Cheap Trick/Joan Jett/Heart
Starlight Theater
August 15, 2016

Our score: 4 out of 5 Stars

This year the good people at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame righted some wrongs by inducting, among others, Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and Heart into it’s realm.

Some brief “Mike” history: I was in a band in high school and the first song we played together as a group was “Surrender,” so Cheap Trick is a band I’ve seen on many occasions. Like me, Joan Jett is a big fan of the Baltimore Orioles so naturally I’d seen here in the past. The only unknown entity on the bill was Heart, a band I enjoyed listening to as a young adult, especially their rocking 70s stuff.

Cheap Trick took the stage first, with lead singer Robin Zander dressed in white (basically wearing the same outfit as the band wore on the “Dream Police” album cover). Zander was in fine form vocally, sounding much better on the higher notes than he did last year. The band played a few songs off of their new album, “Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello” and the crowd seemed to enjoy them. I know I did. They also did some of their classic hits, finishing up with “Surrender.” Musically the band was tight with a special shout out to drummer Dax Nielsen. The son of lead guitarist Rick Nielsen, the drummer very capably filled the shadow left behind by Bun E. Carlos.

Next up was Jett who, at age 58, can still look amazing in a body suit. Like Cheap Trick, Jett and the Heartbreakers played a few new songs as well as some classics, with Jett reaching as far back into her catalog to include “Cherry Bomb,” her hit when with the Runaways. The group finished with a great version of Sly and the Family Stones’ “Everyday People.”

Last but not least was Heart. Ann and Nancy Wilson have been doing this a long time and their rapport worked to their advantage. Too bad their sound people didn’t. For whatever reason, the band sounded terrible. The sound pretty much drowned out Ann’s vocals, which are, of course, one of the reason’s to attend the show. For whatever reason, Ann Wilson’s microphone sounded under-miked, which made it difficult to hear and understand. Oh well, at least if I ever get asked I can say that I’ve “seen” Heart.” Just don’t ask me if I’ve ever heard them live!

Set Lists:

Cheap Trick
1. Hello There
2. Big Eyes
3. California Man
4. Tonight It’s You
5. When I Wake Up Tomorrow
6. If You Want My Love
7. Baby Loves to Rock
8. Stop This Game
9. I’m Waiting for the Man
10. The Flame
11. I Want You to Want Me
12. Surrender

Joan Jett and the Black Hearts
1. Bad Reputation
2. Cherry Bomb
3. Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)
4. TMI
5. You Drive Me Wild
6. Light of Day
7. Soulmates to Strangers
8. Love is Pain
9. Fake Friends
10. Any Weather
11. I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll
12. Crimson and Clover
13. I Hate Myself
14. Everyday People

Heart
1. Wild Child
2. Magic Man
3. What About Love
4. Bebe Le Strange
5. These Dreams
6. Two
7. Straight On
8. Kick It Out
9. Beautiful Broken
10. Alone, Crazy on You
11. Barracuda
ENCORE
12. The Immigrant Song
13. Stairway to Heaven

DEATH VALLEY HIGH Crafts Industrial for the Masses with New Album

CVLT [AS FVK]

Out November 4 via Minus Head Records – Pre-Order Here

Listen to New Single “Warm Bodies” via Alternative Press

Melding New Wave, Goth Pop and Rock-Alternative Influences, CVLT [AS FVK] Fuels Your 90’s Nightmare…

“The new face of Goth Rock” – Outburn Magazine, July 2016

One part Marilyn Manson, another part Deftones and mostly parts all their own, Northern California’s DEATH VALLEY HIGH have crafted true alt-industrial rock for the masses with their new full-length album CVLT [AS FVK], out November 4 via Minus Head Records. The tracks on CVLT [AS FVK] meld traditional goth magic and modern alternative majesty – co-mingling new wave/dance beats, cinematic rock instrumentation and gritty, sensual, macabre-pop hooks.

With one listen it’s clear – with a new movement of industrial on the rise, DEATH VALLEY HIGH stands at the forefront with an offering of the catchiest, most unforgettable songs of their career. Teaming up with producer Ulrich Wild (White Zombie, Deftones), they ignite 12 nocturnal anthems that are impossible to shake and undeniably CVLT [AS FVK].

Pre-order your copy of CVLT [AS FVK] now via Bandcamp. Amazon and iTunes pre-orders are coming soon.

DEATH VALLEY HIGH is wasting no time releasing their first single from CVLT [AS FVK], entitled “Warm Bodies”! Take a listen to this goth-pop earworm, exclusively via Alternative Press, right now: http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/death_valley_high_premiere_new_single

“Warm Bodies” struts along on a creaky synth and deliciously danceable riff. It quickly snaps into an unshakable vampiric declaration, “We need warm bodies.””It doesn’t matter if you’re an animal, a salesman, a preacher or whatever, you need warm bodies,” singer Reyka Osburn explains. “If you look at it from a horror perspective, vampires need warm blood or it tastes rancid. Sex is all about warm bodies. It’s all encompassing. I like that duality.”

The DEATH VALLEY HIGH boys have always incorporated a gothic sensibility, but they fully embrace it on CVLT [AS FVK]. Since the release of 2013’s Positive Euth, DEATH VALLEY HIGH has logged over two years on the road, touring alongside everybody from Mindless Self Indulgence and Crosses to Filter, Orgy and Vampires Everywhere! These experiences left a permanent imprint on the band.

“The tours we’ve done and the fan attention we’ve received made us look inward and ask, ‘What do people respond to about us?’,” Reyka admits. “We could see how the crowd reacted. That definitely had an impact in shaping our next musical evolution. At the same time, we wanted to reinterpret our inspirations and influences in an original way.”

Producer Ulrich Wild originally reached out to the band and the friendship-pairing was instantaneous. The eye-opening process of collaborating with a producer the band was not familiar with prior was an adventure – especially finding the collective voice between the two.

“Ulrich was the perfect producer to capture this time in our musical mutation. He welcomed any Frankenstein ideas we had, and made them work; even if it meant the ideas didn’t come to life the first few times around,” Reyka adds.

He finishes, “We wanted to make an album of songs you feel in your gut and that make you get up and move. This has a take the night back vibe. We’re inviting you to the party.”

Stay tuned for more tracks, videos and beyond coming from DEATH VALLEY HIGH leading up to their November 4 release of CVLT [AS FVK].

