“Decades- 2010’s”

Bad Religion

Saturday, January 2^nd, 2021

The Roxy, Hollywood, California/NoCapshows.com

Our score 4 out of 5 stars

Bad Religion wrapped up their “Decades” concert series on Saturday, January 2^nd live from the Roxy Theater located in West Hollywood. This was the bands fourth online streaming concerts celebrating Bad Religion’s forty years of making music. Each performance featured a full set from four different decades of the bands career (80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010’s). Newly record live performances combined with exclusive interviews and behind the scenes access gave fans an immersive experience which could be enjoyed all from the safety of your home.  

For the fourth and final concert on the “Decades” series Bad Religion performed tracks from the most recent decade (2010-2019) with a set list consisting of tracks from 2010’s “The Dissent of Man”, 2013’s “True North” and the bands newest release 2019’s “Age of Unreason”. Much like the three previous shows the performance kicked off with a video montage of scattered images and sounds depicting events from the evening’s specific decade which gave way to a black velvet curtain which was slowly raised to once again reveal the punk rock pundits. Starting the set was the anthemic “Wrong Way Kids” followed by two personal favorites “True North” and “My Sanity”. The band looked great and, was very tight musically as they performed rarities such as “Crisis Time”, “Land of Endless Greed” and “Robin Hood in Reverse” a song what hadn’t been performed live since 2016. The fast paced 16 song set concluded with “Changing Tide” (a first since 2015) the live debut of “Candidate” and the in your face “Fuck You”. Then almost as it had begun the velvet curtain was lowered and the “Decade’s” concert series came to a close.

Though this was certainly the shortest of the four concerts, Bad Religion still offered an enjoyable break from the craziness we all continue to deal with on a daily basis. Comedic behind the scenes footage and interview with the bands newest members’ guitarist Mike Dimkich and drummer Jamie Miller were welcome additions as were those provided by vocalist Greg Graffin, bassist Jay Bentley and guitarist Brian Baker. Sure nothing beats seeing the band in a jam packed, sweaty venue (we hope those opportunities return sooner than later) but until then these types of shows are great opportunities for fans to support their favorite bands and interact with other fans and in this case the band as well (the band was on hand during all four concerts via a live chat room). For those who have not checked out these performances we highly recommend you do so quickly as they will only be available through mid January.

Set List:

1.) Wrong Way Kids

2.) True North

3.) My Sanity

4.) Crisis Time

5.) Do the Paranoid Style

6.) Land of Endless Greed

7.) Robin Hood in Reverse

8,) Chaos From Within

9.) Dharma and the Bomb

10.) Lose Your Head

11.) The Resist Stance

12.) Only Rain

13.) End of History

14.) Changing Tide

15.) Candidate

16.) Fuck You

Tickets and Event Merchandise for Bad Religion’s “Decade” Concert Series can be purchased HERE.

“Decades- 2000’s”

Bad Religion

Saturday, December 26^th, 2020

The Roxy, Hollywood, California/NoCapshows.com

Our score 4 out of 5 stars

Bad Religion continued with their “Decades” concert series on Saturday December 26^th live from the Roxy Theater located in West Hollywood. This was the third of four online streaming concerts to celebrate the bands forty years of making music with each performance featuring a full set from four different decades of the bands career (80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010’s). Newly record live performances combined with exclusive interviews and behind the scenes access give fans an immersive experience which they can enjoy from the safety of their own homes.  

For concert three in the “Decades” series Bad Religion jumped back to the decade of Y2K and Windows ME to perform material compiled from “The New America” (2000), “The Process of Belief” (2002), “The Empire Strikes First” (2004) and “New Maps of Hell” (2007). The set despite clocking in at just under 60 minutes featured the live debut of  “Let It Burn”  along with performances of  “Epiphany” and ”Beyond Electric Dreams” both of which have been absent from live shows since 2015. Also included in the evenings set were long time staples “Los Angeles is Burning”, “Supersonic” and “New Dark Ages” before closing out the night with “Bored and Extremely Dangerous” (a song not performed live since 2008) and probably the bands biggest song of this era “Sorrow” certainly did not disappoint. The performances like with the previous two shows were mixed in between behind the scenes footage and insightful interviews with the members sharing memories of different experiences from the decade. This certainly added to the overall presentation and gave the show a nice steady flow. To enhance the experience for fans even further the band was again on hand interacting with fans via a live chat which occurred throughout the entire show.

Despite clocking in at just under 60 minutes along with a few different sound inconsistencies “Decades- 2000’s” at first look/listen might not seem to be the strongest presentation we have seen thus for however the performance, like previous shows still was visually and for the most part sonically superior to other bands using this same type of model. Bad Religion week after week continue to provide enjoyable viewing/listening experiences proving that an old dog can learn new tricks as the bands quick grasp on virtual concerts is one to commended. The final performance of “Decades” is scheduled for Saturday, January 2^nd and will feature songs from 2010-2019. All previous shows can be streamed here via NoCap.com. We definitely recommend you check them out!

Set List:

1.) Social Suicide

2.) Los Angeles Is Burning

3.) Dearly Beloved

4.) Let It Burn

5.) Epiphany

6.) Supersonic

7.) Prove It

8,) Can’t Stop It

9.) Overture

10.) Sinister Rouge

11.) Let Them Eat War

12.) The Defense

13.) 52 Seconds

14.) Heroes & Martyrs

15.) New America

16.) New Dark Ages

17.) Beyond Electric Dreams

18.) Bored and Extremely Dangerous

19.) Sorrow

Tickets and Event Merchandise for Bad Religion’s “Decade” Concert Series can be purchased HERE.

“Decades- 1990’s”

Bad Religion

Saturday, December 19th, 2020

The Roxy, Hollywood, California/NoCapshows.com

Our score 5 out of 5 stars

Punk mainstays Bad Religion performed their second  “Decades” concert on Saturday December 19th live from the famous Roxy Theater located in West Hollywood. The second of four online streaming concerts to celebrate the bands forty years of making music featured a full set of  90’s era material from the band who began their storied career in the early 1980’s. Newly recorded  live performances combined with exclusive interviews and behind the scenes access gave fans an immersive experience which could be enjoyed all from the safety of their own homes.   

