Tampa Calling

My ears are still ringing from Foxy Shazam’s show at the Orpheum Tuesday night, where I stood mere inches away from the stage, close enough to see the burning embers on lead singer Eric Nally’s cigarettes before he swallowed them. That was just one of the highlights of the night.

Before Foxy Shazam delved into their shenanigans, though, a couple of openers played brief sets.

Dr. Manhattan (pictured at right), a group of quirky guys from Illinois, opened the show and entertained the crowd pretty well with fast-paced danceable numbers that got the early arrivals moving. For their song “Nuclear Embrace,” the stage lights were turned off and each band member donned glasses with mini flashlights on the sides. It was silly, but entertaining and the sound was pretty good. I was less impressed with the A.K.A.’s. They were decent, but at that point, I was restless to see Foxy so I was less than appreciative of the band’s out-of-control rhythms.

Then it was Foxy’s turn. Lead singer Nally theatrically grabbed the microphone shortly after the five-member band (plus touring member Alex Nauth, who did a fantastic job on trumpet and accompanying vocals) took the stage and launched into the first of about a five song introductions. And by introductions, I mean short, nonsensical stories that seemed to have nothing to do with the song that followed. An example: “Me and my girlfriend, we were putting our kid to bed one night, and the blinds were drawn, but they were open, and then moon was shining through the slits, and I looked over at her on the bed, and I said, “Baby, you look like a zebra.”

Nally is a truly theatrical figure. He set the tone for the night by jumping into the crowd just seconds into the first song. From there, he proceeded to move around the stage like a frantic animal, pouring water on himself during songs, jumping on Schuyler White’s keyboard and doing countless handstands and somersaults — all while continuing to sing (try it). Not leaving the antics solely up to Nally, White banged on his keyboard with various objects throughout the set, including his feet, to produce the most sound possible.

Foxy Shazam is incredibly entertaining because their songs and on-stage theatrics perfectly complement each other. Their set list Tuesday night included “Ghost Animals” (a terrific, fast-paced song to start the night), “Rocketeer” (a crowd favorite), “Dangerous Man,” “Yes Yes Yes,” “Red Cape Diver,” “A Black Man’s Breakfast,” “The French Passion of Animality Opera,” and the final, mosh pit-inspiring song (one I didn’t recognize) that found drummer Joseph Halberstadt playing cymbals perched on top of Nally’s head.

My pick for best song was “Red Cape Diver,” a Latin-infused piece about a matador that featured some dazzling keyboard action and extreme vocals. The song’s changing tempos and battling rhythms were held together by a consistent, underlying tango-flavored beat.

The result was a piece that hurtled through the crowd. The band also delivered a great performance of “A Black Man’s Breakfast,” a song that showcased Nally’s vocal talent. He calmed down long enough to belt out a soulful ballad that proved his talents aren’t limited to eating cigarettes — the guy can really sing. His rich tone and wide range even made his cover of the theme song to “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” delightful (and hilarious).

You can’t help but get swept up in the ferocity of Foxy Shazam’s performance. One of my friends — who hadn’t heard much of their music but was persuaded to go by the band’s wacky name and Nally’s “sexy man pose” on the cover of their sophomore album Introducing — summed up the night best when she said after the last song, “I feel like I’ve just been shazamed.”

Eric Nally's "sexy man pose"

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