I caught Tornado Rider at Tropical Heatwave last year under the advise of many a friend. They’d tried to describe what the band was like but much like I am about to here, they fell woefully short. It’s not their fault. Trying to describe their live show is a lot like trying to describe a Legendary Shackshakers show live. You can put the spectacle in words, but the experience is beyond description. Visually, Tornado Rider is a three-piece featuring drums, bass and an electric cello being played by some fellows in fantasyish costumes. Sonically, they’re pure punk (think A.R.E. Weapons) music with pure fantasy lyrics that would be the perfect opener for The Protomen.
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2010.