By Dan Kimpel
Sunset Strip Radio
November 16, 2001

Powder
At The Whisky A Go-Go
West Hollywood, CA

The Players:
Phil X -- Guitar
Ninette Terhart -- Vocals
Allan Hearn -- Bass
J-bo Dynamite -- Drums

It was midnight when I left the Whisky and started walking down the Sunset Strip. On either side of me were groups of fans and, who like me, had just seen the Powder show. Eavesdropping on their conversations, I could hear their praise, "What a great concert," said one guy. "Sort of like a metal Carol Channing," laughed one man. "Hey, it's theater," retorted his companion.

Yes, Powder is a theatrical experience, and a musically and visually powerful one, too. As the music intensifies and changes, so do the performers. Like a scene from Franz Kafka's novel, the Metamorphosis, the performance is a riveting adventure in extravagant transfiguration as the band presents, and shreds extraneous layers, ultimately distilling their focus to the core essence of rock and roll.

The lights rose on four musicians frozen in place to a throbbing, pre-recorded track. Lead singer Ninette Terhart, in a Farmer John straw hat, was attired as a scarecrow (albeit a glamorous one.) When the band kicked in with one of their standards, "State of Mind," it was like a kick of pure testosterone, with Ms. Terhart's vocal lines gliding along the groove. Following this crowd pleaser, the band upped the ante with intensely played "Tarnished."

As the set progressed, Ninette commenced a physical transformation -- off came the scarecrow drag, revealing the singer's alabaster flesh. The band are all a treat to watch: the spiky haired Phil X on guitar and bassist Allan Hearn were equally good-humored and energetic, and drummer J-bo Dynamite, his hair molded into antenna and his body draped in orange-colored lights, resembling some extraterrestrial traffic signal. There was nothing patronizing or forced in any of the band's moves -- the attitude flowing from the singer was one of tight control. However, Ninette's taut body did provide the attendant males in the audience with another level of entertainment. By the fourth song, "Sonic Machine," the band was at full bore. A savvy use prerecorded tracks to augment the sound added transparent layers of backing vocals and restated the grooves.

Powder is the only unsigned band selected by Interscope Records to be included on their forthcoming Christmas release (on the A&M imprint.) Powder will contribute a rendition of "Christmas Don't Be Late," previously immortalized by Alvin and The Chipmunks.

It's doubtful that little Alvin would have held up a sign that said "Fuck Me" like Ninette Terhart did during the song "Bottom of You." As the set shuddered to a close with "Need a Little Help," Terhart whipped off her Marilynesque blond wig to reveal a shaved, wispy haircut reminiscent of some shock treatment victim back in the Fifties. It was an alarming moment, and revealed just how far the set had traveled in a short half an hour via Terhart's transformation from scarecrow to Hollywood love goddess to a pure frenetic force.