Press kit, The Bad Things · Press kit, official use
In 2002. The Bad Things were formed out of the ashes of A Midnite Choir, a cult favorite in Seattle’s underground cabaret scene. Taking their name from a Midnite Choir song about alcohol DT’s, former members Jimmy “the Pickpocket” Berg (accordion, vocals) and Austin “Mad Wilcox” Quist (upright bass, musical saw) began as a two-piece, busking on the wet, Seattle sidewalks under the “Bad Things” moniker. The band has gone through countless lineup changes since then, eventually growing into the 6-piece ensemble that you see today with Jeff “Professor” McBee (banjo), Andy Lowe (guitar), Dominic Black (upright bass), Miss Mamie Lavona (vocals) and Steve “Lord” Kamke (drums and percussion). Over the last 21 years, the group has built up a ridiculously devoted cult following through their raucous live shows, including opening slots with like-minded bands like Devotchka, Balkan Beat Box, Firewater, Woven Hand and Slim Cessnas Autoclub. They’ve been linked to the “gypsy punk” and “steampunk” movements, but neither truly encapsulate the eclectic musical style of the band. In a given setlist, the band can play raucous punk-inspired folk music, dark cabaret soundtracks, tender torch songs, Balkan rave-ups, epic sea shanties, circus music and Americana. Couple that with their seamless sets and theatrical aesthetic and you get what the group describes as “Junkyard Cabaret”.
