Melted Men

Melted Men came correct last Thursday at Pilot Light. Not quite as bizzaro as their first trip through, they still managed to confuse, amuse and abuse the crowd that had assembled. Beginning with five minutes of strobe lights, their first leap into the audience coincided with Gutlocker’s Carly Dorsey walking toward the stage. She apparently wasn’t feeling well that night, and when one of the MM came running toward her she turned and hightailed it out of there, running the gauntlet between the bar and tables while a masked MM pursued. The strobe-light effect reminded me of that scene in Twilight Zone the Movie when the creepy all-powerful kid sent a creature down a hallway after one of his family members. I was stone cold sober and it still looked whacked-out.

Hard to top such a strong opener, but African rhythms and masks, hot dog fingers, ungodly loud car horns, a giant pinata monster and a chain saw followed, accompanied by a barrage of live and electronic percussion, plunderphonics and other audio mayhem. When it was all over, the place was trashed, chainsaw exhaust filled the air and (most) everyone was grinning like fools.

I’ve never seen a band load out so much equipment, and considering there was a costume change and props for practically every song, those trunks and cases must have been packed. I don’t know how much those guys made — there probably weren’t 25 paying patrons there — but it couldn’t have been much. I’m amazed and surprised they manage to haul around so much stuff and load it in and out night after night, while probably barely breaking even. (I know there’s no money in most any DIY band touring these days, but neither are most bands responsible for so much equipment.)

It was endearing to look over and see local band the Nimoids and their friends doubled over in laughter throughout muchof the show. They played a great set, as usual. I hadn’t heard them in a while, and I was amazed all over again how accomplished these kids are.