4/1/00
OFFBEAT MAGAZINE

Afroskull, Howlin Wolf 2/24/00

When Afroskull gets started up, they unleash a powerful funk giant. On a recent night at the Howln' Wolf, that giant reared its ugly head and emitted a mighty roar. From their opening song, a fiery funk original called "The Obstacle Course," Afroskull let loose a huge sound with a four-piece horn section and a percussion kit pumping out hard-hitting funk jams. The driving rhythm section led by bassist/lead vocalist Bill Richards created a surreal backdrop for the sporadic phychedelic keyboard stylings and super-tight solos by guitarist Joe Scatassa. Towards the end of the set, the band impressively tackled two treacherous Frank Zappa tunes, "Peaches en Regalia" and "Magic Fingers," before ripping into an incendiary rendition of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein." Unlike any other funk band in New Orleans, the 'Skull produces a gritty, dark metal sound that can keep the house rocking the entire night.

-Caleb T. Slaton