If you want to see one of the best live acts of your life, and hear some of the most inventive, wild surf rock to ever hit the bandstand AND experience strung out, high energy band dynamics all in one act, you absolutely must MUST go see Daikaiju. These are doctor's orders, make no mistake, watching the drummer light his cymbals on fire in the rain and continue to thrash on them throughout is good for your vitals.
Daikaiju makes melodic surf rock with enough twists to keep them out of the classic confines of genre. The band offers songs with distinctly stoner metal stylings mixed in with some good ole fashioned punk rock percussion, which miraculously results in a hallucinatory recreation of the sounds of riding the waves in the California sun.
On stage, this brazen approach to sound is translated into frenetic pantomime. The performers are all clad in Japanese masks and execute the whole show wordlessly. This includes various stunts such as, but not limited to
1. Gradually replacing all the members of the band with audience members, then sneaking away to drink water
2. Having audience members hold up the entire drum kit above their heads while the drummer played several songs with his head pushed completely against the ceiling
3. Lighting shit on fire
Lucky for envious souls at home and this freshly minted live show fanatic, Daikaiju seem to be on permanent tour.
If you want spoilers, this recording of them doing their thing gives a pretty good rundown of the act.
Previously: The Main Squeeze and the criminally underappreciated talent of local and cover bands