Photo by Attic Floc

DEATH VALLEY HIGH online:

www.deathvalleyhigh.com

www.facebook.com/deathvalleyhigh

www.twitter.com/deathvalleyhigh

www.deathvalleyhigh.bandcamp.com

www.minushead.com/bands/death-valley-high

DEATH VALLEY HIGH is:

Reyka Osburn – vocals, guitar

Adam Bannister – drums

Huffy Hafera – bass

Sean Bivins – guitars on CVLT [AS FVK]

Daniel Ka$$hu – full-time guitars (2016-)

SLAYER’S ARAYA AND KING: Talk About Fall Tour on New Video Clip

LOS ANGELES, CA – August 12, 2016 — SLAYER has just released a brand new video clip with Tom Araya and Kerry King talking about the band’s upcoming Fall tour of North America. Fellow Big Four members Anthrax will Special Guest, and Death Angel will support.

Check the clip out here – tour dates are below.

SEPTEMBER

9 Jacob’s Pavilion, Cleveland, OH

10 Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI

12 Sound Academy, Toronto, ON

13 Metropolis, Montreal, PQ

15 Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA

17 Revolution Rock Fest., Mashantucket, CT

18 Rock Allegiance Festival, Chester, PA

20 Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN

22 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

24 Houston Open Air Festival, Houston

25 Knotfest, Devore, CA

27 Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL

28 Fillmore, Miami, FL

30 Horseshoe Casino Tunica, Tunica, MS

OCTOBER

1 Louder Than Life Festival, Louisville, KY

3 Norva, Norfolk, VA

5 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

7 Gas Monkey Live, Dallas, TX

8 ACL at the Moody Theatre, Austin, TX

10 Fillmore, Denver, CO

11 The Complex, Salt Lake City, UT

13 The Wilma Theatre, Missoula, MT

17 ENMAX Centre, Lethbridge, AB

19 S. Okanagan Cvents Centre, Penticton, BC

20 Abbotsford Centre, Abbotsford, BC

22 Aftershock Festival, Sacramento, CA

23 Reno Events Center, Reno, NV

27 El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, TX**

LAMB OF GOD Reveals New Music Video for “Embers”, Latest Single from VII: Sturm Und Drang

Read Guitarist Mark Morton’s Op-Ed & Watch “Embers” Now, Exclusively via Vice/Noisey

www.Lamb-Of-God.com

Last summer, internationally-renowned heavy rock band LAMB OF GOD released their latest Grammy-nominated full-length album, VII: Sturm Und Drang, which includes the emotive anthem “Embers” featuring Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno.

In order to further illustrate the story behind “Embers”, LAMB OF GOD has revealed the official music video for the track. The video is directed by Zev Deans, also recognized for directing videos for Ghost, Behemoth, Chelsea Wolfe, and others.

Watch the “Embers” Video and Read a Personal Op-Ed by Mark Morton via Vice/Noisey Here
LAMB OF GOD will perform in their hometown on August 20th at Gwar BQ 2016 in Richmond, VA. Tickets are available here.

VII: Sturm Und Drang landed a #2 first week debut on the Billboard U.S. Top Current Albums chart, #3 on the Top 200, and #1 on both the Rock Album and Hard Rock Album charts. Get your copy of VII: Sturm Und Drang here: Lamb-of-God.com | iTunes | Amazon | Google Play

LAMB OF GOD is: Randy Blythe (vocals), Mark Morton (guitar), Willie Adler (guitar), John Campbell (bass), and Chris Adler (drums).

For more information about LAMB OF GOD, please visit:
www.lamb-of-god.com
www.facebook.com/lambofgod
https://twitter.com/lambofgod
http://instagram.com/lambofgod

Related Content

• LAMB OF GOD to Release “Ashes Of The Wake – 15th Anniversary Edition” on May 3, 2019
• DVD Review “Lamb of God: As the Palaces Burn”
• Steve Lukather to Release First Ever Memoir “The Gospel According To Luke”
• LAMB OF GOD Releases Animated Music Video for BURN THE PRIEST Cover of Ministry’s “Jesus Built My Hotrod”
• LAMB OF GOD’S MARK MORTON ANNOUNCES NEW COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

“Great Is Our Sin”
Revocation
Metal Blade Records
Producer: Zeuss

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“Great Is Our Sin” is the 6th studio album released by the Boston, MA metal band Revocation. This is the bands second release via Metal Blade records and it features 10 new tracks which were produced by the one and only Zuess. “Great Is Our Sin” is also the first album from the band to feature 3 Inches of Blood drummer Ash Pearson who joined the band in 2015.

If you thought you loved Revocation before, you know nothing until you hear this album. The band is on top of their A game in every sense. Standout tracks include, “Arbiters of the Apocalypse”, “Monolithic Ignorance”, “Communion”, and the more melodic “Cleaving Giants of Ice.” As if there wasn’t enough mind-blowing guitar work, the album even features legendary guitarist Marty Friedman guest shredding on “The Exaltation.” The album also brings back producer Zeuss who previously worked with the band on the “Teratogenesis” EP and their last release, 2014’s “Deathless”.

Long time fans won’t be too surprised by the album’s content, but improvements in songwriting and production can still be heard. Newcomers should absolutely check out this album as it has everything. From thick riffs and blistering guitar solos to lightning fast precise drumming which is topped off by front man Dave Davidson’s signature growls. If you had any concerns about original drummer Phil Dubois-Coyne being replaced, do not fret (pun intended), Ash Pearson is a perfect fit for the band as his style further extenuates what Revocation is presenting with this new album. Revocation never disappoint as they seems to only get more fine-tuned (pun also intended) with each release. “Great Is Our Sin” is a staple in Revocation’s catalog and a must listen for any metal head.

Track Listing:
1) Arbiters of the Apocalypse
2) Theatre of Horror
3) Monolithic Ignorance
4) Crumbling Imperium
5) Communion
6) The Exaltation
7) Profanum Vulgus
8) Copernican Heresy
9) Only the Spineless Survive
10) Cleaving Giants of Ice

Be sure to also checkout our exclusive interview with Vocalist/Guitarist Dave Davidson in the interview section of the site.

Dave Davidson is the guitarist/vocalist for the Boston based death metal band Revocation. The group just released their 6th studio album titled “Great Is Our Sin” via Metal Blade Records and is currently out on the road in support of that release with the Summer Slaughter tour. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Dave recently about the new album, the bands new drummer and the group’s plans for the rest of 2016.

RA: The new album “Great Is Our Sin” is absolutely mind-blowing. How was the writing process different on this album versus previous ones?

