By Molly Freedenberg
(From L to R): Graham Terry, Rushad Eggleston, and Scott Manke cast “sound tornados all over the world.” Photo by Guru Khalsa.
Tornado Rider isn’t just a great band name – it’s an apt metaphor for the three-piece musical phenomenon led by vocalist, cellist, and force of nature Rushad Eggleston. The often spandex-clad frontman wields his sticker-covered cello the way many before him have done with electric guitars – including leaps, jumps, and dramatic perches upon speakers – as he and Scott Manke (drums) and Graham Terry (bass and vocals) produce a unique, danceable sound that has more in common with punk rock than any other musical genre. Afraid you’ll have a hard time taking a punk band led by a classical instrument seriously? Don’t worry – Tornado Rider, though seriously virtuosic musically, delivers every show with an eye for spectacle and a sense of humor. After all, crowd favorites include songs with the lines “Oh no here comes a dinosaur!” and “I am the goat God,” and all band members perform in some version of outrageous (and usually uncoordinated) costume. Catch the whirling sound dervishes, if you can, before they head out on their national tour.
Tornado Rider
Fri, Oct 2, 9pm
$8-$10
Red Devil Lounge
1695 Polk, SF.
www.myspace.com/tornadoriderband