A name like Cougars kill Cobras drums up a certain amount of curiosity about a band (especially with the older-woman–prey connotation), so there was a lot of interest surrounding the band’s first set at SPACE Gallery.
It was quickly obvious that these cats are the real deal. Fans were greeted by repetitious guitar, slightly distorted vocals, and a solid punk-rock sound. With their skill and professionalism, they might have just come off a national tour. The trio have seamless showmanship, nostalgic band photos, and the best band T-shirt design we’ve seen around here — houndstooth, a boom box, a cougar, a roller skate, and stars all in a single design.
CkC were accompanied by an impressive array of Atari-like graphics, triggered by the bass and drums, that were projected onto the band as they played. Later, lead singer and guitarist Gerald Von Stoddard requested that the sound guy throw a little more light on them. “We’ve got this fancy light show but we can’t see shit up here,” he said.
“We Were Warriors” was a standout of the set, showcasing CkC’s sharp songwriting and harmonious falsettos. At about two and a half minutes, short, genuinely good and catchy appears to be their formula. And they appear to be Portland’s next bright hope.
The next day, though, Von Stoddard said it was of the band's worst shows. We can't wait to see a good one.