DD: To be honest, it wasn’t really that different from what we have done on previous albums. It’s usually the same process every time. We just get better at refining and honing our ideas. For me it always starts with the riffs. I will come up with a series of riffs while we’re in a period of writing. The writing period between albums could start the very next day we’re done recording the whole record. I don’t wait around a month before we’re supposed to go in the studio to start writing things. When the inspiration hits me I record it. That way I have a stockpile of material to pull from when I’m organizing my ideas for the next record. Once I have a bunch of riffs set up from there I’ll go through them and start organizing different sections in my head. That’s the way it’s always been. It starts with this germ of an idea, and then it spreads and multiplies from there. We’ve never been afraid to experiment and I think that experimenting over the years has helped us realize what we want our sound to be.

RA: Do you do any writing while you’re touring?

DD: Sometimes. The verse riff for “Communion” came to me while we were in sound check in Hungary and Ash was filling in for us on that tour. I just started playing something and Ash played a thrash beat along with it. Later on that day we recorded it. Inspiration can hit me whenever.

RA: What has the transition been like for the band now having Ash Pearson on drums?

DD: We have known Ash for awhile and have toured with him in the past so we knew going in what he was capable of. I think that has made things a bit easier for us. The thing that was most different is he lives in Vancouver so we when we get together to practice and work on material we have to make sure to make the most out of that time together. What was happening was Ash would fly out when we were doing weekend warrior touring in Boston and New York so we would work on the set and some new material to get a head start. We would be going back and forth with a number of ideas and Ash would record all of that stuff. He travels with a Go-Pro so he’d set that up and film me playing riffs or him playing along to me playing. Then we could go back and refine things from there. Even though we didn’t have the luxury of getting together multiple times a week, I think it made us more focused because we really had to buckle down to make sure we got everything. We would also do Skype sessions back and forth. He would be in Vancouver, I’d be in Boston and I would play him a riff over the computer and he’d have his practice pad out and we’d talk about riffs that way. Luckily he’s such a great drummer who really understands the ins and outs of rhythm so I could give him feedback. He was able to pick up on all the little cues and the feeling of the music which I thought was kind of cool.

RA: How was it working Marty Friedman again?

DD: It was great. It was my second time working with him, having worked on his previous record Inferno. I definitely knew then that I wanted to have him on our record. It really blew me away. It’s weird having one of your idols that you grew up listening to be on one of your records.

RA: What type of gear setup did you use this time around for recording?

DD: I’m using my Jackson signature series guitar which has my DiMarzio signature pickups in it. I feel like it really has my sound. Zeus does a great job with the mixing and mastering and he knows the sounds that we’re looking for. The guitar tone on this album I think is my favorite tone we’ve had so far. It sounds really organic, but also razor sharp and super clean.

RA: What’s the band’s upcoming tour plans for the album?

DD: We’re out on Summer Slaughter with Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Suffocation, and some other great death metal bands right now. After that we have a little downtime before our next tour in Europe with Obscura. I think we’re all sharing a bunk together, so it’ll be like the music nerd bandwagon rolling into town every city. I can’t talk about it too much, but after that we’re planning on doing a headliner or co-headliner when we get back to the states.

RA: You guys have recorded a few covers songs in the past. Has there been any talks of possibly doing and entire EP of cover material?

DD: We actually have talked about that before. We have about six cover songs that we’ve done for records. At this point it would be cool to have each member pick a different cover we could do. It’s just a matter of timing and scheduling. We also have to see what the demand for that kind of thing is. We would also have to have two different labels work together to make that happen as some of cover songs were on Relapse and some released on Metal Blade. There are no concrete plans right now, but it would be cool.

Be sure to checkout our album review of “Great Is Our Sin” in the review section of the site.

Weird Al Yankovic
Date: August 8th, 2016
Venue: Starlight Theater

Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

If there was ever music icon that demanded your undivided attention at a concert, it is Weird Al Yankovic. His performance is a full-sensory experience. Obviously it’s a visual and audible treat for those who show up in tin foil hats, polka pants, Amish attire, or whatever reference they can make to the musician’s 40-year career. But Weird Al incorporates more theatrics into one show than most bands do throughout an entire tour.

The concert begins via jumbotron, displaying crusty black and white propaganda video repeating the phrase, “Mandatory Fun”, the title of Weird Al’s last album. We then cut to Weird Al’s his tour bus where he appears singing “Tacky”. Shoving show extras out of his way and teasing the audience with what’s to come as he enters the Starlight seating area, he comically drifts to the stage through elaborate cheesy dance moves. It doesn’t take the comedy king of polka to bust out the accordion or the new songs that helped him land at #1 on the Billboard Top 40 last year.

Because each song parodies a song or specific style of a band, this is a concert requiring a costume change in between nearly every song during the two-hour show. In between songs like “Fat”, “White and Nerdy” and “Foil” are pieced together video clips highlighting the pop-culture relevance of Weird Al. Everything from his appearance in the “Naked Gun” movies to his vocal talents being utilized on contemporary cartoon favorites like “My Little Pony”. For fans old and new, the clips are a relentless sampling of his lengthy relevance and influence in society.

The seemingly one man show is joined on stage by his bandmates, who match his intensity, comedic timing and quirks. The madcap nature of Weird Al is matched by everyone, even the stage hands who have to awkwardly stand and hold a harmonica during “Ode to a Superhero” or the intentionally unenthusiastic cheerleaders during “Smells Like Nirvana”. The dedication to the surreal nature of it all reaches its peak during the encore. During “Yoda” the band stops playing their instruments and becomes a choir of cartoon sound effects and madcap a capella.

Every song played that night was a unique and unforgettable memory for fans, even the moments of parody medley. Weird Al spends a solid 15 minutes cramming in 10 shorted songs to better cram in his lengthy catalogue of memorable parodies to please every concertgoer. There are even a handful of songs that can be viewed as interactive, on the audiences end and Weird Al’s end. My review could have easily been a recap of every wonderfully joyous moment experienced in each song.

Having seen him live 15 years ago, it’s impressive to see the same energy, if not more. There are signs of age in that jester smile and silly grimace that he flashes, possibly worrying fans that he may be nearing the end of his rich career. I highly doubt the man who truly loves entertaining the nerdy masses is going to retire anytime soon. But on the off-chance he’s getting closer to hanging up the accordion, do yourself a favor and see him now, and often.

