February 18, 2020

Okilly Dokilly, Whammy Bar, 17 February 2020: Concert Review

Okilly Dokilly‘s show at Whammy on Monday night was “a celebration of bogans and nerds and bogan nerds! It was surprisingly packed – and so so sweaty. The theme of the night was “reneducation.” Rev Orange Peel was on hand and files this review.

Homer went to Rock Camp to be taught how to strut and swagger, write songs, wail on a guitar, and elementary crotch-stuffing by Mick Jagger, Keith Richard, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello and Lenny Kravitz.

Ned Flanders somehow got side-tracked into Black Metal, or a bit of Death Metal. After some practice, and bothering Rev Lovejoy about whether he was sinning, and scaring Rod and Tod towards the LGBQT+, what came out was Ned Metal, or Nedal.

Well if that didn’t take the Flandiddley doodle. Of course, somewhere in the parallel worlds of the Simpsons, Ned was revealed as the Devil (See Tree House of Horrors 4).

A good crowd is packed into the Whammy Bar this Monday night. It is as sweaty as a Sumo wrestler’s jockstrap in here, the walls and ceiling seem to drip.

I was wondering if this was a bit like the legendary Cavern in Liverpool.

The audience is generally younger, a few dressed like Flanders. There is a generous number of bald heads and bushy beards. I feel we are mostly Simpson fans under all of it.

First up, Doctor Colossus. Immediately they sound a lot like Black Sabbath as they proceed to deliver a lively forty minute set. An excellent rhythm section leads off, doomy sounding songs with bursts of heavy metal riffing.

I will commend the sound people here, great work and great balance as loudness does not mean loss of definition.

I have not heard of these guys until now. They hail from Melbourne and they have been playing Simpsons themed songs since 2017. They dress Gothic.

I recognise Stupid Sexy Flanders from the YouTube clip. It is much better here. There is also Future Bart and Excellent amongst others.

A short break as the headliners set up, wearing light yellow Haz-Mat overalls with surgical masks over the top (a bit superfluous). It reminds us that Idiocracy is unfortunately flourishing and annoying us all, but we are here to blow it away all-be-it briefly.

Off with overalls and some gasps “ ..they all look like Flanders”.

The band is Head Ned, Shred Ned, Dread Ned and….Ok well, we never bothered about the Ramones real names until much later.

Head Ned is the only band member from the original group who started in Phoenix, Arizona in 2016.

This is faster metal, riff-heavy and held down by super drumming and bass.

On record the vocals sound close to Black Metal. Tonight much less so, as Head Ned leads the band.

We are here for our Re-Neducation, and the audience become very lively with head-banging.

Head Ned then reminds us to “… be careful of our neighbourinos who may end up on the floor, not to be bad neighbourinos like the Shelbyville crowd, who like to stomp on them”.

The energy of the opening act is increased as the Okilly Dokillys power their way through Slaughterhouse, Reneducation, (their two most recent singles), When the Comet Gets Here, Purple Drapes, Murdiddlyurder, I Can’t,It’s a Geo.

A large pink inflatable donut is produced nearing the end of the set. We are asked to rip it to shreds as Donut Hell is played.

I must say I thoroughly enjoyed both these bands tonight. They are seriously good musicians wrapped around the cult honouring of one of the greatest TV comedy shows ever.

~Rev Orange Peel

13th Floor photographer Chris Zwaagdyk got some great photos of the band along with opener Dr Colossus.

Click any image to see a full gallery of both bands.