John Carpenter wouldn’t have looked totally out of place in a tuxedo during his recent residency at The Belasco in Los Angeles. On the cool night of the Dodgers’ World Series win—which had a few fans half-joking, Would Carpenter end the concert early to catch the game?—Carpenter led the band like he was leading an orchestra… except with devil-horn fingers. Lots and lots of charming, Carpenter-esque devil-horn fingers.
It’s a welcome contrast to his self-effacing persona. Read any gem of an interview with Carpenter, and expect him to wave off any suggestion of legendary status or power of influence as a filmmaker. He doesn’t want to hear it.
The nonchalant persona aside, the man still cares about putting on a show for paying customers. When Carpenter goes on stage with his band, the care for presentation and storytelling is alive. Plenty of joy radiates from Carpenter, a man who’s delivered great entertainment throughout his life. Assault on Precinct 13, Big Trouble in Little China, Escape From New York, Halloween, In the Mouth of Madness, The Thing, They Live, and Prince of Darkness—that’s the work of a showman.
“In France, I’m an auteur. In England, I’m a horror movie director. In Germany, I’m a filmmaker. In the US, I’m a bum,” Carpenter once famously said.
On stage, he’s a fun-loving artist alongside Cody Carpenter on lead synth, Daniel Davies on lead guitar, John Konesky on guitar, John Spiker on bass, and Scott Seiver on drums. Playing songs from Lost Themes as well as Carpenter’s iconic scores, they deliver some synth-heavy rock.
Carpenter is a rock artist at heart. As a kid, he accompanied his father—a teacher, violinist, and seasoned player—to studios. After his days of accompanying his father and even watching Roy Orbison perform in a studio, he played in a rock and roll band called Kaleidoscope in high school. In the ’70s, he embraced synth, combining his love of rock, classical music, and composers like Bernard Herrmann.
A long history of musicianship is on display at a Carpenter show—three generations of musicians—and the music hasn’t lost an ounce of freshness. The music defines a time without staying stuck there. That musical longevity says a lot to Daily Dead’s one and only, pizza-munching New Jersey devil himself, Matt Donato.
“Why is it still of the now?” Donato asks after the show. “Simple: because talent and quality will always endure. There’s a novelty to a filmmaker also providing his own score, but Carpenter is more than a gimmick. Carpenter’s direction and composing are one beast; a symbiotic relationship that encompasses his vision. It never goes out of style because he’s one of the few to master both visuals and scoring, and that’ll always remain impressive. He does what few can, and that’s a little miracle of its own right.”
Carpenter isn’t one to overstay his welcome. Whether in his lean and mean filmmaking or vibrant scores, less is still more for him. He plays 75 minutes, gives the people what they want, but leaves them wanting a little bit more. In a day and age of indulgence, Carpenter’s penchant for brevity and focus remains a breath of fresh air. The ride doesn’t stop. No steam lost. The filmmaker’s classic eye and ear for pacing is ever-present.
With varying setlists over the residency, Carpenter and the band tell a quick and clean story of rock and horror: his career in a nutshell. Images grace the screen from the filmmaker’s classics. A few choice slimy shots from In the Mouth of Madness made someone new to the Carpenter faithful wonder aloud, “What the fuck is this?” They are in for something special when they get to his Lovecraftian horror picture.
John Carpenter performing live is simply a Halloween treat. It’s a special evening to spend the holiday with family, friends, and perhaps the closest thing to the Santa Claus of horror, John Carpenter. If there’s a God, may they bless and protect this man’s devil fingers.
