Show Review: Perfect Pussy with Davidians and Whatever Brains

Perfect Pussy at Kings Barcade

I am constantly surprised by the Raleigh hardcore scene which may indicate that I am not as familiar with it as I believe myself to be. This was clear to me on Thursday night's show when Davidians broke out into their set. Davidians is comprised of some former members of Double Negative, a band that really defined the hardcore scene in Raleigh.

The band is pretty much defunct as of 2012 but luckily for die-hard Double Negative fans, Davidians holds the future. When they stepped up on the stage to play their set, you could feel a surge in the crowd. They played a solid hardcore set (although I am not the greatest judge of that...) that was energetic and lively. The whole crowd seemed to sway in unison to their scuzzy guitars and frenetic rhythms.

Whatever Brains at Kings Barcade

Up next were my absolute favorites, Whatever Brains. I always forget just how talented these dudes are but every time I see them play, I am totally blown away.  As they walked out they requested the lights to be turned off and they begin weaving their magic with a gradual build up of noise. Whatever Brains manages to create this incredible wall of sound but each sound is very distinct and they constantly build on to this wall of sound with new sounds. If I totally lost you here, they are basically very talented musicians that manage to create a brand of punk-rock that is totally unique, implementing a slew of synths along with traditional punk-rock instrumentation. This show did not disappoint.


Finally, the infamous Perfect Pussy took the stage. This blog post comes so late because I had to really meditate on what I thought of this show. The band looked like very nice people but when they started playing, the only thing that was audible was their synth-noise-making machine. I came in knowing from their EP that the vocals would be indecipherable however I did not expect to hear nothing at all. All that said, the band was lively and their stage presence was really intense and I could tell they were super into it. Overall, I got the hardcore show experience but I would've loved to hear more of the female fronted vocals.

Show Preview: Perfect Pussy w/ Whatever Brains & Davidians

Perfect Pussy will perform at Kings Barcade in Raleigh
on Thurday, January 7 with Whatever Brains & Davidians

Well the holidays are finally over, school is starting again and I suppose its time to stop having fun….or not. Thursday’s show at Kings will keep your energy high and your feelings on edge, if you will even be able to hear what Perfect Pussy’s Meredith Graves has to say.  Don’t be offended by the vulgar band name because Graves’ lyrics speak honestly and passionately personal experiences under a wave of jarring noise from her band members’ instruments.

The openers for this show are Davidians and Whatever Brains. Davidians remain anonymous in the Internet sphere and perhaps rightfully so, preferring a different route than most blog-famous bands. The next band is a solid staple within the hardcore/punk scene in Raleigh and one of my favorite local bands, Whatever Brains. With a brand new record on Sorry State Records, released just last year, Whatever Brains has critical acclaim across the country. They have a unique sound that is composed genre-bending noise and a nonchalant attitude about their success.

Last of all is the best of all, the new buzzband in the hardcore scene, Perfect Pussy. Hauling all the way from Syracuse, New York, this band had humble and hilarious beginnings. Posing as a fake band for an indie movie to recording a short EP, Perfect Pussy has become one of the most talked about bands in the blogosphere. As a band thats already been reviewed by Rolling Stone, they don't have more than four songs on bandcamd but the songs are easily some of the best hardcore songs I've heard in a while. Maybe its because I'm a girl, but when a girl screams in a hardcore band, with poetic lyrics nonetheless, its hard to resist.

Doors open at 8:30 and the show begins at 9:00. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased online at Kings' website.