Photos of The Holdup at the Catalyst Club in Santa Cruz, CA. Show was sold out and the place was packed, which is probably was like a sauna in there. Enjoy!

www.dubrockrecords.com
Click here for slideshow.

Photos and Written by: James Kelly

“It’s just a facade”, God Forbid vocalist Byron Davis told me in a brief encounter after their set. I was walking up to the merch counter in search of a God Forbid tee shirt to make my own as I seen him resting to the side, with a towel over his head, worn out and tired like any other hard working human being after a strenuous day on the job. Waiting until a couple of others moved on, I approached him and told him how great I thought the set was and how nervous I was about even approaching him the in the first place. That’s when he proclaimed that the rock star image is “just a facade” and that he and the rest of his band are just normal people like the rest of us. I took a quick picture with him, again told him how much I enjoyed the band’s set and thanked him for dedicating an ounce of time to just another surprised and starstruck fan.

I suppose I should have known that Davis and the rest of God Forbid are just normal folk. Sure, the band makes music that is heard by the masses, but it has always seemed that God Forbid is a down-to-earth group of musicians that shares a perpetual goal of making kickass music to be delivered to the fans without any sort of self-importance or cancerous ego – a characteristic which seemed to ring true about all of the bands that played the Troc on Friday night. However, while taking in a performance of a band of this caliber, it is easy to get lost in an inevitable haze of stupefying head-banging fist-pumping metal awesomeness. Such was the case on Friday April 20th at the Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia when God Forbid (and four other bands) supported legendary thrash band Overkill on the first date of the Killfest 2012 tour.

I have never been a diehard God Forbid fan but I have always appreciated their ability to blend smart and melodic metal with classic skull-crushing metal. As I expected, they did not disappoint. As soon as vocalist Byron Davis set foot on stage, the crowd erupted in frenzy – a fire constantly stoked by Davis’ focus on the fans, which was a trend that ran throughout the rest of the band. More than all of the other bands, God Forbid made their set feel like an interactive and communicative experience between the fans and the band which made fists easier to raise and heads easier to bang. God Forbid has the ability to play metal that truly beats along with your heart and through your veins which is a perfect characteristic for a band to have when playing live. The band combined new songs off of their latest album “Equilibrium” with some older stuff in a set which was obviously and disappointingly cut short.

Killfest was kicked off by The Last Remark, a local thrash band out of Philly. They claim to have “the intensity of Metallica and the flash of Aerosmith”. I guess this is certainly the case since they ripped through their own version of one of Metallica’s “threadiest” classics “Whiplash” and the fact that bassist Ray Figueroa rocked a dapper pair of what seemed to be spandex pants. The Last Remark is indeed a blend of face-melting speed metal and dash of flash and attitude in the vein of Mötley Crüe.

Following The Last Remark was Givethemrope, another local band out of the Philadelphia area. Givethemrope, to put it simply, is an intense band. Not just metal concert intense, but also “Get out of my way or I’ll kick you in the throat” intense. Vocalist Rich Brooks had, at times, a frightening stage presence. He wasn’t rocking corpse paint, tearing bibles, or spitting blood, he was simply yelling into the souls of every spectator before him all the while cracking beers in between songs. Givethemrope reminded me a lot of metal giants Lamb of God, not necessarily in musical prowess but more so in the band’s collective behavior up on stage. They weren’t posturing or posing, they played their harsh groove-metal set with every ounce of energy they could muster with an in-your-face hardcore edge.

Next was Diamond Plate, a Chicago thrash band that made a 15 hour drive to Philly for the show. The drive was worth it. Diamond Plate was perhaps the most exciting band on the bill – not because they were that much better than any of the other bands, but it seemed that they had “it”, and in no time they could be one of the most popular young metal bands in the world. Of course, that’s only one person’s opinion, but their set was enough to convince me that Diamond Plate could easily be a big name band. They were fun, young, and energetic and were cranking out the sweet sounds of pure breakdown-free thrash metal. Diamond Plate was followed by SuidAkrA, a veteran melodic folk Celtic death metal band out of Germany. SuidAkrA has been putting out music for the better part of twenty years which comes as a surprise to me. They, continuing the trend of Killfest in fine fashion, played another fantastic and engaging set. Well, at least fantastic and engaging enough for this metal Viking.

Last, but certainly not least, was Overkill, the “forgotten thrash band” if you will. For whatever reason, Overkill never seems to be placed upon the same pedestal as the usual suspects of early thrash metal. Although not in the Bay Area, they were of course one of the original big thrash bands to emerge in the early 80′s. However, I’m not sure this ignored reputation is at all deserved. Overkill emerged after God Forbid’s set with the youthful vigor of a band just starting out. These guys are in their fifties. I can only imagine what their shows were like in their twenties. Comparing them to what I’ve seen recently from Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth, Overkill’s performance seemed honest, inspired, and not at all dull or boring. In fact, their set was one of the most fun sets I’ve ever seen in no small part due to Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth’s maniac front-man persona which held the attention of anyone focusing their sight anywhere near the stage. Not as though Overkill needed it, but the light presentation during their set was also quite awesome. It was fast, hyperactive, and added an extra bit of excellence to a most excellent set.