Set List:
Tacky
2.) Lame Claim to Fame
3.) Now That’s What I Call Polka!
4.) Perform This Way
5.) Dare to Be Stupid
6.) Fat
7.) First World Problems
8.) Foil
9.) Smells Like Nirvana
10.) Party in the CIA/ It’s All About the Pentiums/ Handy/ Bedrock Anthem/ Another One Rides the Bus/ Ode to a Superhero/ Gump/ Inactive/ eBay
11.) Canadian Idiot
12.) Wanna B Ur Lovr
13.) Eat It/ I Lost on Jeopardy/ I Love Rocky Road/ Like a Surgeon (Acoustic)
14.) White and Nerdy
15.) Word Crimes
16.) Amish Paradise
ENCORE
17.) We All Have Cellphones
18.) The Saga Begins
19.) Yoda

“A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993”
Dio
Rhino
Producer: Ronnie James Dio, Tony Platt, Mike Fraser
Discs: 6

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio may have passed away in 2010 however that has not stopped his legacy and music from living on. Thanks to Rhino Entertainment fans of the former Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath front man can experience “A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993”. The six album collection focuses on the first 10 years of Ronnie’s solo career which he embarked on in 1983. Remastered and packaged in a sleek box set featuring brand new artwork from Marc Sasso, the artist who was responsible for many of the band’s iconic covers.

The latest offering from Rhino Entertainment “A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993” isn’t just a collection of greatest hits. Instead you get the first 6 albums from Ronnie James Dio’s solo career in their entirety. Remastered and repackaged complete with replica inserts “Holy Diver”, “The Last In Line”, “Sacred Heart”, “Dream Evil”, “Lock Up The Wolves”, and “Strange Highways” all sound just as good as the originals. However I was a little disappointed at the remastering process as it didn’t seem to add anything to mix. If anything the remastering added a layer of thinness that was a bit shrill on the ears at time. Thankfully Ronnie and his bands performances are so strong on the included albums that you can easily get past the sonic shortcomings and enjoy the track for what it is. Tracks like “Last In Line”, “Egypt (The Chains Are On)” and “Gypsy” were some of my personal favorites while classics like “Stand Up and Shout”, “Holy Diver” and “Rainbow in the Dark” are always a fun listen.

If you already have these albums then there probably isn’t enough offered in this package to warrant purchasing them again. However for those looking to bolster their Dio collection then this set is worth its weight in gold. The recreated front and back album art and inserts is nice little feature as when you open up the main box it’s as if your getting 6 miniature LP’s. I think it would have been nice if the set came with a book providing background info/photos on the releases as I feel that would have given a little incentive to those who already have some of these albums to pick up this package. None the less still a cool offering, the set is available now on CD and will be released on vinyl October 4th.

Disc 1: “Holy Diver”
1.) Stand Up And Shout
2.) Holy Diver
3.) Gypsy
4.) Caught In The Middle
5.) Don’t Talk To Stranger
6.) Straight Through The Heart
7.) Invisible
8.) Rainbow In The Dark
9.) Shame On The Night

Disc 2: “The Last In Line”
1.) We Rock
2.) The Last In Line
3.) Breathless
4.) I Speed At Night
5.) One Night In The City
6.) Evil Eyes
7.) Mystery
8.) Eat Your Heart Out
9.) Egypt (The Chains Are On)

Disc 3: “Sacred Heart”
1.) King of Rock And Roll
2.) Sacred Heart
3.) Another Lie
4.) Rock N’ Roll Children
5.) Hungry For Heaven
6.) Like The Beat Of A Heart
7.) Just Another Day
8.) Fallen Angels
9.) Shoot Shoot

Disc 4: “Dream Evil”
1.) Night People
2.) Dream Evil
3.) Sunset Superman
4.) All The Fools Sailed Away
5.) Naked In The Rain
6.) Overlove
7.) I Could Have Been A Dreamer
8.) Faces In The Window
9.) When A Woman Cries

Disc 5: “Lock Up The Wolves”
1.) Wild One
2.) Born On The Sun
3.) Hey Angel
4.) Between Two Hearts
5.) Night Music
6.) Lock Up The Wolves
7.) Evil On Queen Street
8.) Walk On Water
9.) Twisted
10.) Why Are They Watching Me
11.) My Eyes

Disc 6: “Strange Highways”
1.) Jesus, Mary & The Holy Ghost
2.) Firehead
3.) Strange Highways
4.) Hollywood Black
5.) Evilution
6.) Pain
7.) One Foot In The Grave
8.) Give Her The Gun
9.) Blood From A Stone
10.) Here’s To You
11.) Bring Down The Rain

Old Wounds an up and coming hardcore band from New Jersey are out on the 2016 Vans Warped Tour promoting their newest release “The Suffering Spirit”. Being the bands first time on the tour they are eager to show fans both old and new their unique style of modern hardcore through energetic live performances. Media Mikes had the opportunity to sit down with the band and talk about their experience on the tour and what’s next for the band.

Ryan Albro: What made the band decide to do Warped Tour versus a smaller tour on your own?

Mikey: Our label came to us and offered us a spot on the tour. It’s an incredible opportunity to be given. It’s really a no-brainer. If you bust your ass for nearly 6 years doing this and it comes to a point where somebody is pretty much handing you a slot on Warped Tour, you have to say yes.

RA: Overall how do you like the tour thus far?

Mikey: It’s a lot more fun than I think any of us had anticipated. We had a strong feeling it was going to be good, but it’s been a blast. It’s a very unique time.

Matt: I’m having a great time and I love the food. A lot of us are vegan or don’t eat meat and the catering is really great helping us out with our needs and they make really great food. We made a lot of friends and it’s been a good time for sure.

RA: Who are you excited to see play each day?

Kevin: Every Time I Die and Motionless in White.

Matt: There are two bands that play on the Full Sail Stage with us that I love! two One is called Mother Feather and the other band is called Safe to Say. We’ve made great friends with Like Pacific as well. I usually hang close to our stage so I watch a lot of bands on our stage and those are some of my favorites that play every single day.

RA: Any cool stories from the shows so far?

Mikey: Not so much from this one. It seems every other tour we’ve done though a lot of funny and stupid shit happens.

Matt: One thing that sticks out from this tour is the storm we got in New Orleans. We were loading our stuff out and out of nowhere this crazy monsoon hit. A lot of our stuff got completely soaked. . A lot of our gear was drenched and we had to throw out all the cardboard boxes and stuff for our merch away. Everyone except for Kevin and me was just drenched.

Kevin: I always carry an umbrella around just because I don’t want to get tan.

