Tucson’s Demon City Wreckers Return after a Near-Dozen-Year Absence

Demon City Wreckers are back for the first time since 2011 and playing a 20th anniversary show at 191 Toole on Sunday December 4 with psychobilly legends Koffin Kats.

Demon City Wreckers have been a fixture of the Tucson psychobilly scene since 2002, when they played their first show together as a band. Mike O’Brien had wanted to get a band together but had some difficulties doing so. After a little while, he turned to a few friends he had known for years and recorded an EP as a sort of recruiting tool to get permanent members of the band. Little did he know that doing that would form the original lineup of Demon City Wreckers (originally Left for Dead). The original members consisted of Mike O’Brien, Jericho Davidson, Ian Philabaum, and Jason Mashburn (who sadly passed away in 2006). Over the years David Williams, George Palenzuela, Sean Williams, Drew Combs, Jimmy Hixson, and Ed Slocum have also been a part of this killer band. The band’s close friend Scott Northrup has also been involved as their manager/band counselor/backbone.

Their first show was with the very popular psychobilly band Nekromantix, and when the band caught wind that they were playing at Club Congress they opened for them. Thanks to their connections in the music scene, they were able to reach out and secure the opening slot alongside another band known as The Last Call Brawlers. The band recalls the show as being “high energy” and that the Nekromantix were great performers and a lot of fun to open for.

The last time Demon City Wreckers played a show together was in 2011, and ironically it looked very similar to their upcoming show on December 4. It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and they played Club Congress with the Koffin Kats, who hail from Detroit. The band fondly remembers that show and the moment when Mike broke his bass. Instead of stopping the show, Mike asked Koffin Kats bassist Vic if he could borrow his bass. Vic agreed anxiously, but Mike returned the instrument to Vic unharmed. The Koffin Kats, being longtime friends of Demon City Wreckers, reached out to them to play this reunion show, and the band agreed without hesitation. The first practice back after many years went smoother than the band had anticipated and Ed Slocum noted that it was “like riding a bike, for the most part.”

The band’s foundation is good-hearted friendship, and they say that “the states/cities/venues/bands/friends/fans and even enemies shape the whole damn experience.” They also encourage anyone who has an interest in the live music scene to go after it and to make memories with no regrets. Demon City Wreckers are excited to take the Tucson stage again, and you never know what to expect, especially now that they’ve resurrected the band after almost a decade.

Don’t miss out on their 20-year anniversary show at 191 Toole, Sunday December 4, doors at 7pm, show begins at 8pm. Tickets are $15 in advance  (available at https://www.191toole.com/events/koffin-kats-191-toole/), $17 at the door.

Category: The Scoop