The Killfest 2012 tour is shaping up to be one of the best and most underrated tours of the spring, based solely on a sick first show. From top to bottom, it was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever experienced and each band seemed to build the momentum more and more until Overkill kicked ultimate ass and iced the proverbial cake. From the smaller bands on the bill – just starting out, to main draws God Forbid and Overkill, each band is worth seeing live or at least giving a listen to. The whole “rock star image” may be a facade, but the abilities of each band on this bill are not. Go, bang your head, and see for yourself. The tour continues across the United States throughout April and May.

Victory Records
Overkill official site
God Forbid Official
www.suidakra.com
www.diamondplateband.com
www.facebook.com/thelastremark
www.thetroc.com

Foxy Shazam is your new favorite band. No seriously they are you just don’t know it yet and if you weren’t able to catch them on their last tour with the Darkness or Panic at the Disco then you are in luck. ‘The Tabernacle Tour 2012′ in support of new release “The Church of Rock n Roll” (2012 IRS Records) kicks off on March 24th in Allentown PA and trust me you do not want to miss this show. Seriously this is one of the most entertaining live bands I have ever seen so get off your ass and check them out.

Foxy Shazam Interview at Warped Tour click here

Check out Stubble’s interview with Foxy Shazam at the Van’s Warped tour here

3/24 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Café
3/25 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar
3/26 Pawtucket, RI @ The Met
3/27 Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
3/29 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
3/30 Albany, NY @ Valentine’s
3/31 Boston, MA @ TT the Bear’s
4/01 Hartford, CT @ Webster Underground
4/03 Rochester, NY @ The Club @ Water Street Music Hall
4/04 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small’s
4/05 Lansing, MI @ The Loft
4/06 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
4/07 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
4/09 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
4/10 Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
4/12 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
4/13 Boise, ID @ The Venue
4/14 Seattle, WA @ Vera Project
4/15 Portland, OR @ Branx
4/17 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
4/18 Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
4/23 Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s
4/24 New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
4/25 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
4/26 Knoxville, TN @ The Valarium
5/16 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

Foxy Shazam is best served loud and live. The Church of Rock and Roll descended on the Fillmore in San Francisco on Tuesday as main support for The Darkness, returning to the stage after a six year hiatus and their first ever appearance in San Francisco. The pairing of these two bands is pure genius and really no coincidence if you factor in Darkness front-man Justin is the producer of the Foxy’s fourth studio album The Church of Rock Roll released on IRS Records in 2012.

At a Foxy Shazam show there are two types of people those that know and those about to find out, and with this being my second show it was really my first as part of the “congregation”. Opener “Welcome to the Church of Rock n Roll”, got the party started along with cuts from 2010 Foxy Shazam “Oh Lord” and “Killin’ it”, but it was “I Like it” that brought the house down as 2,000 plus sang the chorus line “That’s the biggest black ass I ever seen and I LIKE IT, I LIKE IT”, and we did, we really did. For three minutes we all liked it, a lot. The entire place was chanting “Foxy, Foxy, Foxy” as they left the stage. Initially I was a little disappointed with the short set list but Foxy did not disappoint and put on an incredible show.

Ring leader and lead singer Eric Sean Nally was brilliant with vocals that are only outmatched by his lyrical wit. With the attitude of Bill “The Butcher” and the swagger of Freddie Mercury, Nally masterfully worked the crowd especially when he ate a fist full of lit cigarettes he solicited from the crowd.

Foxy Shazam Setlist:
Welcome to the Church of Rock ‘n Roll
Killin’ It
Oh Lord
Holy Touch
The Temple
I Like It
The Only Way to My Heart

Ghost
“Opus Eponymous”
2011 Metal Blade Records
Written by James Kelly
Photos courtesy of Raymond Ahner

________________________________________________________________________________

The current state of metal, purely as a genre of music, is stagnant, at least according to my humble sense of hearing. The dark imagery and sinister lyrical content which gave birth to and perpetually feeds arguably of the most unique “sub-genre” of rock music are still as prevalent as ever. But the music itself, I feel, is in a period of banality and repetitiveness. On the surface, most of the metal being produced and bandied about today seems “extreme” and “original” compared to the other, flimsier, genres of widely popular music, but in reality, it has turned into a boring rat race of who can play the fastest, who can “growl” the loudest, who can write the darkest “lyrics”, who can come up with the coolest three-word band name, and in a sad and recent turn of events, who can wear the tightest pants. Bands, worried more about their hair or album art rather than their sound, are popping up every other day, playing the same tired and fast riffs, pedaling machine gun double-bass, and ruining their vocal chords in a never ending spiral of unoriginality and fear of not being as heavy, as loud, or as fast as all of the other bands. Sure, I can quit whining and go back and listen to metal bands of a different era, but stumbling upon something new, something current, something in just its infant stages that separates itself from the rest of the pack is much more rewarding.

Ghost is on tour in North American in support of Opeth and Mastodon. Click here for tour dates.

So, if you too are tired of metal’s status quo, and are longing for something that’s even slightly coherent and actually able to be, ya’know, listened to, then Ghost may be just what you’ve been searching for. However, all of you conservative Christians may want to think twice before giving them a listen. Ghost is everything over-protective parents thought Kiss was back in the 70′s, but with better music.

Hailing from Sweden, Ghost emerged from the depths of hell to spread the word of the “Uncreator” in 2010 with their debut album “Opus Eponymous”. In all fairness, only 80% of the album contains Satanic lyrics. (The other 20% of songs are instrumental.) Although it debuted fairly quietly, “Opus” is really starting to gather praise after a little more than a year since U.S. release, and deservedly so.