Streaming events have quickly become the new way for bands to reach their fans during the ever present COVID-19 Pandemic. Bad Religion have taken that model and done something unique with it by offering fans four different shows which showcase four different eras of music from the bands catalog.  “Decades- 1990’s” transported viewers back to one of the most productive periods  in the band’s history. The evenings 19 song setlist was compiled from the era’s six studio releases (Against the Grain, Generator, Recipe for Hate, Stranger than Fiction, The Grey Race and No Substance). Tracks like “Come Join Us”, “Them and Us” and “All Fantastic Images” a song not performed live since 1999 kicked off the energetic evening and paved the way for songs like “Recipe for Hate”, “Faith Alone” and “Generator”. Vocalist Greg Graffin helmed the controls like a consummate professional while the bands newest member drummer Jamie Miller provided an unwavering backbeat that kept the shows pace upbeat and energetic. Other highlights from the night included performances of  “A Walk”, “21 Century (Digital Boy)”, “American Jesus” before closing out the set with “Punk Rock Song”  

Bad Religion continues  to show that an old dog can learn new tricks. The “Decades- 1990’s” concert is a shining example of that statement as the shows stunning visual and audio presentation pickup where the 80’s show left off before taking fans even further down the BR rabbit hole. The show’s longer run-time was a welcome addition and the new interviews and outtakes continue to provide entertaining interludes between songs. Bad Religion is raising the bar week after with these performances making them something you don’t want to miss. With still two more shows remaining we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Set List:

1. Come Join Us
2. Also Stranger Than Fiction
3. The Streets of America
4. Them and Us
5. All Fantastic Images
6. Modern Man
7. Struck a Nerve
8. Infected
9. Recipe for Hate
10. Faith Alone
11. No Direction
12. Generator
13. Against the Grain
14.  A Walk
15. Flat Earth Society
16. God Song
17. 21st Century (Digital Boy)
18. American Jesus
19. Punk Rock Song

Tickets and Event Merchandise for Bad Religion’s “Decade” Concert Series can be purchased HERE.

“Decades- 1980’s”

Bad Religion

Saturday, December 12^th, 2020

The Roxy, Hollywood, California/NoCapshows.com

Our score 4.5 out of 5 stars

Punk veterans Bad Religion kicked off their “Decades” concert series on Saturday December 12^th live from the famous Roxy Theater located in West Hollywood. The first of four online streaming concerts to celebrate the bands forty years of making music will feature full sets from four different decades of the bands career (80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010’s). Newly record live performances combined with exclusive interviews and behind the scenes access give fans an immersive experience which they can enjoy from the safety of their own homes.   

With live performances on hold for the foreseeable future streaming events has quickly become the new “normal” for bands to connect with audiences during the on-going Pandemic caused by COVID-19. Bad Religion is the latest group to join in and the band has nailed it right out of the gate! “Decades- 1980’s” took viewers back to the bands humble beginnings and featured a robust 21 song set list made up of songs pulled from the bands first 4 releases. (“How Could Hell Be Any Worse”, “Into The Unknown”, “Suffer” and “No Control”) In between staple BR songs like “No Control”, “Give You Nothing” and “You” viewers were treated to lesser played songs like “Latch Key Kids” and “In The Night” both of which have been absent from live shows for more than 10 years. Also featured in the set was the song “The Dichotomy” from the bands second release “Into the Unknown” an album initially not well received by fans due to its drastic stylistic shift, The band started performing this song live during the 2019 “Age of Unreason” tour and it was great to see it included as it certainly a part of the bands history. Mixed in between the live performances are behind the scenes footage and insightful interviews with the members talking about different experiences from the decade. This really added to the overall presentation and gave the show a nice flow. If that wasn’t enough the band was actually present and interacting with fans via a live chat which occurred throughout the entire show. How cool is that!?

Though the show clocked in at just under 60 minutes the overall look and impressive sound more than made up for the shorter runtime. Bad Religion has laid a solid foundation while not only setting the bar extremely high for the remaining three concerts. We highly recommend you check them out!

Set List:

1.) Bad Religion

2.) We’re Only Gonna Die

3.) You Are (the Government)

4.) Changes of Ideas

5.) Latch Key Kids

6.) Henchmen

7.) Suffer

8,) In the Night

9.) No Control

10.) Automatic man

11.) Along the Way

12.) Big Bang

13.) Best of You

14.) The Dichotomy

15.) Give You Nothing

16.) You

17.) Do What You Want

18.) I Want to Conquer the World

19.) Forbidden Beats

20.) 1000 More Fools

21. Fuck Armageddon… This is Hell

Tickets and Event Merchandise for Bad Religion’s “Decade” Concert Series can be purchased HERE.

2020 Winter Namm

Thursday, January 16^th – Sunday, January 19^th 2020
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

The multi story Anaheim Convention Center was over flowing with musical buzz recently as the venue once again played host to the annual Namm (Nation Association of Music Merchants) Convention. The trade show which showcases the latest and most innovative editions to the music instrument market is the place to be for dealers, vendors, artists and anyone else lucky enough to be able to attend the industry only event. Over the course of four days the biggest companies in music instrumentation pull out all the stops to ensure their respective products and brands get noticed amongst the ever growing sea of competitors.

As we made away into the towering Anaheim Convention Center we quickly devised a plan as to how we were going to tackle this at times overwhelming environment. This year we decided to work our way from the top down. Housed on floors two and three were some of the industry’s biggest companies which consisted of Fender, Gibson, Paul Reed Smith and Marshall to name just a few. The Gibson area was easily the most impressive as not only did it sport rows and rows of guitars from its three brands Gibson, Epiphone and Kramer, the large space also sported multiple player stations complete with headphones allowing attendees to check out the instrument of their choice in a somewhat isolated space. Having set ups like this are a must in an environment where the outside din of noise causes even standard person to person conversation to become difficult. At the end of the room was a full performance stage which over the course of the four days was graced by several Gibson artists including Slash, Lzzy Hale and Phil X of Bon Jovi.

Fender also sported a noteworthy space which took on more of a museum type approach complete with velvet ropes and ornate framing of some of its premier instruments. Attendees also could catch a glimpse on the new George Harrison “Rocky” Stratocaster guitar which was showcased upon a spinning day-glow background which teased the viewer’s senses. Making our way down the escalators to the main floor we casually passed the likes of Dave Amato of Reo Speedwagon and Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult talking with attendees about some of their latest projects and happenings.

