| From www.ocreloaded.com: Unwritten Law at the Roxy Theatre |
| Written by Paul Lyons |
| Sunday, 13 March 2011 22:23 |
 To celebrate the upcoming March 29th release of their new album, Swan, the classic SoCal pop/punk/rock and roll band Unwritten Law hosted a huge party Saturday night at two prestigious venues in the Hollywood area. It’s been six years since their last album, Here’s to the Mourning, so they were more than ready to tell the world that Unwritten Law were back with a brand new album, and are now better than ever... Part one of Saturday’s bash was held at a gorgeous house called The Nest on Nightingale...way up in the Hollywood Hills. On the breathtaking outdoor patio and pool area, singer/guitarist Scott Russo, lead guitarist Steve Morris, bass player Pat Kim, and drummer Dylan Howard enjoyed the spectacular view of Los Angeles...while guests mingled, eat, and wandered through a house that broadcasted the best of Unwritten Law music...and that also contained a two-story bar & wine vault (seen through glass in an opening on the floor), and a two-story home theater with a concert stage. Guests at the house were treated to a special five-song acoustic set by Unwritten Law, that featured great versions of “Shoulda Known Better” (from their 2007 compilation The Hit List),” as well as “Save Me (Wake Up Call)” from 2005’s Here’s to the Mourning. In response to Scott Russo asking the small audience if there were any requests, I called out for the band to play their new single, “Starships and Apocalypse.” Russo agreed it was a good choice...and happily obliged with a stripped-down take on the song that was even better than the studio version. The acoustic set ended on a high note, with “Seein’ Red”...the catchy single from 2002’s ELVA album. Part two of Saturday’s bash was a midnight concert in front of an excitable packed crowd at the world famous Roxy on the Sunset Strip. For 80 minutes, Unwritten Law delivered an explosive set that featured a healthy mixture of old and new songs...and had the cheering audience singing along to almost all of them.  When they hit the stage with “Up All Night”, I was shocked at the intense energy of the band...especially their ferocious drummer, Dylan Howard. For my money, he won the MVP award for the night hands down. The rest of the band was on fire, yet what Dylan Howard had to offer...stopped me right in my tracks. Not only was he fast and played each beat perfectly...yet he also managed to perform very complicated drum fills and rhythms without ever losing step. His long hair flung wildly in the air as he attacked the skins as if his life depended on it. Dylan Howard is (literally) a guy to watch out for... Guitarist Steve Morris played flawlessly, displaying skills far beyond what is usually required for raw, hardcore punk songs. Bassist Pat Kim was an animal on stage...crouching low to the ground, with his microphone positioned high in the air, just like Motorhead’s bass player/singer Lemmy. Lead singer and guitarist Scott Russo was in a great mood, and charmed the Roxy Theatre crowd with his forceful vocals...and relaxed manner. Russo prowled the stage wearing very low-to-the ground black pants, with red plaid boxers underneath for all to see... Unwritten Law’s supercharged set had many highlights. “Blame It On Me” went over really well, and their new single “Starships and Apocalypse” was played hard and fast, in true punk spirit. Before the crowd could take a breath, they were blown away by the sounds of “Seein‘ Red.” Not long after, Unwritten Law beat the crowd senseless with an amped up version of ”Shoulda Known Better.” The joyous “Celebration Song” was followed by the pounding rhythm of the new Swan track...“Nevermind.” Afterward, Russo brought out the acoustic guitar for the audience sing-a-long, “Rest of My Life.” They later reached back to their 1994 debut album, Blue Room, for a commanding version of “World War III,” and later performed a fantastic version of “She Says”...that had the crowd going wild. The band finished their set with the one-two punch of “Save Me (Wake Up Call)”...followed by the super-fast and furious 1994 thrash punk track, “CPK.” Even though there was no encore, Unwritten Law had given so much of themselves to the satisfied Roxy Theatre audience...that there was simply no need for one. The Swan release party Saturday night was no doubt a big success on all fronts. The band played their heart out, and the audience loved every minute of it. Here’s hoping that come March 29th, Unwritten Law’s new album will get as much radio exposure as possible, and ride up high into the charts. They deserve it... |
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