Bad Santa and The Angry Elves
Bad Santa and The Angry Elves
By Christian Kelty
December 17, 2011
Harper’s Tavern, Winter Park Florida</strong>
It’s still a week out from the big day, but already I’m looking forward to starting in on good old form 1040. That’s why I was looking for some sort of rock and roll interlude in the holiday insanity, and my schedule opened up for this Winter Park gig of Christian Kelty’s mini rock show. Harper’s was briefly Drake’s Boathouse, and before that an empty lot and before that the bar side of “Le Cordon Bleu” that burned down back in ‘96. They’ve got a little show stage behind the bar and some of the muddiest acoustics this side of the Carr. That and a permanent 60 cycle buzz in the sound system made it hard to hear what was about 10 feet in front of me, but Bad Santa (Kelty) and his backup band did their best to mash up punk, metal and holiday spirit in a chocking cloud of theatrical smoke and a red/green laser spot generator.
“Bad Santa and the Evil Elves”
Was this rock and roll? Absolutely, and in the best sloppy drunk wham-bam, thank-you-ma’am style. We open with “Christmas Bop” which you might remember from the Ramones first album, then follow with a bit of Ozzy and the one song I’m really getting full of: Santa Baby. That came from the band’s sexy drummer and I’d tell you her name if my hand writing and memory were better. The band also features a leprechaun on bass and a pirate sort of guy on lead and everyone did their best to fiddle with the sound system knobs and gave us unexpected pops and blatts. The audience got into the game; Santa Kelty gave out a few creepy gifts, danced with a mute audience member and eventually did a John Lennon holiday medley. That knocked any holiday thoughts out of my mind, and I appreciate that. The show was short and tight, the songs reasonably clever, and while I’m not sure this show is ready to open at the Copacabana, it’s as fun an evening as you have until new years eve.
For more information on Bad Santa and the Evil Elves check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BadSantaandTheAngryElves