Matt: That umbrella wouldn’t have done you any good anyway

Mikey: Luckily we didn’t lose anything gear wise. All of our cabs, heads, and guitars were totally fine. We got lucky.

RA: You guys are approaching the end of “The Suffering Spirit” tour cycle, what’s next for the band?

Mikey: We do have a tour about a month and a half after this ends. I can’t say what it is just yet though. We’re in the middle of writing a new album right now so that’s going to take priority. We toured a lot on this record and we really want to get the next record out.

RA: What can you tell us about the new material you’re working on?

Mikey: We have actually been playing one of the new songs in our set each day so we’ll be playing that on the remainder of Warped Tour. That’ll give everyone a taste of what’s to come.

Zak: Now that we have Matt as our second guitar player, the dynamics are definitely a little different. There are more harmonious guitar riffs. It’s definitely a combination of everything we’ve been doing. It’s heavy where it should be and there are melodies where they should be. There’s more of a metal influence for sure.

Kevin: It not going to be something where when you hear it you think “Oh that doesn’t sound like Old Wounds.”

For over 20 years singer/guitarist John Corabi has been recording and performing with a number of hard rock acts ranging from Union and ESP to being the replacement for Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil for a period of time in the mid 90’s. Since that time Corabi has embarked on a successful solo career and also joined the group The Dead Daisies a group whose current lineup also includes Marco Mendoza, Doug Aldrich, Brian Tichy and David Lowy. Media Mikes spoke with John recently about The Dead Daises upcoming album titled “Make Some Noise” which is due out on August 5th and also about the groups upcoming U.S. Tour with Kiss.

Adam Lawton: You joined The Dead Daisies in 2015. What has the first year of being in the band been like for you thus far?

John Corabi: It has been crazy! I got the call originally from Marco as they had been working with someone prior to me and things weren’t working out. They had plans to go over to Cuba and they asked me if I would be willing to go with them. I went and did that and we had an amazing time there. I think that was sort of a way for the guys to feel me out a bit. I think they wanted to see if I was a good fit or not. After that trip I got a call from the guys asking if I wanted to go to Australia and do an album. We got together in March of last year and wrote and recorded the “Revolucion” album in about 33 days. After flying home from that I did some solo shows with my band and the next thing I know I was in California doing a video with guys and also rehearsing for some upcoming European shows with Kiss. We then came back and did a run with Whitesnake after which we went back to Australia with Kiss. We then did the Kiss cruise and went back to Europe again but this time with Whitesnake. I got home at the end of December and by January of this year we were back in the studio working on the new record “Make Some Noise”. Things have been pretty busy. When I’m not out with The Daisies I’m out with my solo band which has a live album coming out in October.

AL: What has the addition of Doug Aldrich been like for the band?

JC: When Dizzy Reed and Richard Fortus got the call to go do the Guns N’ Roses tour we reached out to Doug. He is a really great player who has just jumped right in. I have known Doug since he was about 17 as we grew up in Philadelphia together. With this band it’s about friendship as we all hang out and have known each other for a long time. Doug was able to step in to that as he has a great sense of humor to go along with his amazing playing and song writing ability. With this new record we wanted to go in and do a straight forward 70’s era type rock album. All the guys in the band have similar influences so for us to be able to go in and do that with the addition of Doug was really great.

AL: How did the writing for “Make Some Noise” compare to that of your previous album with the band?

JC: When you bring in a different member things do change a little. Doug fits in with everyone and we all have similar interest so that certainly helped. I think the biggest difference with the new record wasn’t really anything with the guitars but it was more so the fact that we didn’t add keyboards this time around. That allowed the guitars more room to be a little more aggressive. David Lowy made that decision as doing a band similar to the style of AC/DC was his original idea for the band. When Richard and Dizzy left it was decided not to replace them so Doug and David had a little more space to expand on their parts in each song.

AL: Do you prefer working on material that is more stripped down and straight forward as opposed to something with a lot of layers and instrumentation?

JC: I think the song really dictates how much or how little it needs. There was one song we did that we didn’t end up putting on the album that I want to put on my new solo album that had a lot of stuff going on within it. When we looked at what we had this song didn’t really fit in with the others because they are all very straight forward. Again the song really decides what it needs in the way of production. I think back to the first album I did with Union which is a pretty stripped down album as that’s what most of those songs required but there is one on that recorded titled “Let It Flow” which has a bunch of cool over dubs and instrumentation on it because that’s what it sort of dictated.

AL: How was it working with producer Marti Frederiksen this time around?

JC: I had known Marti since he opened for my band The Scream in the early Nineties. I always sort of kept an eye on his career. I realized when he started working with groups like Brother Cane and Aerosmith that he was going to do a lot of cool stuff. We were looking for not just a producer but also someone who understood the writing process and would actually listen to what we were doing with a fresh set of ears. Marti was very open to suggestions throughout the process. We have all been making records for quite some time now so things worked well. We would just record things and if for some reason if something didn’t work we would just take it out after the fact. Marti was great in that he knew when to reel us in and also we to let us keep going. It was a two way street that worked pretty effortlessly.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour with Kiss and any other plans you and the band have scheduled?

JC: We start in the states with Kiss on August 10. Those guys have been really great to us. The shows are going to be very high energy. I am not sure how long we are going to be playing just yet but no matter how long we play its going to be pedal to the metal. We plan to do a mix of both old and new material along with a few covers to get the crowd riled up. That tour goes through mid September then we have a headlining show set in Los Angeles. After that I start rehearsals with my solo band and then we go out on the Monsters of Rock Cruise. From there The Daisies head over to Japan for the Loud Park Festival and we are booked all the way through December. We will be hitting a bunch a places all over.

For more info on John Corabi and The Dead Daisies be sure to head over to http://www.thedeaddaisies.comand also www.johncorabimusic.com

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“Love and Other Crimes”
Masked Intruder
Pure Noise
Tracks: 6
Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Wisconsin based punk rockers Masked Intruder recently released a new EP titled “Love and Other Crimes”. The six track ep which is being released via Pure Noise is the follow up to the band’s 2012 self titled debut which was released via Red Scare and then re-released by Fat Wreck Chords in 2013.

Despite the band being somewhat mysterious due to their identities being hidden behind brightly colored ski masks one thing is certain, These guys know how to have fun! With six songs clocking in at just under fifteen minutes Masked Intruder’s “Love and Other Crimes” wastes no time getting to the point. Each song is brimming over with Ramones like rhythms and comedic lyrics which instantly make the release a fun listen each and every time. Tracks like the albums guitar fueled opener “Take What I Want” the super catchy “Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt” and the tongue and cheek filled “Running from the Cops” are all songs you can listen to time and time again. Even after multiple listens the songs still remain fun and fresh.

