When most bands take the stage, the only response they want from the audience is dancing, clapping and whistling. To those bands, cascading streamers of toilet paper and handfuls of rice could be a turnoff.
When local rockers The Scarlet Love Conspiracy kick off a rendition of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" tonight, Oct. 30, however, they'll be disappointed if the audience at Rhythm & Brews doesn't toss a lot more at them than applause.
"I hope I'm dodging toast while people are screaming along during the crowd-participation lines," says bassist/vocalist Travis Kilgore. "I hope it's the full ... Monty."
Since its debut in 1975, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" has developed an enormous cult following and established itself as more of a participatory experience than a musical film.
Through decades of regular midnight screenings around the country, fans of "Rocky Horror" have developed a rich script of behavior to help audience members feel more involved in the experience. These range from shouting interjections and covering their heads with newspapers to waving lighters and rhythmically snapping rubber gloves.
Despite the potential for turning Rhythm & Brews into a toast- and confetti-strewn disaster zone, venue manager Mike Dougher says he's fine with the audience getting involved, so long as they skip the part about squirting water pistols to simulate a rainstorm.
"We may have to squash the water gun, just because there's stuff that can get damaged," he says. "But I mean, we bring in [the band] Southern Culture on the Skids, and they throw fried chicken around the room.
"I'll just pay the cleaners a little bit more."
The Scarlet Love Conspiracy is a quintet consisting of Kilgore, his wife Heather (mandolin/vocals/percussion), daughter Katie (melodica), Kat Almlie (drums/percussion/vocals) and Eric Almlie (guitar). In keeping with "Rocky Horror" tradition, they'll all be taking the stage wearing costumes reflecting the garish wardrobe worn by the Tim Curry-led cast.
The group has been studying the movie's 14-song soundtrack since this summer and have introduced certain songs, including the dance anthem "Time Warp," in their regular sets.
"It never fails to kill - never," Kilgore says, laughing. "We did it full-band acoustic at freaking Charles & Myrtle's Coffeehouse and it killed."
Before the band started studying "Rocky Horror," Kilgore's only exposure to the film was through a TV broadcast nearly 30 years ago. At the time, the frequent cuts from the movie to scenes of crowd participation were confusing, he says, but once he began to dissect the songs, he says, the soundtrack revealed unexpected depth.
"Richard O'Brien wrote some really, really fantastic music for that movie," he says. "It covers a lot of ground. You've got glam rock and hard rock. Some of it is almost punk.
"That's something I was surprised by. I was expecting a schlock fest ... but as I watched the movie and listened to the soundtrack, I thought, 'Holy hell, this music is good.'"
Contact Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205. Follow him on Twitter at @Phillips CTFP.