Raucous crowd provides perfect atmosphere for Atlanta-based rockers

Complete insanity was the theme for the night at The Waiting Room Lounge on Tuesday as the Black Lips, accompanied by Brimstone Howl and Quintron featuring Miss Pussycat, blew the minds and eardrums of a dance floor crammed full of rock junkies full of Old Style.Arriving a little after nine, the venue was at its usual status: attendees engaging in light chatter, cheap beer flowing like champagne on New Year's Eve and patrons enjoying a slew of classic pinball games.

I purchased a beverage and made my way to the then-empty dance floor to ready my camera and gear up for what I knew would be a long night.

The stage set-up was as ambiguous as the two opening acts, which I had never heard before. An organ/synthesizer made up to look like the front of a car was parked stage right and on the opposite side there was what appeared to be a puppet show stage dressed up in purple fabric and plush tentacles protruding from the bottom.

Aside from the elaborate setup, the amps were miked and the guitars were resting, waiting to be played.

At 9:38 p.m., Nebraska's Brimstone Howl took the stage and wasted no time kicking things off. The group of locals had a high-energy, fast-tempo, grungy-blues sound that got the crowd hopping around and dancing.

They were well received throughout their quick but powerful half hour set; much more than a first opening act usually gets.

They capped their set off when the guitarists made a two-person totem pole and rocked out while walking through the crowd with one on the other's shoulders. Brimstone Howl's catchy, three minute scream-a-longs were a perfect starting point for the night.

The next act, Quintron, hailed from New Orleans and is known for his signature custom-made instruments, backing vocals and percussion from the lovely, high-pitched Miss Pussycat.

The one-man organ band took the stage after he smoked the crowd out with an over abundance of fog. A drum machine laid out a standard beat before Quintron started wailing on his organ with some serious experimental funk and soul. All of the tunes, crazed yet danceable, got the crowd roaring.

The most unique part of his show was a instrument called the "Drum Buddy," which was actually five copper tubes bent at a 90-degree angle at different lengths surrounded by a light bulb.

There was a turntable that spun a tin can with a series of small holes around. When the light went down, the tubes created an analog synthesizer sound which aided him during his show.

There were multiple cans with differing hole patterns to make different sounds. One truly had to be there to observe this unique piece of machinery.

Then the house lights went down and black lights illuminated the puppet show stage. Miss Pussycat treated the audience to a psychedelic puppet performance where a duo of friends encounters a witch in an art gallery. Long story short: The witch turns one of the friends into stone, arguing ensues and Santa Claus blows the witch away with a machine gun to free the friend and save the day.

After a quick breakdown of Quintron's set up, the Black Lips came on and set up their own equipment while being cheered and heckled by the raucous crowd. It didn't take long for the Atlanta-based band to start figuratively tearing the place apart as they opened with the crowd favorite "Boomerang."

The songs were short, sweet and very loud while the band's usual on-stage antics were ever-present: spitting loogies in the air and catching them, using a beer can thrown on stage as a guitar slide and singing on the floor from a microphone that was dangling around a guitar neck.

The Black Lips embodied every aspect of a true rock show. The raw, unadulterated energy was gleaming during songs like "M.I.A." and their single "O Katrina," as the band and audience were bouncing around the room like a bunch of lunatics. Closing time came way too soon as the crowd, bewildered and partially deaf, took to the streets.

A show like this doesn't come around very often. The venue was electrifying the whole night and every act got the respect and admiration they deserved.