Floors two and three are tame compared to the main floor which houses not only stringed instruments but also percussion, brass instrumentation and various other musical odds and ends. You never know who or what you will stumble upon when wandering around the cavernous hall. Trekking from front to back we took in displays by companies such as Ace Products Group, Keisel guitars, Kemper Profiling, SJC Drums and Zildjian cymbals. While navigating the semi-chaotic walks ways to each of these booths we inadvertently bumped into the likes of Skidrow bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave “Snake “Sabo, as well as Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, guitarist Devin Townsend  and bassist Victor Wooten who was dazzling onlookers during one of several demo’s he had scheduled.

As the weekend slowly came to a close we left the Anaheim Convention center with tired legs, ringing ears and wish list’s a mile long. Year after year Namm continues to raise the bar not only with the amount of exhibitors they showcase but also in how the event organizers handle the ever growing crowds. Security checks were fast and efficient as was badge registration and pick up resulting in very few if any lines to wait in. You would think with an event this big there would be a few hiccups along the way and, if there was anything like that attendees were unaware as the event had a comfortable, somewhat stress free feel that even the city of Anaheim itself was in on as many area business’s were offering discounts to convention attendees which was really great.

Needless to say MediaMikes.com had a great time covering this year’s event and the only thing we would change is to be able to find more time during the next event to take it all in as there is just so much cool stuff going on you don’t want to miss anything.

America’s Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Party Returns
Friday, May 22, Saturday, May 23 & Sunday, May 24
At Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma
 
Early Bird Passes On Sale Friday, January 24 at 10:00 AM CT

Rocklahoma is set to take place on Friday, May 22, Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24 at Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma, just outside of Tulsa. Now in its 14th year, the three-day camping festival features some of today’s top rock artists, including Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch, Staind, Papa Roach, Halestorm, Anthrax, I Prevail, Alter Bridge, and many more. 

Produced by AEG Presents, Rocklahoma is America’s Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Party and showcases the best new rock acts and classic artists performing on three stages. With onsite camping amenities and unparalleled VIP packages, Rocklahoma lives up to its motto of “Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Rock.” 

The music lineup for Rocklahoma 2020 is as follows (subject to change): Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch, Staind, Papa Roach, Halestorm, Anthrax, I Prevail, Alter Bridge, The Pretty Reckless, Motionless In White, Body Count, Hollywood Undead, Hellyeah, Badflower, The Hu, Jelly Roll, Bad Wolves, Dirty Honey, All That Remains, Jinjer, Warrant, Brass Against, Bones UK, Knocked Loose, John 5 And The Creatures, Butcher Babies, From Ashes To New, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Diamante, Goodbye June, BulletBoys, Liliac, Color Of Chaos, East Side Gamblers, Budderside, Paralandra, Hericane Alice, Travis Bond, Fist Of Rage, Outlaw Devils, 90lb Wrench, Severmind, Love Sick Radio, Mind Of Fury, Jessikill, Straight Six, The Rumours, Chaotic Resemblance, and more. 

Mike Mushok from Staind said the following about performing at this year’s festival, “We had a blast reuniting for some great shows last year, and we’re excited to be playing Rocklahoma again.” 

Rocklahoma producer Mike DuCharme said, “Rocklahoma festival IS Pride, Culture and Community! Our fans grew up coming here and now their kids are following suit. We share their same enthusiasm and vision and have worked hard to make sure there was something for everyone. We are excited to have Slipknot make their first festival appearance, surrounded by several returning fan favorites including Five Finger Death Punch, Staind and Papa Roach, plus a few that helped build the history of the event like Anthrax, Halestorm and Warrant. Fans can expect further improvements to the site and experience in 2020. Get ready to rock as this year promises to be another weekend long party!” 

Passes go on sale at early bird pricing on Friday, January 24 at 10:00 AM CT at www.Rocklahoma.com, and will increase to phase 2 pricing on Friday, January 31 at 5:00 PM CT. Payment plan options are also available, allowing purchasers to split the cost into monthly payments. Fans are encouraged to buy early and save. Limited quantities of Groupie, Roadie, and Rockstar VIP Packages are also available.

Please visithttps://rocklahoma.com/passes.html for details. 

Current pass pricing is as follows, while supplies last: 

Weekend Admission Passes:

Weekend GA: $144 plus fees

Weekend Military GA: $120 plus fees

Weekend GA 4-Pack: $516 plus fees

Weekend Reserved Admission (comes with food & soft drinks): $399 plus fees

VIP Packages:

Groupie Package: $700 per person

Roadie Package: $1,125 per person

Rockstar Package $3,350 per pair 

Note: All Weekend tickets are for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

The campgrounds are a unique part of the Rocklahoma experience, and will be open from Sunday, May 17 at Noon CT through Tuesday, May 26 at Noon CT. General Admission and VIP camping are available at checkout and are only available with weekend ticket purchases. Information on camping add-ons can be found at https://rocklahoma.com/camping.html. 

Fans are invited to kick off the party early at The Roadhouse where local Oklahoma favorites, top tribute acts, and national legends will headline the D&B Processing Stage each day. The Roadhouse will also feature food trucks, a full-service bar, and a great place to hang with your friends throughout Rocklahoma. Festival doors open at 2:00 PM daily, and doors for The Roadhouse open at 11:00 AM daily. Rocklahoma is located just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK.

The Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds is a premier destination for a multi-day festival and includes onsite camping with access to restrooms and shower house, a general store for campers, VIP reserved seating, hospitality areas and much more. 

For more information on Rocklahoma, visit: www.Rocklahoma.com

“Tid The Season” 2019

Every Time I Die, Against Me, The Damned Things, Terror, Harms Way, All Get Out, Mercy Union

Friday, December 13^th, 2019

Riverworks, Buffalo, NY

Our score 4 out of 5 stars

Buffalo’s favorite sons Every Time I Die kicked off their two day “Tid The Season” event on December 13^th at the expansive Riverworks complex in Buffalo, NY. The annual event which this year was spread across two days features tons of great music, ice skating, curling, a bucking reindeer and on day two a full card of Pro Wrestling. With both nights of the event being sold out well in advance the venue quickly became packed with fans from all points of globe who were anxious to see what the ETID boys had in-store as a thank you to their rabid fan base.

