Concert Review “Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival” Scranton, PA – August 3rd 2014

“Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival”
Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Asking Alexandria, Trivium, Body Count, Cannibal Corpse, Mushroomhead, Suicide Silence, Miss May I, Emmure, Veil of Maya, Upon a Burning Body, Texas Hippie Coalition, Darkest Hour, Ill Nino, Wretched, Islander, King 810, Erimha
Date: Saturday, August 3rd 2014
Venue: Toyota Pavilion, Scranton, PA

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The “Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival” one of the summers most anticipated traveling heavy metal festivals pulled in to the quiet hills of Scranton, PA on August 3rd and completely turned the tables upside down. This summer the festival featured 19 bands spread over 4 stages. Sporting one of the tours biggest main stage line ups to date the tour once again proved why they are the premier package for heavy metal in the summer time.

Though it would be several hours before the main stage festivities engulfed the remote Toyota Pavilion quickly became a bevy of excitement as fans packed the side stage areas to check out several up and coming bands along with an impressive slew of veteran acts. The Victory Records stage was home to some of the most brutal ear splitting music of the day as bands like Ill Nino and Emmure pulverized the crowd’s senses with their brief yet no holds barred approach. Directly to the left of the Victory stage was the Cold Cock Whiskey stage which sported a lineup featuring Suicide Silence, Miss May I and the always entertaining Mushroomhead that evoked a huge response from their chaotic stage show. The masked 9 piece band made several trips over the security barricade which only added to excitement of the bands set which also featured water filled drums and an inflatable killer whale!

Further down the festival grounds was the Head bang for the Highway/Sumerian Records stage which played host to impressive sets by Upon a Burning Body and Veil of Maya before being dominated by the one and only Body Count featuring Ice-T. Ice and his crew dominated the stage with their unique blend of punk/metal/hip hop that had fans from all ages on their feet with their fists in the air.

As night slowly descended on the venue the festivities shifted to the main stage which was instantly ignited by the sounds of Trivium. Front man Matt Heafy commanded the audience’s attention as they barreled through their 7 song set which included the popular “Anthem (We Are The Fire). Next up was UK import Asking Alexandria who received heavy applause from the crowd however did little to impress this concert goer. I’m not sure if it was singer Danny Worsnops incoherent rambling or just his lack luster attitude that made the bands set painful to endure. Quite possibly it was both.

Korn would take the stage next complete with lighted floor and day glow colors adorning the sparse stage set up. The band went through hit after hit and never sounded better. It’s great to see guitarist Brian “Head” Welch back in the fold permanently as it just never seemed right during his time away from the band. The night set was closed out by the band member’s children taking the stage to add a little extra fun to the group’s signature song “Blind” which was immediately concluded by an onstage wedding proposal between two lucky fans.

Closing out the long day of music was Avenged Sevenfold who impressive stage setup consisted of a large skeleton on top of a burning throne which peered out at the audience with an evil grin. The band performed a variety of songs from its catalog including several songs off their latest album “Hail to the King”. Though the band sounded great their performances were overshadowed by their smug facial expressions and lack of interaction with the crowd. Only ever so often did it appear as though the band was having somewhat of a good time. After the brief “leave the stage so people can cheer” moment the band returned for two more songs. The cartoonish “A Little Piece of Heaven” blasted through the mountainous hills before the band brought the night to a close with the fan favorite “Unholy Confessions”.

All in all a long day of music was absorbed by my ears and body.This year’s Mayhem Festival certainly lived up to my expectations and it is was very apparent that the festival shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon leaving me to only dream of what Kevin Lyman and company have in store for next summer.

Trivium Set List:
1.) Black
2.) Built to Fall
3.) Through Blood and Dirt and Bone
4.) Strife
5.) Dying In Your Arms
6.) Anthem (We Are The Fire)
7.) In Waves

Asking Alexandria Set List:
1.) Don’t Pray For Me
2.) Run Free
3.) To The Stage
4.) The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel)
5.) Moving On
6.) Killing You
7.) The Death of Me

Korn Set List:
1.) Falling Away From Me
2.) Twist
3.) Got the Life
4.) Did My Time
5.) Spike in My Veins
6.) Hater
7.) Shoots and Ladders
8.) Coming Undone
9.) Here to Stay
10.) Never Never
11.) Freak on a Leash
12.) Blind

Avenged Sevenfold Set List:
1.) Shepherd of Fire
2.) Nightmare
3.) Bat Country
4.) Hail to the King
5.) Almost Easy
6.) Buried Alive
7.) So Far Away
8.) Afterlife
9.) The Means War
10.) A Little Piece of Heaven
11.) Unholy Confessions

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: 2014, 3rd, august, concert, drink, energy, ...

Concert Review: Skid Row “United World Rebellion Tour 2014”

“United World Rebellion Tour 2014”
Skid Row, Sakara, the JJ Lang Band, Exit Sky, Methanol
Date: Wednesday, July 9th 2014
Venue: Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The hard rock band Skid Row kicked off their “United World Rebellion Tour” on July 9th in Rochester, NY in support of their upcoming release titled “”Rise of the Damnation Army, United World Rebellion: Chapter 2. The release is the second of several EP’s the band has planned for release this coming year. Though this was the first night of the US tour run the band seemed tight and ready to take their classic signature sound to the masses.

