Warrant LIVE!

July 16, 2010 at Wolf Den, Uncasville, CT.

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

Warrant first burst onto the LA metal scene with Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinkin Rich. The band had a penchant for cranking out the Top 40 ballad hits “Heaven” and “I Saw Red” but also proved they could rock with the best of them with their mega rock hits “Cherry Pie”, and “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

During the heyday of MTV, Warrant ruled the video airwaves. I think it was every boys dream to date video vixen Bobby Brown. Over the course of the late 80’s and early 90’s, Warrant were at the top of their game. Selling out arenas, riding high on the Billboard Charts, and then came Grunge. Who could prepare for a whole generation of fans wearing flannel shirts and lyrics and bands like Nirvana singing about the perils of life? From one extreme to another, was metal dead?

During the dark age of metal, Warrant never gave up on their musical style. In 2004, Jani Lane left the band. Replacement singer former Black N’ Blue singer Jaime St. James came to the rescue and the band released Born Again in 2006. Jaime stayed with the band for 3 years until Jani re-joined for a short re-union in 2008. That was then and this is now. In 2008, former Lynch Mob singer Robert Mason joined Warrant and the rest is history! Finally the missing link to the puzzle was found. A band full of quality musicians waiting for the right break to regain their crown in metal.

Warrant featuring singer Robert Mason, Erik Turner, Jerry Dixon, Steven Sweet, and Joey Allen performed to a sold out crowd at the Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den on July 16. The 80’s metal revival is in full gear and Warrant is once again are garnering new fans as well the die-hard fans. I had the opportunity to talk with many fans at the concert in CT. Everyone agreed, new singer Robert Mason sounds amazing.

Opening with “Sure Feels Good”, Warrant took the audience down memory lane performing such hits as “Sometimes She Cries”, “Blind Faith”, and “The Downboys.” Guitarist Erik Turner shined and the rhythm section of bassist Jerry Dixon and Steven Sweet sounded very bluesy. The band has evolved so much since their heyday. They performed with a new found confidence. Singer Robert Mason did an excellent job on the ballads “Heaven”, and “I Saw Red.” For over an hour, Warrant fans were treated to the new version of Warrant. A band that has survived the odds, proving The Downboys still have a lot more music to write and perform with a whole new riveting attitude and vibe.

Guitarist Erik Turner informs us, “The new CD will be just some bad ass, killer no filler, kick ass Warrant rock and roll! We hope our fans will like it. We are working really hard and we all have all our influences in each of the songs. Nine songs have been demoed so far, in September we will be finishing a bunch more songs to be demoed as well, it’s a long process, but hopefully worth the wait.”

Crippled Black Phoenix LIVE!

April 27, 2010 at the Luminaire, London, UK.

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer

Crippled Black Phoenix deliver value for money. You pay a tenner to see them in a small club, and by the end of the show start contemplating things only a 100-quid-an-hour shrink would ever make you think about. Not just stuff like “What am I doing with my life?” or “Where am I going?”, but constructive things. For example, “Should I really be hanging with people I came here with?”, or, “Do I want to spend the rest of my life writing live reviews for online mags?” Or, even better: “Do I want to write honest journalism for a small magazines or sell out to a corporate publication?”. I hope you are putting up with me here because, as the wise man said, humor can soften some of the hardest blows that life delivers.

The band, however, engages you on analytical level with such a soft touch and with such impeccable balance of good taste, detachment and respect for their audience (while at the same time delivering first-class entertainment) that you don’t think twice about letting all those thoughts into your head. After all, isn’t this what all music of value is supposed to do? Plus those feelings don’t descend on you because CBP dishearten you. If anything, they do exactly the opposite, making you suddenly want more from life. Which is a rare feeling usually stirred only by the boldest and most audacious of rock acts. Given that most of those bands are stadium-size A-listers, your appreciation of CBP suddenly gains an extra dimension.

But it’s not just the subject-matter of CBP’s songs – loss, solitude, and profound doubt in all things easy and secure. It’s rather a combination of three factors – the A-grade musicianship, the erudite lyrics, and the ability to create a world which is as authentic as it is idiosyncratic. Musically it’s all built on the foundation of haunting ostinato vamps, deep-voiced cello, eerie slide guitar and vocals which are all about inner courage in the face of suddenly finding yourself stripped of all inner comforts – subdued almost to the point of resignation, but still defiant, still alive, and for this reason resonating on all levels – cerebral as well as visceral. This is the kind of atmosphere where important questions stop sounding pretentious or out of place – the most real and authentic of all things you’ll hear in British rock in 2010.