After “Deus Culpa”, a short funeral organ intro which sets the mood for the album and what the band is all about, the album starts rocking immediately with an instant headbang-inducing bass riff from “Con Clavi Con Dio”, one of the heaviest songs on the album which subtle and subliminal first lines are “Lucifer, we are here, for your praise, evil one”. Then comes “Ritual”, the hit of the album, if you will. Ritual is very catchy and upbeat in a Satanic metal band sort of way. Remember those Halloween party scenes in every 80′s horror movie? “Ritual” is the song that would have been playing at the parties if it had existed at the time. It is followed by “Elizabeth” and “Stand by Him”. Like their predecessor, these two tracks are very anthemic and catchy. (Even if they are about Elizabeth Báthory, the most infamous and ruthless female serial killer in history, and, again, Satan) After these two, the album starts getting slower, lower, and more doomful. “Satan Prayer” Death Knell” and “Prime Mover” abandon just about all of the slight pop-metal flavor which speckles the earlier part of the album, instead replacing it with low, slow, and steady riffs (bass and guitar). The wicked debut is topped off with “Genesis” an instrumental track which integrates some amazing keyboard playing with aggressive playing all the way around and a beautifully melodic guitar solo over top. Think something like Metallica’s “Orion” with a dash of Pink Floyd. If you are lucky enough to hear the Japanese version of “Opus Eponymous”, then you will hear an amazing bonus track which adds a creepier presence to an already creepy album. It is probably intimidating covering a Beatles song, even for a Satanic sect of ghouls, but Ghost’s version of the hopeful “Here Comes the Sun” is an entity all on its own. If you read (or listen) between the lines,you will see (or hear) that the intent of the cover was to apply a different Rosemary’s Baby-like meaning to the song, “Here Comes the Son”, pun intended. Ghost succeeds in taking one of the Beatles’ brightest songs and turning it into one of the most ominous songs you will ever hear.

Ghost and “Opus Eponymous” succeed where so many bands today fail for me. They make heavy, fast, and sinister music but make it palatable enough for it to be enjoyed by more than just the modern metal head. It’s not about the speed, the decibel level, or the beastly growls. If you’re looking for something to scream along with or break your neck to, you’re not going to get it with Ghost or this album. From beginning to end, it is heavy, yet extremely catchy, paying homage not only to the dark lord himself, but the great bands which paved the way for metal and rock in general. Papa Emeritus, Ghost’s ghoulish singer, (whose true identity may or may not be known) has a voice that is not common in today’s metal, or even in other genres of rock. It is soft, smooth, medium-pitched and clean. Reminiscent of metal and rock bands in the 70′s and 80′s, his lyrics soar above the music, never going too high or too low, and harmonize beautifully. In a band that does not do too much and puts emphasis on the groove and listenability of the music, Papa’s vocals are a perfect accompaniment and in a time when everybody from your mailman to the grocery store bagboy is a lead singer and lyricist in a metal band, his simple and mellow style adds merit and an eerie sincerity to the dreadful lyrics that are akin tomany metal bands today and of the past.

Like their sound, with their image Ghost plays back to a time when bands did more on stage than just spreading their legs, crouching, and headbanging for ninety minutes. Papa Emeritus, a fixture on the stage, is the only member of moderate recognizability, considering he dawns Catholic Cardinal outfit complete with a skull-painted mask. The rest of the band, however, is a bunch of Nameless Ghouls, literally. All five of them behind Papa hide their identities behind black robes, hoods, and voice modification, allowing not even a slight speculation on their identities. Ghost claims to be a “devil worshiping ministry, that in order to spread its unholy gospels and, furthermore, trick mankind into believing the end is ultimately a good thing, have decided to use the ever so popular rock music medium as a way to achieve their ends” and with the band’s lyrics, this notion certainly seems plausible. The part of me which was attracted to metal as a kid wants to believe so, but the rational side of me knows that this is merely the coolest and most intentionally offensive band persona in years, satirizing metal’s perpetual obsession with evil and bestowing nostalgia upon fans old enough to remember when bands were scary and Satan was…sacred. Either way, whatever you want to believe, the band is kickass and the music is undeniable.

I have not (yet) seen Ghost live but their stage presence and overtly evil presentation seem to be what caught the attention of their fans in the first place. It’s definitely impressive. They will soon kick off a North American tour in support of Opeth and Mastodon, beginning April 4th in Portland, Maine. Ghost has recently stated that a follow-up to “Opus Eponymous” will come out sometime later in 2012. By that time, the band should have a large enough fan base (which already consists of Metallica’s James Hetfield among other notables) to merit a headlining tour. I for one am not ashamed to say that I am comfortably seated upon the Ghost bandwagon to hell.

The Pink Floyd Experience
2/22/2012 @ Electric Factory
Philadelphia, PA
Photos/Review by James Kelly

________________________________________________________________________________

The Pink Floyd Experience is currently on tour, check here for tour dates.