Montage Music Hall an intimate music venue tucked into one of the bustling side streets of Rochester, NY played host to a bevy of music artists all out to support their own endeavors along with setting the stage for the launch of Skid Row’s “United World Rebellion” Tour. Though the bill featured 5 bands in total the old saying “quality over quantity” seemed to have been ignored. Opening up the night was local act Methanol and though the band seemed well rehearsed they did little to capture the attention of those who came out to the venue early as their stage presence and crowd interaction needed some attention. Exit Sky another local act whose sound could be described as a mix between early Creed and Pearl Jam followed and seemed to garner quite a few cheers from the small crowd in attendance.

Closing out the list of local performers was The JJ Lang Band. The group’s performance was certainly my favorite of the 3 local support acts however; early on in the group’s 30 min set the band experienced some technical difficulties causing the lead singer/guitarist to throw his guitar on the ground in disgust. Though the guitar sound was noticeably thinner from there out I found the vocals to sound much better when that was all that was being focused on by the group’s front man.

The Massachusetts rock band Sakara would take the stage next as direct tour support a spot they will hold throughout this leg of the “United World Rebellion” tour. The band performed a solid set that seemed fairly well received by the crowd on hand who were anxiously awaiting the night’s headliner. After a rather length set change Skid Row would hit the stage helmed by lead vocalist Johnny Solinger who is celebrating his 14th year with the band. Flanked by original members Scotti Hill, Rachel Boland and Dave “Snake” Sabo and the groups newest member drum Rob Hammersmith the band flew through its 90 minute set playing a number of songs from their back catalog including “18 and Life”, “Monkey Business” and the always popular “I Remember You”. The band also performed one or two news songs which fans seemed to enjoy just as much as the older material.

Though it would have been killer to see/hear a 2 hour plus set from Skid Row and fewer local acts overall the show was a pretty decent night of music. Sure there were a few times where Solinger seemed to max out his vocal range however the solid combination of Boland, Sabo, Hill and newcomer Hammersmith provided the perfect support system to keep the night going smoothly and even though a full fledged Skid Row reunion may be just a pipe dream for those of us who grew up with the band the current incarnation of the band is just fine by me and certainly worth going to check out.

Skid Row Set List
1.) Let’s Go
2.) Big Guns
3.) Makin’ a Mess
4.) Piece of Me
5.) 18 and Life
6.) Thick Is the Skin
7.) Riot Act
8.) Darkened Room
9.) Kings of Demolition
10.) Psycho Therapy
11.) I Remember You
12.) Monkey Business
13.) Get the Fuck Out
14.) Slave to the Grind
15.) Youth Gone Wild

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: 2014, concert, rebellion, review, row, skid, ...

Concert Review “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show” Kansas City, Missouri

Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Kansas City, Missouri
May 27 – June 1, 2014

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Ah, Las Vegas in the 1960s. It still had the lure of mystery and DEFINITELY wasn’t kid friendly. If you were lucky, you could head to the Sands Hotel and take in the hottest show in town featuring a quartet of entertainers whose talents could never be topped. They were known as the Rat Pack – and for a few hours in Kansas City, they were back!

We were greeted by the jovial “voice of God.” And if you’re in Las Vegas who better to portray your deity then Buddy Hackett. As the voice of the late, great comedian comes through the speakers the audience is transported back five decades. The spotlight hits center stage and there they are: Funny man Joey Bishop (Sandy Hackett), the “King of Cool,” Dean Martin (Tom Wallek), the “Candyman,” Sammy Davis, Jr. (Louie Velez) and, of course, the “Chairman of the Board,” Francis Albert Sinatra (Danny Grewen). After a group opening number, entitled “Hello Again,” the audience is treated to some great one liners courtesy of Joey/Hackett. The son of the great Buddy Hackett, the comedy genes run deep in this family. The timing is spot on as is the quick wit, evident when some “Kansas City” themed jokes appear. The rest of the first act relies on the banter between Dean and Sammy as the two trade musical numbers. The act ends with the silhouette of Sammy bathed in light.

Act two welcomes Frank back to the stage. After a great medley of some signature songs (“Come Fly With Me,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “Fly Me to the Moon”), Frank takes a quiet moment to think about the one that got away. This brings on an appearance by “Frank’s One Love” (Lisa Dawn Miller, like Hackett a producer of the show) Miller is the daughter of song writing legend Ron Miller, whose songs include “Touch Me in the Morning,” “I’ve Never Been to Me” and “For Once in My Life,” which Frank performs in the show. The rest of the act consists of more laughter and music.

I’m very fortunate (and old) in that I had the great opportunity to see both Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. perform before they passed away. With those memories in my head I naturally compared that experience to the one I had at this show. And I wasn’t disappointed. Grewen has that smooth, clear quality that made Sinatra extraordinary and Velez was spot-on perfect as Sammy Davis, Jr. Ms. Miller belted out her number with gusto, making herself a proud member of the group. If there was any disappointment it came courtesy of Tom Wallek’s Dean. He had the look and the mannerism’s down, but the voice just wasn’t right. During the on stage banter he sounded more like Johnny Carson then Dean Martin. A little quibble maybe, but something that someone like me, who grew up watching, and own on DVD, Martin’s classic television roasts. That being said, “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show” is a must-see for anyone that wants to recapture those magical days of yesterday!

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: city, concert, hacketts, kansas, missouri, pack, ...

