Misfits American Nightmare

Take a minute to reflect on your high school years: the first-times, the minor triumphs, and the major disappointments.  As a definitive path, reflection affords most people the opportunity to step back, evaluate and grow from that contemplation.

As for the Misfits and their 30-odd years of horror punk provocation, well, there hasn't been one iota of reflection in their entire act. They're still the demonoids from your nightmares that come onto stage with nothing but contempt for you and everything you stand for "” and we all love to watch it.

I'm sure it was a whole different ballgame when Danzig was still the frontman, pushing that B-Horror movie motif to the extreme and back. But Jerry Only (the original bassist, now frontman) still keeps the energy alive and the terror in check as he powered his way through the set list of original classics and brand new material at The Howard Theatre in D.C. Viewing them shred like I once remembered brought me back to my dyed blue-black hair, no-esteem for anything days. Which is strange. Because having reflected on who I was, and where I am today (I gently bowed out of the stink arena known as the mosh pit) "” it hasn't gone that far awry.

Which I can say with all certainty is the same with Misfits. Sure, they've had their first-times, their triumphs, and their disappointments. Even with a shift in band members, the brand is the same one (extravagant set pieces, blistering volumes, solid tunes) we've all come to know and love. And that reflection is crystal clear.