Fresh out of the studio where the band had just finished recording their brand new record I Vigilante, Crippled Black Phoenix now find themselves in the middle of a European tour – an outing aimed to recruit more supporters for their gradual climb to international recognition. To all those who would like to get their head cleared (or, on the contrary – deeply loaded with profound stuff), or those who think they have it all sorted but would simply like to hear some elegant, timeless, genre-escaping tunes, this would be the best way to test yourself to see which of these categories you fall into. The crowd on April 27 at the Luminaire in Northwest London, while belonging in all three CBP fan types, had, however, one thing in common – they all left slowly, dragging their feet and unwilling for the evening to end – as if the music they’ve just heard was still somewhere near – palpable, alive and unwilling to let them go.

Helix LIVE!

April 17, 2010 at the Wolf Den Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

Canadian rock band Helix made a rare U.S. appearance at the Wolf Den at the Mohegan Sun Casino on April 17. The band performed a blistering set that spanned their extensive career and also debut two new songs off of their new album Vagabond Bones at the U.S. concert including the title track, “The Animal Inside (Won’t Be Denied).”

Helix opened the show with “Wild In The Street,” and highlights of the set included “Deep Cuts The Knife.” The new material on Vagabond Bones has a great AC/DC vibe and went over very well with the die-hard Helix audience. Singer Brian Vollmer is a great live performer and has a bluesy kind of voice that rocked the house. Brian informed us that he has just got out of the hospital due to a bout with blood posioning that infected his finger and also just got over the flu. Brian gave an outstanding performance due to the circumstances surrounding his week and really held true to the old show biz saying the show must go on.

It was great to see the band perform in The States again. As I mentioned Helix has a new album out entitled, Vagabond Bones. It has their signature bluesy rock sound with great vocals produced by Aaron Murray. Helix conquered The States with a sledge-hammer performance that inspired the old MTV video hits,”Heavy Metal Love”, and “Rock You.” You could tell the band was having the times of the lives onstage that reflected in their attitude and amazing stage presence that rocked the house and took us back to the ’80s for 90 minutes of pure fun.

Helix Set List:
Wild In The Street
Vagabond Bones
The Kids Are Shakin
The Animal Inside (Won’t Be Denied)
Go Hard Or Go Home
Heavy Metal Love
Running Wild In The 21st Century
Make ‘Em Dance
Gimme Good Lovin
Dirty Dog
Make Me Do Anything
Deep Cuts The Knife
Billy Oxygen
Heavy Metal Cowboy
Rock You
Monday Morning Meltdown
No Rest For The Wicked

I had the opportunity to discuss the new Helix album Vagabond Bones with Brian Vollmer.

HRH The new album is out Vagabond Bones. Tell us about the writing process for this album. What was it like working with Sean Kelly?

BRIAN: We wrote all of these songs with Sean Kelly. Five of the songs we co-wrote with Moe Berg from Pursuit Of Happiness, which is a good Canadian act. Moe Berg has a long track record on Canadian radio. We had some very talented people working with us. Right down to Aaron Murray who co-produced the album and engineered it. Aaron is the top graduate of the Fanshawe College audiovisual course in London, Ontario. He was the protégé of Danny Broadbeck, who is the protégé’ of Jack Richardson who produced all of the Guess Who albums. Once again, we had all quality people from start to finish. On this album even though we didn’t have a lot of money. We still got a quality result.

HRH: How is the re-union going?

BRIAN: Great, Daryl and me punched each other a few times. (Laughter) No, it has been great.

HRH What inspired the band to get back together?

