PROJECTILE DYSFUNCTION: Crew of the Rusty Starfish
Review by Ned McVicar
Projectile Dysfunction's "Crew of the Rusty Starfish" is an an authentically great time from an equally authentic Queercore punk band. The theme is pirates, and their commitment to this theme goes above and beyond. Costume, character, set dressing and of course music, the whole thing curates the aesthetic perfectly. The narrative, while sparse, gives a nice framing to the whole thing, facilitating jokes and moving us pretty seamlessly from one song to the next.
Each band member plays their own character, all distinct and funny with great chemistry between one another. Between the half-improvised feel and blurring between character and performer, all of them are incredibly likeable; They’d all make great drinking buddies for entirely different reasons.
The energy is constantly upheld by Cap’n and lead singer Danger Rodriguez, who performs so well that I fear no other pirate depiction will be able to satisfy my newfound seven seas lust. The dialogue is written with the wit and libido of a sledgehammer swung by a sludgehammer fetishist by drummer, Buffy Acacia-Eyre. Jasper Krzyzanowski on keys gives the strongest comedic performance of the show, and Chris Doherty further cements my everlasting love for raw, skilful electric guitar solos.
Photo by Morgan Wyley
With the talent on display, it’s unsurprising that the music is perfect. A true punk show with a varied range from head bangers to some more experimental stuff, all with a brilliant piratey twist to keep it on theme. God, I love the sound of the accordion. It’s exhilarating, non-stop and the exact sort of music I’d play my weak-pulsed nan if I wanted at her inheritance.
While it’s impossible to truly know how big of an impact any single person has made in such a collaborative project, Millie Piskopos is credited as director, and therefore I will proceed to absolutely praise her for it. Every primal component of the show is so well-crafted and inseparable from one another. The music, the set, the tone, the pacing, everything that needs to work together, works together. The prospect of seeing more from this director is so infinitely exciting to me, regardless of the form it takes.
The show I was fortunate enough to see was one of their ‘relaxed’ shows, set in the afternoon and accompanied by a few sensory-mindful accommodations. I can’t stress how pleased I am for these options, if for no other reasons it means I can recommend the band to more of my friends. It’s absolutely worth noting that this didn’t touch the soul of the show in the slightest, by Poseidon's Trident the event was alive and kicking.
The big advantage punk bands have over us lowly comedians is not having to wait for the next festival season for the chance to see a full-on show from them. Just stalking their instagram I’m pretty quickly losing count of the amount of shows they’ve done this year alone. If you care about enjoying yourself while you still have time on this rock, fulfil your twelve-year-old self’s dream and go see these real, scurvy ridden pirates.
