Peelander-Z often subtitles its handle with "Japanese action-comic punk band," a hyperactive phrase barely contained by the quotes that surround it. The trio perform in colorfully outlandish costumes -- looking like Power Ranger jesters, or Dr. Seuss' Thing One and Thing Two multiplied by three -- and they regularly upend their staccato, punk-like chant-alongs for bouts of human bowling or other high-adrenaline hilarity. During Peelander's summer 2005 tour, even the merch girl got into the act: Dressed in a pink onesie with a hood, she looked like what might happen if Hello Kitty designed ninja outfits.
This is all part of the Peelander-Z live experience, where fun and crowd participation are as important as the actual songs -- a bunch of Ramones-based romps triggered by exclamation points and good-natured yelling, with titles like "Sue! Sue! Sue!" and "Go Ape Go." But be warned -- if you don't feel like serving as a human bowling pin for an out-of-control Japanese guy in yellow spandex, stand in the back.
