DAILY COLLEGIAN Vol. 8, #43, September 12, 1997 p.20
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Misfits, Marky Ramone return, play to loyal crowd at Crowbar

By DAVID SCHONFELD
    Collegian Arts Writer

It was Halloween 1996 all over again at Crowbar Tuesday night. 
Not only were punk legends The Misfits on hand to revive
the spirit of last year's show at Crowbar, 420 E. College
Ave., but the crowd came decked out in make-up, spikes
and piercings, giving the concert the feeling of a macabre
masquerade ball.

"I can't believe they're back," said Brent Mosser
(graduate-secondary education). "(The concert) was
awesome. I'm sure they're happy to be back with the
reception they got last year." 
  
In front of a raucous crowd, The Misfits played a set that
lasted more than an hour and a half. Opening the show with
the instrumental "Abominable Dr. Phibes" and then launching
into the title track from its new album, American Psycho, The
Misfits took the audience by force. While the music was
more an homage to the American horror-film industry rather
than Satanic practices, the rhythm incited the audience to
mosh and dive from the stage.

"I like the music because it's really energizing," said Scott
Okrent (senior-mechanical engineering and economics). "It
pumps you up."

Pumped up was indeed the phrase for the band.  Dressed
only in tight leather pants and a black, studded weight belt,
bassist and founding member Jerry Only was an imposing
force on stage. Jamming on a skull-adorned bass shaped like
a bat, Only made his monstrous presence known as he moved with 
the beat, his dyed-black forelock protruding from his head.
A giant spiked drum set took up most of the
stage. The band jumped around, primping and posing for the
audience for a moment and then diving back into the grind of
the music with this pulsing abomination as its backdrop.

When the band launched into the Misfit classic, "I Turned
Into a Martian," the audience swayed and vibrated as if it
was ready to explode. Occasionally a fan would scramble
onto the stage and dive into the swirling mass of the audience
as The Misfits played a generous helping of new material as
well as a nugget or two from the days when Glenn Danzig
sang for the band.

"I think they're just as good (without Danzig)," said Will
Selleck (junior-BMB). "Good enough to hold their own." 

Popular in the late '70s and early '80s, The Misfits were 
disbanded by Danzig in 1983, who went on to form
his own solo band. After the break-up, Only and Misfits'
guitarist Doyle formed a band called Kryst the Conquerer.
In 1994, Only won the rights to the band's name and
reformed The Misfits with Doyle, drummer Dr. Chud and singer
Michale Graves. American Psycho, whose title comes from
a novel by Bret Easton Ellis, is the band's first album
since Danzig split.

"I like it," said Okrent of the new album. "It's not quite their
old stuff, but I think their music will evolve." 
Highlights of the evening were renditions of hits like "Where
Eagles Dare" and "She." The crowd would shout along, and
even once a man was brought up onto the stage to sing with
the band.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of the evening was
when Marky Ramone, formerly of The Ramones, joined The
Misfits on stage to drum along with their rendition of The
Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop." Dr. Chud had the privilege of
vocals on this one as the entire bar erupted with shouts of
"Hey ho, let's go." 

Before The Misfits played, Only was in the balcony to check
out Ramone's opening band, Marky Ramone and the Intruders. He 
talked with the audience, signed T-shirts, hugged fans and 
mugged and flexed for photos.  When asked how it felt to be back 
in the area he replied, "Cool. I love Penn State."

[The Misfits play in front of a raucous crowd.  The band played
 Tuesday night at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.]