BRIAN: It happened by accident. For ten years I had been using rental players. Even though they are quite capable musicians. There is nothing like having the original guys. The end of 2008, we finished touring on the Christmas album and they all walked on me with the exception of Jim Larson. At that point, I went to Brent and said look man why don’t you come back. Touring is a lot different than when you were in the band transportation, money wise, rooming wise everything. So Brent thought about it for a couple of days and got back into it. Then Sean Kelly joined because he wanted to be in the band so bad that even though he is a great guitar player he joined as the bassist. That is how we struck up the writing relationship. On drums I had Rob MacEachern that drummed on the Power Of Rock And Roll. In about three months of Sean playing in the band, he got offered to play for Nelly Furtado for great money. So I give Sean my blessings no worries. As long as we continue to write together I am happy. At that point I went back to Daryl because I knew Daryl wanted to be back in the band and I said jump aboard. At that point it made sense to get Fritz back in. So I went to Rob MacEachern and I said, Rob here is the situation would you be a gentlemen and step aside? He said,” Sure.” Rob is a good guy and great drummer. So he stepped aside and suddenly the band went back together. Jim Larson left the band. He was replaced by Kaleb Duck who is the young kid out there that I call him the chick magnet. He has been great. For a 22-year-old kid, he is mature beyond his years and great player. We have taken him under our wing and he is having the time of his life too.

Sonata Arctica LIVE!

April 2, 2010 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia, Penn.

by Steve Trager
Staff Writer

On the opening night of Sonata Arctica’s tour, which kicked off right here in Philadelphia at the Trocadero, it seemed to be an overwhelming epic live performance. Of course Sonata Arctica is no stranger to Philly, having already performing here with the likes of NightWish and DragonForce last year. Sonata Arctica returned to conquer North American soil with a headlining tour supporting last years release Days of Gray. For the first time we the fans of Power Metal had the opportunity to catch a full headliner set this time out encapsulating the band’s career within 90 minutes spread throughout the evening. Mind you, sitting through a few other bands can be painful enough when the show begins, but was not the case here with all the bands that performed that evening. Even with quick sets designed to keep things moving smoothly, Power Glove played a great set which proves that for a band that surrounds themselves with musical titles of Nintendo games, they can work a Philly crowd into a frenzy.

The next band hailed from Edison, N.J., Mutiny Within, quite a catchy name as they seemed to grip the fans with their explosive live show. Mutiny Within round out a six-piece powerhouse trailing behind with blistering guitar work and voice-shattering lead vocals, all earning this band a “horns up” indeed. Having already been out on the road with Arch Enemy and earning their keep with a major label stinger, Mutiny Within wowed the fans with a great set which is no surprise as their CD sounds exactly like their live set.

One last set change over, as the stage was set for an anticipated show from Finnish power metalers Sonata Arctica, who have some great lengthy songs in their set. Any fan can appreciate breezy melodies and great guitar work, along with the saucy vocals which blend Sonata Arctica’s signature sound as a five piece. Though it’s not often to see some great Euro bands unless you head to the Prog Power festival or count your dollars and grab a passport and head over to Europe, you won’t catch many bands nailing epic shows like Sonata Arctica, who tour often but not in the US frequently, so to catch a great headliner set by these guys is something you should never miss out on, especially if you enjoy Power Metal.

Sonata Arctica’s set list went much like this:
Flag In The Ground
Black Sheep
Vodka
The Last Amazing Grays
Broken
Everything Fades To Gray
Paid in Full
The Dead Skin
8th Commandment
Keyboard / Guitar Solos
As if The World Wasn’t Ending
The Cage
FullMoon
In Black and White
Juliet
Don’t Say A Word

A great set of songs throughout their set in Philadelphia, as voices echoed back and forth in every verse while the band shredded on stage. Perhaps it could very well be a while before this band returns to the US for another great performance. If you weren’t there, you missed a great epic live performance!

Sonata Arctica Photo Gallery

Photos appear courtesy of Steve Trager

Anvil Live!

January 16, 2010 at the House Of Blues in Boston, Mass.

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

Hot off the tracks of attending the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles nominated for Best Documentary Anvil – The Story Of Anvil, on Friday evening Jan.15, Anvil made their way to the House Of Blues in Boston on Saturday evening Jan. 16. As many old school and new Anvil fans witnessed the Anvil Experience. Anvil, one of the greatest success stories of 2009 continuing their successful trek into 2010 evoked their powerful onslaught of high-energized metal on fans at the HOB.

Anvil, featuring Steve “Lips” Kudlow on lead vocals and guitar, drummer Robb Reiner, and bassist Glen Five performed a vast array of songs in a 75-minute set that resonated all the way back to their debut album Hard “N” Heavy to their current release This Is Thirteen.

Opening with “666″, Steve “Lips” Kudlow was a ball of energy jumping off the stage onto the stairs before the audience unleashing the powerful Anvil fury to a wrath of headbangers showcasing his versality as a guitarist. Steven “Lips” Kudlow commented to me, “Last night Anvil was at the Critics Choice Awards in LA with all the Hollywood types. Highlight of the evening at the awards was meeting Paul McCartney. The greatest thing about meeting Paul McCartney was, he knew who we were! We are so happy to be playing here in Boston tonight.”

