[ATTENDED: May 27, 2026] Witch Club Satan
I found out about Witch Club Satan last year. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon them (maybe Instagram?) Anyhow, I was immediately struck by the band: three Norwegian women in corpse paint singing black metal. And they were great. They sang about different subjects (for black metal) and they were fearless. They had great screams and were completely intense.
I didn’t really think they’d come to the States since they seem pretty niche, and yet, soon enough it was announced they were coming to the States for the first time, bring their tour: Founding of the North American Coven. And they were coming to Underground Arts. I grabbed a ticket immediately since I never know if shows like this will sell out. It didn’t and I was able to invite my son along and grab a ticket day before. He’s technically not allowed in Underground Arts yet (it’s 21+) but evidently, as long as I let them know ahead of time and follow some basic rules, he was allowed to come along.
He loved the venue (it is very cool) and he loved Witch Club Satan (Penelope Trappes not so much). Actually, we were both blown away by Witch Club Satan.
The lights went down and they started playing a deep, synthy chord It went on for a few minutes (too long, tbh), but I think they were still setting up because shortly after, the band walked from behind the stage, holding incense. They walked through the crowd, slowly, making eye contact with everyone nearby. It was so impressive and the crowd was rapt.
When they arrived on stage lead singer and guitarist Nix (Nikoline Spjelkavik) welcomed us to the coven and they launched into Hysteria. It was amazing seeing them up close. The three women wear corpse paint and have blackened eyes and markings. And from this distance it was easy to see that they blackened their teeth as well. For the first couple of songs they wore knitted sweaters with openings for their breasts, as well as knitted horned headgear. Nix invited everyone to dance or take their tops off.
Bassist and singer Hedda (who is filling in for Victoria Røising who just had a baby!) was awesome. She also sang and used a violin bow and a sword on her bass.
The songs are black metal–heavy, short, fast and growled. I wished I had listened to their music a bit more just so I knew what was happening. I was able to take a photo of the setlist before they came out so I knew what they were playing, but there were some notes on the page that made things a little unclear. And after Water Girl, all three women came to the front of the stage to sing the mournful Mother Sea, a completely non black metal story/song that was really intense.
After the song they left the stage and showed a video on the stage. A few minutes later they returned wearing nothing except for floor-length black wigs (and flesh-colored underpants). They stood on stage and proceeded to spit blood on the stage and into the crowd (I got some on my glasses!). Nix leaned into the crowd and whispered into the ear of the woman near me–wonder what she said.
For the intro of Black Metal is Krig, Nix shouted out that there would be no mercy for the mercyless–not for the warmongers, not for Netanyahu. For the final song of this section, Mother, the three women came to the front of the stage again and they sang/screamed the word Mother (hearing their drummer Johanna Holt Kleive–who did sing occasionally) scream the word Mother in a high pitched wail sent chills up my spine).
They returned for the third part of the set in new outfits–denim and sequined, um, torn headgear and clothing. They looked insane, and being able to see Nix’s eyes through this mask was really creepy–especially as she made eye contact with everyone. For You Wildflower, Hedda walked into the crowd and shouted the intro to everyone and people individually
You don’t give up, you don’t give up
The sky shivers, you don’t give up
The ground breaks, the heart aches (Motherfuckers)
The heart aches, the heart aches
They keep lying, they keep lying
The dictators, the small dicks
You keep pushing, you keep pushing (Motherfuckers)
You keep pushing
You keep breathing, you keep breathing
The sun’s shining on your resistance
You keep fighting, you keep fighting
You show up, you keep fighting
You wildflower
It was awesome. Their “single” Fresh Blood, Fresh Pussy” is certainly catchy and it sounded great. And then for Witchcraft Techno, Nix crowd surfed (despite being mostly naked) and was safely transported to the stage. Before the last song, she told us that we reminded her of Norway which was both good and bad. We were very polite but we were also very uptight and se wanted to see people dance with them. I was (pleasantly) surprised that there had not been a mosh put up to this point. I think all eyes were on the stage instead of thinking about dancing. But the crowd did oblige for the final song and a pit was started.
And that was that. Their set was about an hour and it was exhausting. I’m so glad I bought a shirt before the show, but I do regret not buying the tour vinyl of their album. And, if by any chance, they played nearby again, I would see them in a second.
- Intro
- Hysteria ∇
- Wild Whores ∇
- Water Girl
- Mother Sea ∇
- I Was Made By Fire ∇
- Black Metal is Krig ∇
- Salvation ∇
- Mother ∇
- You Wildflower ®
- Fresh Blood, Fresh Pussy ∇
- Witchcraft Techno
- Solace Sisters §
® single (2025)
∇ Witch Club Satan (2025)
§ single (2022)
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TsuShiMaMiRe (つしまみれ) are Japanese band who I had not heard of until this tour was announced. Then I looked into them and I was hooked. They have a punky vibe–bass-heavy and overdriven guitars–with influences of noise and Japanese pop music. Their lyrics are often quirky and idiosyncratic and are about sex, food, love and peace. But they also do weird things that lend them a more artsy sheen.
