Megadeth: TH1RT3EN

As published in RUKUS magazine:

http://www.rukusmag.com/2011/1211/album_review_megadeth.html

Lucky TH1RT3EN
Photo by Travis Shinn
Written by Paul Lyons

If you travel 35 miles north of San Diego, you might run into a seemingly quiet California town called San Marcos. Founded by the Spanish in the 18th century, the city covers 24 square miles, and hosts a variety of notable businesses such as UPS, Costco, and Vic’s Garage. Never heard of Vic’s Garage? Perhaps, then, you might be familiar with the “garage” owners; a thrash metal quartet from Los Angeles called Megadeth. You’ve heard of them, right? Well, Vic’s Garage happens to be the name of Megadeth’s recording studio, and they’ve cut a brand new album there called TH1RT3EN.

Lead by the legendary singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Mustaine, Megadeth has had a variety of lineup changes over the course of 28 years. For its 13th studio release, Mustaine holds court with Chris Broderick on guitar, Shawn Drover on drums, and back in the fold after an 8-year absence, original bassist David Ellefson.

Produced by Johnny K (a.k.a. John Karkazis), TH1RT3EN presents Megadeth as you’ve come to know them best: loud, hard, fast, angry, unforgiving and downright brutal. Listen to the first cut, “Sudden Death,” and you’ll hear 55-seconds of wailing guitars against a Bolero-style drum march. And this is just the intro. The song proper is a hardcore fist-pumper that talks of evil and divine punishment. Continuing on the path of evil deeds, TH1RT3EN’s first single comes next, an Al Capone-inspired gem called “Public Enemy No.1.” You wonder with lyrics like “I’m unbeatable/My mind is untreatable/Crimes unrepeatable…” if the character in the song is confessing or just boasting about his not-so-noble attributes?

Shifting gears, TH1RT3EN’s third single (and arguably best song) is “Whose Life (Is It Anyways?), a catchy number that thrashes hard with a pounding rhythm and scornful lyrics like, “You tell me how to live, but who asked you anyway?” You can really hear the bitterness in Dave Mustaine’s voice when he sings “You hate everything you’ve seen in me/Have you looked in a mirror?”

The mid-tempo “We the People” and the ruthless “Millennium of the Blind” both delve into two of Megadeth’s favorite subjects: politics and war. On “We the People,” Mustaine sings “Our founding fathers are rolling in their graves/The land of liberty needs a regime change.” On “Blind,” Mustaine belts out “Blind follow, blind lead/All our hopes and dreams washed out to sea.” These are serious words from a serious band, yet Megadeth shows a hint of mercy on “Guns, Drugs & Money” as Mustaine sings “Poverty will turn the life of any good man bad. All love and mercy ever learned, he’ll soon forget what he had.”

“Never Dead” (TH1RT3EN’s 2nd single) hits you with rapid beats as Mustiane sings ambivalently, “It’s right to be feeling wrong.” “Fast Lane” is another standout track, which employs various rhythms before going for full-on thrash mode at the end. In a trick of clever album sequencing, the song merges perfectly into “Black Swan,” a 4/4 barnburner with a killer chorus of “Just like a churchyard shadow, creeping after me/It’s only there to terrify my mind, a black swan keeps haunting me.”

To close out TH1RT3EN, Dave Mustaine goes for broke with the album’s title track, “13,” an autobiographical account of his life’s work. He sings “At thirteen I started down this path/Fueled with anger, music was my wrath.” Megadeath has always been Mustaine’s band, and he’s survived multiple line-up changes, drugs, alcohol and severe nerve damage to his left arm.

TH1RT3EN is a fierce and commanding celebration of everything Megadeth was, is and always will be. If you’re a fan, this is the album you’ve been waiting for.

Anthrax at Club Nokia - October 22, 2011

As published in Rukus magazine:

http://www.rukusmag.com/2011/1111/concert_review_anthrax.html

There are concerts, and there are experiences.  A concert can best be described as a formal affair, where performers stand on an elevated stage, and an audience sits or stands in a designated area to watch and listen to a performance.  An experience, on the other hand, has little to do with the formal, and everything to do with the visceral.  Such was the case on October 22nd, when legendary thrash-metal band Anthrax invaded Los Angeles with a ferocious concert at downtown’s 2300-capcity Club Nokia.