Don’t let the bands comedic look and nature fool you as each of the 4 members (Blue, Yellow, Green and Red) show tremendous disciple at their instruments making “Love and Other Crimes” a solid testament to that statement. If you’re a punk rock fan looking for something light and new grab yourself a copy of this release.

Track Listing:
1.) Take What I Want
2.) First Star Tonight
3.) Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt
4.) Running from the Cops
5.) Still Always on My Mind
6.) If Only

AGAINST ME! TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, SHAPE SHIFT WITH ME,
VIA TOTAL TREBLE / INGROOVES ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

FULL-LENGTH FOLLOW UP TO THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED STUDIO ALBUM,
TRANSGENDER DYSPHORIA BLUES, NOW AVAILABLE FOR
PRE-ORDER ON ITUNES AND AMAZON

FIRST SINGLE, “333,” NOW STREAMING ONLINE

DRUMMER ATOM WILLARD TO BE FEATURED AS GUEST MUSICIAN ON
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS THIS WEEK STARTING TONIGHT, JULY 18

LAURA JANE GRACE’S FORTHCOMING MEMOIR, TRANNY: CONFESSIONS OF PUNK ROCK’S
MOST INFAMOUS ANARCHIST SELLOUT, TO BE RELEASED BY
HACHETTE BOOKS ON NOVEMBER 15

FALL NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE DATES AND TOUR WITH BAD RELIGION
AND DAVE HAUSE ANNOUNCED

STREAM: “333” (FROM SHAPE SHIFT WITH ME)

Celebrated American rock band Against Me! are proud to announce the Friday, September 16 release of its highly anticipated forthcoming full-length album titled Shape Shift With Me. Being released on the band’s label Total Treble (in partnership with INgrooves) and serving as the follow up to the band’s critically acclaimed studio album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, Shape Shift With Me is now available for pre-order on Amazon (LP, CD) and iTunes where an instant download of the album’s lead single, “333,” is now being offered for those who purchase the album. Stream “333” via YouTube or on Spotify.

Coinciding with the announcement of the new album, drummer Atom Willard will be making nightly appearances this week as part of the 8G Band on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Starting tonight, Monday, July 18, Willard’s guest musician slot can be seen this week through Thursday, July 21 at 12:35/11:35c on NBC.

Additionally, the band has announced its upcoming North American fall tour dates that will both include headline appearances and dates with Bad Religion and Dave Hause. A full listing of dates can be found below with tickets and information on Against Me!’s official website, http://www.againstme.net.

Frontwoman Laura Jane Grace recently announced the release of her upcoming memoir titled TRANNY: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout. Set for release on November 15, 2016 through Hachette Books, TRANNY is a searing account of Grace’s search for identity and true self. The highly anticipated book also reveals the struggles and victories that the artist experienced in her quest for gender transition. Written with Noisey editor Dan Ozzi and illuminated by Grace’s never-before-published journal entries reaching back to childhood, TRANNY is an intensely personal and revelatory look inside her struggles with identity and addiction. Grappling with everything from sex, drugs, failed marriages, music, and soul of a punk rock star, this memoir paints a vivid portrait of one of the most revolutionary transgender icons of our time.

Recorded, mixed and engineered by Marc Jacob Hudson (Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day) at Rancho Recordo, Shape Shift With Me, Against Me!’s seventh full length album, has the distinction of the first album frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has written truly from the heart, with no metaphorical cloaks cast over the lyrics. It’s an album about love, that deceptively complex emotion we all struggle with yet has somehow eluded most of Grace’s songwriting for the past 20 years.

“Tons of people have written about love. But while love is cliché, it’s infinitely relevant,” Grace says. “For me, having always been in a punk band that was expected to be political, I never felt like I had that option to write about feelings in that way. That’s what I ended up being drawn to this time. It’s writing in a way I thought I could never write before, and not giving a shit about expectations.”

As such, Shape Shift With Me is a loose concept album about traveling the world and falling in and out of love, with Grace serving as the narrator. But even though she was opening herself up to new songwriting topics, she knew what her mission was from the start.

“Is there a record that is about relationships from a trans perspective?” she asks rhetorically. “There needs to be more records about trans rights and everything like that, but feeling like I already did that, I wanted to move on to write commentary on living from a trans perspective. I wanted to write the transgender response to the Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main St., Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyville and the Streets’ A Grand Don’t Come For Free. All those records are relationship records. There’s been an infinite amount of records talking about what love means from a cisgender perspective. I wanted to present the trans perspective on sex, love and heartbreak.”

With Grace’s new motivation came a new outlook on the band, as well. Previous albums found the songwriting process to be a largely solitary experience, but she embraced the spirit of collaboration for Shape Shift With Me—so much so that when Cody Votolato of the Blood Brothers sent her some demos of songs he was working on for another project, she became inspired and ended up co-writing “Boyfriend” and “Norse Truth,” two of the album’s most memorable tracks, with him.

“It was just about opening up to whatever comes my way karmically,” Grace says. “Whatever everyone in the band is willing to offer, I just wanted to be open to it. I didn’t want it to be like what it was in the past where it may have felt closed. I want it to be different.”

In a career already full of classic punk records, Shape Shift With Me feels like the definitive Against Me! album—it’s poppy and catchy (“Rebecca,” “Suicide Bomber”), aggressive and in-your-face (“ProVision L-3,” “Dead Rats”), sentimental and longing [Crash,” “All This (And More”)]. Moreover, it’s the culmination of four years of existence as Laura Jane Grace—there’s no going back now, so she might as well embrace it.

“While I’ve always wanted the moon and the stars, I have a certain amount of humbleness,” she admits. “I just want to play shows and make records and write songs. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Of course I always want the biggest and best things for those shows and records and songs, but when it comes down to it, I just love doing it. I have no other ambitions or career goals.”

Against Me! will be making the following North American headline appearances as well as touring with Bad Religion and Dave Hause this fall. Dates below with more headline shows to be announced soon.

