Hunx and His Punx Climax at Mercury Lounge [4/4/12]
Be honest. When was the last time you were trapped in a mosh pit at Mercury Lounge? The reliable rock venue is usually full of bearded media types with arms firmly crossed. Maybe head-bopping if lucky. When flamboyant Oaklanders Hunx and His Punx returned for the late show Wednesday evening to plug the solo Hairdresser Blues LP, the joint friggin’ erupted. Lipstick, spandex, and glam, oh my!
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Hunx shows are damn refreshing. While sonically simplistic – think of it as girl group garage glam – the appeal is not just about the music. The stage presence, over-the-top spectacle, and borderline offensive antics are all pages from the same rock n roll textbook. Wednesday was no exception. Armed with lipstick, spandex, and a fire-engine-red trenchcoat, Hunx (nay, Seth Bogart) steered his glistening Punx through a fifty-minute set of super-sexualized songs.
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Momentum was certainly in their court from the get-go; the performance quickly gained steam through show openers like “Bad Boy” and the new track “Private Room.” But it was at the midpoint that the energy in the room really bubbled to the surface; the entire pit exploded into slam dance mode while projectiles were simultaneously thrown from the rear. Hunx even dropped trou (no peeing this time), mooning the crowd with his g-string wedgie. Even more hilarious, however, was the one dude who muscled mid-mosh to bring the singer a tall-boy. After snatching the brew, Hunx proceeded to spray it across the space.
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Other standouts included “Let Me In,” “Too Young to Be in Love,” and “Gimmie Gimmie Back Your Love,” which was dedicated to LensCrafters for airing it in a 2010 commercial. Where was “Keep Away from Johnny,” though? Come on now!
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Underground hit “Lovers Lane” was the show closer, with the group walking stage-right for a brief reprieve before the encore. Alas, just as the evening was building toward climax, the crew abandoned their perch, leaving sticky-sweaty fans hungry for more.
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