Anvil also performed the song from their first video back in 1987, “Mad Dog.” Steven “Lips” Kudlow commented, “Metal is timeless. We are all growing old but not growing up.” Other highlights included drum solo from Robb Reiner on “White Rhino.” I had the opportunity to talk to Robb after the show and he told me to tell everyone,”The Tour has been going amazing! We met Paul McCartney last night at the Critic Choice Awards.”

Before the show, I talked with some fans who first saw the band in 1984. I would say that is quite the accomplishment for a band to still be surviving and making a huge comeback in 2010.

The focus of the evening was on guitar solos. The fans could not get enough of Steve ‘Lips” Kudlow. Highlight of the evening was the song “Metal On Metal.”

After their performance, Anvil signed autographs for their many fans. You may have become familiar with Canadian legends Anvil from their critically acclaimed documentary Anvil – The Anvil Story but finally Canadian rock band Anvil has made it to Boston to showcase the Anvil Experience that is only meant to be witnessed live. Tour Dates are listed below. If you love Metal, go see Anvil and keep Metal alive.

Anvil Set List:
“666″
School Love
Winged Assassins
This Is Thirteen
Flying Blind
Thumb Hang
Forged In Fire
White Rhino
Mad Dog
Metal On Metal
Jack Hammer

ANVIL TOUR DATES:
JANUARY
19 The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC
20 Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
21 House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista, FL
23 House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
24 House of Blues, Houston, TX
25 Emo’s, Austin, TX
26 House of Blues, Dallas, TX
29 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
30 The Riot Room, Kansas City, MO
31 Gothic Theatre, Denver, CO

FEBRUARY

2 Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ
3 House of Blues, San Diego, CA
4 House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
5 House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
6 The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
9 Knitting Factory, Spokane, WA
11 Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
12 Studio Seven, Seattle, WA
13 Venue Vancouver, Vancouver, BC CANADA

MARCH
19 The Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY

Photos by Deb Rao

The Eppard Brothers Live!

September 14th, 2009 at Backstage Studio Productions in Kingston, NY.

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

To the fullest extent of the cliché, it was a dark and stormy night in upstate New York on Sept. 14, 2009. The weather kept the crowds down, and that may have been the best thing. There is no better way to enjoy a live club show than with a peaceful, small (but appreciative) crowd. In the beautiful lounge of Backstage Studio Productions in Kingston, the handful of fans were treated to a fabulous doubleheader of progressive music – Elysium Theory from the prog metal side, and the Eppard Brothers from the prog rock side. While neither act is a household name (yet) even among the rock faithful, both were tight and professional, and both sets were enthusiastic and well done.

Elysium Theory is a local upstate New York act on the verge of releasing their first CD, so for the moment, they are still unknown outside of the Hudson Valley, but they have a bright future ahead. The Eppard Brothers, on the other hand, may be better-known performers – Joey Eppard is the guitar virtuoso, vocalist and driving force behind the prog rock band 3, and brother Josh is the former drummer for 3 and Coheed & Cambria, and currently of Weerd Science as well as the Eppard Brothers.

Elysium Theory kicked off the show with a 10-song set. Most, if not all of the songs performed will be on their debut CD (tentatively titled Modern Alchemy) due for an early 2010 release. If there is such a thing as “blue-collar” progressive metal, this five-piece band is the epitome. Formed in 2006, Elysium Theory is not a bunch of kids, and it is obvious from their technical skills that they’ve been playing their chosen instruments for a while. All well established in other careers, the members of the band got together and seem to stay together because of their love of music and performing. Influenced by Dream Theater, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree, Elysium Theory blends elements from each into a cohesive and well-structured whole without being a “sound-alike” or copy band.

Dan Peterson sings lead, and has a solid range and good stage presence. His voice does remind one of Dream Theater’s James LaBrie tuned down a few steps – which works well with their music. Tim Reid (guitar) and Benny Reyes (keyboards) are both fine players, and both know how to take the lead and when to fade into the background as the music dictates. Ted Feeney (drums) and Jeff Fister (bass) make a great bottom end, and both get their chances to show off and have turn driving the music.

