Bobby Steele / The Undead 10-9-09 (Show Review)

It has almost been thirty years since Bobby Steele left the now famous punk band the Misfits. Like him or not, he is arguably one of the best guitarist the punk world has seen. If you need evidence of this, simply take a listen to the Misfits Horror Business 7" EP. Want further evidence? Check out The Undead's, Dawn of the Undead. Track after track, Steele cuts a melodic warpath through the punk pantheon.

All to often in the music world people get caught up in the flavor of the month. The new hot band. The next big act. The next MTV sponsored face for teen rebellion. Steele is proof that the underground still houses tremendous talent and is the true domain of the punk moniker. He has distanced himself from the punk mainstream, all the while illustrating that punk has in many ways become a parody of itself.

Liking underground music does not mean listening to Green Day in your mother's basement...Bobby Steele and The Undead displayed this in their most recent show at The Record Collector in Bordentown, NJ. This show was part of the Living Room Concert Series, which presents bands in an intimate setting. It was in fact like watching The Undead perform right in your living own room. The smaller space and the ambiance of the setting made this a one of a kind show.

I have been a fan of The Undead since I heard their debut EP release Nine Toes Later. So, if you could not tell by now this post is probably going to read somewhat biased. I'm ok with that. I wanted to see Bobby do well and spit in the faces of his critics. I wanted to see this great band put aside the ghosts of their past and play a hell of a show. I was not disappointed.

The Undead's current line up consists of Bobby Steele on guitar and vocals, Hitomi (Statues of Liberty) and (High Teen Boogie) on drums and Hiromu (The Modern Kicks) on bass. I was particularly impressed with the bands energy level. Even in a small venue they were able to transmit all the power that is The Undead.

The show was somewhat of a musical time line for The Undead. The set blended the old, new and even some of Steele's solo work. They played the Misfits classics Bullet and RATTFINK. But, what I found to be the most heartfelt song was the title track off The Undead's newest release I Made a Monster. Take a listen to the song on The Undead's MySpace page to get a first hand take on what I mean.

Bobby then slowed things down and performed several of his solo works. The highlight of which was an incredible rendition of Roy Orbison's Only the Lonely. It was not until I heard these songs live that I realized the depth and magnitude of Steele's voice. Never Say Die Bobby Steele and The Undead!

Check out and support Bobby Steele / The Undead:

The Undead
MySpace
See Bobby Steele @ the Chiller Theater Expo