With Riverworks now in its 3^rd year of hosting the annual Christmas show the venue and crew operate a tight ship as the night’s first group Mercy Union started promptly at 5pm. The New Jersey based group performed a brief upbeat set which helped warm fans up as they patiently made their way in from the cold and on to the venues large corridor and balcony. Leaving little time for the energy to wane indie rockers All Get Out would perform next. The group wasted little time getting acquainted with the growing crowd as they blasted through songs from their “Northport Sessions” release which the audience seemed to enjoy. Harms Way would follow taking the evening into a much heavy direction as vocalist James Pligge and company laid down a thunderous dirge of homegrown Chicago hardcore which almost instantly whipped the crowd into a circular frenzy for nearly the entire set. Hardcore veterans Terror would take the stage next serving as the explosive catalyst that the capacity crowd had anxiously been waiting for. Helmed by Buffalo native Scott Vogel the band easily put down one of, if not the best performance of the night. As the band blasted through songs from their seven album catalog, countless bodies made their way over the heavily manned security gate seemingly fueling the bands ferocity. Later on in the set Vogel stoked the coals even further buy demanding the crowd put the security to work which in turn caused even more bodies to fly towards the stage nearly decimating the yellow shirt clad staff.

The collective group known as The Damn Things followed for what would be the groups second ever Buffalo performance. Consisting of Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano, Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley and fronted by Every Time I Die vocalist Keith Buckley the group put on a really impressive set for a group who doesn’t play together all that often. Songs like “Cells”, “Omen” and “We’ve Got a Situation Here” sounded great and showcased each of the member’s musicality outside of their natural habitats. Filling the slot normally labeled as “Direct Support” was the punk rock group Against Me! which on paper may have had some scratching their heads given the aggressive sound of the other bands on the bill however the staple four piece group quickly alleviated any doubts people had as they performed songs like “I Was A Teenage Anarchist”, “Dead Friend” and “Cliché Guevara” before closing out the sixty minute set with the song “Black Me Out” from the groups 2014 album “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”. 

Closing out the night were event hosts Every Time I Die. As the group came to the stage cloaked behind a giant curtain where a fire place was being projected while Christmas music blared over the PA you could feel the anticipation come to a boiling point. As the curtain dropped and several air cannons and sparklers erupted the moment everyone was waiting for had finally arrived. The band opened the set their song “Floater” before bridging into the songs “Pelican” and “Glitches”. Guitarist Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams along with bassist Steve Micciche dominated the stage from all angles while drummer Clayton “Goose” Holyoak and vocalist Keith Buckley handle business from their prospective perch’s. The band who has been touring off and on this year in between writing for a new record sounded great as always and in between numbers thanks fans for their continued support over the years. To further show their support the band treated the crowd to a new song they have been working on titled “Back Distance”. Like much of the bands previous work fans quickly showed their acceptance and appreciation for the song as they kicked, swung and flailed throughout signaling their approval.

Having attended this event for the last few years I always wonder how ETID will top the previous years show. With 2019’s show being split over two days I wasn’t sure how things were going to play out or if the band was going to really give their all on the first night knowing how big of a day Saturday generally is. Not only did ETID and the rest of the bands on the bill all turn in solid performance they all seemed to give just a little extra due to the magnitude and energy of the crowd. Yes it would have been great to see some killer pro wrestling on both days of the bill but there has to be room to grow. Given the successful sell out of both days and ETID’s uncanny ability to one up themselves time after time my hope is that they continue to build on making a really fun, fan friendly event for us die hard ETID-iots.  

Every Time I Die Set List:

1.) Floater

2.) Pelican of the Desert

3.) Glitches

4.) Wanderlust

5.) Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space

6.) Holy Book of Dilema

7.) She’s My Rushmore

8.) Decayin’ With the Boys

9.) Thirst

10.) No Son of Mine

11.) Godspeed Us to Sea

12.) The New Black

13.) White Void

14.) We’rewolf

15.) It Remembers

16.) The Coin Has a Say

17.) Ebolarama

18.) INRIhab

19.) Bored Stiff

20.) Cities and Years

21.) Map Change

22.) Two Summers

23.) Idiot

24.) Fear and Trembling

25.) Back Distance

26.) Indian Giver

“From the Screen to Your Stereo Tour 2019”

New Found Glory, Hawthorne Heights, Free Throw, Jetty Bones

Friday, November 15^th, 2019

Anthology, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Long time pop-punk mainstays New Found Glory made a stop in the flour city on November 15^th for a sold out show at the intimate Anthology music venue. Now in its second leg the “From the Screen to Your Stereo” tour billing also included Hawthorne Heights, Free Throw and Jetty Bones. The night was an energetic mix of early 2000’s nostalgia and a slew of entertaining covers from some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters.

As the snaking line of concert goers quickly made their way out of the brisk Upstate New York weather and into the quaint concert venue known as Anthology, Ohio natives Jetty Bones took the stage to help warm everyone up. Lead vocalist Kelc Galluzzo and her band laid down a brief but effective 25 minute set packed with emotion and energy that set the bar high right out of the gate. Next to the stage were post-punk rockers Free Throw. The band led by vocalist/guitarist Cory Castro wasted little time as they performed a handful of tracks off their most recent studio “What’s Past Is Prologue” including “The Coroner’s Dilemma” and the melodic “Tail Whip, Struggle” which had the capacity crowd swaying back and fourth in unison. Hawthorne Heights would follow laying down an impressively tight set made up of songs from their newest studio album “Bad Frequencies” along with song from their impressive back catalog including  “Niki FM” and “Pens and Needles” before closing out their 30 minute set with the always formidable “Ohio Is For Lovers”.

Tour headliners New Found Glory would take the stage as if they were fired out of cannon opening their 22 song with their rendition of “This Is Me” from the third installment of their “From The Screen to Your Stereo” trilogy. Front-man Jordan Pundik despite sporting a large cast on his arms was in constant motion along with the rest of the band as they performed songs from their 20+ year career. Songs like “All Down Hill From Here” and “Dressed to Kill” brought back great memories and fit perfectly between covers of “Accidentally in Love” and “Let It Go” which was sung by Elsa herself. Ok maybe it wasn’t the real Elsa but Jordan still did an ok job. The band closed out the core of their set with the song “Hit or Miss” a track they have been performing live since as early as 1998. After a brief pause the band returned to the stage for a three set encore which consisted of the Huey Lewis hit “The Power of Love” along with NFG hits “Head On Collision” and “My Friends Over You”.