Elysium Theory’s songs are put together well and musically solid. Toss in some metaphysical lyrics, and you have a new band that is ready to take the next step. Highlights of their set were “Modern Alchemy,” “Blacklight Reflection,” “Chaos” and “The Source.” The only negative of their performance was probably due to the acoustics in such a small place – at times, it was difficult to clearly hear the vocals over the rest of the band. All in all, this was a great set by a band that with just a little more experience will be ready to dance with the big guys.

Prog Metal fans – check ‘em out at: http://www.myspace.com/elysiumtheory

The Eppard Brothers took the stage and began a totally improvised set of music. Based in Woodstock, Joey Eppard and his brother Josh have been making music together and apart for a number of years. Founding members of 3, they’ve played with some of the biggest names in modern rock – everyone from Coheed & Cambria to Scorpions. 3 has always been a unique band, and in their own wordsk, they are “known as a band apart: Dark yet uplifting, spiritual without connection to religion…” Their music is difficult to describe; blues-based progressive rock maybe. For this gig, Josh and Joey were joined by longtime 3 bassist Daniel Grimsland.

The Eppard Brothers put on a great show. Joey’s voice was in top form – and something very special happens when this man picks up a guitar. He moved from acoustic to electric and back during the course of the show and used his very unique fingerpicking style throughout. His intensity, as usual, was scary – he gets into a “zone” in much the same way as does a pro athlete at the top of their game. Joey plays with the same focus whether he’s in front of thousands at a festival, hundreds at a theater or dozens at a club. Josh played killer drums, and gets an amazing amount of sounds from and extremely small kit – a bass drum, one snare, one tom, a single cymbal and a hi-hat. He plays with incredible enthusiasm, and you can’t help but wonder how he simply does not knock over his gear. Daniel Grimsland brought his five-stirng bass, sense of humor and backing voice, and gave the trio some great bottom end.

The Eppard Brother’s set was unrehearsed, so they spent a good deal of time interacting with the crowd, taking requests, and having a good time in general. Thus the set was a varied one. They went back to some early stuff and played a good deal of 3’s music without missing a beat. Once they decided on a song, they played it at 100 percent and put on a fabulous show. Highlights were “In America,” “Paint By Number,” “Broadway Alien” and “Lay Down The Law.” Joey wrapped the show with his trademark guitar solo “Bramfatura” – an unbelievably complex piece that will astonish anyone who’s ever picked up the instrument (check it out on YouTube – search for JOEY EPPARD BRAMFATURA).

Find out more about Joey Eppard and 3 at http://www.theband3.com or http://www.myspace.com/officialbandthree

The refreshing part of this whole show was the intimacy of the club. Both bands were there not to sell merchandise or promote themselves, but to make music for their hometown friends and families. The Eppards were hanging out in the crowd during ET’s set, and the guys from ET did likewise while the Eppards were on – a great show of mutual respect and support. If you have the opportunity to catch either of these bands live, you will not be disappointed.

Kiss Live!

October 12th, 2009 at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA.

by Steve Trager
Staff Writer

Perhaps KISS is one of those bands that can send a chill down your spine with all their pyrotechnics and eye-popping stage productions that has outshined more then 35 consecutive years as a band. There is that unmistakable introduction to each and every show, “You wanted the best … You’ve got the best!” KISS is the hottest band in the world.

KISS always has been about their live shows. It doesn’t matter how many albums have been recorded, how many singles they have collected or how many line-up changes they have undergone, it still is and always is KISS. It seems like just yesterday KISS entered the rock world in the late ‘70s and has acquired fan after fan with their unique style of creativity as a unit. You never can grow out of a legendary band like KISS, no matter who comes along in the music world these days. With a new CD, Sonic Boom, in the stores the band continues to prove their relevancy.

The Alive/35 Tour celebrates the release of the bands first live album Alive!. The tour is about one of the most celebrated live albums of all-time. Alive! is an album that set the standard for all other live records released by other artists and bands to be compared to. This tour features more “bang for your buck” as Paul Stanley puts it … dozens of pyrotechnics throughout the entire show, along with furious decibels of sound and a great lighting production that only KISS can deliver live. Kiss performs a majority of the songs that appeared on Alive! as well as the new song “Modern Day Delilah” and the classic “Love Gun,” “Cold Gin,” “Lick It Up,” “Shout It Out Loud” and “Detroit Rock City.”

