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LA Shows Up for the Detroit Cobras and Rachel Nagy: This one, quite frankly, was incredibly sad. When Rachel Nagy, singer with the Detroit Cobras, died at her New Orleans home at the start of 2022, Louisiana, the Motor City, the rock & roll community and indeed the world lost an immense talent.

The Cobras have, since forming in 1994, been known for covering obscure ’60s tunes. When Detroit’s garage rock scene boomed in the mid ’90s, the Cobras were lifted into the whirlwind with the likes of the Dirtbombs, the Demolition Dollrods and of course the White Stripes. Thanks to Nagy’s soulful vocals that always fully captured the spirit of rock & roll, guitarist Mary Cobra’s chops and utter bad-ass-ery, plus the fact that they always surrounded themselves with magnificent players, the Cobras were always seen as far more than a cover band. They managed to both remain faithful to the old songs, and fully transform them by transporting them into a new era. Long-forgotten songs were gifted to a new audience, and it was a joy.

The loss of Nagy is a tragedy, keenly felt by the many people in attendance at Zebulon on Thursday evening, most of whom didn’t known her personally. She’s irreplaceable so Mary Cobra didn’t even try; the position of vocalist for this tour has been taken by Zen Guerrilla’s Marcus Durant. Mary said in a statement that she saw Durant with the MC50, Wayne Kramer’s recent touring version of the MC5, and was taken with his “intense performances that went beyond an imitation, or a vocal impersonation. It came from a deeper place and that certainly caught my attention.”

Everything they played at Zebulon was glorious — tunes that the Cobras have made their own such as “Putty (in Your Hands),” “Cha Cha Twist” and “Leave My Kitten Alone.” Durant is indeed a soulful powerhouse of a frontman and, after launching the set with the words “FOR MARY,” he fills his role perfectly. He’s there to do a job, and he excels.

But the night is all about remembering Rachel, and showing support for Mary, the rock & roll sister who is left grieving. “Thank you,” she said to the crowd. “I can’t say a lot, my heart is breaking. But thank you.”

The music will always be there. Mary, usually a live wire of a performer with a hint of the Joan Jett/Suzi Quatro about her, was understandably less energetic at Zebulon but no less passionate. This is how she is choosing to pay tribute to her partner, and at Zebulon, we were there for it.

Earlier in the night, Dagger Polyester opened the show with a set that seamlessly combined the most theatrical, cabaret-esque elements of Siouxsie, Kate Bush, Edith Piaf and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Check them out.

LA Shows Up for the Detroit Cobras and Rachel Nagy: Go to officialdetroitcobras.com for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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