Concert Review: Slayer – Uptown Theater – Kansas City, Missouri

Slayer
Uptown Theater
05/13/2014
Kansas City, Missouri

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I guess you could say this is Slayer’s way of squeezing out a few pennies before the onslaught of summer tour dates and finishing up their 11th studio album. It’s understandable that a band, especially with the resources at a hand, wouldn’t mind going on a little stint across the U.S., but this is the first time since 1990 that Slayer has toured with Suicidal Tendencies (I was two when that tour tore across the states) and they have Exodus to boot on this trek. If this is what Slayer does for a “short tour”, they need to do it more.

If you’ve never been to Kansas City, then I shall fill you in on the absurd weather that we receive. During the seasonal transition months, it can be stupid muggy or ridiculously brisk. This was one of those Spring/Summer evenings that was quite chilly, so reluctant to say, a bunch of heavily pierced and leather wearing men were ready to pack in like a sardine can into the Uptown Theater and sweat it out. A line outside literally stretched a block as Exodus began it’s sound check. So it’s obvious who people were there to see.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Exodus and they didn’t disappoint. A small collective of hairy men were near the front going insane while die-hard fans rode the barrier wall up front. For three bands that highly respect each other and have a good four to five hours of play time to split amongst them, it’s a bit weird that Exodus would only be allowed a little less than half an hour. Would have loved to see them at least play one new song off their last three albums, but once “Piranha” came on, I was livid with joy that’d they play the first song I heard of theirs many, many years ago.

I don’t know a lot about Suicidal Tendencies and they’re not necessarily high on my list of go to music in the car, but I have a great amount of respect for a band that really helped mold a fluid hardcore/thrash metal sound. These guys must have gotten straight out of a time machine because their energy was through the roof. I didn’t know any of the songs right off the bat, but after the first time hearing the chorus, I couldn’t help but mouth a couple of their violent anthems. I think their youthfulness is bolstered by the new addition, Thomas Pridgen, at drummer. He hasn’t even performed on any of their albums and yet he played with such manic enthusiasm, you’d think he was fighting for a spot in their line-up. Ironically they continued the trend of not playing a single new song on the night.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Slayer, but that rush of adrenaline before they get on stage never goes away. Their stage staple is always an upside down cross and yet they find a new way to present it or light it on fire. Gary Holt, who’s replacing Jeff Hanneman, is solid and Paul Bostaph, who’s back in the band for a third time, is also good. Hanneman and Dave Lombardo will definitely be missed and it felt awkward watching a band that only performed songs featuring those two previous members. I can’t tell if it’s a tribute to their contributions or not. Give the fans what they want though, anything before 1990 is classic Slayer.

While I got to hear plenty of songs I’ve never heard before live like “Chemical Warfare”, “At Dawn They Sleep”, and “Black Magic”, I wouldn’t have been upset if they slipped in God Hates Us All or Hate Worldwide. I even heard their newest single “Implode” online and thought that was definitely something they’d shred. Nope, they stuck to their first five albums. I’m still waiting for the day I at least here one song off of Diabolus in Musica. Maybe it’s because I saw the insane energy of Suicidal Tendencies just an hour before, but the energy of Slayer just wasn’t there. The go-to band of the metal community was upstaged at their own headlining show.

Outside of a pair of gentleman, there’s not a single ounce of young blood on this tour. While it’s great to see these guys who are pushing towards their 50’s chug out some old tunes, I would have loved to see some new music. For someone my age, it’s not necessarily nostalgic to hear some of the best 80’s pit music, but I understand it’s what made you popular and it’s what people know. While Slayer is planning on putting out their new album this year, it doesn’t show a lot of promise when they don’t play the single they released before embarking on this tour (and from what I read didn’t play it at Rock on the Range). Are they simply appeasing to fans or worried that they’ve been spent the past two to three decades making garbage? Maybe I’m overthinking it…or maybe I’m worried Slayer’s about to hit a slump.

Exodus Set-List
Bonded by Blood
Piranha
War is My Shephard
Blacklist
The Toxic Waltz
Strike of the Beast

Suicidal Tendencies Set-List
You Can’t Bring Me Down
Trip at the Brain
War Inside My Head
Subliminal
Possessed to Skate
I Saw Your Mommy
Cyco Vision
Pledge Your Allegiance

Slayer Set-List:
Hell Awaits
The Antichrist
Necrophiliac
Mandatory Suicide
Captor of Sin
War Ensemble
Postmortem
Altar of Sacrifice
Jesus Saves
At Dawn They Sleep
Die by the Sword
Hallowed Point
Seasons in the Abyss
Chemical Warfare
Dead Skin Mask
Raining Blood
Black Magic
South of Heaven
Angel of Death

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: city, concert, kansas, missouri, review, slayer, ...

Concert Review “Transgender Dysphoria Blues Tour” Rochester, NY

“Transgender Dysphoria Blues Tour”
Against Me!, Tony Molina, Big Eyes
Date: Saturday, May 10th 2014
Venue: Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The punk rock group Against Me! made a stop at Rochester, NY’s Water Street Music Hall on Saturday, May 10th in support of their latest album titled “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”. The 4 piece group appeared to be in top form with singer/guitarist Laura Jane Grace at the helm as the group blasted through an hour and fifteen minute set that included songs from the group new album and their sizable back catalog.

Big Eyes a three piece power trio from Seattle, Washington helped kick off the night as they performed a solid 35 minute set playing songs that were a blend of both classic and indie rock. Singer/guitarist Kate Eldridge laid down an impressive performance both on guitar and vocally while the group’s bassist and drummer provided an extremely tight back beat. Next up was the group Tony Molina from San Francisco, California. The group performed a unique blend of melodic punk rock tinged with Black Sabbath like break downs that quickly grabbed my attention. Sadly the rest of the crowd in attendance didn’t seem interested as there were several portions of the bands brief set which could have used immediate attention mainly in the name of feedback suppression which ran ramped in between each number.

