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Unshaken by Lucifer: Roky Erickson at the 40 Watt, 8/14/08

by Casey DeHoedt
08/20/2008

Roky Erickson emerges from behind the curtain... No ascension of the steps – just a slight push of the velvet veil.

Since the announcement of Erickson’s PopFest performance in May, the excitement began to bubble. Now, after five hours of music the long wait is at a torrid boil. The 40 Watt is well-stocked with disciples, casual fans and a few to see what the buzz has been about.

What follows is a good old-fashion rock show as pioneered by Erickson himself.

I’d heard tall-tales of the legend – the stigma – Roky carries on his stooped shoulders. Standing amongst the observers, I didn’t see a volatile man stripped of his faculties.

I saw Orpheus returned from hell, eyes blind, voice weary but the epic that is his journey clear and strong as he begs ”Don’t shake me Lucifer.”

All eyes are on Erickson. Some perhaps are souls tempted to walk Roky’s route. But as I stare up into the eyes ignited as the voice sings, I’m thankful my mortal soul is intact and unclaimed.

As Roky’s guttural voice grits out tunes of devils and demons, Cam King wards them away with his hallow body Gibson. His slick blues solos are the incantations of a hero’s lyre. A total of fifteen songs including his most known “Two-headed Dog,” each cant punctuated by a simple and chipper “Thank you!”

”You’re gonna wake up one morning as the sun greets the dawn. The kids pound the air right along as Roky declares, ”You’re gonna miss me baby.”

The set closed. Roky back through the curtain, back to the Black Lodge.

“If you’re a Roky fan, you click your fingers,” someone says in my ear. I don’t know if that’s true, but it must have worked since Roky – returned – is steady as the encore begins.

“We finally got a chance to tour Europe last year, let me tell you, this song has got the continent screaming,” says King before wailing on “In the Night of the Vampire.”

“Thank you!” The other members look ready to hang it up. But Roky keeps riffing, Roky wants to play more. We expected an hour, but got a lot more than that. The green, expecting acid-induced aerugo, were denied. The partisans received what they sought in full. Roky disappears behind the curtain.