Sound on Sound Review: Midgetmen Perform This Is Spinal Tap

A festival keying on the incongruity of punk, metal, indie rock, and hip-hop in a medieval theme park needs a zany opener to properly kick things off. Taking the stage next to a cheesy castle, the Midgetmen were happy to provide that experience with a rip through classic rock comedy This is Spinal Tap.

Photo by David Brendan Hall

“Hello, Cleveland!” shouted neon-green-pantsed guitarist Jon Loyens as the familiar riff of “Hell Hole” rumbled as pompously Seventies metal as the spot-on 1984 big screen lampoon brought to you by the filmmakers who went on to make The Princess Bride, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind. A crunchy blast through “Gimme Some Money” indicated that Austin’s self-proclaimed “slop punk” four piece intended to play it straight, if such a thing can be said when covering songs constituting maybe the finest musical satire ever conceived.

Employing neither keyboards nor mandolin, “Stonehenge” came off more punk than pomp, but at least the band lowered onstage a miniature Stonehenge and had an elf-shod pal dance around it. Keeping to tradition, Loyens and fellow axe dude Alex Victoria – resplendent in fur coat over his bare belly – donned basses for a glorious sloppy “Big Bottom.” That messpertiece out of the way, drummer Justin Petro – sitting next to an inflatable dragon and attired in a Polymer Records tee – drove the locals to the finish line with a one-two punch of “Sex Farm” and “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight.”

Twenty minutes, six goofy songs, and plenty of laughter both on and offstage set a tone of uninhibited fun to start Sound on Sound.