SEPTEMBER
14 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache #
15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Small’s Theatre #
18 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall #
19 – Boston, MA – Royale #
20 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall #
21 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda #
23 – Chicago, IL – Goose Island 312 Block Party
24 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom #
25 – Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe at Old National Centre #
27 – Northampton, MA – Pearl Street #
28 – Providence, RI – Fete (Lounge) #
30 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom *

OCTOBER
01 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount *
03 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza *
04 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza *
05 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore *
06 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring *
08 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte *
09 – Atlanta, GA – The Buckhead Theatre *
11 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues-Orlando *
12 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Landing *
14 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live *
15 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theater *
16 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues-Dallas *
18 – Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland *
20 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue *
21 – Las Vegas, NV – The Foundry Hall @ SLS *
24 – Eugene, OR – McDonald Theater *
26 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo *
27 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre *
29 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades *
30 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theatre *

NOVEMBER
03 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre *
04 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Palladium *

# = headline show
* = w/ Bad Religion, Dave Hause

Shape Shift With Me track listing:
01. ProVision L-3
02. 12:03
03. Boyfriend
04. Crash
05. Delicate, Petite & Other Things I’ll Never Be
06. 333
07. Haunting, Haunted, Haunts
08. Dead Rats
09. Rebecca
10. Norse Truth
11. Suicide Bomber
12. All This (And More)

Jay Jay French is the guitarist/founding member of the heavy metal group Twisted Sister. The band which is gearing up for a run of farewell shows in the summer/fall of this year is set to release a new live CD/DVD release titled “Twisted Sister: Metal Meltdown Live at the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas- A Concert to Honor A.J. Pero” on July 22nd. Media Mikes spoke with Jay Jay recently about the upcoming release, the group’s final shows and what he will miss most about being on the road.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us an overview of the new CD/DVD Twisted Sister has coming out on July 22nd?

Jay Jay French: The whole focus of “Twisted Sister: Metal Meltdown Live” was to celebrate our drummer A.J. Pero who had recently passed away. This show was the bands first show after A.J.’s death and so much of his life and death was around that show that it made things very important to us. Subsequently this was also our first performance with Mike Portnoy on drums. The sound was produced by our bass player Mark Mendoza and the video was done by Barry Summers. Barry’s first exposure to the band was when he was a kid and saw play in a bar. I think because of that experience Barry brought sort of a fan boy type desire and approach to this project. I think Barry definitely tried to transfer his love of rock and roll over to people through this film.

AL: What was it like for the band going into this show knowing it was being filmed along with the fact that is was also going to be the bands first live performance with Mike on drums?

JJF: What band in their right fucking mind would have a new drummer come on and then have their first performance record for television? (Laughs) Mike is such a pro and a really great guy. I don’t know if we could have done this with any other person. This was a very hard and emotional thing. In the film there is a drum solo that is just A.J. That wasn’t a production trick or anything like that. That was actually up on the screen during the show. We did every show like that last year. Mike is so respectful of A.J. that he was up for whatever we wanted/needed.

AL: How does this film differ from that of the recently released “We Are Twisted F****** Sister” documentary?

JJF: We have a very unusual story. Every other story ends after being told about the ups and downs the band went through to make it. This story ends before we end up getting a record deal. “We Are Twisted F****** Sister” shows the struggle we went through to make it. We were basically just the focal point of that film. We didn’t know where the production was going or what portion of our career it was going to actually cover. It was interesting to see the director’s final interpretation of it. “Metal Meltdown Featuring: Twisted Sister” we were more involved in and I see it acting almost like a book end. The first film shows the beginning of the band and the new film shows the ending. The contrast between the two films is amazing. I think the coda being the Vegas show proves that not every band in their 60’s has to suck. We have a lot of pride in what we do and I think this DVD shows that not only are we still good but we are actually better.

AL: Was the Las Vegas show one you guys picked to film or was it sort of predetermined by the production company?

JFF: We had booked that to be filmed prior to A.J.’s passing. The big question was what we were going to do. The producers of the film as well as all of the promoters we worked with that summer were really great. They all told us that if we wanted to pull out of the events we could and that they would totally understand. We asked for a couple weeks away in order to be able to digest what all had happened. We had planned to end the band that year and I had actually talked with A.J. the day before his passing about the discussion I had with Dee related to this being it. During that conversation A.J. mentioned that he was going to need to drop off his current tour with Adrenalin Mob because he was in need of some rehab on his shoulders. He didn’t want me to be alarmed so he was letting me know ahead of time. That ended up being the heart attack. I guess he had actually had a heart attack three days prior also. I didn’t think anything of it as drummers tend to have aches and pains. I wished him well and that was it. That next morning I got the phone call that had passed. Shortly after I got a call asking if I would come out to the Adrenalin Mob show at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey to do a song dedicated to A.J. I gladly accepted and that’s when Mike Portnoy came up to me and told me had always been a fan of the band and if we needed any help he would be glad to jump on board. I initially thought that after the funeral we would all sit down and that would be the end of things however after talking we decided to honor all of our commitments for 2015 and then wrap things up in 2016.

AL: What can you tell us about the bands remaining shows and, what are your plans once the band is done?

JJF: Our last show will be on Oct. 1st in New Jersey. We will be doing a bunch of well known festivals leading up to that. Due to all of our personal schedules the band can only play 10 or 15 shows a year as we just don’t all have the time. Outside of the band I write for Ink magazine and also write a business column for their online site. I am doing motivational speaking engagements and I am writing a book as well. I also like to do business advice for people. Those things are really my focus these days.

AL: Is there any part of you that will miss being on the road and in the band?

JJF: I don’t think I am going to miss any part of being on the road. I have done over 9,000 shows which is like being in the heavy metal version of “Cats” accept because were Jewish it’s spelled Katz. (Laughs) Those shows were all fun and everything and I loved being up there but I’m ready for it to be over.

Kevin Bivona is the guitarist/keyboardist of the ska/punk band The Interrupters. The L.A. based band just released their second full length album titled “Say It Out Loud” via Hellcat Records and are currently out on the Vans Warped tour in support of the release. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Kevin prior to the bands set in Syracuse, NY about the group’s background, their new album and their relationship with Rancid front man Tim Armstrong.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background info on the band?

Kevin Bivona: The Interrupters are from Los Angeles, and are sound is kind of a mixture of ska and punk. We started the band at the end of 2011 and release our first record in 2014 in Hellcat Records. Our second album “Say It Out Loud” just came out in June and we have been touring pretty solid since the release of the first album. This is our first summer out on Warped tour and so far we are having a really great time.

AL: What was that appealed to the band about doing a tour like Warped tour as opposed to a traditional headlining tour?

