The ever-growing Austin music scene remains the city's top attraction, as people continue to flock toward its expanding list of local bands. Elysium, a gothic-industrial nightclub located at 7th and Red River, has become the mainstay "home" to a variety of bands, including Lust Murder Box, a gothic rock band headed by a seductive female vocalist, who, along with DJ Void and CTRL, performed there last Friday.
DJ Void, one of Austin's premiere DJs, has spun for the past five years at various local clubs, including Inferno, Spiro's and, most recently, Elysium. He opened the night with a sporadic light show and a series of mixes that provided perfect background music for the early club-goers. He also spun in between bands, at which time more people had arrived, leaning in to listen to his set.
Up next was Lust Murder Box, who were formed about five years ago by founding members Nox Mountebank (keyboards and secondary vocals) and Erik Gustafson (bass). With the follow-up to their self-titled debut looming in the future and a rapidly increasing fan base, one can easily see that this band is destined for stardom on a broader, national level.
The melodic qualities of the voice of lead singer Vaughn Engeling pierce through her listeners on songs such as "Viole(n)t Blue Mourning," while the other band members seem to show their power more prominently on songs like "Control." Each band member has his or her own presence on stage. Enseling, with her lustful movements; Erik Gustafson, with his spontaneous dancing; Nox Mounteback, the stoic and calm keyboardist; Jeremy Krimmel, the cool guitarist who stands jamming to his own riffs; and Travis Pegasus, who pounds away on his drums, adding a rock feel to the band's hardcore sound.
CTRL, a band of four DJs with synthesizers who have had a rough past riddled with break-ups and lost music, closed out the night. Members Brad MacAllister, Jason Fenimore, Alex Virlios and Damon Shelton put a good effort forward, but the performance was overall less than impressive. The songs were put together well but were mostly slow, repetitive and dull.
As the music capital of the world continues to enlarge, bands such as Lust Murder Box, playing venues throughout the Austin area with a dogged determination, should be applauded for their persistence.
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