After disappearing for over a year, COUNT DANTE & THE BLACK DRAGON FIGHTING SOCIETY rocked a packed RED DEVIL LOUNGE on Friday July 30, 2004. Prior to the show, rumors abounded as to whether or not Count Dante had ABANDONED ROCK AND ROLL or, even worse, had merely GONE TOTALLY HIPPY! Dante sightings reporting the Count’s new, long hair lent credence to these theories of a new, lesser, tree-hugging Dante.

Those rumors were quickly quashed last Friday as CD & the BDFS blazed through an amazing opening set as part of the WORLD’S DEADLIEST BANDS show. Dante did have long locks, but, as one concertgoer put it, it gave him “a kind of Ron Jeremy vibe.” The crowd at the Red Devil was quickly wowed by the Count’s oratory skills as well as axe-master GENERAL TOM LESODNAK’S amazing command of the six string. With every power chord and every searing lead, The General won over the packed Red Devil Lounge and showed so many that there may truly be only one way to rock.

Count Dante delivered his KUNG FU ROCK AND ROLL SUCCESS SEMINAR with seemingly more intensity than ever before. “I will show you how to beat George W. Bush in a fair and honest election,” he exclaimed right after displaying his kenpo-kicking prowess. “I will show you how to make John Kerry more interesting and how to make Ralph Nader shut up without killing him!”

Later in the set, Dante promised to show the crowd how to be successful in San Francisco,

Half Moon Bay, Sunnyvale, Antioch, and even all of Contra Costa County to a thunder of applause.

Throughout the set, JIM “CH’I POWER” HENDERSON bashed his new, blood red, Sonor drum kit with a unique combination of authority and abandon that rounded out the holy trinity of hard rock that is the Black Dragon Fighting Society.

CD & the BDFS opened their set with a new incredibly long version of their 2000 hit “Beware the Wonder Bra” that began with a haunting folk melody, then turned to shredding metal complete with finger-tapping and ended with a free jazz finale. Near the end of the set during “Redwood City Rock City,” everyone in the packed house shouted “ROCK CITY” in unison at the Count’s command making it one of the most memorable shows of the year.

THE WORLD’S DEADLIEST BANDS show was the brainchild of ARNOCORPS leader Holzfeuer who reportedly contacted the then-elusive Count and said, “You girly-man! Come back to San Francisco and rock!!!!” Following Dante’s set, Arnocorps transformed the Red Devil stage into a sweltering jungle hell and dominated through the playing of molten metal and the telling of ancient Austrian tales such as “Predator” and “The Terminator.” Misfits tribute band Plan 9 shrugged off a band news month for their spiritual leader Glenn Danzig and rounded out the show.