Your odds of ever seeing Pink Floyd live again or even for the first time are not very good. Years of legal battle and creative strife have created a world in which the “real” Pink Floyd has not existed in almost thirty years, at least in a literal sense. Sure, David Gilmour may still get out on tour and perform some of your favorite classics as one fourth of the Floyd and of course there is always Roger Waters’ elaborate “Wall” at which to gaze. But with all due respect, is that really a Pink Floyd experience? Also adding to the improbability of a reunion was the 2008 death of keyboardist and original member Richard Wright and the inevitable and continuous process of aging should also be considered. So, you can either spend your time lamenting the fact that you will never have the chance to see Pink Floyd live and in its purest form (like I do), or you can get out and appreciate the myriad of Floyd “cover bands” that exist all over nowadays in an attempt to somehow fill that hole. Definitely worth seeing among these bands is the appropriately-named The Pink Floyd Experience .

Like its name implies, The Pink Floyd Experience is indeed a Pink Floyd experience and not just another ninety minutes of mediocre musicians playing some of your favorite songs at a mediocre level. The music (which you are there for in the first place) is almost outshined by the elaborate Floydian light show by which it is accompanied. Bright colors sure to enhance any acid trip, stream from front and back of the stage, slightly obscuring the band but ultimately enhancing the music. The projection screen behind the band also adds an appropriately trippy element. Flickering images ranging from eyeballs to the all-significant moon add visual depth to the show, rivaling any presentation I’ve ever seen. Also, before the show even starts, the screen behind the stage displays Pink Floyd trivia questions to keep even the most impatient of audiences entertained until showtime. The questions range from the obvious ones which any true Pink Floyd fan should know, to the truly obscure and puzzling. If the lights, projection screen, and fun trivia questions succeed in entertaining you, great, but they pale in comparison to the band itself.

“Cover band” has a negative connotation, and it would be unfair to judge the Pink Floyd Experience (or PFE) solely on them being one. This is a collection of six immensely skilled musicians and although they are not playing their own material, this band is not trying to impersonate the almighty Floyd either in sound or in look. They play Pink Floyd music with energy and more than random precision and in seemingly the unlikeliest of possibilities, they make it their own. The band is led by singer/guitarist Zachary Throne whose stage presence has the ability to make up for a mediocre singing voice; though his singing voice is much better than mediocre. Also fronting the PFE is guitarist/singer Tom Quinn whose veteran presence tacitly implies that he’s probably been playing Pink Floyd music longer than you’ve been listening to it. It is rounded out by John Cox on the keys, Bob Sale on drums, “The Legend” Gus Beaudoin on bass, and Jesse Molloy on saxophone/guitar whose killer sax solos just may have stolen the show.

On the current tour, the band is beginning each show with Floyd’s classic “Wish You Were Here” in its entirety, and their performance at Philly’s Electric Factory showed why this was an excellent decision. Opening with the Syd Barrett tribute “Shine on You Crazy Diamond pt. 1″ is no easy task to say the least, but their precise execution of the over thirteen minute epic set the tone for the entire show. The PFE’s faithful yet refreshing set continued with the rest of the 1975 album before a brief intermission. After the intermission, the band rocked out their own versions of more instantly recognizable tunes such as “Time” and “Money” off of “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “Comfortably Numb” and “Hey You” off of “The Wall” respectively. However, the longer and more obscure Pink Floyd epics are what made the show for me. After veteran bassist Beaudoin’s touching shoutout to late original Pink Floyd members Syd Barrett and Richard Wright, the band performed “Astronomy Domine”, an early cut off of Floyd’s super-psychedelic debut “Piper at the Gates of Dawn”. A slightly condensed version of the over twenty minute ethereal “Echoes” and the infamous instrumental threat “One of These Days” from 1971′s “Meddle” followed shortly thereafter. The show came to an end with a fusion of two “Wall” perennials, “Run Like Hell” and the song you’ve heard a billion times “Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2″. Energetic Crowd participation on the infamous “We don’t need no education” made up for the fact that no Pink Floyd fan should ever want to hear that song again and ultimately ended the show on an upbeat note.

thePinkFloydExperience.com

“Get on board, This train ain’t gonna stop/Where I’m going? I don’t know/Punch your ticket, it’s time to go”.

Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corrigan crooned  at Live 105′s Not So Silent Night. 11,000+ packed the ‘shark tank’ or better known by its demon name The HP Pavilion, in San Jose for an eclectic  lineup featuring The Smashing Pumpkins, My Chemical Romance, Broken Bells, The Black Keys, Phoenix, and Finish Ticket providing main support

Opening the nights festivities to a modest but devoted crowd was local band winner Finish Ticket. Young dance, pop band who are defiantly someone you want to check out it you are into that scene. Check out the Live 105 10 Questions with FINISH TICKET which should get you up to speed.

Broken Bells is the latest Danger Mouse collaboration project with James Mercer of The Shins doing the vocals/guitarsBurton plays organ, drums, piano, synths and bass. Check out Live105′s No Name talk with Broken Bells about about Nintendo, being nominated for a Grammy and their plans for 2011.
Watch the interview here >

The Black Keys were up next. A two man southern blues-rock band that are know for their intense live performances and they defiantly lived up to their reputations. They ripped through new cuts “Tighten Up” and “She’s Long Gone” (Brothers 2010) with an added keyboard and bass player before reverting back to a two piece drum/guitar to close out with blistering performances of “Your Touch” and “I Got Mine”.
Watch the interview here >

French alternative band Phoenix were up next. These guys made full use of the multi- level lighting rig as they began rampaging through their set with an intensity that seemed more appropriate for faster musical style. The sounded tight musically and the crowd sung along to the closer “1901″. I really thought drummer BLANK was trying to beat his fist through his snare as he pounded every note into unconsciousness.
Watch the interview here >