New Found Glory have been coming to Rochester since the late nineties heyday of the Water Street Music Hall and the cavernous Harro East Ballroom. The band has always put on solid performances leaving the audiences exhausted and this evening’s show was no exception. Even injuries and frigid weather couldn’t keep the band down as they played to the sold out crowd like the season pro’s they are. The addition of former Yellowcard front-man Ryan Key on guitars and keyboards has been a great addition to the band giving them an extra sonic edge that had been missing for a brief period. With just a few shows left remaining on this tour run you will definitely want to catch the show if it is coming to your area.  

Free Throw Set List:

1.) The Coroner’s Dilemma

2.) Good Job Champ

3.) Randy, I Am the Liquor

4.) Tail Whip, Struggle

5.) Tongue Tied

6.) Better Have Burn Heal

7.) Two Beers In  

Hawthorne Heights Set List:

1.) Niki FM

2.) Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears?

3.) Crimson Sand

4.) Pens and Needles

5.) The Transition

6.) Saying Sorry

7.) Just Another Ghost

8.) Ohio Is For Lovers

New Found Glory Set List:

1.) This Is Me

2.) Understatement

3.) Truth of My Youth

4.) Accidentally in Love

5.) All Downhill From Here

6.) Better off Dead

7.) Forget My Name

8.) Listen to Your Friends

9.) Let it Go

10.) Something I Call Personality

11.) King of Wishful Thinking

12.) At Least I’m Known for Something

13.) Kiss Me

14.) A Thousand Years

15.) Failure’s Not Flattering

16.) Dressed to Kill

17.) Vicious Love

18.) Iris

19.) Hit or Miss

Encore:

20.) The Power of Love

21.) Head On Collision

22.) My Friends Over You  

 

• HUGH JACKMAN – THE MAN, THE MUSIC.  THE SHOW.
• The United Center – Chicago, Illinois
• October 11, 2019

Most people know Hugh Jackman as the claw sprouting X-man known as Wolverine.  And if that’s all they know him as, shame on them.  True fans know him as the Oscar-nominated, Tony Award winning actor whose been singing and dancing for years.  And it was those fans that were in attendance at the United Center in Chicago as Jackman continues his very successful tour.

The show kicked off with a rousing performance of “The Greatest Show,” followed by “Come Alive,” both from the very popular film “The Greatest Showman.”  While performing, Jackman noticed a fan holding up a sign stating it was her birthday.  He very graciously bent down to give her a hug as well as take a selfie with her.  He then noted that it was technically his birthday already in Australia (he turned 51 on October 12).  While addressing the audience he noticed a young boy down below in the floor audience who was dressed up like Jackman in “The Greatest Showman.”  He climbed off the stage to say hello to the boy and received a huge hug from the boy.  Returning to the stage, he explained how his first stage musical was “Beauty and the Beast,” then proceeded to perform the song “Gaston.”

He shared some information about his wife of 23 years and then sat down at the piano to play (and sing) “All the Way.”  After a medley saluting New York City he told a story about how he had worked on “The Greatest Showman” for eight years before it was made.  He also noted how there had been multiple workshops for the film and that Keala Settle had participated in all of them.  He then introduced Ms. Settle, who pretty much brought the house down with a rousing rendition of “This is Me.”  After performing a song from her upcoming album, Jackman returned to the stage and closed the first act with a few numbers from “Les Miserables,” accompanied by an enthusiastic group of singers and dancers.

The second act opened with a clip of Jackman receiving the Tony Award for his portrayal of songwriter and performer Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz.”  Jackman took to the stage AS Peter Allen and sang a few of the songs Allen had written/co-written in his career.    The amazing dancing continued as he performed a song – “A Million Dreams” – which included sign language which was part of the choreography.  Between numbers, Jackman continually told great stories and would occasionally wander into the audience to greet concert goers.  At one point, he addressed the audience as honestly as I’ve ever head a performer, thanking all in attendance for not only supporting him but for taking the tine and spending the money to do so.  This is a man who not only appreciates his fans but goes out of his way to let him know so.

A couple of Aboriginal songs, complete with Didgeradoos helped close the show, along with Jackman doing a moving version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”  All in all, it was an amazing night with an amazing talent!

Mr. Jackman’s tour is continuing throughout North America.  To see if he’s coming to your town, click HERE!

SET LIST

The Greatest Show, Come Alive, Gaston, All the Way, New York, New York/On Broadway/Empire State of Mind, This is Me, Harder, Valjean’s Soliloquy/I Dreamed a Dream/One Day More, Not the Boy Next Door, Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)/Don’t Cry Out Loud/ I Honestly Love You/ Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage/ I Go to Rio, Tenterfield Saddler, A Million Dreams, Luck Be a Lady/ Singin’ in he Rain/ I Got Rhythm/Steppin’ Out With My Baby/ Sing Sing Sing, 42nd Street/Thunderstruck, Art Song, Inhibition, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, From Now On, Once Before I Go

 

 

 

 

 

• A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES WHITE ALBUM
• Kauffman Center For the Performing Arts – Kansas City, Missouri
• October 3, 2019

 

It’s often said of a great actor “I’d pay to watch him read the phone book.”  Well, this evening in Kansas City, I saw musicians who’d I pay to SING the phonebook.

Imagine having the opportunity to see these people in concert:  Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, Mickey Dolenz, Joey Molland from Badfinger and Jason Scheff from Chicago.  Now imagine seeing all of the on stage at once, which is exactly what I did this evening at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City.

They hit the stage, along with a talented group of musicians, to help pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of an album simply titled THE BEATLES but known to fans all over the world as “the White Album.”  Great musicians performing great songs.  How can you lose?

There are 30 songs on the White Album, and, while not all of them are represented, the ones that are sound amazing.  Like the album, the show opened with Dolenz singing “Back in the U.S.S.R.”  Even at age 74, Dolenz filled the auditorium with one of the most recognizable voices in music history.  I caught the Monkees when they toured in 1986 and Mickey was the indisputable ring leader.  Nothing has changed.  It’s obvious he’s here to have fun and you can’t help but indulge him.  Rundgren, who I’ve been a fan of since he was in the band Utopia – AND WHO IS CRIMINALLY NOT IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME – spelled Dolenz on lead vocals with “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey,” pointing at the former Monkee while he sang.