It’s been 30 years since Anthrax first got together.  Despite many line-up changes, the quintet has always stayed strong and alive.  The great news is that the definitive Anthrax line-up is now back in place:  Scott Ian on guitar, Frank Bello on bass, Charlie Benante on drums, Rob Caggiano on lead guitar, and Joey Belladonna on lead vocals.  Better still, Anthrax upped the ante this year by unleashing a brand new album called WORSHIP MUSIC, considered by many as their best album ever.

The lights went down at 10:20pm.  The drone of “Worship” slowly crept in…warning the crowd about what was about to happen.  Like lightning, Anthrax exploded on stage with a double-shot of WORSHIP MUSIC tracks: the barbaric “Earth on Hell” and the forceful throbbing sound of “Fight ‘Em Till You Can’t.”  The music pounded you in the face with its hard and fast rhythm, beating you into submission.  It was wickedly awesome, and Anthrax was just warming up.

To mosh, or not to mosh, that is the question.  For stuffed shirts like me, not so much, yet for many loose-limbed fans, moshing and bodysurfing at an Anthrax show is a must.  On classic songs like “Caught in a Mosh”, the pit area in front of the stage was in full-mosh swing.  Men and women alike walked around in circles…pushing and shoving each other in a rough, tribal bonding session.  It was an incredible sight to behold.

Before performing their 1985 classic “Madhouse,” Joey Belladonna yelled out “I’m lovin’ this place man, this is our first time here.  We’re back 30 years man!  Anthrax is alive motherf*ckers!”   Belladonna gave off a warm, friendly, appreciative vibe throughout the concert, and his vocals were fantastic.  Scott Ian rocked loud and hard, giving everything he had to the music.  Rob Caggiano’s stoic presence was contrasted with his wicked and wild guitar solos.  Frank Bello hung low and high as he prowled the stage with his deep bass playing.  Charlie Benante was the unsung hero of the night, as he pounded out crazy fast rhythms on his double-bass drums.

The moshers went wild when Anthrax broke out the 1987 AMONG THE LIVING classic “Indians.” The pit area soon turned into a violent storm…a tornado of bodies crashing into each other.  When the moshing got way out of control, Scott Ian stopped the band.  One thought that perhaps he was going to ask the crowd to calm down, yet that would have been foolish (this was an Anthrax concert after all).  Instead, Scott Ian applauded the moshers for how much they rocked!  Unfortunately though, this would not be the last time Anthrax had to stop the show.

The encore began pleasantly enough with “Eflnikufesin (N.F.L.),” yet when the band launched into “Metal Thrashing Mad” (from Anthrax’s first album FISTFUL OF METAL), Joey Belladonna was knocked over by a giant, 250-pound security guard.  You see, a fan somehow made his way onto the stage, and Belladonna gleefully walked over to greet him.  Yet the security guard mistook Belladonna for a stage-crasher, and tackled him hard and fast to the ground.  The band stopped the song.  Frank Bello was in a rage, and had to be held back as he screamed and yelled at the security men.  Scott Ian was furious, and walked up to the microphone to publically blast the security people for not recognizing the fact that Joey Belladonna was in the band.  

Belladonna eventually got up on his own, though he was in pain.  A pro through and through, Belladonna suggested picking up “Metal Thrashing Mad” where they left off.  Yet it was clear he needed a break, so they abandoned the song, and Belladonna went behind the drums to play percussion with Charlie Benante on a one-minute instrumental version of “Refuse/Resist”…a 1993 song from Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultra.  

To close out the night, Anthrax sealed their domination over the crowd with another AMONG THE LIVING classic: ”I Am The Law”…a fitting song for the night.  There was no doubt that Anthrax was judge, jury and executioner for the evening.  The band slayed their new converts with pure metal mayhem, and reminded the old fans that they haven’t lost any of their edge.  As proven at Club Nokia, Anthrax are back in their prime…and as heavy as they’ve ever been.

The Naked & Famous at the Music Box - October 17, 2011

As published in Rukus magazine:

http://www.rukusmag.com/2011/1111/concert_review_the_naked_and_famous.html


Appearing before a sold-out crowd, the band appeared fully clothed and ready to go.  Had they not been standing on stage, it’s unlikely that anyone in the audience would know exactly who they were.  That said, The Naked And Famous were still able to live up to the bold, tongue-in-cheek spirit implied in the band’s name by performing a powerful 65-minute set at Hollywood's Music Box theater on October 17th.

Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, The Naked And Famous first came on the scene in 2008, where they released two EPs: THIS MACHINE and NO LIGHT.  In 2010, the quintet released their debut album, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU, an inspired collection that included the band's first hit single, "Young Blood."  The Naked And Famous sound can best be described as dance-pop music, mixed with a rock and roll edge.   

By 10:40pm, the Music Box was packed to the gills.  There was very little room to move inside the theater.  Soon the lights went down, and there they were: Jesse Wood on drums, Aaron Short on keyboards, David Beadle on bass, rhythm guitar and keyboards, Alisa Xayalith on lead vocals and keyboards, and Thom Powers on lead guitar, keyboards and lead vocals.  They appeared young, healthy, and perhaps a little bit shy…yet The Naked And Famous were full of energy, and committed themselves to each and every song.


Opening with the delicate keyboards sound of "The Ends," the band soon launched into their robust barnburner "A Wolf in Geek's Clothing."  Without so much of a breath, The Naked And Famous quickly moved on to "Punching in a Dream," "Spank," and then "The Sun."  Thom Powers lead the band like a pro, going from one song to the other like clockwork.  Jesse Wood pounded the drums with raw power and machine-like precision.  David Beadle would sway to and fro towards the back of the stage.  Aaron Short would hold steady on his keyboards, and Alisa Xayalith kept herself at bay.  With her hair planted firmly in front of her face for the majority of the show, Xayalith played timid with her body, yet was free and forthcoming with her strong vocals.

Neither Thom Powers nor Alisa Xayalith spoke much to the crowd that night; they preferred to keep their focus primarily on the music alone.  The two singers also choose to not hog the spotlight from their bandmates (when does that ever happen?).  For the most part, Powers and Xayalith stayed close to their keyboards…rarely letting their presence stand out from the band as a whole.
After performing "Bells" and "Frayed," Thom Powers introduced the upbeat, dance track "All of This" as the first song The Naked And Famous played when they first got together all those years ago.  Like many songs that evening, the band infused "All of This" with a strength and excitement not found on the original recording.  The crowd picked up on this right away; some danced and even sang along to the song word-for-word.

However, for the most part the packed crowd offered little in the way of enthusiasm for what was happening on stage.  Before playing "Young Blood," the final song of the evening, Thom Powers remarked, "You're a bit quiet this time around."  He then invited the audience to sing along to the song's catchy chorus of "yeah-e, yeah-e, yeah-e, yeah!"  Fortunately, the audience happily complied…coming to life for the first time all evening.  It's a shame that The Naked And Famous did not make more of an effort earlier to engage the crowd, yet all's well that ends well.

…and The Naked And Famous have done well.  They’re young and innocent enough to still approach their music (and their audience) with a sense of joy, naiveté, experimentation, and wonder.  Perhaps they could use a little more education when it comes to live performance, yet that does not take away from the great things the band has to offer.  They may not have conquered the world yet, but don’t worry; The Naked And Famous are just getting started... 

MC Lars at the Troubadour - Sept. 27, 2011

As published in Rukus Magazine:

http://www.rukusmag.com/2011/1011/concert_review_mc_lars.html

He studied English at Stanford.  He loves Iggy Pop, A Confederacy of Dunces, as well as WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT.    He shouts out exclamations like “reading is awesome!”  Clearly, this 28-year-old Berkeley, California native is no ordinary hip-hop artist.  Fiercely independent, MC Lars (aka Andrew Robert Neilsen) does things his own way.  He releases music on his own label, sells his own merchandise, and he never holds back on speaking his mind.  It’s this kind of raw expression, mixed with an intellectual bent, which wowed the rapturous packed audience at West Hollywood's  Troubadour on September 27^th.

Before the show even started, the chanting began…”MC LARS!” “MC LARS!” “MC LARS!”  The crowd wasn’t just ready; they were ravenous for what was about to happen.  Backed by a live drummer and bassist, MC Lars burst on to the Troubadour stage with a contagious amount of energy that spread throughout the historic club.  Opening the concert with the title track of his new album LARS ATTACKS!, MC Lars performed an exhilarating 10-song set that had people singing, clapping and jumping up and down.

Using two video screens (on either side of the stage), MC Lars used images to complement his fast-paced, hip-hop rhetoric.  For example, during the second song, “History’s Greatest Assholes,” pictures and videos were used to accentuate each of history’s assholes...i.e. Hitler, Stalin, Jack the Ripper, Pol Pot, and more.  Better still; MC Lars got the entire Troubadour to shout out the “assholes!” part of the song’s chorus.  