After an extended set change Against Me! would take the stage opening with “FuckMyLife666” which set the performance of perfectly by paving the way for songs like “New Wave”, “Don’t Lose Touch” and “Trans Gender Dysphoria Blues”. The bands energy was high throughout the fast pace 75 minute set and though the band paused only briefly to interact with the frenzied crowd those in attendance didn’t mind. At point during the set the band asked the crowd for help as they sang happy birthday to bassist Inge Johansson which everyone seem to really enjoy and then it was immediately back to the set which was closed out shortly after by the song “The Ocean” from the bands “New Wave” album. After some persistent chanting from the crowd Laura Jane returned to the stage for a solo performance of “Baby, I’m an Anarchist” which was followed by full band performances of We “Laugh at Danger (And Break All the Rules)” and the always entertaining “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong”.

Whether you just discovered Against Me! or you are a long time fan you need to get to one of the remaining shows on this tour. The band sounds better than ever and the new material sounds even better live. Also if you want to check out some other cool music then get to the venue early and catch both Big Eyes and Tony Molina sets as I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Against Me! Set List:
1. FuckMyLife666
2. Cliché Guevara
3. New Wave
4. Walking Is Still Honest
5. Unconditional Love
6. I Still Love You Julie
7. True Trans Soul Rebel
8. Don’t Lose Touch
9. I Was a Teenage Anarchist
10. Turn Those Clapping Hand into Angry Balled Fists
11. Pretty Girls (The Mover)
12. Transgender Dysphoria Blues
13. Miami
14. Americans Abroad
15. Dead Friend
16. Osama Bin Laden as the Crucified Christ
17. Thrash Unreal
18. Black Me Out
19. The Ocean
Encore:
20. Baby, I’m an Anarchist
21. We Laugh at Danger (And Break All the Rules)
22. Pints of Guinness Make You Strong

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: blues, concert, dysphoria, ny, review, rochester, ...

Concert Review: Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band “Songs from St. Somewhere” Tour, Tampa, FL

Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band
MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tampa, FL
April 19, 2014

It was a rather chilly and on and off rainy night, April 19, 2014 in Tampa, FL but that didn’t mean anything for us hardcore Jimmy Buffett fans. I do not think I have ever been to a concert with as much energy and excitement that this show at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre. The last time I saw Jimmy and his band perform was in Orlando, FL at the Amway Center and I have to admit thinking back on it now it just felt so claustrophobic being in that closed arena. Now the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre was a open arena that really gave Jimmy and the band a chance to open their wings and really soar higher than ever. The band was in fine form at this show. You can honestly just look at Jimmy’s face and know that he is honestly and genuinely having fun. Just plain fun. I may have said this before but the guy seems to really love what he is doing and I swear he only seems to be getting better and better each time I see him.

When you look at this stage, there are literally so many people up there that I didn’t know where to look first. In fact, I counted and including Jimmy his Coral Reefer Band adds up to twelve members. Now the reason why that is unique is that you could literally pick out the role of each person throughout the entire person. If you were listening out for Michael Utley on the keyboards you can clearly hear him jamming. If you were looking out for Mac McAnally (I mean you can’t miss the guy with that hair but…) you can easily pick out his voice on each song. To be that is so very important. You can tell that there was a lot of time put into making sure that each member of the band was equally balanced and sounded just right. Congrats to the sound engineer for this sound because it was an outstanding performance.

What I really loved about this show was that from the moment it started it was just hit song after hit song. We were on our feet literally the entire show. If we got tired after at any point, the excitement of the next song just completely took over and drew us in. Some highlights as usual were “Boat Drinks”, “Come Monday” and “Southern Cross”. Since this is the “Songs From St. Somewhere” tour, we got to hear the new hit song “Too Drunk to Karaoke”, which was just such a blast to hear live. The band’s cover of “All Night Long (All Night)” got such an outstanding response, I looked around at one point during the song and didn’t see a mouth not moving and anyone not dancing like crazy. They not only play the songs that they want to play, they play the songs that fans want to hear and they were right on queue!

The “Songs From St. Somewhere” tour took a break in December but picked up this month to close out the tour. This show actually was one of the last one of the tour before the band (taking only a month off) kicks right back into touring with the new summer tour, “This One’s For You”, which starts in May. So even though that this was the “end of the tour”, you could have easily told me that it was the kick-off because like I said the energy was insane and the band was in rare form. I don’t know how they tour for most of the year and never take a break…but I guess it just goes back to my original statement of how much fun these talented performers are having on the stage.  I hope that it is not too long before they decide to take over the state of Florida again because I already feel the itch to take a trip to Margaritaville again soon!

Set List:
1. Kinja
2. Landfall
3. Brown Eyed Girl
4. Boat Drinks
5. Weather With You
6. Pencil Thin Mustache
7. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere
8. Son of a Son of a Sailor
9. Rhumba Man
10. Come Monday
11. Too Drunk to Karaoke
12. Cheeseburger in Paradise
13. Cultural Infidel
14. Piece of Work
15. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Boat
16. Southern Cross
17. Volcano
18. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
19. A Pirate Looks at Forty
20. Back Where I Come From
21. One Particular Harbour
22. All Night Long (All Night)
23. Fins
24. Margaritaville

Encores:
25. We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About
26. Knee Deep
27. Defying Gravity

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: band, buffett, concert, coral, fl, jimmy, ...

