On Friday night, Dex and J.R. of Death by Sexy were joined on stage by Tony Acampora of Greenland, as DxS celebrated the release of their new EP, Big Hit. Without any prior live exposure to Death by Sexy, we can say that Acampora’s quality guitar playing added to the energy and mystique of the Death by Sexy’s show. While neither a Josh Homme side project or the recently broken up Death From Above 1979, Death by Sexy developed their own cock-rock glamfest formula as ostentatious and gaudy as the pink and white boas they sport from time to time.

They were not the Death by Sexy of last year, as Dex himself has admitted. Working hard, booking many shows, and sticking to their routine has paid off – giving the duo healthy doses of independence and exposure. The set opened up fashionably; the contrast of Tony strutting around with his guitar in a crisp white shirt against the solid stance of the J.R., clad in black with the his hair hanging down like a ghost of Ozzfest past. The porno sideburns on Dex and the strobe lasershow that washed over his assault on the drums didn’t hurt either.

At first the crowd was confused by their roaring metal and single-minded content. This is the Black Cat right? But persistence paid as they broke through to an audience that was patient enough to get them. While many had left the mainstage room four songs into the set, those who remained were intrigued if not angrily head nodding and thrusting hips in all directions towards anyone who would take them.This the Death by Sexy Thesis – that metal is dance, metal is some of the sweetest rock, metal is folk, metal is love. The only difference is decibels and distortion.