Koffin Kats Thanksgiving Eve Bash 2024.
The Jasons - All photos courtesy of Paul Holstein
The annual Koffin Kats show is always an event. Last year they dressed like dinosaurs, the year before they were sea creatures. This year it was Masters of the Universe. There was a diverse line-up this year, starting with The Boreouts (punk/garage/soul/surf), The Jasons (Ramonescore), SNAFU (hardcore/thrash), and ending with The Koffin Kats (psychobilly). Somehow it really worked. There was far more moshing than expected, and even crowd surfing at one point. The merch tables looked like they were doing well, and I snagged a copy of the brand new Koffin Kats CD "Higher Lows" (along with a bad-ass trucker hat, T-shirt, and handful of stickers).
The Boreouts were also getting into the spirit with a French theme, wearing all black with berets and poking fun at the French language. They were mispronouncing words and using them wrong, but all in fun. Jay Navarro is of course also the front man for The Suicide Machines, Break Anchor, J. Navarro and The Traitors, and Hellmouth, and seemed to be having a blast starting off the show instead of headlining. They finished off their set with a great cover of Devo's "Unconvertible Urge."
The Jasons
I was really looking forward to The Jasons (probably more than any other band in the line-up) after seeing them previously on tour with The Dwarves/The Queers. I love their satanic imagery, Ramones-style songs, and demented humor. They were all dressed as Jason Voorheis (from Friday the 13th), but unlike the other bands, it wasn't for this particular event; it was the norm. I'm not sure that I would recognize any of these guys without their masks; I've never seen any of them without them. Earlier this year, they released a single, "Satan Sells,” which was the highlight for me along with their final song, "I Wanna Be An Asshole." Props to the drummer Jason Hell for wearing a Gauze T-shirt (a classic Japanese hardcore band). I was also able to pick up a sticker pack from their merch booth that will be a guide to telling them apart by their masks.
SNAFU
Local hardcore/thrash band SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fucked Up) was up next. If you missed this show, they are also going to be part of The Sanctuary 10 Year Anniversary weekend coming up, as well as Detroit's annual Black Christmas festival (also with The Koffin Kats). They have been around for at least 15 years, and lately they have been a staple of the scene, playing local shows (and also supporting Hellmouth for their recent reunion shows). They really rip, and this is where the mosh pit saw the most action of the night. I'm blasting "Eyes of Your God" as I write this up. Kudos for having some great stickers at the merch booth and giving them out for free.
Catch round two of The Koffin Kats and SNAFU in Detroit at The Majestic Complex 12/28/2024 (Black Christmas Festival).
The Koffin Kats (dressed as characters from Masters Of The Universe).
For the first time of the night, the curtains closed so that The Koffin Kats could set up their stage and build anticipation as to the theme that they would have this year. The curtains opened to massive applause and laughter as the band were dressed as characters from Masters of the Universe, and they ripped right into a set of their classics. They included a cover of Hall & Oates "Maneater" that has been a staple of their live sets and their usual antics (many of which involve slinging the stand-up bass around like it's a toy). The guitar players switched instruments midway through the set, there were multiple wardrobe failures, and they called out merch guy Joey Drinktickets as the fourth member of the band. They finished with some of their best songs, "The Bottle Called" and "Way Of The Road." I was able to snag a guitar pick, and the band came out and hung with the audience for a long time after the set (my wife was wearing a The Drowns shirt, which they noticed and complimented her on). Catch The Koffin Kats in January of 2025 on tour with The Rumors and Lightnin' Luke (from The Bridge City Sinners) and then in February of 2025 with The Drowns and The Lower Class Brats. And watch for my upcoming review of their brand new CD (released at this show for the first time) "Higher Lows."
