Click, Click, Bang, Bang: Miss Derringer Electrifies The Stage

Miss Derringer performed June 19^th, 2009 at the Highline Ballroom in New York City, opening for Girl in a Coma. The band came on stage with cowboy-style uniforms, bandit bandannas, patches of razors with a heart in the middle, and small metallic crosses on their hats and belts. Just as the outfits fuse together different styles of country, rock, and religion, so does the music of Miss Derringer.

Opening with “Click, Click, Bang, Bang” Miss Derringer introduced themselves as a conglomeration of sound whose roots may be southern and retro but their interpretation of that is indefinable by any conventional musical genres. Morgan Slade named one his many influences to be Johnny Cash, and the deep, bass tone of his melodic voice points to that. Though their sound can be qualified as country, not all their songs fall under that umbrella.

Songs such as “Black Tears” and “Bulletproof Heart” show the range of their style and sound. A throw back to a 1950s tempo and melody colors their music fun. Exciting even. Whereas, songs such as “Tonight I’ve Got a Bottle,” whose lyrical content references depression and heavy-drinking, draws a darker tone, balancing out the range quite well.

Miss Derringer herself, the beautiful Miss Liz McGrath, embodies that range all on her own. She stepped out in a leotard-tight red outfit, her hair styled up, large and blond, dancing along to her vocals with a bouncing energy, fitting the tone of each song perfectly. After the show, she explained her back-up dancers were unavailable for that show but would be rejoining them for the rest of the tour.

Though they played for intimate crowd, Miss Derringer made their mark in New York City. And much like their fashion, they have a style all their own.