After a few more songs, Dolenz announced that the audience was in for a special treat, as each of the main band members would also be performing a couple of their own hits.  He kicked this portion of the show off with “I’m a Believer,” followed by “Pleasant Valley Sunday.”  Then it was Molland’s turn and he entertained with a couple of Badfinger hits – “Baby Blue” and “No Matter What.”  Scheff, who very capably replaced Peter Cetera when the latter left the band Chicago, took center stage next with a mellowing version of “After All That We’ve Been Through” before switching gears into a rousing “25 or 6 to 4.”  It was then Rundgren’s turn.  Did I mention that, despite four decades in the music business and dozens of hit albums produced Todd Rundgren is NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?  He began his mini-set with “I Saw the Light” and added “Hello, It’s Me.”  That song is almost 50 years old but I sing it at the top of my voice every time I hear it, and tonight was no exception.  Thankfully the rest of the audience joined me.  Cross finished the mini solo concert with his hits “Sailing” and “Ride Like the Wind.”  A few more Beatles tunes and it was intermission time.

Rundgren, Cross and Dolenz

The show resumed with Cross alone on stage and he began the second act with a beautiful version of “Blackbird.”  The rest of the show was a constant barrage of Beatles song after song, each musically impeccable and perfectly sung.  In the second act, Rundgren began having fun.  He donned a couple of different outfits for a couple of songs, handing out flowers to the audience during “Sexy Sadie” and taking aim at the audience with an over-sized squirt gun while dressed as  hunter during “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.”  Dolenz also had some fun with the audience, informing us that we were so great the band decided to also perform the entire “Abbey Road” album.  As the band played the opening riffs to “Come Together” I thought he might be serious.  Sadly, he wasn’t, though he joked that if they did play it he’d definitely need to be put into intensive care  The highlight of the show, to me, was Rundgren’s  kick-ass rendition of “Helter Skelter,” which earned him a much deserved standing ovation.  I did mention that Todd Rundgren is NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, didn’t I?

To sum it up, it was an amazing night of music played by an amazing group of musicians.  If you’re a fan of the Beatles, or any of the musicians on the bill, I urge you to see this show when it’s in your town!

SET LIST:  Back in the U.S.S.R., Dear Prudence, Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey, Martha My Dear, Yer Blues, I’m a Believer, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Baby Blue, No Matter What, After All That We’ve Been Through, 25 or 6 to 4, I Saw the Light, Hello, It’s Me, Sailing, Ride Like the Wind, Honey Pie, Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?, While My Guitar Gently Sleeps, Blackbird, I Will, Julia, Mother Nature’s Son, Rocky Raccoon, Revolution 1, Sexy Sadie, I’m So Tired, Happiness is a Warm Gun, The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill, Piggies, Glass Onion, Helter Skelter, Come Together (opening), Birthday.  ENCORE:  Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

Upcoming Concert Dates

Oct 5 – Beverly, MA – Cabot Theater

Oct 6 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center For The Arts

Oct 7 – Orono, ME – Collins Center For The Arts

Oct 8 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse

Oct 10 – Staten Island, NY – St. George Theater

Oct 11 – Boston, MA – Berklee PAC

Oct 12 – Westbury, NY – Theatre @ Westbury

Oct 13 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo PAC

Oct 15 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre

Oct 17 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theater

Oct 18 – New London, CT – Garde Arts Center

Oct 20 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre

 

“Holy Guacamole Tour”

The Aquabats!, Koo Koo Kangaroo, MC Lars

Saturday, September 14^th, 2019

Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

Our score 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Aquabats! Along with special guests Koo Koo Kangaroo and MC Lars made a stop at the quant Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY on September 14^th as part of their current “Holy Guacamole Tour”.  The family friendly evening was over flowing with energy and laughs as all three groups incorporated crowd participation into their sets making for a truly unique and unforgettable evening.

The cartoon drawing, YouTube creating rapper know as MC Lars would kick off the evening’s festivities with a set of hip-hop infused punk rock featuring songs from all five of the rappers releases. Songs like “Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock” and “Mr.Raven” incorporated crowd participation call and answer sections with the latter featuring an accompaniment from one lucky young concert attendee who rapped alongside the artist. Easily the most impressive part of the set was when the rapper asked for audience members to hold up random items which were then incorporated into a hysterical off the cuff free style rap.  Dance-pop duo Koo Koo Kangaroo would take the stage next for an energetic set of laughable, dance inducing songs that had the entire venue smiling and gyrating. The Minnesota natives joked with the crowd in between songs like “Dinosaur Stomp”, “Fanny Pack” and “Unibrow” and at several points during the set the duo left the stage to dance and further involve the audience in their laughable performance.

The Aquabats! Would hit the stage next kicking off their set with the song “The Shark Fighter” from the group’s 2011 album “Hi-Fi Soup”. Giant inflatable sharks were tossed back and forth between the stage and crowd as everyone within reach took turns helping their costume clad heroes take out the amphibious baddies. As the night progressed the band who had been absent from Buffalo for quite some time made it up to the crowd with songs like “Red Sweater!”, “Hey Homies!” and the theme from the groups popular television/YouTube series “The Aquabats! Super Show! Theme Song”. Probably my favorite part of the set was during the song “Pizza Day!” when the MC Bat Commander instructed concert goers to return two of the large inflatable pizza’s which had been floating around the crowd to the front of the stage. While this was taking place the Commander brought up two very excited youngsters and once the pizza was in place the youth were thrown on to said pizzas and then passed around overhead as the band played the remainder of the song. You don’t see that every day! After several more songs the band would leave the stage at the close of “Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates!” only to return after a brief pause to perform their break out hit “Super Rad!”, Also included in the encore was a cover of The Outfields “Your Love” and another Aquabats! fan favorite “Pool Party”.

Needless to say the whole night was a blast. It was great seeing kids and adults of all ages have fun while singing and dancing. Equally enjoyable was the level of interaction that each artist brought to their sets which really made the audience feel like they too were part of the show. The “Holy Guacamole Tour” runs through November so there is still plenty of time to catch one of these shows. Take the whole family you won’t be disappointed!

Aqua Bats Set List:

1.) The Shark Fighter!

2.) Cat With 2 Heads!

3.) Red Sweater!

4.) Martian Girl!

5.) Pizza Day!

6.) The Aquabats! Super Show! Theme Song

7.) Hey Homies!

8.) In My Dreams!

9.) Hot Summer Nights (Won’t Last Forever)!

10.) Fashion Zombies!

11.) Burger Rain!

12.) Look At Me, I’m a Winner!

13.) Caption Hampton and the Midget Pirates!

Encore:

14.) Super Rad!

15.) Your Love

16.) Pool Party!

