The Newdicals

OK, I’m really not entirely sure what I walked into here. On Wednesday night, I was permitted access to this year’s Big Show headliners the Newdicals. This is generally a fun-loving bunch of people, every single one of them genuinely a credit to this music scene, not just for their music, but for their general fun-to-hang-out-withness. But this shit was just weird. Four grown men were dressed in overlarge versions of little kids Halloween costumes, and the ONE person present that I expect that sort of thing from was in her civvies. Look, it’s one thing if they’re going to perform in costume — it's awesome, actually — but rehearsing in costume? Almost a month before the show? Isn’t that a wee bit obsessive? Creepy? Odd? Legally-compelled-to-stay-5000-feet-away-from-schoolsish? Then they started playing a sparse, twisty psych-rock punctuated with melodica and toy percussion. Frankly, they conjured a cultish vibe that recalled electrified versions of some of the more unhinged moments of those David Koresh recordings. I got the fuck out of there.

Vitals:
League organizer/BLKTYGR/Fuzzhead’s Michael Pultz: guitar, fried egg suit
This Is Exploding’s Joshua Jesty: Drums, fox costume (never would have pegged him for a furry)
JJ Magazine/Sammy Slims’ Zach Starnik: Israeli flag maracas, hot dog suit
Afternoon Naps/Picklefight’s Leia Alligator: melodica, civilian garb
9 Volt Haunted House/Frass Accolades’ Craig Chojnicki: electronics, oddly familiar pickle suit