Over the course of their decade-long existence, local Irish-rockers the Kissers have never had any trouble stoking audiences. Just add a couple pints of your favorite brew and let the games begin. Their studio recordings are a different matter. They rock, but they don't begin to tap the hearty, fist-pumping frenzy of the band's live show.
Which is why Live Candy Ratz is so welcome. From Waylan Nate Palan's jaunty reading of the Irish traditional "Mountain Dew" to main mouth Ken Fitzsimmons' bittersweet waltz "San Ponziano" to an amphetamine-fast interpretation of "Farewell Nova Scotia," the band is at the top of its game on recordings taken from shows in Madison and La Crosse. And talk about fire in the belly - Fitzsimmons spits out the lyrics to his antiwar screed "Worst Ever" like a human flamethrower.
