For all its flower power sentiments, the psychedelic '60s had their dark side, just as LSD offers the 50/50 promise of oneness with the universe or a soul-shattering bad trip. Fully embracing the brown acid, rock opera The Strip Cult plants its go-go boots firmly in the era's seedy side, telling the Manson-inspired story of a wannabe ingénue corrupted by a drug-crazed serial killer. Ablaze with fuzz-laden grooves and liquid light, The Strip Cult is like a Kenneth Anger film come to life: Lost souls shake, rattle, and roll toward a violent end, exposing the dangerous nihilism behind "free love." An opening set from Cavedweller causes the kundalini creeps with stark psych-blues, while Hacienda's layered pop harmonies provide a smooth comedown.
The Onion 5/15
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