Concert Review: Thomas Nicholas Band, Mulligan’s Pub – Celebration, FL

Thomas Nicholas Band
Mulligan’s Pub
Celebration, FL
April 23, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

You might recognize Thomas Ian Nicholas from his film roles in the “American Pie” films or the baseball classic “Rookie of the Year”, but he is also a singer/songwriter and has a band, TNB aka Thomas Nicholas Band. I had the privilege of meeting Thom back in 2010 and have become friends over the years. I never really knew he was into music until that time, I was just a fan of his films. Let’s just say that besides being a talented actor…this guy can fucking sing! I have been to tons of concerts and I really haven’t had an experience like when I go to one of Thom’s shows. He not only sings songs from his five albums, he also does a ton of amazing (and spot on) covers. He just got finished touring the UK and if you can get a chance to catch one of his shows, you will not be sorry.

At this particular show, it was a stripped down acoustic solo act but he had such presence behind him that it felt far from a one-man show. Throughout the show he used a looper pedal to add to his songs and I can’t even tell you how amazing it was. I first saw him live last summer and I was blown away then with his performance. This time we brought some friends along and when he looped his guitar and voice on songs like “Security”, our friends literally whipped around to us and were flipping out. He literally sounds like he has a whole band along with him and if you just walked in from outside you would have thought the same.

I am a big believer in inspiration behind music and really getting into a song when listening and you can tell when Thom is up there jamming that he also escapes into his music. With songs like “Heroes Are Human” and “Terrified”, there is so much heart poured out into these songs. His vocal range is really impressive as well especially on his covers of Tom Petty’s “Free Falling”, Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So” and (my favorite) Foo Fighters’ “Everlong”. Thom if you are reading this bro, you need to get these recorded! This guy also has the endurance of a bull (even while drinking) playing for for nearly three hours with only a short break. I am not just saying this either as a friend, I literally will go out of my way just to catch a show of Thom’s because he is such a talent artist and his shows leave you pumped.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: band, celebration, concert, fl, mulligans, nicholas, ...

Jim Jarmusch Hosts “Only Lovers Left Alive” Concert in NYC

In speaking about Only Lovers Left Alive– which seems to occur often since posting my NYFF review of the film. I usually compliment the distinctive world that director Jim Jarmusch created for his vampires Adam and Eve. This audience sentiment may have reached the director’s ears because on Tuesday night in New York, Jarmusch hosted a screening along with an immersive after party and concert to celebrate the movie’s limited US release on April 11th.

Having already staged similar events in London and Paris, the film took over the entirety of NYC’s Landmark Sunshine Cinema. The theater’s hallways were darkened and lit only through projections of dried blood. Audience members were encouraged to wear sunglasses and gloves in keeping with Adam and Eve’s costuming which made for a striking movie line on the not-so-sunny New York afternoon.

After enjoying the screening of the film, the audience moved a short walk away to Santos Party House where guests were welcomed by staff members in Adam’s “Dr. Faust” scrubs offering a spicy taste of blood at the door. The lower level featured a dj who played a mix honoring the film’s Detroit roots. Exciting for film fans in other areas of the floor, you could visit recreations of Adam and Eve’s rooms.

Heading upstairs was the concert of artists from the film’s soundtrack. Film composer Jozef Van Wissem took the stage first on the lute, eventually joined by the beautiful vocals of Zola Jesus.

The highlight for me was second act, Yasmine Hamdam. In the film, the Lebanese artist entrances Tom Hiddleston’s Adam in a small club in Tangiers and she had a similar effect on this crowd with her powerhouse singing.

Next came what can only be described as the intergalactic rock of White Hills which got the most excited response from the audience. Finally Jarmusch with his band SQÜRL took the stage and it was thrilling to hear, among other tracks, the film’s signature theme “The Taste of Blood” performed live just hours after the film’s credits had rolled.

…………

Should this concert make its way to more US cities, definitely check it out. In the meantime, Only Lovers Left Alive opens in New York and LA on April 11th in the meantime you can check out the film’s newest trailer below:

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews, Film Headlines Tagged With: alive, concert, hosts, jarmusch, jim, left, ...

Concert Review: Scott Ian “Speaking Words”

“Speaking Words”
Scott Ian
Date: Thursday, March 6th 2014
Venue: The Lost Horizon, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Anthrax/The Damned Things guitarist and co-founder Scott Ian brought his spoken word tour to the quaint Syracuse, NY venue known as the Lost Horizon on March 6th were he spoke about his 20 plus year career in the music business. Though this is Ian’s first run with this venture here in the States and his first appearance in Syracuse since 1987,he showed himself as the consummate professional and left no stone unturned.

Prior to the nights event whenever I heard the term “spoken word” I immediately thought of Henry Rollins and his outspoken and sometimes controversial speaking sessions where he shares with those in attendance his recent travel stories and thoughts on various subjects. However I now have a new name to throw in to the spoken word ring as Scott Ian proved he is more than just a heavy metal guitarist with an impressive goatee. For close to 3 hours Mr. Ian took the 100-150 people in attendance on journey dating back to Anthrax’s first trip to Europe which included a chance meeting with Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead that resulted in a rather colorful explanation of what happens when a non-drinker hangs out with Lemmy for one evening. Accompanied by several cartoon like slides that added to the comedic side of Ian’s tales and a number of personal photos Scott progressed through his life and some of its darker days before closing out the night with tales of his late friend, Pantera/Damage Plan guitarist Dime bag Darrel.

