Kim Dracula, Wednesday 13 @ The Gov, Adelaide 28/11/2025
The saxophonist croons George Michael’s Careless Whisper, a brief moment of serenity in what is a journey inside the mind of creative genius Kim Dracula. The chaos returns shortly after.
Headlining The Gov with fellow goth rocker Wednesday 13, the Tasmanian TIkToker turned international rockstar’s show is like skipping songs on your playlist. Every thirty seconds, something weird and wonderful appears.
With an audience that has risen from beyond the grave, or The Red Room, tonight’s audience is ghoultastic. The styles on show are exquisite, the make up and outfits sultry and the carefree attitude makes for a show that becomes performance art.
Wednesday 13, who opens the show with his one hour slot, is no stranger to bringing the freaks out. The singer’s army, leather clad, red painted, deliver thirteen songs of rock n roll inspiration through perspiration. Think the Munsters if sung by Alice Cooper.
The dual guitar attack of Look What The Bats Dragged In, the dance beats of I Want You…Dead and the devil horns of When The Devil Commands have the fun take of classic b- horror movies played before our eyes.
Wednesday 13, a goth Steven Tyler, a rangy, mic stand swinging vocalist, has the crowd eating out of his dead cold hands. They chant during 197666, literally scream during Nowhere and fist pump in Bad Things. If ever there was a rally of zombies, Wednesday 13 would lead them to world domination.
Before the band depart to eat brains, bats and quite possibly babies, Wednesday 13 brings out the fuck umbrella and the raucous I Love To Say Fuck signs off on what is, as always, a fantastic and fun show. Wednesday 13 has once again, brought a smile, great songs and a good vibe to the Adelaide crowd.
It’s been a long road from the shadow of Hobart’s Mt. Wellington to climbing to the top of his own rock n roll mountain, yet Kim Dracula and I cross paths for the first time. I didn’t know what to expect yet I knew the word ‘entertaining’ would be an understatement.
Dressed as airline pilots, the band appears and immediately launch into Land Of The Sun. Immediately I’m struck by how insane the drummer is, an admiration that grows with each passing song. The reason for that is because Kim Dracula’s music is akin to giving someone with strong ADHD the ability to make life changing music. Every forty five seconds the style changes dramatically yet it all makes sense.
Is it emo punk? Well yes, however it’s also jazz. And death metal. Did I say it’s also reggae? And euro dance? Did someone say Latino salsa?
On an evening that Tool are headlining the Entertainment Centre one hundred and fifty metres away, Kim Dracula couldn’t be more different. They engage with the audience in comic horror fashion, the songs are quick and punchy and there isn’t enough time to get bored because hey wait, saxophone solo.
The crowd go mental for 1-800 Close Ur Eyes, your face gets blasted off in Bond/Drown and the scats in Industry Scars, remind me of if The Specials Ghost Town was metalled up and obnoxious.
Through in versions of Even Flow from Pearl Jam, Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi and George Michael amongst it all and it becomes clear this is Kim Dracula’s world and we are just passing by.
People are bouncing on shoulders, as the theatre continues. Dracula swings across the stage, the smoke fires up, and Say Please starts the speed dating feel of the music again. Next genre, next style.
The randomness though isn’t random, it works. There are stories within the crunching breakdowns, and Make Me Famous sounds glorious. This is an inclusive party where everyone can express themselves and just be.
Cocktails are being ordered by the dozen. People are making out with strangers. Cowboys are partying with goths. Like Kim Dracula’s show, this is whatever you want it to be. Celebrate, drink, let your freak flag fly.
Live Review By Iain McCallum