“What you are about to see go down on this stage is gonna blow your ass away”, the darkened stage lights up to reveal an American flag backdrop with a large spider across the surface. My Chemical Romance returns to the stage supporting their new release “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys”. To be fair they played for less than an hour so this was more like a preview of their return but catch them on the ‘World Domination Tour’ which will return to the Bay Area on March 3, 2010 at the Fox theater in Oakland or click here for tour dates in your area

Gerard Ward declares, “We just made a video for this song in which we all die. This song is called Sing.” The new cuts were ok,  pop and dance then glam rock  but it was Gerard’s bright red hair that was off-putting .  From row 22 of the lower lever he kinda looked like the cartoon ball that bonces over the lyrics as you sing along. That kept me through songs like “Sing” and “Na Na Na”. Gone is emo rock opera uniforms and stage show of the Black Parade but that didn’t seem to bother the now packed arena as they cordially rocked along to the new tracks. The place explode as soon as the played the first notes of Teenagers and The Black Parade as the entire crowd lite up and sung every word almost threatening to overtake the PA but since the volume was cranked well above 11 most of the night, they didn’t have a chance.

My Chemical Romance Setlist:  Look Alive Sunshine / “Na Na Na” / Thank You For The Venom / Planetary (GO!) / I’m Not Okay (I Promise) / Sing / Teenager’s / The Black Parade / Helena / Cancer
Watch the interview here >

The Smashing Pumpkins were the nights headliners. Opening with the set with “The Fellowship”, the forth track off their 44-song project “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope”. The driving beat with a swirling synth and an instantly catch chorus “Are you with us or against us?/Are you with us or against us tonight?” was the surprise of the night. One of two new tracks, Freaks being the other, which can stand up with their hits any night. Of course a few of the classics were dusted off during their 50 minute set including “Today”, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”, and an acoustic version of “Landslide” all of which had the crowd singling loud and proud.

Smashing Pumpkins Setlist: The Fellowship / Today / Ava Adore / Eye / Tarantula o / Drown / Freak / Landslide (Fleetwood Mac cover) / Stand Inside Your Love / Tonight, Tonight
Watch the interview here >

We thought we would take a walk down memory late for an update of NSSN by year:

98 Rancid Hole offspring Garbage Cake Everlast
1999 Bush 311 Foo Fighters Filter Blink-182
2000 Weezer Green Day Deftones AFI
2001 Linkin Park System of a Down. Sum 44. Puddle of MudD. AFI. P.O.D. Alien Ant Farm
2003 Outcasts Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Rancid The Offspring Jane’s Addiction, Iggy Pop.
2004 Modest Mouse Franz FerdinandThe Killers Interpol Muse Taking Back Sunday
2005 The White Stripes Death Cab for CutieHot Hot HeatCoheed & Cambria,
2006 The Killers, Modest Mouse, The Racauteers, the Shins, Silversten pickups
2007 Modest Mouse, Jimmy Eat World, Angels and Airwaves, Spoon & Paramore
2008 The Killers, Death Cab For Cutie, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand
2009 Muse, AFI, 30 seconds to Mars, Vampire Weekend, Metric
2010 Smashing Pumpkins, My Chemical Romance, Pheonix, The Black Keys, Broken Bells

Join ‘The New Growth in Music’ – Now available in the iTunes Store!
www.StubbleMusicZine.com

]]> http://stubblemusiczine.com/2010/12/13/live-105-nssn-2010/feed/ 0 http://stubblemusiczine.com/2010/11/27/ted-nugent-review/ http://stubblemusiczine.com/2010/11/27/ted-nugent-review/#comments Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:22:07 +0000 Jeff http://stubblemusiczine.com/?p=5831

Ted Nugent w/Val Halla
8/19/10 @ The Catalyst
Santa Cruz, CA
By Jeff Longo
and Josh Kutras
__________________________________________________________________________________
“I always felt you mother-fuckers deserved me. Say, thank you Uncle Ted!

The faithful began lining up at the venue early. The line of fans was wrapped around the corner as they anxiously waited for the doors (bar) to open. Inside the stage was flanked by an anti-artillery machine gun,a 4ft grenade, some buffalo skulls with red glowing eyes, a metallic compound bow, and the largest American flag north of Tijuana. The lights dimmed and the show began with a ‘shock and awe’ cover of Star Spangled Banner. Here we go.

Pure American attitude screamed out of his signature Stars and Stripes Gibson Les Paul special as the place erupted. Age has clearly not had any affect what so ever on Uncle Ted. Long gone is the loin cloth wearing madman but that’s about it. Wielding his six string like a .50 caliber machine gun Ted stalked the stage like he was twenty, unleashing a full battery of classics right from the get go: ‘Stormtroopin’, ‘Wango Tango’, and ‘Free for All’.

“Wild” Mick Brown, founding member of Dokken, pounded on drums, matching the aggression and pace note for note, as well as journeyman Greg Smith of Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Alan Parsons, Blue Oyster Cult, on bass. The trio were flawless throughout the two-hour set as they hammered their way through Terrible Ted’s catalog of hits leading up to crowd favorites Cat Scratch Fever, Stranglehold, and Great White Buffalo.

