Crushing Everything In Their Path

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on May 1, 2008 8:11PM

We saw The Midnight Juggernauts open for Justice a few months ago and were surprised at how much enjoyed them more than we did the headliner that night. This Australian trio takes dance music, injects it with plenty of proggy Pink Floyd touches, a heavy dose of glammy disco, and then latches it all onto the back of a hard-charging muscle car powered by guitar churning rock and/or roll.

On album this comes across as forward-thinking-people's dance music, but in the live setting the band pulls out the live instruments and unleashes their composition in robes better suited to heavy metalheads than glow-stick toting raver kids. The funny thing is that the band appeals to both sides of the dance divide, uniting through sheer volume, infectious melodies carried by throbbing beats that won't be denied their personal pound of flesh (in the form of sweat), and good old-fashioned showmanship.

Daniel Stricker beats his drum kit with the abandon of a teenager in a Metallica cover band, while Andrew Juggernaut slashes through with blistering, distorted waves of guitar. Vincent Vendetta fills in the gaps with beats, synths, and other assorted sounds. All of this comes together in a net that ensnares dancers and forces them to happily do the trio's bidding. Midnight Juggernauts decree you're going to have a hell of a great time, and we think you'll find yourself hard pressed to deny their demand.

Midnight Juggernauts play Double Door, 1572 N Milwaukee, tomorrow, Friday May 2, 9 p.m., $12, 21+. Also appearing are Shy Child, Hey Champ, and DJs Bald Eagle and Mother Hubbard.

Photo by Jesse French from the band's MySpace