“Welcome to the independent hip-hop show!” announced the intellectual rapper before the evening’s third song.  “I feel like we’re all here tonight because we support something different”…and different they got with “Generic Crunk Rap”…a parody of mainstream hip-hop found on his 2006 THE GRADUATE album.  This time around, the master MC had the crowd shouting out “GET CRUNK!” after various lines in the song’s chorus, i.e. “Buy cars (GET CRUNK!), Take shots (GET CRUNK!), Have sex (GET CRUNK!).”  

Before performing “Annabel Lee R.I.P” (the closing track on LARS ATTACKS!), MC Lars gave credit to the song’s inspiration, Edgar Allen Poe.  “I want to give a shout out to an old school rapper…a master of iambic tetrameter.”  During “White Kids Aren’t Hyphy” (from 2009’s THIS GIANT ROBOT KILLS), MC Lars had the crowd jumping high in the air.  “Super Scope” (another track from LARS ATTACKS!) was introduced as a song about “how hip-hop saved my life.”

The emotional core of MC Lars dynamic set, was “Twenty-Three,” a song written about his friend Patrick Wood…who committed suicide in 2006.  Lars confessed, “I never really recovered from that.”  He went on to add that he works with the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention, and has raised (during his U.S. tour) over $1300 in donations for the non-profit organization.

Introducing “Ahab,” MC Lars proclaimed, “I’m kind of a literature rapper.  I love to take the 16^th century, 19^th century poems, play, books…and turn them into songs.  I created this genre called Lit-Hop.”  Speaking of which, the next song,“Hey There Ophelia,” was inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  It was dedicated to Misty Dawn, a beautiful redhead in attendance that night, who had appeared in the “Lars Attacks!” music video. 

To close out the show, MC Lars belted out the Edgar Allen Poe-inspired “Mr. Raven”…an early gem from his 2004 release, THE LAPTOP EP.  Once again, he encouraged the crowd to participate in the song.  With MC Lars at the helm, everyone happily sung along to “Who's that (who's that) rapping?  Who's that rapping at my chamber door?  Mr. (mister) Raven!  All up in my grill like, "Nevermore.”

After the concert, MC Lars told me he loved the Troubadour audience “…the crowd was crazy.  I thought they were hungry for something different.  There was a lot of love.”  He added, “This niche has grown, y’know?  The intellectual hip-hop world has grown…and it’s awesome.”  Awesome is right.   

   

Anthrax: WORSHIP MUSIC

As published in Rukus magazine:

http://www.rukusmag.com/2011/1011/album_review_anthrax.html

Anthrax

Worship Music

RELEASE DATE: September 13, 2011

STARS: 3/5

LABEL: Megaforce

REVIEW BY:  Paul Lyons

WEBSITE: http://anthrax.com/

A lot can happen in eight years.  In 2003, thrash-metal gurus Anthrax released their triumphant comeback album We’ve Come For You All.  It was a return to form for founding member and rhythm guitarist, Scott Ian, new lead guitarist Rob Caggiano, bassist Frank Bello, drummer/guitarist Charlie Benante, and longtime singer John Bush.  Yet just when things began to go right for Anthrax, everything started to go wrong…

First, Frank Bello left the band, then in 2005, Anthrax decided to bring back former lead vocalist Joey Belladonna, Frank Bello, and lead guitarist Dan Spitz for a reunion tour of their 1984-1992 line-up.  After the tour was over, Joey Belladonna decided he wanted to leave the band again, so they hired Devilsize singer Dan Nelson to sing, re-hired Rob Caggiano on lead guitar, and started work on a new studio album.  Yet in 2009, Dan Nelson was let go, so they brought back John Bush on vocals.  A year later, John Bush was out…and none other than Joey Belladonna was back on lead vocals once again.  With seven years of musical chairs behind them (for now), the band went back into the studio to finally complete their (three years-in-the-making) brand new studio album, which features the pun-in-cheek title of Worship Music.  Produced by the band, Worship Music features 13 kick-ass original tracks, plus a hidden 14^th track at the end (a cover of the Swedish hardcore band Refused 1998 song “New Noise”).  

Beginning with the moody drone of the short instrumental “Worship”, Anthrax explodes into high gear with the machine gun riffing of the fast and furious “Earth on Hell”…an angry, bold song about revolution and destruction.  “Kill the old guard”…so says Anthrax.  “The Devil You Know” features a great start/stop guitar riff that compels you to do some serious headbanging.  Charlie Benante’s drums are (appropriately) on fire during the song, and Rob Caggiano’s killer guitar solo lifts the music up to new heights.

