The Good Ol' Days of Saint Vitus Are Back Tonight

OK metal fans, you just got one treat and now here's another, as long as you are in New York tonight. In case you didn't already know,

Saint Vitus is coming and they are playing their first Wino-fronted show in New York in…oh…22 years! Considering that amount of time is longer than the lifespan of some of you, let me fill you in. St Vitus was formed in 1979 with Scott Reagers on vocals. He left after two albums and was replaced by Scott "Wino" Weinrich of the Obsessed in 1986. With Wino the band recorded three studio and one live album including the doom classic, "Born Too Late." Wino left in 1991 to rejoin the Obsessed, Reagers returned, the band went into hiatus, reunited briefly again with Wino in 2003, and then left us waiting for six more years. In the meantime Wino fans were able to get their fix with a slew of slow doom witchy-vibed bands like Hidden Hand and Spirit Caravan, but nothing he did post-Saint Vitus felt quite the same. Along with Bobby Liebling of Pentagram, Wino is part of the rare strange breed of psychedelic tortured soul who originated along the Potomac River (Pentagram was formed in Arlington, Virginia, whereas Wino's original band, the Obsessed, hailed from Potomac, Maryland.) Being such close neighbors resulted in some cross-over with Wino joining the original Pentagram guitarist (and unfortunate born-again Christian) Victor Griffin in Place of Skulls. Saint Vitus, however, was based in LA, a strange setting for their heady hypnotic doom grooves. More emotional and desolate than a lot of their genre counterparts, Saint Vitus benefited strongly from the capable desperation in Wino's vocals. The list of his collaborations would make any drone nerd cry, including his current project Shrinebuilder with such luminaries as Al Cisneros (Sleep, OM), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), and Dale Crover (Melvins). Needless to say, the thought of seeing him play with Saint Vitus makes me hands and soul shake (and a certain girl parts of me quiver just a bit--I dig the muscled native biker doom dad vibe he puts forth, I can't help it). Wino is unstoppable, a true lifer, always grinding forth thwarting obsolecense that claimed so many of his counterparts because guess what, if you are consistently amazing for 20-plus years, you are pretty much immune from becoming obsolete. Unfortunately it looks like he'll only be doing vocal duties (as he historically has done with Saint Vitus) but there are ample chances to hear his guitar playing on the horizon. Also of note, the lineup in Brooklyn is way less stinky than the Boston show of their mini-tour. Saviours, Orphan, and Bassoon provide support. They are playing October 17 in Worchester, MA with Type O Negative and the Misfits (blech!). October 18 they play Baltimore, MD. So here are your marching orders: Get your ass to Club Europa at 7 PM tonight. Shell out $20 because it's fucking worth it. Bang your head to the openers but save your neck for the real thing.