In the first forty five minutes, Uncle Ted had only blasted through about four or five songs. This was mostly due to long interludes in the middle of every song where the Nuge makes outrageous claims and statements that were hilarious. Here are a few of our favorites:

“American soul music baby. Soul music. I’m a black mother-fucker, that’s what I am!”

“You can’t do this in Mexico! You can’t do this in Canada! You certainly can’t do this in San Francisco!”

“You got a great fucking state here. Too bad everyone in charge is a brain-dead soulless piece of shit cocksucker. Too bad.”

“Today I am sixty-two years clean and sober!” The crowd unanimously roared their approval. Saluteing with drinks held high.

“I always felt you mother fuckers deserved me. Say Thank you Uncle Ted.”

The reply was instant, deafening, and very slurred

“Thank you Uncle Ted!”

www.valhallaonline.com
www.tednugent.com
www.catalystclub.com

Written by: Jeff Longo and
Josh Kutras
Edited by: Jeff Longo
All Photos © 2010 Jeff Longo all rights reserved stubblemusiczine.com

Celebrating 20 years of touring, 311 brought their Fall 2010 tour to the House of Blues on Atlantic City’s boardwalk for a night full of positive energy and eclectic music. Placed somewhere in the broad spectrum of the ‘alternative rock‘ genre, 311 has been described as a fusion of rock, reggae, rap/hip-hop, funk, and jazz, with a continuously evolving sound. Their 2010 tour follows last year’s release of Uplifter (2009 Volcano) their ninth  studio album with number ten expected summer 2011.

Known for their live shows, 311 literally rocked the ‘House’ last night at the House of Blues to a packed audience at the two-floor, 2,300-capacity Music Hall. I saw 311 for the first time in 1999, at a small venue on South Street in Philly, and hardly ever miss them when they come around my way. Nineteen shows and 11 years later, they still rock just as hard! This show was unexpectedly reminiscent of my first time seeing 311, and faithful fans appreciate their line-up of intimate venues for the Fall tour.

Opening was The Movement, a Rock/Reggae/Hip-Hop fusion quartet out of Philadelphia, PA. A perfect choice to open for 311, The Movement readied the crowd with high energy and positive vibes, and drummer Gary Jackson played on a unique Rasta-style drum set. The band played a short set including tracks off their second and debut albums, Set Sail (2008) and On Your Feet (2004).

As the crowd chanted the now infamous “3-11-3-3-11”, the guys took the stage and opened with “Sick Tight”, a track off their 2001 album, From Chaos. Bassist P-nut showed off a bass guitar rocking green LED inlays, as he laid down the opening bass line of Sick Tight. Their 23-song set list kept the people bouncing with crowd favorites of 311 days of old and new, and extraordinary solos by drummer Chad Sexton, bassist P-nut, and the ever-evolving group drum jam during Applied Science. This time around, the guys added some tricks, showing off with a flawless cross-stage stick toss, mid-jam! “All Mixed Up“, a track off their 1995 breakthrough self-titled album, included a hazy, dream-like breakdown known as “All Re-Mixed Up” to the die-hards. Following was one of my favorite tunes, “Nix Hex”, a tasty jam full of jazzy licks by lead guitarist, Tim Mahoney. The floor of the balcony shook like an earthquake as fans jumped to the beat during “Freeze Time” and “Creatures“, as SA Martinez kept the crowd dancing with his slinky moves, funky rhymes, and DJ skills.

311 came through with a 3-song encore to finish the show. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum dedicated “Down” to the old school fans, and the band closed with “Fuck the Bullshit“, a secret song off their debut album, Music. Nick bid farewell to the crowd as he proclaimed a long-time 311 motto, “Stay positive and love your life.”

*311 SET LIST*
1. Sick Tight
2. Freak Out
3. Prisoner
4. Plain
5. Beautiful Disaster
6. Wake Your Mind Up
7. Mix It Up
8. Lucky
9. Uncalm
10. Applied Science (with drum solo and group drum jam)
11. Purpose
12. Eons
13. All Mixed Up
14. Nix Hex
15. Freeze Time
16. Sun Come Through
BASS SOLO
17. What Was I Thinking
18. Amber
19. Jackpot
20. Creatures
Encore:
21. Livin’ & Rockin’
22. Down
23. Fuck the Bullshit

On 3/3/11, 311 will host a four night Caribbean cruise from Miami to Turks & Caicos for their biennial 311 Day Celebration with a ship full of 311 fans! The event is sold out, but a waiting list is available for cabins that may become available. For more information about the 311 Caribbean Cruise, visit http://www.311cruise.com, and to join the waiting list, visit http://www.sixthman.com/booking.

Also Check out:

880South
Established in 1998 as the funk-driven Floppy Rods, former members rejoined and exploded on the Bay Area alternative dub rock scene in the form of 880 South.  They’ve released two albums, 2005′s  “Beware” and more recently 2009′s  “Youth Bus Sessions” both on Dub Rock Records. This is good times Reggae Rock. Dub Rock. Reggae Soul and Rock N’ Roll. If Marvin Gaye’s ice cream melted on Bob Marley’s cone and dripped down Steely Dan’s hand that was holding a Sublime CD. 880 Floppy Rods are mentioned in The Expendables song “One Night Stand” (‘Come into my bed as we quickly undress/The Floppy Rods are bumping on my stereo‘)

WHOGAS
Reggae on the Rocks with a twist of funk.  This powerhouse trio is based out of Oakland, CA. recently won first place in northern California ‘s Battle Of The Bands, hosted by Emergenza Music Festival at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. After winning in Northern CA, WHOGAS went on to perform at Hollywood ‘s famed Key Club. .  Following their highly anticipated debut album in February 2009 look for a new release in 2011 until then check out thier new single “Pick Me Up” available for as a Free download click here.

