Kim Dracula, Jeris Johnson, and Tallah showed up in Detroit with all the pizzazz that should be expected when top TikTok influencers go on tour.
The sold-out show drew in a full crowd from the time the doors opened. The night started right on time, with Tallah taking the stage to a packed venue right away. They opened with “The Impressionist” from their 2022 album The Generation of Danger. They formed in 2017. The band is currently made up of singer Justin Bonitz, guitarists Derrick Schneider and Alex Snowden, and drummer Max Portnoy. They were joined on stage by touring keyboardist Thomas Cucé and bassist Tyler Hinson.
Their energy was perfect for setting the audience up for the night. They had just begun and right before the second song they announced it would be their last; they were just joking though, thankfully. Singer, Justin Bonitz, is very skilled not only vocally and lyrically, but also at knowing how to hype up a crowded room. The whole band exudes an almost whimsical energy that they are able to channel and ensure that everyone is having a great time every time they are on stage.
When direct support Jeris Johnson came out onto the stage, he came out with the new song “When the Darkness Comes.” It was apparent from the crowd’s screams and cheers that they were very excited for him to come out. He has risen in popularity fast after posting videos to Twitter in late 2018 and posting his videos on TikTok.
He jumped and moved around on stage, keeping the energy levels up. After a few songs, he played “My Sword” and performed it with the use of a sword on stage. He then went into his cover of Slayer’s “Raining Blood,” which was appreciated by everyone, whether they knew his music or not. To end the show, he played his most popular song, a cover of Papa Roach’s “Last Resort,” which the crowd loved and enjoyed thoroughly.
It was then time for Kim Dracula. In a creative but not unexpected entrance, they took the stage being carried in a closed casket as a flag was placed over it. “A Gradual Decline in Morale” played in the background. As the song started to transition to “Reunion and Reintegration,” they popped out in a cloud of cryogenic fog as the fans cheered. Up next was a cover of Devo’s “Whip It” where Kim brought out a whip for added flair.
As the set continued, the crowd was singing along and having an amazing time as they played “Undercover” and then “Luck Is a Fine Thing.” Next, they brought out a wheelchair for the start of “Drown.” They then went into the somewhat slower but fast rap spitting and very danceable song, “My Confession.” From the screams, the next song was an obvious fan favorite, “The Bard’s Last Note.”
Then they played their hit, “Superhero” with the crowd singing along and enjoying the brass instrument moments. Then they performed “Divine Retribution,” “Rosé,” and “Industry Secrets” as the crown continued to sing and have a great time.
Next was the song that kickstarted Kim Dracula’s popularity, a gritty and guttural cover of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.” This was followed by their most popular song, “Make Me Famous” which is lyrically a powerful song with a dark meaning about tragedies that happen in schools across the country in America and the deeper roots behind it. They went on to play one of the older, original, more trap-inspired songs, “1-800-CLOSE-UR-EYES.”
For the last three songs of the set, they went with the fast and fun song, “Land of The Sun,” then “Kitty Kitty,” and they told the crowd to go crazy for the last song, “Say Please!” going out with the carnival music at the end of the song. After a brief break, they came back out to perform one last older, very heavy-hitting song which encompasses their whole overall sound of melding trap rap with metal, “Killdozer.”
As much variety as their music has, the setlist had a great mix of the various sounds they are so very capable of. Their show and overall performance were fun, loud, heavy, and just as diverse as any fan could hope for and newcomers could thoroughly enjoy. This is a newer artist that will likely have a long and exciting career and it will be interesting to see where they go in the future.
KIM DRACULA
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