It was a great show as fans were treated to the antics of fire-breathing and blood-spitting stage theatrics along with a nice drum solo from Eric Singer. It is always a nice treat to hear those great classics that included ‘80s epic classic “Lick It Up.” Just under two solid hours, KISS delivered yet another stellar performance in Philadelphia on the Alive/35 Tour. Each performance is like none other; louder, brighter and more explosive then before. Even with a pricy ticket to this show, it’s still a great, in depth treat to reminisce of the older KISS gems that span almost four decades worth of material.

KISS Set List:
01. Strutter
02. Deuce
03. Modern Day Delilah
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Come On And Love Me
06. Watchin’ You
07. Got To Choose
08. I Love It Loud
09. She
10. Parasite
11. 100,000 Years
12. Black Diamond
13. Rock And Roll All Nite
14. Shout It Out Loud
15. Lick It Up
16. Love Gun
17. Cold Gin
18. Detroit Rock City

Kiss with Buckcherry 2009 Photo Gallery

Photos by Steve Trager

Tout dates:
Thu 10/22/09 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
Sat 10/24/09 Birmingham, AL BJCC Arena
Mon 10/26/09 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
Wed 10/28/09 Nashville, TN Sommet Center
Thu 10/29/09 North Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena
Sat 10/31/09 New Orleans, LA New Orleans City Park
Fri 11/06/09 Chicago, IL United Center
Sat 11/07/09 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Mon 11/09/09 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
Tue 11/10/09 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
Thu 11/12/09 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
Sat 11/14/09 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Sun 11/15/09 Seattle, WA KeyArena At Seattle Center
Tue 11/17/09 Portland, OR Rose Garden Arena
Thu 11/19/09 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
Sat 11/21/09 Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
Sun 11/22/09 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
Tue 11/24/09 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Wed 11/25/09 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
Fri 11/27/09 San Diego, CA San Diego Sports Arena
Sat 11/28/09 Las Vegas, NV Pearl Concert Theater
Tue 12/01/09 Glendale, AZ Jobing.com Arena
Wed 12/02/09 El Paso, TX University Of Texas
Fri 12/04/09 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
Sat 12/05/09 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Sun 12/06/09 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Tue 12/08/09 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
Thu 12/10/09 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Fri 12/11/09 Council Bluffs, IA Mid-America Center
Sun 12/13/09 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
Tue 12/15/09 Sault Ste. Marie, ON Essar Centre

Masters of Reality Live!

October 9, 2009 at Highbury Garage, London, UK

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer

Continuing to road-test their new album Pine / Cross Dover released earlier this year, the godfathers of desert rock Masters of Reality have played this current tour’s London show on October 9 at the Highbury Garage. The 700-capacity venue was full on the night with the crowd giving as enthusiastic a response as a UK crowd can ever give on a murky English autumn night.

Despite the 5-year break which separates the new record from MOR’s previous release, the 2004’s Give Us Barabbas, the show has proven that this band’s approach to making music hasn’t changed. The new album presents the same trademark mix of blues, indie rock, ’80s pop, ’60s surf guitars, minimalist synth-driven prog-rock, trippy psychedelic and the same penchant for stoner blues riffs repeated ad infinitum. Plus Chris Goss’ voice hasn’t changed one bit. To this day it sounds remarkably fresh and young, which in a live setting provides for an extraordinary contrast between Goss’s craggy stance of a weathered bluesman and the bright, unsullied, at times deceptively amiable sound of his voice.

MOR’s message remains the same too – sombre and with a tendency to obsess over simple harmonic ideas, it still unifies the band’s disparate influences into one distinct whole through sheer determination and single-mindedness of their focus – a remarkable achievement for a band whose inspiration sources have always been more diverse than the crowd that came out to see them on the night.

The Garage on the night was heaving with punters ranging from pony-tailed beer-gut biker types to svelte indie kids of both genders, all giving an equally enthusiastic reception both to the new material and the old hits which included “Lover’s Sky,” “100 Years,” “Deep in the Hole,” “Third Man on the Moon,” “She Got Me” and the epic road-trip that is “V.H.V”.

It takes a special kind of musician to hold the crowd’s attention for long with an expansive blues jam workout, but Gross is exactly that kind of performer – someone who is able to create his own environment without putting on airs and to take his listeners on a journey which is at once phantasmic but at the same time utterly compelling.

