A fantastic night at K.K.s Steel Mill in the company of Wednesday 13, South Of Salem, Sick N’ Beautiful and Tarah Who? Four bands delivering exactly what it says on the tin.
Wednesday 13, South Of Salem, Sick N’ Beautiful and Tarah Who?
KK’s Steel Mill – 14 April 2023
Words and Photography: Andy Shaw
Tarah Who?
The evening kicked off with Tarah Who? Hailing from Los Angeles, the band’s lead singer, Tarah G. Carpenter, is their driving force for the power punk/grunge sound. They kicked off with Ghetto Love, and the set never lost momentum from this blistering start.
Their set was a collection of songs from across their eps and albums. Next was Asian Blood, followed by Toast To The Brave and R.A.D.I.O. both from their The Collaboration Project album.
Tarah’s voice is fantastic, and she was in full flow during Rainy Day and Showdown. KK’s was filling up and really appreciating what they were witnessing. The set ended with Numb Killer, a great start to the evening.
Sick N’ Beautiful
Next up were Sick N’ Beautiful, an alternative Metal rock group from Rome who arrived fully kitted out in post-industrial gothic costumes. They started with March Of The Scolopendra and Tonight We Go to War. Singer Herma was resplendent in an illuminated bright green top, with lights on her hands. Coupled with her blistering vocals, this made a real focal point for the band.
Next was a cover of the Kiss song God Of Thunder followed by Drop It To The B. The twin guitars of Lobo and Rev C2, together with Big Daddy Ray on bass were a spectacular sight in their various costumes and brilliant stage presence.
New Witch 666 was next, and drummer Evey introduced it. The short but sweet set ended with Makin’ Angels. Sick N’ Beautiful were as spectacular to listen to as to watch.
South Of Salem
Then it was time for South of Salem, a five-piece hard rock band from Bournemouth who have been pulling up some trees recently with a support slot on the W.A.S.P tour quickly followed by this support slot.
Their set was exclusively songs from their latest album – The Sinner Takes It All – starting with Let Us Prey, and immediately frontman Joey is in imperious form. There was a lot of love for the boys in KK’s tonight, and we loved seeing them.
Next were The Hate In Me and Made to Be Mine. We saw Kodi and Fish on guitars moving around the stage and really interacting with the crowd. The brilliant Pretty Little Nightmare was next, followed by No Plague Like Home, with proceedings finishing with Cold Day in Hell.
South Of Salem are a band we have seen a lot of recently, and I am sure we will see a lot more of them.
Wednesday 13
It was time for legendary Wednesday 13, who have had many labels over the years from horror punk to Glam Metal, but they are one amazing rock band make no mistake, with nods through the set to their inspiration, Alice Cooper.
There was a palpable air of excitement in the room as the lights went down, and Wednesday 13 came onto the stage in customary stage makeup. Kicking off with Blood Sucker from The Dixie Dead, then Scream Baby Scream from Skeletons, and the roof nearly came off KK’s Steel Mill.
The set was made up of songs from their latest album Horrifier through the Wednesday 13 back catalogue through to Murderdolls and some Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13. The crowd was singing along, and the band were in fine form. Then into Look What The Bats Dragged In, My Home Sweet Homicide, Get Your Grave On before the first new song, the fantastic Good Day To Be A Bad Guy.
Wednesday 13 asked, “How is Wolverhampton?” and were greeted with a massive cheer. From Here To The Hearse was followed by another new one – Insides Out. We were then treated to a brilliant drum solo from Mike Dupke with a big nod to The Exorcist before a tribute to the late Joey Jordison, and the place erupts as the Murderdolls classic Nowhere bursts to life.
The set ends with Die My Bride from the Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 days, and then I Walked With a Zombie. The crowd screamed for their return, and they were rewarded with a brilliant encore of What The Night Brings, Bad Things and the Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 classic – I Love To Say Fuck.
Wednesday 13 are turning into one of the must-see live bands around, and it’s easy to see why.