After Ian finished up his portion of the evening he opened up the floor to questions from the audience. This proved quite entertaining as one fan in attendance proclaimed that he was there to request a DNA test from the Anthrax guitarist after being told by his mother that he was the result of a one night stand between his mom and Ian in 1983. Scott quickly put this person in place stating a number of facts proving that this was definitely not the case. Other questions tackled during the Q and A session included questions about the status of a new Anthrax album, the release of his upcoming book and DVD along with stories of Scott’s encounter with former area resident and heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio.

It could have been very easy for Scott to get up on stage go through a pre-rehearsed routine and that would have been it however the evenings show was much more than that. Witty banter between Scott and the intimate crowd along with off the cuff stories and a lively question and answer session made the night unique and fun. You never knew where things would go next and it was something a bit different that a traditional stand up or spoken word performance. Another cool feature added to the night for those with a little extra drinking money was an after show meet and greet with Scott where he mingled with fans and continued to answer whatever questions people may have been too shy to answer during the open forum. The whole night was very relaxed and felt like you were hanging out with a bunch of friends telling war stories. My only hope is that Scott continues to do these types of shows and continues to evolve as a multi-tiered artist.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: concert, ian, review, scott, speaking, words, ...

Concert Review: Richie Ramone “Something in My Drink Tour”

“Something in My Drink Tour”
Richie Ramone, One Last Shot, Home Court Advantage
Date: Wednesday, February 19th 2014
Venue: The Lost Horizon, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Former Ramones drummer Richie Ramone made a stop at the legendary Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY on February 19th as part of his 2014 “Something in My Drink” tour. The gig was an intimate in your face experience as Ramone and company treated the crowd to slew of Ramones classics as well as songs off Ramones debut solo album “Entitled”. Though Ramone had some stiff competition with SU Basketball also being in town it did little to phase the fans or the band as all eyes were on Richie.

Starting off the night was a local act by the name of Home Court Advantage. The groups sound was a mixture of pop-punk that teetered on the edge of straight forward rock as the group mixed cover and original material. Though as the group’s name may have suggested they may have in fact had the home court but there was certainly no advantage as at several times throughout the brief set it seemed as though the band members were all playing something different which resulted in a number of timing issues. Next to take the stage was another local act by the name of One Last Shot. The group’s metal-core sound was promising as it was quite a bit of a departure from the previous band and a bit more refined. Sadly the minute the singer opened his mouth any promise the band may have shown went directly out the window. Dressed in homemade pants fashioned from duct tape the singer read like a cheap Darby Crash knock off. This really was a disappointment due to the tightness of the backing band however, they were able to get the crowd somewhat warmed up for the headliner so I guess their mission was accomplished.

After a brief set change Richie Ramone and company would take the stage. Flanked by the lovely and always entertaining Clare Misstake on bass, the energetic Alex Kane on lead guitar and multi talented rhthym guitarist/drummer Ben Reagan, Richie proceeded to take the audience on a music joy ride that enticed several circle shaped pits and pogo Malays fitting of the high octane 180 beats per minute music that was being performed. From classic songs like “Somebody Put Something In My Drink” to “Commando” and “Something to Do” to newer songs like “Entitled” and “Smash You” which are featured on Ramones new Solo album Richie and his crew held the audience in their hands and left them wanting more. Don’t let the fact that Richie now in his 50’s is going to slow or dull down that legendary break neck speed or sound synonymous with the Ramones name as he appears to be at the top his game and ready to take on the world.

The U.S. leg of the “Something in My Drink” tour runs through March and from there the band will be heading overseas for a group of shows in Europe. I highly suggest going out to see the band as Pinheads and Animal Boys both new and old will not be disappointed.

Richie Ramone Set List:
1.) Criminal
2.) Somebody Put Something in my Drink
3.) Smash You
4.) Something to Do
5.) Better Then Me
6.) Durango
7.) Animal Boy
8.) I Know Better
9.) Blitzkrieg Bop
10.) Entitled
11.) Warthog
12.) Elevator Operator
13.) Can’t Say Anything Nice
14.) Forgotten Years
15.) Take My Hand
16.) Today Your Love
17.) I ’m not Jesus
18.) Loudmouth
19.) Humankind
20.) Cretin Hop
21.) Into the Fire
22.) Vulnerable
23.) Commando

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: concert, drink, ramone, review, richie, tour, ...

Concert Review: AFI “Burials Winter Tour”

“Burials Winter Tour”
AFI, Youth Code, Coming
Date: Saturday, February 1st 2014
Venue: Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 AFI played the final show of the “Burials” winter tour on February 1st at the intimate Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY to a near capacity crowd. The California based band has been out in support of their 9th studio album titled “Burials” which was released in late fall of 2013.  Though it’s been 4 years since the bands last album and quite some time since the band has performed in the upstate NY area they certainly made up for lost time with the evenings stellar performance.

