Lords of Acid “Make Acid Great Again” Tour with Praga Khan

I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m a metal girl. I had heard the name Lords of Acid over the years, but didn’t know very much about them. My partners in MIRP are well rounded in their musical taste, hitting nearly every genre. I, however, am stuck in metal…and I sort of like it that way. But I wanted to try it, and…well, the “pleasant to look at” Creighton Emrick (Orgy, Gina and the Eastern Block) was playing guitar, so I was in.

Earlier in the day, I saw Praga Khan and Gigi walking by the venue. I recognized them because I had done significant research on them in preparation for an interview, and four people in their 60s approached them, saying their names, and the band members seemed to know each other. Praga Khan was gracious and friendly to the fans, but Gigi was a bit standoffish. She held a bottle of wine to her breast but set it down during photos.

Up first was a three-piece country/blues/alternative band called DEVORA. The singer was stunning and from California; the guitarist and drummer were from New York, as the singer indicated. There was no bassist, just backing tracks organized by the drummer. They were fine, but an odd opener for this show.

Up next was Praga Khan and Oliver Adams, with wife Inja Van Gastel on keyboards/synth. I read up on Mr. Khan and discovered that he was the mastermind behind the Belgium new beat/acid house/techno electronic dance music scene. I think that must be where the Oomph Oomph Oomph (fist pump) came from…like you see in movies when people are at a Rave.

When they started, I immediately had a feeling of seeing something special. 65-year-old Maurice Joseph Francois Engelen (aka Praga Khan) was energetic, graceful, kind, and constantly smiling. The set up was Praga Khan on the left, Oliver on the right, and Inja right in the middle. Wearing all black and Devo-esque sunglasses, she stood still barely moving except for her lips, which mouthed every lyric.

Praga Khan would drape his legs over the keyboard stand, jump in place, twist and turn his body in unnatural ways, and it was fantastic.

“It took me 22 years to get Oliver back to the states, but I did it,” opined Khan, and they embraced. They exuded mutual respect and looked to be having so much fun. The crowd went crazy once they played “Mortal Combat.”

The set went fast, although I think it was 45 minutes or so. The energy they brought to the crowd sped up time in the nicest way.

Now for Lords of Acid. I read the controversy and chuckled at the song titles from the set-list obtained prior to the show.

I positioned myself in front of the uber sexy Creighton Emrick and the show began. I was pleasantly surprised. From my research, I discovered that this will be the last tour for Praga Khan, which is a shame, because he seemed to be enjoying it so much.

“As the opening act of the Lords of Acid tour, I will be performing for the last time in the USA. Two years ago, I bid farewell with a memorable series of sold-out concerts in Belgium. Now, for the final time, I will be performing our songs with my musical partner, Oliver Adams, in the USA and Canada. After 35 years of touring all over the world, I have decided to retire completely from live concerts as Praga Khan. On the MAGA tour, Oliver Adams and I will be performing some of our classics, as well as songs from the legendary Mortal Kombat album, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. This promises to be an unforgettable evening in honor of our legacy and the iconic ‘Mortal Kombat’ soundtrack.” – PRAGA KHAN (borrowed from musicmattersmagazine.com)

The crowd was rabid once LOA started. Songs were sung both by the band and the fans. As singer Gigi strutted around, whirling her hair, kneeling before the bassist, and interacting with the members in a seductive way, I couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t seem sober. Looking more trashy than sexy (which may be the point), her voice wasn’t even that good on this night. Just as often as she sang, she screamed and moaned as she did stripper dances to the crowd and band members. Her feet were bare, and her fishnets were ripped showing one butt cheek, which she often jiggled to the crowd as if she was a stripper.

Creighton wore his signature sleeveless hoodie and often jumped in a circle and posed seductively, which is exactly why I wanted to stand where I did. Not being a fan of spit, I was sort of grossed out that he spit up in the air, caught the spit with his hand, and rubbed it on his face. I was thrilled that there was a barrier, allowing a few feet between those of us in the front row, and his saliva drool. He played perfectly and was a great fit with Lords of Acid, sans the sputum.

The star of the show was without a doubt Praga Khan. Classy, gracious, entertaining, and an amazing professional musician, he stole the show.

And, I must say — I enjoyed Lords of Acid. As I talked to people in the crowd, LOA fans are loyal and love this band. I sort of wish I had been on the Lords of Acid train back in the 80s so I could have experienced it earlier.

Lords of Acid played: