead” was a heavy, thrashy tune that emphasized head banging over head bobbing. “Super Villain” got fists pumping as did “Super Nova.” The group left the stage and returned for a three-song encore, culminated by; you guessed it, “World’s Collide.”
With over 20 years in the game, Powerman 5000 didn’t show any wear and tear. Spider still possesses a great stage presence. His only problem was with the microphone that kept cutting out. While The show’s Sunday placement unquestionably kept a few fans at home, the turnout was not too bad considering Powerman’s status is relatively unknown these days.
Powerman 5000 Set List
Show Me What You've Got
Nobody's Real
Stars Revolt
Automatic
How to Be a Human
Action
Free
Super Villain
V is for Vampire
City of the Dead
Horror Show
Bombshell
Supernova Goes Pop
They Know Who You Are
When Worlds Collide
Dirty Dog Bar
Austin, Texas
4-28-13
Photography by Kim Stock
“It’s about to get 1990s up in here,” said one fan right before Powerman 5000 took the stage. Some people may not have heard Powerman 5000 since that time. This time period was certainly the group’s zenith. Their 1999 opus Tonight the Stars Revolt! Sold over million copies and featured such hits as “Supernova Goes Pop” and “When Worlds Collide.” In fact, ’99 and ’00 marked the peak of the ‘90s most popular metal style, nu metal.
Even though Powerman 5000 released four albums in the last decade, upon seeing the show’s flyer, many were surprised the group is still active. Spider and his web of musicians are still active and were actually on this tour to promote an upcoming album. The night’s performance included a sneak peak of this coming album, but before their fans received this treat, local heroes Powderburn lit up the stage.
While Powerman 5000 contains a ‘90s musical identity, Powderburn possesses more of a contemporary sound. Their modern metal sound is full of groove and pummeling metalcore passages, but the band pays homage to classic metal and thrash. The group really igniated during a medly of Billy Idol covers, standing on tables in front of the stage. (Ironically, just the day before the show, one Facebook fan remarked on how close Spider of Powerman 5000 resembles Billy Idol.) The crowd let loose a tremendous uproar of approval after watching the band’s guitarists trade off leads while standing on the bar. It’s not clear if this was planned or they just walked through the crowd to grab a shot (which they did on top of the bar); but they elicited a tremendous result.
A dark stage was illuminated only by Powerman’s backdrop that encompassed the entire back wall. The group entered Dirty Dog’s low-lit hall from the side of the stage. Dressed in form-fitting, heavy, astronaut clothing the band played an hour-and-a-quarter of body-moving hard rock that conjured images normally seen in a planetarium. Their bassist helped realize the late ‘70s and early ‘80s science fiction aura through playing a bass with a neck lit up like a light saber.
On the 8th anniversary of Dirty Dog bar, Spider moved the crowd with his distinct point-finger-move-hip type of swagger. Much like his brother, Rob Zombie, Spider’s on-stage swagger is something distinct and eye-capturing. The band’s newest, unreleased track “How to Be a Human” has a cybernetic groove consistent with the danceable rhythms that brought in so many women to this metal show. Songs such as this and “Horror Show” contained excellent solos to broke up pogo hopping and hip thrusting. “City of the Dead” was a heavy, thrashy tune that emphasized head banging over head bobbing. “Super Villain” got fists pumping as did “Super Nova.” The group left the stage and returned for a three-song encore, culminated by; you guessed it, “World’s Collide.”
With over 20 years in the game, Powerman 5000 didn’t show any wear and tear. Spider still possesses a great stage presence. His only problem was with the microphone that kept cutting out. While The show’s Sunday placement unquestionably kept a few fans at home, the turnout was not too bad considering Powerman’s status is relatively unknown these days.
Powerman 5000 Set List
Show Me What You've Got
Nobody's Real
Stars Revolt
Automatic
How to Be a Human
Action
Free
Super Villain
V is for Vampire
City of the Dead
Horror Show
Bombshell
Supernova Goes Pop
They Know Who You Are
When Worlds Collide