Kicking of the night was a 3 piece band by the name of “Coming”. The groups sound could be describes as a mixture of Reagan Era punk rock with a bit more edginess and experimentation. Though the idea was promising the group seemed to lack any real talent. Drums dominated a good portion of the band’s sound and what space was left was filled buy one line vocal passages screamed well past the point of be able to be recognized just what the singer was actually trying to sing. Though the venue was only partially full by the end of the groups set those in attendance did provide the band with ample applause. As the venue slowly began to reach capacity a two piece Industrial EDM group by the name of “Youth Code” would take the stage and by the end of the group’s first song you could almost hear a pin drop as the crowd, myself included were left completely baffled by what we were seeing and hearing. Unoriginal 80’s era beats mixed with schizophrenic yelling and behavior plagued the groups 30/40 minute set that when the duo finally left the stage it was if a collective sigh was heard throughout the room.

After a sizeable gap between acts AFI would finally take the stage basked in a glow of red, purple and blue lighting. Lead vocalist Davey Havok wasted no time acquainting himself with the audience as by the bands second song he had already made one trip in to the audience via a quick leap from the security barrier. This would not be the first time Havok would make his way out into the three tiered venue which only added to the excitement which filled the now tightly filled room. The band performed songs from their varying catalog which dates back to 1995. The band known for their energetic live performances certainly didn’t disappoint as bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget made tracks all over the stage jumping and spinning throughout the 17 song set. Even though it was the bands last night of this tour run they gave the crowd something special by performing the song “Greater Than 84” live for the first time which sounded just as good, if not better than the recorded version. Before finally leaving the stage for the night the band performed a 3 song encore made up of “The Conductor”, “Dancing Through Sunday” and “Silver and Cold” which left fans cheering for more. Every time I am able to see AFI it makes me wish that they toured more extensively and this night’s show has once again left me with that same feeling.

AFI Set List:
1.) The Leaving Song Pt.II
2.) Girl’s Not Grey
3.) I Hope You Suffer
4.) Wester
5.) Love Like Winter
6.) Ever and a Day
7.) 17 Crimes
8.) The Leaving Song
9.) Beautiful Thieves
10.) Kill Caustic
11.) Greater Than 84 (Live Debut)
12.) The Days of the Phoenix
13.) 6 to 8
14.) Miss Murder

Encore:
15.) The Conductor
16.) Dancing Through Sunday
17.) Silver and Cold

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: afi, burials, concert, review, tour, winter, ...

Arnie Roth discusses upcoming concert tour “A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy”

Arnie Roth is a classically trained violinist and composer. He is known well in the video game community for his work as the musical director and conductor on concert tours like “Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy” and many others from the “Final Fantasy” series. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Arnie about the upcoming new concert tour “A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy” and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what we can expect from “A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy” concert?
Arnie Roth: This concert will have almost entirely different music titles from the Distant Worlds concert repertoire. The scores have been drawn from throughout the 25 years of Final Fantasy releases, with the decision made in consultation between myself, Nobuo Uematsu, SQEX, and our AWR Music Productions team. We especially tried to feature many of the most popular scores that we have not performed in the Distant Worlds concerts. Most importantly, this is a chamber music performance, meant to be enjoyed in an intimate setting and a superb acoustically designed space, such as LSO St Lukes. We are fortunate to have superb performers with us for this premiere, including the highly regarded Navarra String Quartet, the wonderful pianist known for his work with the music of Uematsu and Final Fantasy, Benyamin Nuss, and we will also feature Nobuo Uematsu and myself in a live performance of Final Fantasy VI: Dark World.

MG: How it will differ from the “Distant Worlds” tour?
AR: I have mentioned some of the differences above. The most obvious difference is certainly the scale of the event, as Distant Worlds features over 100 musicians on stage with video screens, performed in much larger venues. A New World: intimate music from Final Fantasy is an intimate chamber music concert, without video content, featuring exciting new arrangements and repertoire from throughout the Final Fantasy catalogue, presented in a much smaller venue, with 13 musicians.

MG: Do you have any plans to expand the “A New World” concert, perhaps a tour, after London?
AR: We hope to be able to make announcements about this subject very soon.

MG: Any chances you will make it back to Florida in 2014? May I suggest Orlando?
AR: We are in discussions for Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy performances in several locations in Florida. Your suggestion is duly noted!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: arnie, concert, discussing, fantasy, final, intimate, ...

Concert Review: Carousel Kings, Better Off, Rust Belt Lights, Ideas, Pilgrims, Take Two – Elmira, NY

Carousel Kings, Better Off, Rust Belt Lights, Ideas, Pilgrims, Take Two
Date: Saturday, December 7th 2013
Venue: The South Side Slammer, Elmira, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

CI Records artist Carousel Kings kicked off their 2013 winter tour on December 7th in Elmira, NY and despite freezing temperatures and one band on the bill not being able to make it things seemed to off without a hitch. The event was put on by Subculture Events one of the few legitimate groups putting on independent shows in the Upstate NY area.

Kicking off the night was a local band buy the name of Take Two who seemed to have quite a following as fans filled the venue early to check out the bands 30 minute set which was a perfect mixture of progressive punk rock. Pilgrims another area band would take the stage next for a brief and somewhat chaotic set which lacked cohesiveness and did very little to excite the crowd. Due to transportation issues Rust Belt Lights were unable to make the show which put Nashville, TN natives Better Off up next and even though the group was fresh off a 17 hour drive they still blasted through their set with ease as they performed songs off their most recent release “(I Think) I’m Leaving”.