KB: We had actually planned on doing our own headlining tour. The band has been very fortunate in that we have been able to open for a lot of great bands who have amazing fan bases. We have been out on tour with Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Less Than Jake to name just a few. Through opening for all those bands we felt we had developed a solid enough fan base to go out and do our own headlining tour. We then got the offer to join the Warped tour which was taking place the same time as our newest record was scheduled to come out. We wanted to take that huge opportunity to expand our fan base even more before going out on our own. We were really lucky to get the offer. There is so much variety on this tour and you get to play for people who might not otherwise check out your band so this was just the perfect thing for us as a band.

AL: With Warped tour being one of the few remaining touring festivals in the U.S. What do you feel attributes to the shows staying power?

KB: Warped tour has a very loyal fan base. As that fan base evolves sound does the line up from year to year. If you look back 20 years ago when bands like Bad Religion, Nofx and Rancid were playing it and who could still play it today as they are the godfathers of the tour off of them sprouted all these sub-genres of music who have found a home here on the Warped tour. I think the fact that Warped tour stays current with what’s going on in the various scenes and fans know this that’s why more and more people come out to see the shows each summer. What I am seeing a lot of this summer is parents who bring their kids to the shows who have their own set of bands they want see which is just really cool. Having a multi-generational appeal like Warped tour has is something very rare.

AL: With the band being on the tour all summer who are some of the bands you like to check out each day?

KB: There are so many. I like to see Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish; Masked Intruder is amazing and really fun to watch. Teenage Bottlerocket and Pepper are a couple others I like as well. I found out about this band Ballyhoo! while being out here and there are great as well.

AL: How did your relationship with Tim Armstrong and Hellcat Records come about and what is it like working with him?

KB: I first met Tim in 2005 after getting the job as the touring keyboard player in The Transplants. While we were out on Warped tour that year Tim had a studio on the bus so him I started working together. Pretty much any project he has going on I try and get on in one way or another be it playing or working behind the console. I have worked on all sorts of projects with Tim from his Tim Timebomb solo stuff to the Jimmy Cliff record. It’s just a lot of working with Tim and he is always down to check out what I have going on as well which is really cool. With The Interrupters I think we definitely have a sound that fits the Hellcat sound and all of us individually and collectively had worked with him before so when we started the band he jumped on board as a producer/collaborator. Tim was super helpful while we nailed down the band’s sound and vibe. Making our second record with him was a lot different than our previous as we had more time together and some shows under our belts. That first record is sort of an introduction to who we are as a band. We had a solid and defined vision of who we are with this second album so it made things much easier I think when it came time to write and record.

AL: You mentioned a headlining tour was in the works after Warped tour wraps up. Can you tell us anymore about that?

KB: We are trying to put all of that together right now. We have never done a headlining tour in the states before so that’s going to be something new. Right now we are focusing all of our energy on these Warped tour shows and then once we wrap up with that in mid August we should have some more concrete plans for the band and the rest of 2016. We want to play as many places as we can in support of this new record.

For more info on The Interrupters you can check out http://www.wearetheinterrupters.com/

Vans Warped Tour 2016

Date: July 7, 2016
Venue: New York State Fair Grounds, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The Vans Warped tour made a stop in Syracuse, NY on July 7th for what proved to be a great day of music and fun. Despite foreboding clouds which hovered over the event site earlier in the day the power of punk rock could not be stopped as once the music kicked off the negative weather took a quick turn towards the positive allowing everyone to stay dry and soak up some rays while listening to this year’s assembled line up.

For over 20 summers now the Vans Warped tour has been the go to for traveling one day festivals featuring alternative and punk rock music. This year despite sporting a thinned down roster, less stages and fewer activities the festival still proved to be just as good if not better than years past. The Syracuse venue featured a great lay out with side by staging for the 6 main stages and a 7th smaller stage was only a short distance from all the bigger action. Each stage offered plenty of viewing space, merch areas and facilities, there was even a massive shaded pavilion area which gave fans a place to escape the sun in between acts. Aside from waiting to get into the venue there were really no other lines to speak of throughout the day which again only added to the events over all appeal. Even the free water filling station which always seems to be a hot bed of action was easy and quick to access. This year’s lineup was a great mixture of up and coming bands infused with some of Warped tours biggest veterans. As the day started out bands like Teenage Bottle Rocket, Masked Intruder and Vanna would put on stellar performances which fit in perfectly between bombastic sets from Warped tour regulars Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and New Found Glory. Other notable performances from the day included those by State Champs complete with inflatable waving men and bubbles, Old Wounds who in my opinion dominated the Full Sail Stage, The Interrupters who despite playing later in the day were able to keep the energy going as temperatures pushed towards the 90’s. To cap off an already impressive day the closing set of the festival belonged to Sum 41 who bashed out hit after hit to the massive crowd.

Despite a scaled down lineup and production this year I felt that Warped Tour 2016 was better than ever. Sure having a bunch of stuff to do in between acts is fun and all but, when you go to a rock show you are going essentially for the music. That was clearly the focus for this year’s tour as you couldn’t have asked for a more stellar line up. Aside from the extremely long lines to get into the venue the day was a lot of fun and we heard a lot of really great music. The tour runs through August 13th so be sure to grab tickets for one of the shows closest to you. You won’t be disappointed.

Line Up:
Against the Current, Assuming We Survive, Avion Roe, Bad Seed Rising, Ballyhoo!, Broadside, Cane Hill, Chelsea Grin, Chunk! No, Captian Chunk!, Coldrain, Crown the Empire, Cruel Hand, Dash|Ten, Emarosa, Every Time I Die, Falling In Reverse, Four Year Strong, From Ashes To New, Ghost Town, Gideon, Hail the Sun, I See Stars, Ice Nine Kills, In Hearts Wake, Issues, Knuckle Puck, Less Than Jake, Like Pacific, Masked Intruder, Mayday Parade, Mother Feather, Motionless In White, New Found Glory, Oceans Ate Alaska, Old Wounds, Palaye Royale, Pepper, Real Friends, Reckless Serenade, Reel Big Fish, Roam, Safe To Say, Secrets, Set It Off, Silent Planet, Sleeping With Sirens, State Champs, Sum 41, Sykes, Teenage BottleRocket, The Color Morale, The Heirs, The Interrupters, The Maine, The Story So Far, The Word Alive, Tonight Alive, Too Close to Touch, Vanna, Veil of Maya, Volumes, Wage War, Waterparks, We the Kings, Whitechapel, With Confidence, Yellowcard, Young Guns

All photos are copy written and cannot be used without permission

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