I can remember my friends in Gypsyhawk asking me if I knew Scorpion Child last summer when they found out I was from Austin. They’ve been on my ‘to hear’ list since then…and as I sit here and write this, I’m kicking myself for taking almost a year to experience ‘The Child’.
Steeped in work all day, I found myself putting on eyeliner at 11pm, eying my much neglected bed. But the rock summoned me down the road, and I walked into Lovejoy’s precisely 15 minutes before Scorpion Child began their set.
I was immediately mesmerized by the gray-haired man tending to the “liquid psychedelic light show”. He stood there at an overhead projector – given me middle school flashbacks – while delicately manipulating 2 containers of colorful liquids, casting an image on the stage backdrop. He did not move the entire time- he just stared contently at the projection while his hands expertly caused little bubbles and swirled the colors around. I want to know his story!
Simple as it may seem, the projection coupled with the string of lights in the warmly lit Lovejoy’s amidst a bunch of Austinites who in no way, shape, or form seemed to be of this decade set the perfect tone for Scorpion Child. As they began, I was immediately immersed in their ‘vintage metal’ sound. I’m at a Zeppelin show…I’m at a Dio show….I’m at a Sabbath show. Back when they all played bars. I wouldn’t say it was a technically perfect show- but when that was lacking, they made up for it in what I like to call “the big three”: 1) great songwriting, 2) engaging stage presence, and 3) the X factor.
The Child do not contain themselves to the stage; the vocalist is amidst the people, dangerously lifting his mic stand to the sky. The first thing I noticed about them was the fans they pull in; the people up front going crazy ranged from looking like they could play an asshole in an ’80s film (a mullet and board shorts) to a ’90s nu-metal band. This hard rock genre is grossly underserved, and as I stood there, it felt very reminiscent of when I saw Rival Sons for the first time (who are now great big rock stars).
As the set finished, I felt really energized by them, even though it was past 1am. There’s something about bands like this that reach me musically unlike others. I’ll definitely be seeing them again soon.
Listen to a live show here.
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