 

 

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End of the Road Tour 2019

Kiss

Tuesday, August 27^th, 2019

St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse, NY

Our score 4 out of 5 stars

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Kiss brought their bombastic “End of the Road” tour to the lake side St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater in Syracuse, NY on August 27^th to perform to a near capacity crowd for what very well could have been the last time due to the band announcing earlier in the year that this would be their final tour. With the annual NYS Fair taking place in the background there was already plenty of excitement in the air which the band surely was set to capitalize on.

As the scenic amphitheater quickly began to fill up renowned performance painter David Garibaldi would take the stage to showcase his unique style of splash painting back by remixed version of notable rock tracks which coincided with his subject. Garibaldi painted 3 works including one of Jimi Hendrix and of course one of Kiss complete with the shows location. A painter certainly is not the most traditional of opening acts (a fact which had a lot of concert goers scratching their heads) but given Paul Stanley’s foray into painting over the last few years there was I guess some logic to it. With the giant black and silver Kiss curtain already in place it was only a matter of minutes before it would be dropped making way for the hottest band in the land. As the opening notes of “Detroit Rock City” blasted through the PA the band descended from the roof on brightly lit platforms flanked by numerous backing displays which adorned the entire stage. The veteran rockers wasted no time launching into their catalog as they ripped through classics such as “Shout It Out Loud” and “Deuce” before breaking things up with a newer track “Say Yeah” from the groups 2009 release “Sonic Boom”.

As the evening progressed fans were treated to everything they have come to love about make-up clad band including plenty of fire, explosions, and over the top stage theatrics which included a trip in to the audience via an elaborate flying rig by Paul Stanley for the songs “Love Gun” and “I Was Made For Loving You”. After a brief exit from the stage following the closing notes of “Black Diamond” drummer Eric Singer would reappear for his version of “Beth” which he performed sitting behind a sparkle/mirror encrusted piano. Following the closing of the ballad the full band would return for two more songs including “Rock ‘N’ Roll All Nite” which featured plenty of red and white confetti that in a matter of seconds had nearly the entire crowd covered while they sang along to probably Kiss’s most well know song.  

If this truly is the last time we will see Kiss then the show the band put on for Syracuse, NY was a fitting send off as the band hardly missed a beat. Of course it would have been great to see the band perform with original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss as well as non-makeup era guitarist Bruce Kulick but sadly that just wasn’t in the cards for this tour. With these three former members not being present for this tour could that possibly leave the door open for future Kiss works? Maybe,  and as we have learned from the bands past you just never know however, if the band does stay true to their word then you owe it to yourself to make it to one of these shows as no other band is out there putting on a show of this magnitude especially one with 40 plus years of history.

Set List:

1.) Detroit Rock City

2.) Shout It Out Loud

3.) Deuce

4.) Say Yeah

5.) I Love It Loud

6.) Heaven’s On Fire

7.) War Machine

8.) Lick it Up

9.) Calling Dr. Love

10.) 100,000 Year

11.) Cold Gin

12.) God of Thunder

13.) Psycho Circus

14.) Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll

15.) Love Gun

16.) I Was Made For Lovin’ You

17.) Black Diamond

Encore:

18.) Beth

19.) Crazy Crazy Nights

20.) Rock and Roll All Nite

 

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• “Weird Al” Yankovic – Strings Attached Tour
• August 31, 2019
• Starlight Theater, Kansas City, Missouri

PHOTOS BY DAN LYBARGER

FINALLY!!

Like many other people, I have a musical bucket list. This is a list of people or groups I MUST see before I die. Over the past few years I’ve been able to cross a few of them off my list. Van Morrison? Check. Tom Petty? Check – and rest in peace. Santana? Check. But tonight I finally crossed of one that has been on my list for almost 40 years when I took in the amazing “Weird Al” Yankovic!

It was September 14, 1980. Two days before my 20th birthday. That night, while listening to Dr. Demento’s radio show, he had a guest in studio that wanted to play a song of his. The guest was “Weird Al” and the song was Another One Rides the Bus, a clever parody of Queen’s current hit Another One Bites the Dust. Something about Al – his personality oozed through my radio – instantly endeared him to me, and I listened regularly, hoping to catch one of Al’s new ditties.

On November 24, 1991 I had planned on seeing him when he came to Baltimore. He had made an appearance at a local record store – wow, I just dated myself – and very graciously signed two of my album. For some reason, if memory serves me, the show was cancelled or moved to another date. The only thing I can remember from that date is that this was the day Freddie Mercury and KISS drummer Eric Carr died. Almost three decades later, I finally fulfilled my plan.

The name of the tour – “Strings Attached” – is to inform you that not only is Al traveling with his band, but he’s bringing a 41-piece orchestra with him. Led by conductor Eric Roth, the orchestra began the night with some classic movie themes, beginning with John Williams’ “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” As I listened in rapt attention, I couldn’t help but notice one of the violinists having the time of his life playing the music. While many of the orchestra members sat still and stiff, he would move his head to the music and it was obvious that he was that rare person who really loves his job! After a few more themes, finishing with The Throne Room and End Title music from “Star Wars,” there was a 20 minute break before Al and his band joined the orchestra on stage.

Dressed in his customary loud Hawaiian shirt, the show began with a quick medley of I Lost on Jeopardy, I Love Rocky Road and Like a Surgeon. He then went into a photo-filled version of The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota. As the show progressed, Al would often play along with the band and the audience. During one break, as the band played a chair was brought out for him to sit in. His brow was then mopped and a glass of wine brought to him. A touching version of You Don’t Love Me Anymore was prefaced by him thanking the Martin Guitar Company for replacing the guitar that was inadvertently broken during their last gig. When the song was over the guitar, which Al never played, was shattered in anger ala Pete Townsend.

As the night progressed, the band also got into the act, sporting everything from Viking Helmets to an impressive collection of “Star Wars” outfits. In between the audience was treated to several videos. One was a compilation of many of the television programs and films Yankovic has appeared in or been mentioned on, including “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons,” 30 Rock” and “The Naked Gun.” Their was also a faux trailer for a film called “WEIRD,” which featured Aaron Paul as “Weird Al.” He also did a nice walk through the audience and had a member of the audience electrify the show with a rousing Oboe solo!

One thing that I really noticed is that Al Yankovic, weird or not, has an amazing voice. There were a couple of times when he held prolonged notes that made me think if the funny song thing didn’t work out he’d be fronting a metal band somewhere.