The HoldUp
The Holdup creates a new style by blending multi genre influenced production into each song. From Hip Hop, Reggae, Dub, Soul, Pop and Rock, you find each song different from the next with its own unique sound. In March 2009 the long awaited album “Stay Gold” was finally released on Dub Rock Records, and debuted at an impressive number 34 on the Top 100 Reggae Albums on iTunes.  “Good Times” the Single off the “Stay Gold” album has seen been on rotation on multiple college radio stations. In 2010 the HoldUp released  “Confidence” check it out.

Photos & Review by Alicia Longo
Edited by Jeff Longo

Sleep
9/12/10 @ Regency Ballroom
San Francisco, California
Written by  Josh Kutras
Photos by Raymond Ahner
Edited by Jeff Longo
___________________________________________________________________________

In 1993 Pearl Jam ruled the airwaves with their number 1 album VS, people were going to the movies to see Carlito’s Way in their flannels and torn jeans; and a Black Sabbath inspired trio out of San Jose CA called Sleep would forever change the face of heavy music with their ground-breaking release Holy Mountain. A sludge drenched, skull crushing, masterpiece of Toni Iommi riff worship played at quarter speed, that would ultimately go on to inspire it’s own worship (see Stoner Metal)

Seventeen years later guitarist Matt Pike, and bass player/vocalist Al Cisneros reunited for a ten day tour of the US performing Holy Mountain (Earache 1993) in its entirety.  Joining them will be Neurosis drummer Jason Roeder filling in for Chris Hakius. Stubble was there to witness and ultimately document this prestigious event on the first of two sold out shows at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco CA.

Setlist-9/12/10
1. Dopesmoker Intro
2. Holy Mountain
3. Evil Gypsy / Solomon’s Theme
4. Dragonaut
5. Aquarian
6. Inside the sun
7. From Beyond
8. The Druid
Encore:
9. Over The Mountain (Ozzy Osbourne cover)

We arrived at the Regency Ballroom late missing the opener Thrones, because some stupid bitch of a twenty something girl was busy texting and riding in my blind spot making me miss my exit. There was a line from the front of the venue that stretched around the block and down the hills of SF, filled with the metal faithful drinking tall cans from paper bags and passing joints to and fro. When we got inside the theater it was packed, floor and balcony alike, a thick cloud of marijuana smoke hung loftily in the air above the crowd like a warning for an approaching storm of feedback laden doom. Behind the drum riser was a giant screen sporting a picture of the great Tony Iommi in a frilly outfit with his signature Gibson SG, the lights went down, the crowd went wild and out walked the architects of the modern stoner rock sound.

The trio walked to each of their spots on the stage sans instruments, and sticks and stood stoically staring into the crowd for what seemed like 5 minutes, the crowd alternated between cheering and standing quietly in anticipation. Then the marijuananaut, a man in astronaut gear and presumably very high, walked out and handed each member their given instruments, and then they began to tune up. This was classic Sleep, a band that was in no rush to get where they’re going, stoned into oblivion and running at their own pace. Matt Pike all tuned up and plugged in struck the opening chord of Jerusalem/Dopesmoker, a sound so fucking loud I began looking around at the structure of the Regency to see if I could spot any cracks, I mean I’ve seen Motorhead and thought they were the loudest but I do believe Matt Pike has them beat by leaps and bounds.

The hessian warriors belted out the first 10 or 15 minutes of Jerusalem/Dopesmoker with footage of the moon landing and close ups of buds playing behind them, hence bringing a visual to the idea that they were exploring space and time through doom and marijuana. When Jerusalem/Dopesmoker ended the crowd was going fucking apeshit and the cloud of pot smoke dawdling in the rafters had grown much larger, and much, much thicker.

The sheer volume of the band playing together was amazing and physically exhausting. It was much like exercising your ass off and feeling good yet a little spent; but this wasn’t over by a long shot, the night was young. The stoned messiahs then ripped into their seminal recording Holy Mountain, and holy shit! Breaking out Dragonaut, Some Grass, Evil Gypsy-Solomon’s theme, The Druid and more; the band was pussy tight (to quote the great Pantera) and the sound for as loud as it was, wasn’t muddy at all each instrument was clear, and fucking loud did I mention that? During the song Inside the Sun, the band took two pauses in the middle to let their instruments feedback, the first time for a minute or two and the second time for what I’m guessing is pretty close to five minutes, did they do that on purpose or were they just really high? Yes to both, it’s fucking stoner rock for Christ sake!

