Fantastic Fest
Itchy-O
The Highball
Saturday, September 26th, 2015
The gates of hell opened on September 26, unleashing Itchy-O on Fantastic Fest attendees. Massive casualties were sustained as Itchy-O proceeded to melt the faces off of the entire audience.
“I was scarred… Like, I wasn’t sure if it was safe to be here…I’m still recovering, but in a good way.” — Anonymous FF attendee
Itchy-O is a Satanic marching band comprised of 34 anonymous members. With that many members, the band has quite a powerful and intimidating entrance. As festival attendees cram into the Highball, eagerly awaiting the appearance of Itchy-O, we wonder how they will manage to fit so many members on such a small stage.
Then it happens: an ominous-sounding noise emits from the back of the room like a hurricane siren. They are here and boy, do they make their presence known. They push their way through the crowd, clad in all-black hoods and helmets with lights covering their faces. Itchy-O’s attire is a mix of what is best described as Mariachi band mixed with Daft punk. Some of the members have giant megaphones attached to their backs with synthesizers, while others ride in on bicycles with entire drum kits attached. They force their way through the crowd, directing people where to stand as they begin setting up their spots. They set up like men performing a heist — “We are here, we are in control now, and as long as you do exactly what we say no one is going to get hurt.” They point and silently gesture to direct the crowd as more drums and synthesizers proceed to force their way into the limited space of the Highball.
When Itchy-O starts, you’re literally in the center of the action as if you’re a part of the performance itself. The performance is an intense rhythmic clash of drum beats, harmonic synthesizers, and a hell of a lot of bass. Their sound is a unique mix of tribal, dance, and drone. The music is constantly building on itself and progressing toward an inevitable climax. There is a disorienting mixture of fog, helmet lights, and background dancers who are just as much a part of the ensemble as the musicians. The dancers are also covered in all black, including their faces. They crawl through the crowd on their hands and knees, often going unseen until they are right beneath you. At points they just dance by in the audience, and other times they grasp on and eerily cling to people in the crowd.
Itchy-O delivers a heart-pounding, sweat-pouring, fiercely intense performance. At the end, the doors of the Highball burst open and people drenched in sweat desperately gasp for air. Like a scene from a disaster movie, people stumble around looking to see if their friends made it out alive. Itchy-O is music performance like no other. This band is a must to see live.
Listen to the latest album from the Itchy-O at the Bandcamp playlists below.
Contributing Writer: Justin Msc