The show ended in an amazing “Star Wars” style, with Al and the band dressed as everyone from Darth Vader to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Unfortunately we were only allowed to take photos during the first three songs of the evening so we can’t share the images with you. Just use your imagination.

When the show was over I headed to my car, humming Another One Rides the Bus, smiling and thinking to myself one thing. FINALLY!!

SET LIST: The Orchestra – Main titles from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Mission: Impossible” and “Superman: the Movie.” The Throne Room/End Title from “Star Wars.”

“Weird Al” with Orchestra – I Lost on Jeopardy/I Love Rocky Road/Like a Surgeon (Medley), The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota, Word Crimes, Jurassic Park, Don’t Download this Song, Weasel Stomping Day, You Don’t Love Me Anymore, Harvey the Wonder Hamster, Jackson Park Express, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Dare to Be Stupid, White and Nerdy, Amish Paradise. ENCORE: The Saga Continues, Yoda.

“Age of Unreason Tour 2019”

Bad Religion, The Lawrence Arms
Tuesday, August 6^h, 2019
Anthology, Rochester, NY

Our score: 5 out of 5 stars

Bad Religion made a stop at Anthology in Rochester, NY on August 6^th as part of the bands current “Age of Unreason” tour.  Along with the elder statesmen of punk were special guest The Lawrence Arms. Despite a thirty year lapse since the bands last performance in the Flour City both groups brought their A game to the sold out crowd who packed the gills of the intimate venue on a warm Tuesday night.

Epitaph label mates The Lawrence Arms opened the evening’s festivities promptly at 8pm and as the venue quickly filled to capacity the three piece group from Chicago, IL held court treating fans to their windy city brand of grit infused punk rock. Bassist/vocalist Brendan Kelly jokingly traded barbs with the audience between songs and at one point noted that this was the bands first time performing in Rochester. The band sounded great as it played songs from it six album catalog including a handful from their most recent release 2014’s “Metropole” before leaving the stage to a chant of one more song from the ever growing crowd.

After a somewhat timely change over Bad Religion would take to the stage basked in powerful, dark blue lighting. The band opened their set with the edgy “Them and Us” from the 1996 album “The Grey Race”. Vocalist Greg Graffin and the rest of the band consisting of Jay Bentley, Brian Baker, Mike Dimkich and drummer Jamie Miller blasted through a 27 song set full of classic BR songs like “Stranger Than Fiction”, “Atomic Garden”, Suffer” and “21^st Century (Digital Boy)” and newer songs like “Chaos From Within”, “My Sanity” and “Do The Paranoid Style” all of which are from the bands recently released studio album “Age of Unreason”.

Bad Religion certainly made up for their long absence in Rochester as the bands high energy 27 song set fed the need of both long time fans and fellow new comers (some of whom were as young as 12 years old). Anthology’s medium sized venue played a near perfect host for the humble punk veterans who seemed to really appreciate the vibe and energy they received in return for their stellar performance. Bad Religion will be on tour in the States through October so if the band is coming to your area you owe it to yourself to be there!

Bad Religion Set List:

1.) Them and us

2.) End of History

3.) Fuck You

4.) Stranger Than Fiction

5.) The Dichotomy

6.) Recipe for Hate

7.) Chaos From Within

8.) Los Angeles Is Burning

9.) The Handshake

10.) My Sanity

11.) Atomic Garden

12.) Lose Your Head

13.) Suffer

14.) No Control

15.) Against the Grain

16.) Skyscraper

17.) Anesthesia

18.) I Want to Conquer the World

19.) 21^st Century (Digital Boy)

20.) Generator

21.) The New Dark Ages

22.) You

23.) Do The Paranoid Style

24.) Fuck Armageddon…This Is Hell

25.) Sorrow

Encore

26.) Infected

27.) American Jesus

“2019 Summer Slaughter”

Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex, The Faceless, Rivers of Nihil, Nekrogoblikon, Lorna Shore, Brand of Sacrifice
Friday, July 26^th, 2018
The Westcott Theater, Syracuse, NY

Our score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

The 13^th annual Summer Slaughter tour made a stop at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY on July 26^th as part of the tours 23 stop run. Being billed as “the most extreme tour of the year” we were anxious to see if this year’s package which is headlined by Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex, The Faceless and Rivers of Nihil could deliver an experience worthy of the aforementioned moniker.

As the vintage doors of the Westcott Theater came squeaking open on fairly normal Upstate, NY summer afternoon something stuck out amidst the horde of black t-shirt wearing metal heads. No it was not the over the top graphics or the hard to read fonts which adorned said shirts instead it was a unique sense of camaraderie that seemed to occur between both bands and fans as they mixed and mingled cohesively through out the day long event which made for a nice friendly gathering of metal lovers.

Opening up the tour billing was Brand of Sacrifice who performed a spattering of tracks from their most recent album “God Hand” to the incoming crowd. New Jersey’s Lorna Shore would follow promptly not allowing the energy dip too low with a high impact thirty minute set. Goblin-Metal forefathers Nekrogoblikon would hit the stage next complete with the bands loveable mascot John Goblikon who leaped and bounded across the stage as the band shredded through songs like “We Need a Gimmick”, “Dressed As Goblins”  and  “Powercore”.  The saxophone laden River of Nihil was up next performing songs from their latest offering “Where Owls Know My Name” which filled the dank theater with jazz infused metal. The Faceless would be up next banging out a somewhat lack luster set which featured very little movement from the band themselves. Carnifex took the stage next and singlehandedly brought the energy back and to a whole new level. Makeup clad front man Scott Ian Lewis worked the stage like a maniacal mad man while the rest of the band did their duty of laying down a thunderous, circle pit ensuing dirge that commanded attendees attention. Closing out the 8 plus hour day was tour headliner Cattle Decapitation who despite the dwindling crowd size hit the stage running blasting through songs like “The Prophets of Lost”, “Times Cruel Curtain” and “Pacific Grim” before leaving the stage at a prompt 11 pm.

With our ears ringing and our brains rattled we made our way out of the venue while trying to process just what our senses were put through over the course of the day. What we were able to piece together is this. Summer Slaughter is not for the faint of heart or for the casual death/extreme metal listener and, this tour could very well be as the banner boast’s the most “Extreme” musical offering this summer. With the tour running through mid August you still have time to catch a show and experience this for yourself, If you dare.