Tour headliner Carousel Kings were up next performing songs of their album “A Slice of Heaven” and though I wasn’t very familiar with the group beforehand I was pleasantly surprised as the groups songs were packed with fun, catchy hooks that kept your attention. Closing out the night was the Elmira natives Ideas. Despite crowd numbers dwindling the band played as though it was a packed house. I have to give it to bands that are able to get up there for the smaller crowds and still give it their all. Not only do the fans who stick around appreciate it but in my book it gives the band that extra professionalism that a lot of bands are often missing.

A great night of music and fun was had by all and Subculture Events can mark another great show off in their books. My hope is that they will continue to stick around and provide both local and national talents venues to perform at within the Upstate New York area. For fans wanting to check out Carousel Kings, Rust Belt Lights and Better Off the bands will be on tour together through the end of December so be sure to check them out if they are in your area.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: belt, carousel, concert, ideas, kings, lights, ...

Concert Review: The Steel Wheels – Kansas City, Missouri

The Steel Wheels
Record Bar
September 17, 2013
Kansas City, Missouri

The Steel Wheels rolled into Kansas City last week on their way to the Winfield, Kansas Blue Grass Festival. Earlier in the year they completed a leg of their tour by biking to all of their shows, carrying their clothes and their instruments on their bicycles from show to show, often riding upwards of 80 miles and than playing!

The Steel Wheels are a 4-piece string band from Virginia. Their sound could be described as a little bluegrass, a little gospel and very soulful. Their new album, “No More Rain,” is slower with a little gospel feel which is a contrast to their live show, which featured a ton of breakdowns and was very up tempo.

With a stand up bass, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and the occasional banjo, they group has a very old time feel. Using no drums and only one microphone, many of the songs involve the group’s members gathering around the single microphone singing and breaking it down.

These guys were very impressive and extremely talented. Its bands like this that make this job so rewarding. The Steel Wheels aren’t famous; they’re not on the radio and they’re certainly not millionaires. But their music will lift your souls and make you tap your foot and try to sing along with a song you have never heard before.

The current leg of the Steel Wheels’ tour runs through December 2013. If you can catch them live you’ll be glad that you did. If you can’t, check them out on line and spread the word!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: city, concert, kansas, missouri, review, steel, ...

Concert Review: “Carnival of Madness 2013” Tag’s Summer Stage, Big Flats, NY

“Carnival of Madness 2013”
Shinedown, Skillet, Papa Roach, In This Moment, We As Human
Date: Wednesday, August28th 2013
Venue: Tag’s Summer Stage, Big Flats, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The Tag’s Summer Stage was alive and kicking on August 28th as the 2013 Carnival of Madness tour made a stop in the normally quiet upstate NY town of Big Flats. Complete with stilt walkers, jugglers and of course tour headliners Shinedown there really shouldn’t have been anywhere else to be.

The show kicked off with We As Human taking the stage for a brief 20 minute set which primed the crowd for what was to come later in the evening. Though the crowds appreciation was lacking somewhat in the way of applause the 5 piece rock band from Nashville, TN forged ahead giving their all. In This Moment would take the stage next and the always entertaining Maria Brink and company took the show to a completely different level. The set consisted of air/smoke cannons, scantily clad backup dancers and of course some great heavy music.

The next slot on the bill changes from night to night with Papa Roach and Skillet alternating line up slots. On this night it would be veterans Papa Roach who would take the stage first blasting their way through a high energy set that mixed both classic and new songs from the bands expansive catalog. Lead singer Jacoby Shaddix who is back and better than ever (Shaddix had a polyp removed from his vocal cord recently) whipped the crowd in to a frenzy that resulted in people and lawn chairs sailing through the air from the start of the bands set until the last notes of the bands hit song “Last Resort” rang out.

Skillet would follow and though I wasn’t sure how anyone could follow the amazing set that Papa Roach had just completed Skillet delivered. The band pulled out all the stops including masked string players, air cannons and levitating platforms. Not only did the band deliver visually they sounded great as well. As always fan favorites such as “Hero” and “Monster” garnered the biggest responses however each number the band performed in their 11 song set was spot on.

Last to take the stage where tour headliners Shinedown. Though the bands set was packed with hit after hit for me the performance fell kind of flat. At times the production of the show which featured a vast lighting rig over powered the bands performance making it hard at certain points to look directly at the stage. I did however enjoy the bands cover of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic “Simple Man” as singer Brent Smith always does the song justice. All in all a great night of music and fun was had by those in attendance.

Papa Roach Set List:
1.) Still Swingin’
2.) Blood Brothers
3.) Give Me Back My Life
4.) Between Angels and Insects
5.) Where Did the Angels Go?
6.) Burn
7.) Forever
8.) Leader of the Broken Hearts
9.) Scars
10.) …To Be Loved
11.) Getting Away with Murder
12.) Last Resort

Skillet Set List:
1.) Whispers in the Dark
2.) Hero
3.) Sick of It
4.) Comatose
5.) Rise
6.) Awake and Alive
7.) The Last Night
8.) Not Gonna Die
9.) Circus for a Psycho
10.) Monster
11.) Rebirthing

Shinedown Set List:
1.) I’m Not Alright
2.) Enemies
3.) Devour
4.) Unity
5.) The Crow & The Butterfly
6.) Adrenaline
7.) I’ll Follow You
8.) Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom -Lay Boom)
9.) If You Only Knew
10.) Amaryllis
11.) Sound of Madness
12.) Second Chance
13.) Simple Man
14.) Bully

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: 2013, big, carnival, concert, flats, madness, ...
« sdf
Previous
Page 8 of 12
Next
Next Page »