“V.H.V” is, of course, one of those songs and on the night this multi-layered, infectious slowburner was performed perfectly. Its familiar propulsive blues groove – at once ominous and hypnotic, became the perfect platform for Goss to tap into the well of Morrison-esque shamanism – weary, dark and frayed, before building the piece up to a crescendo and going into a climatic guitar solo. And this was a perfect opportunity for him to show what he is capable of as an instrumentalist and what lies at the heart of his musicianship.

Goss’s guitar parts are arguably the best and the most unique feature of him as an artist, at privileged moments providing the direct immediate connection to his personal musical vision like nothing else does. This time it was all about muscular, unvarnished, at times deliberately grisly and sludgy and at times sublime guitar craft. Almost a revelatory moment, it made you realise that beyond all of MOR’s received musical forms and Goss’s gift for to turning them into a personal form of expression, it is still his guitar solos where he is at his most authentic self and where he is most compelling.

Despite the band’s conflicting urges which take them from guitar pop to blues and from there to moody avant-garde electronica, no matter how wild or how contradictory things get, they always manage to find focus amid the maelstrom while at the same time entertaining their audience. A lot of it is down to the band’s laconic, uncluttered powerhouse of a rhythm section propelled by John Leamy’s hard-hitting, full-bodied drumming. This is what makes those extrapolations possible, and what floats Goss confidence, which becomes evident live.

To sum up, if anyone is left wondering if after 23 years we should still care about Masters of Reality or if this band is still relevant, the answer is a resounding yes. For as long as people are not afraid of surrendering to music which is capable of taking them to weird, unexpected and mystical places, there will be a place for bands like Masters of Reality. And as long as they carry on making music authentically and sincerely, this is all they are going to need to remain in demand.

Zero Down Live!

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

If you want to experience some good times at the gates of hell, you’d best be driving a ’76 Firebird, drinking insatiably and cranking Zero Down. In the studio, this Seattle-based band has released two blackout-inducing efforts that begged the question: could they pull off this manic energy live? If you were at the Oct. 16 show at the El Corazon in Seattle, Wash., your answers were flung back at your melon with a resounding “hell yeah!” and then some …

Opening for Faster Pussycat and playing before a few other bands, Zero Down warmed up briefly (as opening acts are cursed to do) and with little ado, and rammed “Loud, Proud & Evil” down your throat. Speaking of throats, frontman Mark “Hawk” Hawkinson is almost King Diamond-like in the flexibility of his vocal delivery. It’s typically a heavy yet melodic lower yelling style, like a more melodic and talented Billy Milano, or this insane falsetto that certainly couldn’t be screeching from this big dude’s maw. But it was … and it was awesome.

Being a local act, they were a little more attended than the opening acts, but Zero Down took the braver route and played four new tracks instead of relying on their past draw. So, while the crowd cheered and guzzled along, it wasn’t until they hit “Good Times at the Gates of Hell” that crowd participation reached its peak.

“Good Times at the Gates of Hell” is taken from their ‘04 release, the title track. Maniacal, infectious, hilarious yet 100 percent Metal, the band shredded the stage and new guitarist Matt Fox (since February) showed exactly why he was in Zero Down. While bassist Ron Banner, guitarist Lenny Burnett and Hawk mugged for the crowd with honest and playful metal glee, Fox tore into frenetic and expert leads while drummer Tyler Lyndsey somehow rose above the characters and the guitar-hero to steal the spotlight. One thing you are going to stumble away thinking after seeing a Zero Down live show — Tyler is one powerful drummer.

“Firebird ‘76″ is probably their biggest hit song, even if it’s not a “radio” hit. It’s really a clinic in Metal 101 songwriting, with fierce and memorable vocals and melodies, wicked guitar leads and thrummingly sexy bass line, and of course, the bludgeoning and precise drum blasts. If you haven’t heard Zero Down yet, at least check out this song on their MySpace page.

 They closed their set as professionals, thanking Faster Pussycat numerous times, thanking the crowd, and launching into their one cover, Van Halen’s “Everybody Wants Some.” For the most part, they followed the song perfectly, with Hawk shrieking out those rabid Roth squeals and Fox nailing the complicated guitar solo.

 

The El Corazon, although a smaller venue, is a renowned Seattle rock club, and those attending could appreciate seeing a real metal band play. No gimmicks or false bravado, just kick ass and fun heavy metal, that’s what Zero Down delivers, live and in the studio. If and when they play around your parts, you’d best check them out.

