Creature Rock Feature set to take deep-dive into '80s hard rock at Rascals

When it comes to rock,Frank Pupillo is the real deal.

As frontman of the Poison cover band Shot of Poison, which competed on E! Network’s “Clash of The Cover Bands” and later performed live with Poison’s singer Bret Michaels, and co-owner of Rascals, Pupillo is doing his best to keep hard rock and live music thriving in Worcester.

So, whenever the city native and Burncoat High School grad has a new project to unveil, you better take notice.

Billed as “the ultimate tribute to ‘80s hard rock,” Creature Rock Feature is making its high-decibel, hook-laden, fire-and-brimstone debut June 29 at, you guessed it, Rascals, 70 James St., Worcester.

“We are doing songs that nobody else does,” Pupillo said.“We’re doing the third or fourth cut down on an album of the band’s song versus the one you hear everybody play. Our goal is a song that’s recognizable to everybody but don’t hear all the time but when they start hearing the song, they go, 'Oh, my God! I love this song! I haven’t heard it forever!'"

That familiar, smoking sound

Promising to take you on “a wild ride back to the halcyon days of leather, loud guitars and legendary tunes” (I guess I’m not the only one who’s a sucker for shameless alliteration), Pupillo said he found inspiration for his latest venture from “Creature Double Feature." Those of you who had awesome childhoods will remember the WLVI Channel 56’s Saturday-afternoon double-whammy that brought badly-dubbed Japanese kaiju movies into our living rooms.

“We’re doing songs from bands from the ‘80s like White Lion, Queensrÿche, XYZ, Mr. Big, Steelheart, not a lot of bands that a lot of people do,” Pupillo said. “And then, we are still doing the typical bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Ratt, Dokken, things like that. But we’re not doing, for example, everybody does 'Still of the Night' by Whitesnake. We’re not doing that one. We’re doing one that’s not done by everybody but everyone recognizes.”

Boasting the three-in-one, Ghidorah-like might of Pupillo on vocals and the fire-breathing, Godzilla-sized guitar riffs of John Whitcore of Iron Tiger fame, Creature Rock Feature promises to pummel everything in its path.

“We’re also throwing in some really cool, great songs that may not quite fit the hairband genre but people love,” Pupillo said. “We’re doing 'Magic Power' by Triumph. We’re doing 'Flirtin’ With Disaster' by Molly Hatchet. And people are going mental over the setlist. They really, really, really love it.”   

'These players are the best'

While Pupillo and Whitcore have proved their chemistry and combustible might with the Deuces Wild, the two rock veterans are being joined by volcanic bassist and Berklee grad Michael Bertolami, and earth-shaking drummer Phil Cefalo of Shot of Poison and Wanted: DOA and formerly Draw the Line.

“It’s a great band. These players are the best. I am amazed that I am so blessed and so lucky to be singing with these three guys behind me,” Pupillo said. “They’re just the best of the best in Central Mass., as far as I’m concerned. They’re great. They’ve all played with big, big players and big artists and now they playing this with me. And we just put together a band of some of the greatest talent you’ll hear.”

Hard-rocking, guitar-driven trio Neon Alley will be opening what promises to be a unforgettable, head-banging, fist-pumping evening.

Creature Rock Feature with Neon Alley

When: 7 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, June 29

Where: Rascals, 70 James St., Suite 138, Worcester

How much: $15 advance, $20 day of show. 21 and older. rascalsworcester.com.