Halloween might have come and gone for another year but for everyone at KK’s Steel Mill tonight for Wednesday 13, Spooky Season is still in full swing. Gothic outfits, jet black hair (for those who still have any) and corpse make-up is the order of the evening and the coffins that sit on either side of the stage for the opening act South of Salem add the finishing touch before the band even make their entrance.

And when the lights do eventually go down, the crowd respond with an enthusiasm and energy not usually seen for support acts. The Bournemouth crew are fast becoming a regular attraction at KK”s and the amount of raised fists and devil horns vastly outnumber the punters with their arms folded or stood at the back with a pint.

Kicking off with “Let Us Prey,” the band tear into “Jet Black Eyes,” “Made to Be Mine,” “Hellbound Heart,” and “Static,” the best reactions coming for “Vultures,” “Death of the Party,” and “Left for Dead” (complete with affable and engaging singer Joey Draper waving a chequered flag) before fan favourite “Cold Day in Hell” closes the show in style. Improving and gaining confidence all the time, it”s surely only a matter of time until South of Salem take the next big step up. 

Celebrating his previous band by playing a completely Murderdolls-oriented set on this current tour, horror punk legend Wednesday 13 is in fine form this evening, a sneering, lip-curling ball of high-kicking energy who stops the show every now and again with stories about the history of the band, previous visits to the UK, and some fun trips down memory lane.

In no doubt as to how they got their break, 13 amusingly notes how the general reaction to Murderdolls was basically, “Okay, let”s go check out this Slipknot side project”, despite many of their songs having already been released by another band previous to those. So yes, at least in part, tonight was essentially Wednesday 13 covering songs by Murderdolls written for Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 (Roadrunner Records).

Forgetting all the stories, the reminiscing, and observations about British words and phrases (“To Let”, “shite”, “aluminium” and “the dog”s bollocks” causing much consternation for the American frontman), the self-appointed Duke of Spook was here to rock the hell out of Wolverhampton and did so with minimum fuss and maximum use of the word “fuck”.

Desperate to hear your favourite track? No worries. With a set list containing no less than nineteen songs from both studio albums, unless you prefer the more obscure, deeper cuts then you were always going to go home with a big, cheesy grin. “19766,” “Slit My Wrist,” “Love at First Fright,” “People Hate Me,” “Graverobbing USA,” and “Die My Bride” represent the band’s debut while “Chapel of Blood,” “Death Valley Superstars,” “Motherfucker, I Don”t Care”, “My Dark Place Alone,” “Blood Stained Valentine,” and “Summertime Suicide” are among those featured on their 2010 follow-up.

With an encore consisting of a cover of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding”, the lengthy swear-along of “I Love to Say Fuck” and the absolute beast of “Dead in Hollywood,” the night ends on another ridiculous high, the crowd campily dancing their way out to the sound of Bee Gees’ “Staying Alive” playing over the house PA.

Reduced by one member (guitarist Roman Surman having to sit out the tour while he, rather ironically, relocates to the UK) and with DevilDriver’s Davier Pérez filling in on drums, guitarist Jack Tankersley and bassist Troy Doebbler both bring stability to the show as well as possessing the unerring knack of managing how to avoid bumping into their hyperactive leader. Hit after hit, classic after classic, Wednesday on a Sunday has been a night to remember.

Wednesday 13 Set List:
Chapel of Blood
Death Valley Superstars
197666
Slit My Wrist
Love at First Fright
Motherfucker, I Don’t Care
My Dark Place Alone
Bloodstained Valentine
Pieces of You
Graverobbing USA
Die My Bride
Summertime Suicide
People Hate Me
Welcome to the Strange
Rock and Roll is All I Got
Nowhere

Encore:
White Wedding
I Love to Say Fuck
Dead in Hollywood

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GARY ALCOCK
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