With the possible exception of Fishbone, no group (outside the jam division) possesses a more gaping live-show-to-recorded-output quality divide than Reverend Horton Heat. The Texas trio has some classics alongside the stinkers in its discography, but nothing matches its onstage psychobilly freak-outs. With his sleazy huckster banter and solos so sharp the strings seem like razor wire, the band's titular frontman commands constant attention, and his robust rhythm shakes spectators into motion. Silvermen (pictured) excel in person as well. In recognition of its high-energy performances, the group earned a sponsorship from the potent booster beverage Red Devil. However, unlike the "you had to be there" headliners, this Kansas City act loses little in the translation when it takes its surf-rock sounds to the studio.