The show was amazing, I don’t know what else to say, except for oh yeah, for an encore they busted out Ozzy’s Over the mountain at about quarter to eighth speed, awesome. One of the best shows ever from one of the best bands ever, a lot of bands and artists these days claim underground and DIY while wearing their free converse, and doing interviews with Carson Daly; but Sleep is the real thing. A band that began their own movement, bucking all the trends, and gaining notoriety through word of mouth, touring and just kicking ass, true independents, trail and bowl blazers indeed. Days before I had seen Slayer/Megadeth perform both Seasons in the Abyss, and Rust in Peace in their entirety, and now the same for Holy Mountain, though this was more special as Sleep are not a functioning band year round, it was like Christmas for fans of heavy music and each gift opened was a new bike and a bb gun, or perhaps a jar of weed and bong would have been more appropriate for this occasion.

http://www.myspace.com/rifffilledland
http://www.myspace.com/variationsontheme
http://www.neurosis.com/
http://www.earacherecords.com/

Written by Josh Kutras
Photos by Raymond Ahner
Edited by Jeff Longo

Missing Link Festival
Mastodon, High on Fire, Valient Thorr, Baroness,
Black Cobra, Bison BC, Between the Buried and Me
5/8/10 @ Fox theater
Oakland, California
By Jeff Longo, Josh Kutras
& Alex Guzman
___________________________________________________________________________

The mighty Mastodon made another run thorough the Bay Area during their North American spring tour in support of their latest masterpiece ”Crack The Skye” (2009 Reprise Records). This time around they brought with them a diverse group of supporting acts including special guests Between the Buried and Me, Baroness and Valient Thorr. As if that lineup wasn’t already brilliant enough the metal gods shined their light on Oakland California on this particular evening to create the first annual Missing Link Festival, by adding underground metal legends High on Fire along with Black Cobra and Bison B.C . The two tribes collided and launched a sonic assault on the Bay Area.

The day was brutal starting with a trampling from Vancouver B.C. natives Bison B.C. Power duo Black Cobra shook the rafters of the Fox Theater with their rawkus set featuring songs from their new album ‘Chronomega (2009 Southern Lord) And the enigmatic Valient Thorr, never ones to disappoint, set the bar for the remaining acts with a dirty beer drenched set of crusty AC/DC inspired rock.

Valient Thorr Setlist
1. Disappeared
2. Tomorrow Police
3. Mask of Sanity

High on Fire threatened to bring the building down on the home crowd as they powered through some of their best material to date.  They unloaded on the crowd with cuts from the critically acclaimed ‘Snakes for the Divine’ (2010 Relapse). Stand out tracks were the 8 minute epics ‘How Dark We Pray’ and ‘Snakes for the Divine‘.

High on Fire Setlist
1. Frost Hammer
2. Devilution
3. How Dark We
4. Hung, Drawn and Quartered
5. Rumors of War
6. Fire, Flood & Plague
7. Snakes For The Divine

Baroness took the stage basked in a blue light, in keeping with the theme of their latest outing ‘The Blue Album’ (2009 Relapse Records) They ripped through a set of new and old, as the crowd sang along with every track. We at Stubble wish we could tell you how Between the Buried and Me were, however we were downing cold ones and watching the Sharks dispatch the Detroit Red Wings in the playoffs at the bar, sorry to all the BTBM fans. We have seen them before and they are amazing as I’m sure they were on this day as well.

Baroness Setlist
1. Isak
2. The Birthing
3. The Sweetest Curse

Mastodon took the stage as the crowd roared its approval for their crusty heroes. The headliners grabbed their instruments and struck the first notes of ‘Oblivion’ the opening track on their latest release, ‘Crack the Skye’ (2009 Reprise). They ran through their seven song opus with grace and ease. The acoustics in the Fox Theater are excellent and mixed to perfection with clean vocals, sharp guitars and thunderous drums. As the band wrapped up the final song ‘The Last Baron’ and began exiting the stage to ominous keys and a stunning set of visuals on the screen, singer/guitarist Brent Hinds picked up his microphone, slammed it down on stage and stormed off.

The filled to capacity venue cheered loudly and chanted for the foursome to return for an encore. They returned to the stage minus Brent Hinds, and picked up their instruments one more time. Singer/bassist Troy Sanders wholeheartedly thanked the crowd for their devotion to the band and for coming out for such a big event and staying to the bitter end. He asked the crowd if they wanted one more, and began playing ‘Blood and Thunder’ (2004 Leviathan) as a three piece.

Brent Hinds could be seen on the side of the stage halfway into the song with his guitar showing a young lady how to play the song, it was odd. They finished the song and made their way off stage to a huge round of cheers and drunken shouting. The lights came up and the show was over, only one song for the encore was definitely kind of weird, but their hour plus set was amazing so it wasn’t such a big deal. The show was scheduled to end at 11:30, so the plan from the outset had been to end with a three-song encore, but the crowd did not seem to notice much. Aside from that little hiccup it was an amazing day of underground music, all culminating with headliners Mastodon, who are not afraid to venture out into different territory and give the crowd a bang for their buck. If they are coming to your town go see them, if they aren’t buy all of their records you can; this band deserves your support.

Mastodon Setlist
“Crack the Skye” in its entirety
1. Oblivion
2. Divinations
3. Quintessence
4. The Czar
5. Ghost Of Karelia
6. Crack The Skye
7. The Last Baron
Encore
8. Blood and Thunder
9. Crystal Skull (NOT PLAYED)
10. Crusher Destroyer (NOT PLAYED)

Check out:
http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/
http://www.blackdiamondskye.com/
http://www.mastodonrocks.com
http://highonfire.net/
http://valientthorr.com
http://www.myspace.com/yourbaroness
http://www.victoryrecords.com/betweentheburiedandme
http://www.southernlord.com/

Review by: Jeff Longo, &  Josh Kutras

All Photos © 2010 Jeff Longo and Alex Guzman StubbleMusicZine.com all rights reserved

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