Friday the 13th, Rocky Horror and MethMatics, Oh MY!

I don’t know about you guys but in my opinion this year has been scary enough without the appearance of a Friday the 13th hitting us in the last two months. It also seemed like the perfect time to sit down and talk about Halloween which was two weeks ago but it’s my favorite time of the year so I’m always up to talk about it. However much like 2020, I’m a bit of a mess when it comes to dealing with things so it’s a little late. Any way, Halloween night Studio 35 a long with the Greater Columbus Convention Center put on this Rockytastic event. They did a very socially distanced showing of the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show followed by a concert featuring MethMatics. Tables were 10 feet apart, masks were worn (both Halloween and pandemic appropriate), hand sanitizer was every where, and people celebrated Halloween despite the horror story this year has truly been.

I was excited about this one. Not only had I not seen RHPS, (yeah, lame, I know) but I hadn’t seen MethMatics in about 8 either and the first time I did, it was a complete coincidence. They opened for Soraia back in February and I was at the venue to take pictures of that show. I had never seen MethMatics before that night and was in awe at the energy they brought. Not to mention the fact that one of the guitar players actually crowd surfed on a freaking surf board. Still to this day one of the coolest things I’ve seen from a local band. I knew after that night I wanted to shoot one of their shows.

Fast Forward 8 months and in the middle of a pandemic, I got the chance. It was the first show the band had played in just as many months thanks to Covid-19. The band members were excited to be back and it was in this woman’s opinion one hell of a way to do so. I mean a punk band after RHPS doesn’t sound like craziness at all right?! I’m kidding, it was craziness but the best kind. Playing cards and toast were all over the floor. Toilet paper was thrown at the stage and the band threw it right back at the crowd. People were using those little party hand shaped clappers to applaud after songs. There was a giant disco ball and of course, a time warp. It was literally one of the best atmospheres I’ve seen at a show post Covid shutdown here in Ohio. There was so much joy between all these socially distanced humans that I even caught myself smiling, having a good time and trying to dodge TP being thrown from the band’s lead singer Christal Meth.

After the show, I had the opportunity to catch up with guitar player and disco ball rider extraordinaire Joey to get his thoughts on the night and how it felt to be back.

“Weird. Awesome. I felt like we played really well and the people that stuck around were super, super into it and I think we pulled some new fans out of it but it was definitely weird to not only play for the first time in like 7 and a half months but to play by far the largest venue we’ve ever played, which was really cool”

It was an unusual setting for a show and I was really curious about what it was like getting to play after a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture show so I had to ask because let’s be honest, when will I get the chance to ask that question again in this life?

“It was perfect. It was so fitting for us and I even threw on some makeup which I don’t normally do but yeah, these are our people, it was fun. “

It really was. I don’t think one person in exhibit hall D didn’t have a smile on their face after the set including MethMatics.

Which lead to my final question of the night, what’s it like to be back?

“It’s wonderful. It’s the best feeling in the world. I miss doing this more than anything and seeing these people my best friends, and playing music with them, it’s just the absolute best.”

It was an experience I won’t soon forget and I totally can not wait for all of this pandemic stuff to be over so I can see these humans on stage again!

Thanks to Joey and everyone else in MethMatics for having me out!

Here’s some shots from the show!