Show Review: Viagra Boys Bring The Party to Denver

Sweden’s hottest rockers returned to the US and Canada for a month long bash in support of their most recent release ‘Cave World’. The party arrived in the form of the ‘Shrimp City Beach 1993 Reunion Tour’. The tail end of the sold out tour reached Denver on Monday night with the support of Spiritual Cramp from San Francisco.

Spiritual Cramp hit the stage with their driving classic-punk vibes and timeless guitar riffs. The crowd was quickly energized as lead singer Micheal Bingham leapt and spun around the stage like a typhoon. The crowd abuzz as the band tore through their set, leaving everyone bouncing up until the last chord and kick drum beat radiated through the room.

The energy remained high, the room alive eagerly awaiting Viagra Boys to grace the stage.

The sold out Monday night show in Denver was no sleepy afair. This was more than a rock show, it was a full blown party. The moment the band stepped onto the stage and singer Sebastian Murphy approached the microphone a confetti of plastic beer cups filled into the air. Remnants of drinks showering the stage with a warm-hoppy “welcome back to Denver” for the Swedish rockers.

As the band launched into their first song,’Ain’t no thief’ an eruption of crowd surfers floated toward the stage. Murphy quickly made himself comfortable with beer in hand, quickly slipping out of his shoes and t-shirt, shifting into his purest rock and roll form. This man is the life of the party, matching the crowds thirst with his own enjoyment of beer after beer. A throwback to the party rock star energy of past.

Although it’s hard to take your eyes off Murphy as he shuffles around the stage bellowing out gruff vocals and satirical lyrics, the five extremely talented musicians that surround him can not be overlooked. Outstanding musicianship graces all sides of the stages, from the blasting bass lines on songs like ‘Research Chemicals’ to the well placed saxophone that climaxes on a variety of tracks. The tight-grove driven sonics blasting from the stage are no joke.

In a post pandemic world of rock bands taking the ins and outs of performing too seriously, Viagra Boys are breath of fresh air. The humor, energy, and satire in the bands lyrics and live performance prove that rock and roll can be and still needs to be fun.