The Falcon   |   Volume 81, Issue 26

Published 6/02/10   |   Log In

'Foxy' band brings attitude

Eric Nally of Foxy Shazam sings lead vocals while opening for The Sounds last Tuesday Night at the Showbox on Market.
Photo credit: SCOTT STRANNIGAN/The Falcon.

Rock group gives lively show

By DUSTY HENRY, Features Editor

Published: November 4, 2009

It's been a long time since the rock stage has seen the genuine energy from performers such as Iggy Pop and The Stooges or The Clash, which has led to the popular criticism amongst fans that "punk is dead."

But Foxy Shazam, a band from Cincinnati, Ohio, took steps in proving the critics wrong on Oct. 27.

With his pigtails flowing behind him, front man Eric Nally walked on stage and up to the microphone, prefacing the performance with three comments. Number one: He had just found out the band's guitarist Loren Turner is distantly related to Pocahontas. Number two: Their performance was going to be dedicated to the movie "Blood Sport." Number three: If he had a magic genie, all three of his wishes would be for this to be a great show.

"If Foxy Shazam was an animal, we would be the ones most likely to bite your head off without even thinking about it," Nally screamed as the first song of the evening pulsed through the speakers.

Outside of the performance, Foxy Shazam's bass player, who goes by the name Daisy, said that Foxy Shazam is a cross between a rhinoceros and a peacock: beautiful and aggressive.

Foxy Shazam, who have been on tour for the past month with dance-pop-punk group The Sounds, channels the spirits of the godfathers of punk and classic rock with a contemporary twist. The band sounds like what might come out of an improbable, underground side project of Freddy Mercury and Modest Mouse rearranging rockabilly songs by Buddy Holly with punk staples by The Sex Pistols.

They cite some of their influences as pop-punk legends Green Day and Weezer as well as classic rock troubadours Elton John, Tom Waits and Tom Petty. Sky White, the pianist, also cites jazz and old rock 'n' roll influences such as Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King.

Often, rock shows are referred to as "full of high energy" or "intense performances," but Foxy Shazam makes these phrases seem too passive. The basic requirements for a standard rock show were met, throwing microphones and jumping around, but the band went leaps beyond.

White said audiences can expect head-banging, karate kicks and a decent amount of pain at their shows. Nally added that they try to keep high energy and morale with each other on stage. The two gentlemen are true to their descriptions.

Turner ran around the stage with his guitar balanced atop his head. At one point, White straddled the piano as he smashed the keys down with his hands and feet. Horn player Alex Nauth twirled his trumpet around and threw it in the air.

As Nally reached into his pocket and pulled out three cigarettes from a pack, faces in the crowd were shocked. The band's manager Brian Carsten ran up to the stage and lit the cigarettes for him.

Nally smoked while intensity built in the band's jam. Although this moment proved to be outrageous enough, Nally took it one step further by shoving the cigarettes, embers and all, into his mouth while continuing to sing the song, ashes flying from his mouth.

The band said they would like to see audiences get into the music and dance, whether they know the songs or not. Nauth said he would like to see more mascots, such as people in banana costumes. The band goes out of their way to engage the audience with their excessive tomfoolery while playing.

Though his stage antics may seem to contradict this idea, Nally said he really cares what people think about him.

"Most people think it's cool to not be concerned with what people think of you but I'm usually concerned with what people think of me," he said. "That's what makes me Foxy Shazam."

The band has a lot of ambition for providing excitement in their live shows, but doesn't have a problem with taking the slow path to fame.

"Some bands go from the top to the bottom as quick as they went from the bottom to the top," Nally said. "I just want to make sure we climb very slowly and build a really strong foundation so when it starts to crumble it won't fall apart very easily."

In typical punk rock fashion, he laughs and adds, "And it will crumble."

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