Kembra Pfahler in a reflective mood.
Spooky concert in East Village
brings together wild sounds
of Kembra Pfahler’s band
BY BOB KRASNER
If Halloween didn’t exist,
Kembra Pfahler would have
to invent it.
Looking from the stage to the
packed (but masked) audience on
Oct. 31 in Tompkins Square Park,
there’s a connection that Pfahler,
performing with her long running
band ‘The Voluptuous Horror of
Karen Black,” (TVHOKB) sees
as an integral part of the holiday.
“Halloween is a day of inclusiveness
and freedom,” she tells
us later. “It is a time when we are
allowed culturally to transform.”
TVHOKB headlined a show
produced by The Shadow that
featured Pinc Louds, the Head
Peddlers, The Carvels and
Soul Cake, among others.
A casual glance at
Kembra Pfahler onstage
might lead one to think
that this is a group that,
with its musical mix of
glam/goth/metal/punk
and a look that brings to
mind demonic Smurfs, is
dealing with a message of
nihilism and despair.
But for an artist who
has takes inspiration from
horror fi lms and made a
name for herself with
some fairly transgressive
performance art, Pfahler
is surprisingly positive in
her outlook, especially
PHOTOS BY BOB KRASNER
when it comes to Halloween.
After a performance that
included many fan favorites and
the distribution of props into the
audience – including a torn up set
list, miscellaneous items of underwear,
her wig, Karen Black tote
bags and a large red phallus – the
multi disciplinary artist refl ected
on the signifi cance of Halloween.
“Halloween is a kind
of Earth Day celebration,”
she explained.
“We love the changing
of the season and the
beauty in the city. It is
a holiday with a friendly
face – all cultures and
religions can take part
in it.”
The audience certainly
loved being part
of it, especially the guy
who went home with
some souvenir lingerie.
Pfahler was happy and
relieved with how it all went. “I
was afraid to do a show there,”
she admitted. ” There’s been
violence and murders in the
neighborhood. But the audience
was fantastic ! I’m glad they came
and I’m glad that everyone made
it home.”
You can follow Kembra Pfahler
on instagram @kembrapfahler_.
Editor’s note: This story was
initially scheduled to run in the
Nov. 5 Villager, but was not due
to a technical error. We apologize
for the confusion which may have
resulted.
18 November 12, 2020 Schneps Media