On Sunday, October 9, The Detroit Cobras will be performing at Mr. Small's Theatre in Millvale, PA. Hailing from Detroit, as their name indicates, the Cobras are on tour to promote their most recent CD on Bloodshot Records, entitled Baby. They will be performing along with fellow garage band Reigning Sound.

The Detroit Cobras, made up of Mary Ramirez and Steve Nawara on guitar, Joe Mazzola on bass, Kenny Tudrick on drums, and Rachel Nagy on vocals, is not your average garage band. The band does not write its own music, and instead covers lesser-known songs from the eras of classic rock and Motown.

But just because The Detroit Cobras is a cover band does not mean that it lacks creativity. Baby, their latest album, shows off the pure, unadulterated flare associated with garage rock. The album is filled with tracks that show off Nagy's smooth, deep voice, which adds a soothing presence that is unexpected from a band named after a venomous snake. The Cobras' website and the liner notes of the album suggest something hard-hitting and harsh, but the music flows sweetly at its slowest and pumps up in a fun way at its fastest. While it may rock out, Baby never shocks.

Baby shifts from one musical style to another – from traditional fifties rock to R&B to classic seventies rock – almost seamlessly. It starts off with "Slipping Around," a simple yet catchy track that may cause involuntary head bobbing. Songs such as "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" and "Weak Spot" mask a deep soulful core with an almost punk style guitar, which surprisingly helps rather than hinders the track. "99 and a Half Just Won't Do" sounds like a song that could be done by a church choir, but it fits just as well in the Cobra repertoire.

One of the highlights of the album is the cover of the "Cha Cha Twist." Normally heard at weddings and bar mitzvahs as a happy classic, this version uses crashing drums and a funky guitar riff that makes the song less appropriate for a birthday party and more appropriate for a nightclub. The CD comes enhanced with a video for the song: a fun concert-esque short with images of people from various social and musical backgrounds enjoying the classic tune. 

For those unfamiliar with The Detroit Cobras, Baby will prove to be a pleasant surprise. The Cobras are described by their record label as the sort of people who "take care of business themselves with a bat of the eye or an elbow to the kidney." However, their music does not accurately match this description because it is not so much hard rock as it is punk. Baby is definitely worth a listen to; if you don't believe it, check out their show on Sunday. 

Mr. Small's Theatre is located on 400 Lincoln Ave in Millvale, PA. The Detroit Cobras' show starts at 7:30 p.m. and is open to all ages. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. To get the Mr. Small's Theatre by bus, catch the 500 bus (which goes down Fifth Avenue) downtown and get off at Liberty Avenue and Sixth Street. From there, catch the 1D. Please note that the last bus departs Millvale at 11:45 p.m. on weekends. For more information, call 412-821-4447 or visit http://www.mrsmalls.com.

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