We Saw This: Hirsute Pursuit

Ass was literally everywhere the other night when Hirsute Pursuit played their first announced show. If that wasn’t enough, Boyd Rice flew in as support. The icing on the cake was Cult of Youth as an opener. Basically from where I’m sitting, last night was the stuff of dreams. Dark twisted dreams involving a lot of whips and leather and fascist-leaning garb, but dreams nonetheless.

House of Blondes, a band I was unfamiliar with, was the other opening act. They are a local NY band and were hand picked by Harley Phoenix to play. It was an ably performed synth pop set, nothing groundbreaking but rather pleasant and enjoyable. The singer wore a jumpsuit with mirrored reflective tape.

I’m kind of not allowed to write about Cult of Youth. Full disclosure, I’ve been dating the front man for over four years. So yeah, I can’t really write an impartial review since I sang on the record, but I will say that I have seen them more than any other human being has and that this was an excellent set. Okay, you probably don’t believe me so here is a picture of a happy couple at the show.

And here is a picture of Nick Gazin in the middle of what I like to call a Manwich.

Catching a theme here? More on that later.

Also this happened during the Cult of Youth set:

That’s like a third of a bottle of red wine on the floor from me getting tangled in my own bootlace. I was trying to get a picture of bassist Jasper McGandy when my left heel got caught in my right lace. I went down and I went down hard, fitting for the night.

Up next was NON. I hadn’t seen Boyd perform in a few years, not since he was in town to do some readings from his book No. My first introduction to Boyd was through Jim Goad’s 90s hate zine Answer Me! I purchased the compendium from a boy I thought was cute at a zine distro table at a punk show in Nebraska. My tiny fourteen-year-old mind was blown apart with loads of cool dark shit including NON. It was a benchmark moment in my life and because of it I’ll always look at Boyd fondly although at the time I didn’t quite get it. Maybe I was too young. When you’re a fourteen-year-old girl you loudly proclaim your hatred for all things that don’t directly apply to you or your social sphere or tribal subculture. You don’t have a real grasp on the total shit storm that humanity at large can be. Broad proclamations of disdain don’t really meaningful until you’ve passed through the doors to adulthood.

Do you want total war?

Yes you want total war!

The crowd adored Boyd, dutifully watching, hung up on his every word. Now well into his 50s he’s still utterly captivating. Sonically the set was a little quiet for the first half, but it got louder and harsher during the second portion.

Hirsute Pursuit was the main event. Coincidentally Answer Me! was also my introduction to the word hirsute. I remember it from the suicide issue. Before the set and in between photo ops I spoke with the mastermind behind the music. We talked about Thee Majesty, his project with Genesis P-Orridge and his fan base.

On Thee Majesty: “When you play with Gen you have to put your ego aside. Everyone is there for Gen.”

On his fan base: “A lot of gays don’t like it because it’s too masculine. Logo won’t touch it. They don’t like it because I’m not Adam Lambert. They say I portray homosexuality in a negative light.”

“Most of my friends are straight because of my interests. You don’t make friends because of your sexuality. My straight male friends tell me they’re so into it, they say it’s the music that first gets them but they love how masculine it is.”

Not what one would except coming from the mouth of a man who commanded serious adoration from an audience full of bears and their cubs, but it makes sense. Hirsute Pursuit, even down to the name, teems with masculine energy and such blatant cock worship that can turn some gay men off, especially those who use their sexual identity as a cultural signifier instead of a purely sexual one. With songs like “Cock Thoughts” and “Beg Me to Stop” Hirsute Pursuit is far from subtle. Add some slaves to the stage show and it’s easy to see how the mainstream purveyors of gay culture would get freaked out. Plus I think lyrics like “Wrap that virgin anus around this big dick. I don’t care if it hurts, I want it to hurt” kind of appeal to straight dudes too. Said anus isn’t gender specific, now is it?

In it’s own weird way, Hirsute Pursuit is wholesome or at least loving. The songs are dirty pop perfection. My boyfriend leaned in to me and said, “This is everything Electroclash should have been.” No posturing, everything was genuine and the stage banter was priceless.

“I guess I should thank you for coming. Have you cum yet?”

Boyd sang the final song and the vocalists of the openers mounted the stage for the encore. The guy next to me said it looked like a family reunion in hell.

After the set Harley Phoenix signed a few autographs while Boyd was swarmed with girls. Ladies love a man in black with a Cuban heeled boot. I’m not being facetious, we really do.

As the night ended the sweet scent of man ass filled the air.