Barb Wire Dolls at the Bowery Electric

Isis Queen

Former professional surfer and skatebaorder Tasos Taiganides in the 1990s left his native Crete, Greece, and landed in Charleston, South Carolina. There, he played guitar in a band called Eurogression at night while teaching and coaching tennis by day. One day, he had a near-fatal accident, in which he died and was revived in an ambulance, and this triggered a return to his homeland to recuperate. While living in an artist commune in Crete in 2010, he met vocalist Isis Queen, formed with her the concept for what would become Barb Wire Dolls, and became Pyn Doll. In Greece, the options were limited for a punk rock band singing in English, so the band members relocated to the rock club circuit in Los Angeles, California, where they were embraced by Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister and several veteran punk rockers. The band presently consists of Queen, Pyn Doll, rhythm guitarist Xtine Reckless, bassist Iriel Blaque, and drummer Krash Doll. Barb Wire Dolls' fourth album, Rub My Mind, was released on July 7, 2017.

Barb Wire Dolls is more than a punk rock band these days. At the Bowery Electric tonight, Isis Queen sang more and shouted less than on previous tours, and the band several times dipped into glam, thrash and classic rock waters. On virtually all songs, however, the music roared in a no-compromise manner while raging with punk attitude and metal aggression. Mickey Leigh, formerly of the Rattlers and brother of the Ramones' late vocalist, Joey Ramone, added more fuel by briefly rocking a guitar with the band on stage. Sometimes Queen smoothed out the band's sound but other times she was more fiery than the musicians. Queen's vocal flexibility and the band's exploratory growth beyond punk into deeper and richer territory was stimulating. Where the band is heading is perhaps more intriguing than where it has been.

Visit Barb Wire Dolls at www.barbwiredolls.com.