As my hands furiously unwrapped the the anxiously awaited new album from the King Khan & BBQ Show, it was obviously hard to contain the excitement. As if I really needed another helping of their signature howling-wild caveman thump 'n bump sound, it's always best to indulge in the good stuff while you still can, right? This marvelously primitive two-man party-machine has roots that run deep in the Montreal underworld of Spaceshits and Sexareenos, and yet this, their newest configuration, seems to top them all. Globetrotting across North and South America as well as Europe has honed their brilliant sound to a fine edge, and has only bolstered their reputation for getting even the most reserved and milquetoasted audiences to fall to their knees in awe of the pure soul of real rock'n roll on display before them. At their full power, all your worries will quickly melt away, and getting lost in their seductively irresistible sounds of audio salvation is easy once it gets inside your head. Scientists have a term for this phenomenon: total euphoria, and it's as real as it gets here, folks. I'm sure you've heard those intellectuals rambling about how if everyone in China all sat down in their chairs at the same time, it would cause a massive tidal wave that would cover North America. Well, let's just hope the Chinese never get ahold of this new King Khan & BBQ Show album as all that ass-shaking would surely send us straight to the bottom of the sea.
With the power to surely heal the sick and raise the dead, and BBQ's untouchably beautiful crooning blasted with Khan's Chuck Berry'd hog-wild guitar, it's no wonder they're touted as the most unrestrained and riotous party band on earth. And conversely, their ability to master the long-lost and lonely doo-wop, Don & Dewey'd bop shoo-wop sounds still can't cover up their ingenious raw punk sneer lurking under their unmitigated ass-shaking anthems. Their follow up album, What's For Dinner? and their first for In The Red, is everything I'd hoped it would be. Interspersed with spine-tingling ballads so real, simple and pure, it's easy to feel their instant appeal on all your senses at once. The way they cover the bases so well (even paying homage to the Circle Jerks' "Operation") with real talent that's not just some stroke of dumb luck, it's no doubt that their presence is only going to get exponentially bigger as excited reports of their records and shows flood in from every direction. What's For Dinner? never lets up from one chicken-fried hit after another, and their incredible range effortlessly sways from one emotion to the next with the deranged dexterity and sloppy precision that always brings a smile to your soul. If there's going to be one boundary-breaking album this year, it's gonna be this one right here and the world is definitely going to be a better place with it's sounds echoing throughout it. Check out some new songs HERE and order the brand new LP or CD HERE or pick it up from the band on tour.
Check out Canderson's video for "Pig Pig" live at Gonerfest 2005...
and catch them on tour with the Detroit Cobras:
Sep 30 2006 Saints Montreal
Oct 2 2006 Silver Dollar Toronto
Oct 3 2006 Kraftbrau Kalamazoo
Oct 4 2006 Annex Madison, WI
Oct 5 2006 Mad Planet Milwaukee
Oct 6 2006 Radio Radio Indianapolis, IN
Oct 7 2006 Abbey Chicago, IL
Oct 8 2006 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN
Oct 9 2006 Aquarium Fargo, MN
Oct 11 2006 Pyramid Winnipeg, MAN
Oct 12 2006 Distrikt Regina, SAS
Oct 13 2006 Starlite Edmonton, ALB
Oct 14 2006 Liberty Lounge Calgary, ALB
Oct 16 2006 Richards Vancouver, BC
Oct 17 2006 Neumos Seattle, WA
Oct 18 2006 Sabalas Portland, OR
Oct 20 2006 Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA
Oct 21 2006 Key Club Los Angeles, CA
Oct 22 2006 Casbah San Diego, CA
Oct 23 2006 Galaxy Theater Santa Ana, CA
Oct 25 2006 Bluebird Denver, CO
Oct 26 2006 Record Bar Kansas City, MO
Oct 27 2006 Gypsy Tea Room Dallas, TX
Oct 28 2006 Emos Austin, TX
Oct 29 2006 Rudyards Houston, TX
Oct 31 2006 HOB/Parish New Orleans, LA
Nov 1 2006 Young Ave. Deli Memphis, TN
Nov 2 2006 Exit Inn Nashville, TN
Nov 3 2006 The Nick Birmingham, AL
Nov 4 2006 Smiths Old Bar & Meat Market Atlanta, GA
Nov 6 2006 Orpheum Tampa Bay, FL
Nov 7 2006 Studio A Miami, FL
Nov 8 2006 Social Orlando, FL
Nov 11 2006 Map Room Charleston, SC
Nov 11 2006 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
Nov 12 2006 Black Cat Washington, DC
Nov 13 2006 Khyber Philadelphia, PA
Nov 14 2006 Mercury Lounge New York, NY
Nov 15 2006 Southpaw Brooklyn, NY
Nov 17 2006 TBD Providence, RI
Nov 18 2006 TT and the bears Boston, MA
Nov 19 2006 Saints Montreal, QUE
Nov 20 2006 Barrymore's Ottawa, ONT
Nov 21 2006 Lee's Palace Toronto, ONT
