An Eclectic Look at Music and the Arts

It was Halloween at an anime con when I first heard of My Dear Disco. There were all sorts of folks dressed as all kinds of video game and anime characters waiting in line to see the musical entertainment for the evening. Once the doors opened, people filed into the dark room sitting in rows of folding chairs, and the first band played. Pretty good, some nice VG cover stuff. Not really the kind of thing you’d dance to, but not bad. They played their set and made their exit, everyone still seated in uncomfortable metal chairs. That didn’t last long when My Dear Disco started playing.

I can’t really remember what they opened with, but the energy in the room instantly changed from a bunch of people sitting and watching to a bunch of people who wanted to be up there dancing. After the first song, the lead singer said something to the effect of “You know, there’s all this space up here…” and instantly people were on their feet and charging the stage to get closer to the magical funk boxes.

I usually don’t like getting to the front of the crowd at shows. Partly because I can’t dance, and mostly because I like soaking in the atmosphere from the back. That wasn’t an option with these guys. Before I knew what was happening, I was sandwiched between Speed Racer, that guy from Metal Gear Solid, and the stage. Whether you can dance or not, you hear this music and your feet are moving. When the second song started, the room was a sea of euphoric cosplayers, cutting rugs and showing their moves. Speed Racer was teaching people to two-step, and a plethora of other characters were having a dance-off just to my left. At one point in the show, the MC dressed as Michael Jackson got on stage and they covered Beat It. It was surreal and phenomenal.

I haven’t seen them since, but their LP has been a permanent fixture in my truck’s CD changer. It so happens that they’re playing a show in Marquette on the fifth of November, my birthday. So I’ll be making the trip up there, bum knee and all, to see these guys and gal move a room with their killer riffs, flawless synth and moving vocals. And even if I don’t have a reason to shout “Go Speed Racer, GO!” I’m sure it will be another night hard to forget.

Written by Phil Atkins