 

 

Set list:
Loud, Proud & Evil
Fistful of Dynamite
Year of the Rat
The Vulture
Sweet Revenge
Knock Out Brigade
Good Times at the Gates of Hell
Firebird 76’
Everybody Wants Some (Van Halen cover)

(Note: To whoever stole my half-drunk beer from my table as I was taking pictures, I always backwash everything I drink, and I had trenchmouth at the time. So enjoy …)

Richie Kotzen Live!

October 8th, 2009 at The Underworld Plub in London, England.

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer

London’s Underworld club to this day remains the epicentre of London’s rock scene, throughout its 20-year history having hosted a plethora of rock’n’roll luminaries – from Smashing Pumpkins to Sepultura – and still continuing to showcase the best of established as well as newcoming talent. Given the recession, however, full house at the Underworld these days is a rare occasion. But Richie Kotzen has still managed to sell out the first date of his current UK tour last week with fans desperately walking up and down the street even after the show has already started, begging scalpers for tickets – a strange and at the same time exciting sight which confirms that Kotzen to this day remains not only one of the most respected of the guitar heroes of his generation, but also an international phenomenon with as varied a following as you could imagine.

The audience on the night showcased almost the entire spectrum of London’s rock community: young aspiring musicians, guitar geeks, blues fans, metalheads, teenage music fans, and women in their 30s clad in animal print who to this day count themselves in as fans of glam metal. Having played in London five years ago, Kotzen could, perhaps, not quite predict who would turn up to see him this time around, and maybe the audience equally didn’t know what to expect. What the show in the end became, turned out to be illuminating in more ways than one.

Promoting his new studio album Peace Sign on this tour, Kotzen presented himself, first of all, as a composer whose songwriting style continues to develop as he delves deeper into explorations of funk, blues and rock. On the other hand, his guitar playing on the night put through messages that went beyond any premeditated songwriting form, beyond verbal lyricism, and even beyond his highly commendable singing. The way Kotzen is able to channel the purely intuitive magic while he plays his improvised solos remains the pivotal and the most important aspect of him as a musician, the golden nugget at the centre of his well-balanced act.

Throughout the show Kotzen put a lot of feel, weight, and thought into the guitar leads of practically each composition he played, but his most expansive, most richly articulated guitar messages emerged on “Fooled Again” and “I’m Losing You”. Those were the moments of a pure force of nature taking over, that primary impulse, that intuitive magic which is at the heart of all improvised music. You can’t put a price on these flashes of artistic insight, especially these days when they are becoming increasingly rare in live situations, in rock music especially, so the audience – some on an intuitive level, some very consciously – instantly recognised those spontaneous gems and responded fabulously, welcoming Kotzen with the best response an English crowd can give.

In terms of sheer all-around virtuosity the highlights of the show have been many, including the perfectly crafted, instantly memorable songs from the new album (“Paying Dues” and the title track “Peace Sign”) which received as much applause as did his all-time crowd favourites “You Can’t Save Me” and “Remember”.

The set list has been eclectic, based mostly on the material Kotzen released this decade but also including covers of his 1960s heroes including Dylan’s (or should we say Hendrix’s?) “All Along the Watchtower,” the Yardbirds’ “Shapes of Things” and the Four Tops’ “Reach Out I’ll be There.”

“All Along the Watchtower” initially sounded like a disappointment, stalling for the first few verses, but when time to came for the solo, Kotzen really let it rip with fretboard fireworks that lit up faces all across the room – a completely unexpected, raw-edged interpretation of the classic that showed that when used with real artistic purpose, lightning-fast chops to this day remain as indelible a requisite in an arsenal of a certain type of guitar player as being able to strum chords.

Kotzen often says that to him his guitar playing and his singing are equally important components of his art, but while they are both, certainly, essential to the presentation of his act as a unified whole, what Kotzen is able to achieve through his guitar playing in terms of spontaneous gestures of the spirit, bears an altogether deeper message than his perfectly honed vocal chops.

At the same time, the appeal of Kotzen’s music is so wide-ranging that those in London who would never have come out to watch just a guitar shredder did come out on the night to hear the tunes, to hear Kotzen sing and, last, but not least – watch him perform, because despite the small stage allowing little space for manoeuvre, Kotzen came through as an elegant, graceful visual performer, adding a subtle but still indispensable visual element to his act which to this day remains as entertaining and as authentic as ever.

Photos by Alissa Ordabai

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