We’re getting old fast. P’s hair is gray at the sides and even at 31 he’s getting tired. T was never in tiptop shape but he didn’t used to wake up with lower back pain neither. We can’t be going to shows on a Sunday night and then getting up at 5am for work. Used to be we could, but not anymore. We were discussing this and the sacrifice inherent in Sunday shows as we drove in to Hoboken for The Almighty Defenders Sunday night; sleep for rock. Both of us admitted to wanting to back out. From there we debated about whom you might pray to so as insure that things would rock. We agreed it probably wasn’t Jesus. We needn’t have worried as it turned out.
The Almighty Defenders are made up of King Khan and Mark Sultan of The King Khan & BBQ Show and all four of The Black Lips. Either one of these outfits would put on a show worth sacrificing a little sleep for. Together they were damn near unstoppable. About fifteen minutes after we showed up they took the stage in Gospel robes. The Defenders were originally supposed to be a gospel act, but it seems like once they bought the robes they forgot about the music part of things and just did what they always do (that is to say garage rock insanity). Internet rumors have it that the album was a product of The Black Lips fleeing from authorities in India after a rowdy concert that included exposed male genitals. They fled all the way to Khan’s compound in Berlin and along with Sultan wrote and recorded 11 tracks in 8 days (although it would have been so much more biblical if they finished in 7).
The Defenders straight rocked for about an hour. It’s not often that we’re impressed at shows these days. We’re not jaded. We’ve just been to a damn lot of shows. But goddamnit if we weren’t smiling through the whole set. After every song the band members switched instruments and vocal duties. The drummer from The Black Lips seemed possessed by some spirit or other has he preached the lyrics to The Great Defender bible in hand. At one point they actually gave Holy Communion to the crowd in the form of red wine in a plastic cup and tortilla chips. They then laid hands and expelled demons from rowdy concertgoers. People were throwing their hands up in praise and losing their proverbial shit all night long. Towards the end of their set The Defenders threw in Bad Kids originally by The Black Lips and Too Much In Love originally by The Khan & BBQ Show for good measure. We ended up getting around four hours sleep before having to go to work the next day but it was completely worth it. The Defenders know how to liven up a Lord’s Day and we’re pretty sure they know who to pray to to make shit rock.
Don’t believe us? Check out our YouTube Channel for video proof that we’re not a bunch of lying sinners.
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