Heavy Metal Demons : Blue Oyster Cult’s Explosive ‘70s Sound to Return to San Diego’s Musical Menu

Bring out the smoke machines, the black leather and the ear plugs: Blue Oyster Cult, the sinister heavy metal demons of the 1970s, will be appearing tonight and Thursday at the Bacchanal nightclub on Kearny Mesa.

Described by the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock ‘n’ Roll as “semi-satiric exponents of the high-decibel apocalypse,” Blue Oyster Cult helped launch the head-banging revolution of the early 1970s with such wickedly ferocious cult anthems as “Tyranny and Mutation,” “Cities on Flame,” and “Hot Rails to Hell.”

Later, the New York band adopted a less-explosive, more mainstream pop sound and saw its commercial fortunes rise with Top 40 hits like “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” in 1975, and 1981’s “Burnin’.”

In recent years, however, Blue Oyster Cult’s place in the hearts of heavy metal fans has been taken over by newer, younger bands like Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister and Whitesnake. In 1979, at the height of their success, the Cult headlined a sold-out show, in front of more than 50,000 people, at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Today, they’re playing mostly tiny nightclubs around the country like the Bacchanal, with a capacity of only 500.

Also in town this week are current new wave darlings INXS and Public Image Limited, a band fronted by former Sex Pistol Johnny Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten).

Both groups will perform Thursday night at the San Diego Sports Arena.