Energy and exuberance is in evidence by the truckload from the moment that DO ME BAD THINGS burst into their first song. They strut and stomp, pose, pout and hurtle themselves around the stage – and believe you me, with nine of them up there, that’s not an easy thing to do!
And for the first couple of songs it kinda works. You’re sucked into the spectacle and dazed by the sheer ‘wow’ of it all. ‘Time For Deliverance’ , is an ensemble piece, laying out the template for all that’s to follow – heavy rock guitars - including fussy, overlong metal solos - pounding drums and theatrically presented vocals (from their 3 lead vocalists, Nicolai Prowse, Chantal Delusional and Mark 'The' Woods plus two additional backing singers). ‘What’s Hideous’ utilises all of the above but also showcases the fantastic singing voice of Chantal Delusional, a diva in the making, and DMBT’s real ace in the hole.
But by song three or four the first niggling doubt has already started picking away at the scabbed knee of my enjoyment. Namely, everything seems just a little too full on, too exuberant. Will we be offered a little subletly, can they inject a little soul into their soul, some groove to their blues, or can they rock with that crucial element of intense, simmering danger. Sadly the answer will have to be a resounding “no”.
As the set moves on there is no sense of build up, everything hits on the same level. And, because everything is so unrelenting, real opportunities are sadly missed particularly around the contribution made by Chantal. And I think I begin to see the problem. This is such an incongruous group of individuals, hell bent on making an impression with their own contribution – so much so that by somewhere around the middle of the set I’m willing to bet myself (and for a considerable sum of money!) that they were conceived and nurtured at music college - they each have that almost desperate need to ‘perform’, to impress and to shine out from the rest.
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Further evidence lies in the theatricality of it all, reminding me of rock operas – music to convey a script rather than feelings and emotions. Chantal, Mark and Nicolai look so much like they should be in different bands, and taking the stage at various times to take the lead singer role, merely helps to make them appear more as characters. (And when Chantal joins the other two girls to provide baking vocals the three together look like they should be in an episode of Grange Hill, you know the one, fifth form disco, school band, getting it together despite the band members differences….).
Of course there are plenty who enjoy, nay swear by the merits of rock theatre, The Rocky Horror Show for example – of which this at times bears an uncanny resemblance (particularly the involvement of bearded men wearing lipstick and eye-shadow).
They do however work hard – Nicolai, the bands ‘scissor sister’, must be exhausted from his 7(!!!) shirt changes – and yes, they do provide a definite spectacle and, there is a small hard-core of supporters present for whom they clearly can do no wrong. DMBT will undoubtedly have their 15 minutes and during that time will gather to them a few individuals who will remain loyal throughout their lifetimes claiming their lives to have been changed forever upon first contact. Realistically I can’t, and don’t think they should expect any more.
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