Jolthrower headlines a night of noise music in Miami, AZ

Could an extremely caffeinated and sugar-loaded soda transform a human into a harsh-noise-music powerhouse known as Jolthrower?

If you can bury a chicken nugget from that arch-logoed fast-food eatery that permeates the landscape, leave it for a decade and unearth it intact, it’s beyond possible.

See for yourself when this sonic disruptor makes his first appearance in years on July 26 at Thee 23 Skidoo in Miami, Arizona, along with several local noise acts: Schadenhaus, Stembreo, Project Haruspex and Checkered Shoe Dude, as well as Prolapsed Catholic from California.

Hell, if the bands’ sounds are as intense as their names alone, strap in for an ear-piercing sonic joyride.

“Jolthrower evolved after decades of consumption of Jolt Cola, the world’s most powerful cola. Some say that Jolt Cola fueled the creation of the internet itself in the 1980s, among other things that geeks and nerds do when up all day and all night on caffeine. But for sure, in the early part of the 21st century, Jolt Cola gave birth to this distorted audiologist,” Lob Instagon, promoter of the upcoming Jolthrower performance, says, explaining the performer’s lore.

If you see a Jolthrower set, the syrupy fuel makes sense. He’s crossing wires, pushing buttons, and pounding electronic equipment to deliver head-twisting sounds that stiffen your spine. Dude is keyed up.
The soda, which came out in the ’80s with the tagline “All the sugar and twice the caffeine,” has faced challenges as a business entity over the years. Bankruptcies and ownership changes are all part of the mix. Jolthrower’s career thrives when the cola flows without issue.

“In 2007, during the last resurgence of the original Jolt Cola company, Jolthrower began appearing in the Northern California experimental sound art scene, ready to slay and destroy Pepsi drinkers. His performances were powerful and driven by pure Jolt, but when the cola faded away, so did the fuel that brought him to life. He made his last appearance on a 2020 video presentation for the Norcal Noisefest, and before that, the last live on-stage in-person gig was December of 2019 in Santa Ana, CA. before retiring to somewhere in Arizona,” Instagon says.

So, why is now the right time for the musician to get back in action? The energy drink Redcon1 got the rights to Jolt Cola and came out with the latest version, a zero-sugar version with three times the caffeine. The company is rebranding the soda as a high-performance energy drink, focusing on the lack of sugar. New tag: ‘No sugar. No crash. Just pure, unrelenting energy.’ Old or new, it all works for Jolthrower, just as long as it exists. He’s fully on board to become the beverage’s official spokesperson, you know, if they’d have him.

“To properly celebrate, Jolthrower found a noise show to jump on and announce that he is back, ready to waste Coca Cola zombies and present a fashion statement, too,” Instagon says.

“Jolt Cola promotional items from the past 40 years, including baseball bats, toy trucks, lighters, towels, T-shirts and the world’s only ‘Jolt Power Cola sonic can of chaos volume pedal’ will be on display,” he adds, while dropping perhaps the most pertinent information about the night: “Earplugs will be available.”

The show starts at 8 p.m. on July 26 at Thee 23 Skidoo in Miami, AZ. Admission is $10.