BrightestYoungThings: Live DC: King Khan & BBQ Show @ The Hotel

all words: Andy Hess
all photos: Sam Goldstein

The tales that people have told about King Khan & BBQ Show's live act are true. They're raucous, wild events with special guests, ridiculous costumes and a lot of wasted beer.

The Canadian duo has a penchant for kicking out garage-soul jams that can be found in most of Khan's projects (King Khan & The Shrines, The Almighty Defenders), but you wouldn't hear "Land Of The Freak" or "Welfare Bread" at this show.

04-November 03, 2009-2

With BBQ Show you'll get bare bones rock and roll. It's two men with the occasional appearance from a third member Leo Chips -- who was dressed like a ringmaster, opened the set apologizing for the fact that King Khan & BBQ Show would not be able to make it tonight and instead entertained the audience with a few cigarette jokes. He would make his appearance again towards the end of the set to help close out the show.

Khan and BBQ Show eventually made it on stage complete with costumes. Khan in a glittered out velour dress and BBQ with a red turbin and robe opened up the show with the highly appropriate "Animal Party" (complete with animal noises) and the place went nuts. King Khan & BBQ Show didn't let up for the rest of the night playing an hour-plus set of tunes from their previous work as well as their newest album Invisble Girl that was released Tuesday. Highlights from the set include "Fish Fight", a cover of Johnny Thunder's "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory" and the much requested "Tastebuds".

03-November 03, 2009-2

During "Love You So" drummer/guitarist Mark Sultan accosted the crowd yelling, "Clap your hands, this isn't a fucking funeral! Although you could clap your hands at a funeral, if you want."

At this point there was no need for demands as the crowd was enthusiastically into their set that statements demanding for audience participation were not needed. They were in it from the beginning.

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