By Jessie De Luca
If there is one word to describe Semi Precious Weapons, the self-proclaimed "dirty rock and roll" band from New York City who have been making a name for themselves as Lady Gaga's opening act, it would be "outrageous."
When they stopped by the MTV Newsroom on Friday (February 12), the conversation ranged from the passing of Alexander McQueen to the unique issues surrounding autographing adoring fans' breasts while their parents look on. Though lead vocalist Justin Tranter described Gaga as "the coolest girl anyone has ever met," Semi Precious Weapons make a pretty good case for coolness themselves — and I can't decide if it's because of Tranter's extravagant gold glitter stiletto boots or bass player Cole Whittle's brightly-colored leggings. While the laid-back guitarist Stevy Pyne silently plucked his guitar, the others spoke of the excitement, danger and desire to get laid that theirs songs like "Magnetic Baby" provoke.
At the end of the day, the most powerful piece of artillery in Semi Precious Weapons' arsenal is their killer concert presence. As Tranter himself said, "Our live show is our music." In an age where music is forever artificially tweaked to perfection in the recording studio, it's refreshing to hear that there are still artists who have committed themselves to getting on stage and playing their hearts out. They have no fear of regulations and care only about blowing the collective mind of the audience. Based on their appearance in the Newsroom, it's not just a stage show — it's a way of life.