Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds

From the early '80s onward, guitarist Kid Congo Powers has been a distinctive presence at the nexus of roots music and punk. Powers had memorable tenures with the Gun Club, the Cramps, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, but it wasn't until 2009 that he launched his own band, Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds. The group plays a mix of primitive, swampy rock & roll, garage rock, and fractured blues with East L.A. Chicano rock and a dash of punk and psychedelia. They debuted with 2009's Dracula Boots and hit a peak of strength and confidence on 2016's La Arana Es la Vida. 2024's That Delicious Vice featured dark rock & roll and upbeat dance numbers, as well as contributions from L.A. punk heroine Alice Bag.