Culture / Music / St. Louis’ very own vampire band

St. Louis’ very own vampire band

And the lead singer explains that he won’t pigeonhole himself into playing Halloween shows.
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It’s a myth that vampires can’t go into the sunlight, says Dracla, lead man for the band with the same name. In truth, he’s just more of a night guy. 

Asked how long he keeps up his stage persona, however, he’s quick to add that being a vampire “doesn’t end.” (Case in point: He conducted our entire phone interview in character.)

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The band plays “rock horror,” as Dracla puts it, or heavy rock—somewhere between metal, sludge, and doom. The band and their undead leader have a wide spectrum of influences, with Dracla’s bandmates enjoying the Migos and trap music, while Dracla drifts toward a Black Sabbath kind of sound and music with an 1800s-style vibe.

Before LouFest’s cancellation, Dracla was set to perform on the BMI/Tunespeak Stage. Mixed into the band’s seven-song setlist, the lead singer hinted at possible skits and other gags. (The band’s orchestrated “deaths” on stage and fired their security mid-show in the past.) Other stage antics include drinking red wine (wine, not blood) while dressed in a dark suit and white face makeup. 

Coming up next, Dracla has a show at Central Library on October 19—though Halloween time isn’t as busy for him as you might expect. As he says, “It seems a bit cliché to play October shows.”

This story has been updated since the cancellation of LouFest.