Peelander-Z -- Lawrence, KS -- October 1st, 2009

[mankvill]

Kansas was invaded by aliens from the Z sector of planet Peelander tonight, and they brought with them giant aliens, limbo lines, human bowling, and a smile to everyone's face in attendance.

I've heard people say that you don't really go to a GWAR show for the music, you go for the show. That's partly true for Peelander-Z. The trio (Peelander Yellow, Red, and Green) do put on an amazing show with great crowd participation, but their music is also infectiously fun pop (or maybe Peelander?) punk that you can't help but jump along to.

Just to emphasize how much fun this was, here's a partial list of everything that went on during the 50 or so minutes that Peelander-Z played:

• Bass player came in from outside during the first song playing while wearing a giant alien space costume
• Peelander Yellow crowd surfed around the bar while playing
• Peelander Red played the bass while standing on peoples shoulders
• During Mad Tiger, they passed out drumsticks and pots until most of the crowd was banging along with the beat. Eventually, they pulled up someone on stage to keep the beat until the only sound left was the pans banging together from the crowd
• During the aforementioned pan banging, the band made a makeshift limbo contest and the crowd participated
• Peelander Red led a human train all around the bar while playing his bass which culminated in a crazy moshpit
• They brought up audience members to play their instruments
• Peelander Green and the drummer for the opening band, Birthday Suits, set up their kits in the middle of the crowd to have a drum duel
• We all moshed in circles around the drummers

They spent as much time in the crowd as they did on the stage during their set.

All this went on while nearly every song had motions to it that Peelander Yellow was more than happy enough to explain. Also, the songs usually led with an amusing rambling from Yellow about how they aren't Japanese, they aren't human, but they are from the Z sector of planet Peelander! Nothing I can put down in words and even describe how much fun this show was.

Partial/Out of Order setlist:

P-Pop High School
Beautiful Sundae
Handsome
Super Health
Autograph
So Many Mike
Ninja-High Schooool
Mad Tiger
S.T.E.A.K

10/10

Go see this band.