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Murder City Devils Reunite in Seattle

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The Murder City Devils opened their West Coast reunion tour at Seattle’s Showbox Theater Wednesday night. And the garage rock band proved to be just as explosive — if not more — than they were in their riotous ’90s glory days.

The band’s six members took the stage after opening sets from local acts Cap Lori and Past Lives. And without saying a word, they launched into a track off their 1997 eponymous debut album, “Get off the Floor,” to the roaring approval of hometown fans.

Through their 75-minute set, the Murder City Devils made little effort to engage the crowd, opting instead to charge through an impressive 20 tracks spanning their four albums.

Songs like “Somebody Else’s Baby” and “Idle Hands” shook the 1,100-capacity venue with (former Modest Mouse guitarist) Dann Gallucci’s frenetic riffs and the pummeling bass of Derek Fudesco, a onetime member of defunct Seattle group Pretty Girls Make Graves. And lead vocalist Spencer Moody showed impressive endurance, screaming his way through the set without so much as a hint of exhaustion.

For their encore, Murder City Devils played three of their most popular songs, which all appear on their last album, 2003’s R.I.P., a live set that documented the band’s “final” show — at the exact same venue. The encore’s standout track, “Murder City Riot,” particularly came off as fitting for the reunion, with Moody snarling through the lyrics, “Don’t touch anything / Unless you can make it sound this good / Like a riot looks.”

Past midnight, the entire venue began to reek of alcohol and sweat off the bodies of feverish dancers. Even when the band finally went offstage, fans lingered expectantly, hoping for yet another encore — but they weren’t obliged.

If last night’s performance is an indicator of what’s to come, the Murder City Devils’ tour will remind fans just why the Seattle band hasn’t been forgotten over the years.

Setlist:
“Get off the Floor”
“Dancin’ Shoes”
“I Want a Lot Now (So Come On)”
“Somebody Else’s Baby”
“Press Gang”
“Idle Hands”
“Dear Hearts”
“Bride”
“Johnny Thunders”
“I Drink the Wine”
“One Vision”
“Bear Away”
“Rum to Whiskey”
“Left Hand Right Hand”
“It’s In My Heart”
“Dance Hall”
“Midnight Service”

Encore:
“Broken Glass”
“Murder City Riot”
“18 Wheels”

Click here for more photos from last night!

Murder City Devils Guitarist Dann Galluicci / Photo by Alex Crick

Bassist Derek Fudesco and Vocalist Spencer Moody / Photo by Alex Crick

Murder City Devils’ Spencer Moody / Photo by Alex Crick

Murder City Devils’ Spencer Moody / Photo by Alex Crick

Past Lives / Photo by Alex Crick

Past Lives / Photo by Alex Crick

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