Not letting up, the band follows this with “Fight’em Till You Can’t,” a pounding metal barnburner that was offered up as a free download in June.  Featuring tough and ready-to-take-on-the-world vocals by Joey Belladonna, the song reflects the strength and unrelenting resolve to survive, and to find the darkness inside you in order to fight off the most evil of all evils…zombies.

“I’m Alive,” a fast shuffle, is the most straightforward rocker on the album, while “Hymn 1” is its most unusual track.  At only 38 seconds, the instrumental song features a haunting cello performed by Alison Chesley.  “Hymn 2” features a 44-second, driving snare drum cadence.  

Two standout songs on “Worship” lean in a more commercial direction.  “The Giant” starts out in a fast 2/4 rhythm, then 40 seconds in, Joey Belladonna belts out a catchy, anthem-like chorus in 4/4 time: “Caught between the lines of right and wrong yeah, Caught between the things that I don’t know…”  The other standout song, “Crawl,” is Anthrax’s answer to a love ballad.  It starts out slow, with Belladonna’s vocals way up in the mix.  The pace picks up in the song’s bridge, as well as its big chorus of “If you crawl, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.”  The chant of “Crawling, crawling, crawling” near the end of the track is very powerful, and Caggiano once again blows the roof off with his guitar.

Anthrax has done right by their fans with Worship Music, delivering a strong album filled with the right mixture of heavy, fast, and dark sounds.  Here’s hoping that this current lineup of the band stays in tact for years to come…yet I wouldn’t count on it.

Kitten Scratches The Key Club in Hollywood - 10/7/11

From: http://www.ocreloaded.com:

Kitten Scratches The Key Club in Hollywood

Written by Paul Lyons

Sunday, 09 October 2011 22:22

Young, raw, talented and blissfully uninhibited, she bullied the stage into submission.  Her voice was her instrument, yet her body was her most complete means of expression.  This is Chloe Chaidez, a 16-year-old Wunderkind who fronts a new teenage band called Kitten.  On Friday evening at the Key Club in West Hollywood, Chaidez’s face was buried in her hair as she danced, twisted, spun, ran, jumped around, moshed and even did handstands while her more conservative bandmates held down the fort and rocked out On tour with Detroit rockers Electric Six, vocalist Chloe Chaidez, guitarist Andy Miller, bassist Chris Vogel, drummer Max Kuehn (and a keyboardist who I believe is named Sam) performed a super-charged, 40 minute set Friday night.  Their lively performance featured songs from their 2010 EP, Sunday School, as well as new material that perhaps will make it on to their forthcoming debut album. The songs chosen for the night were all very up, and danceable, with a pop/rock/punk feel.  Songs like “Chinatown” and “Kill The Light” were performed with an aggressive edge.  Kitten’s version of The Cure’s ‘Boys Don’t Cry” was a perfect fit for the band, as it blended seamlessly with their original material.    “Kitten With A Whip” was performed with the same kind of wild abandon as heard on their EP.  If you can imagine The Cranberries and Blondie colliding with U2 and The Clash...that’s what Kitten sounds like. The MVP of the night was clearly Chloe Chaidez.  She was able to swallow each song whole, letting the rhythm and the melody take hold of her entire being.  Chaidez let loose her animal instincts as she prowled upstage, downstage, and on top of speaker cabinets.  She crashed into band members, egging them on for a scuffle...all the while belting out pitch-perfect vocals that showcased her broad range. This is where it begins...young, raw, talented and blissfully uninhibited.  For Kitten, the future is wide open...and success is bound to come their way.

Epicenter Festival in Irvine - September 24, 2011

From: http://www.ocreloaded.com/concert-reviews.html

Epicenter Festival lives up to the hype in Irvine

Written by Paul Lyons

Monday, 26 September 2011 08:13

If you host it, they will come...and come they did.  Young and old alike gathered in mass on Saturday at Irvine’s 15,000-plus capacity Verizon Wireless Amphitheater...to cheer, mosh, sing, dance and bang their heads to the sound and fury of hard rock, rap and heavy metal.  The occasion was the third annual Epicenter music festival, sponsored by the legendary SoCal radio station 106.7 KROQ FM.  As an angry, but wise singer told the crowd that evening...”This isn’t an Air Supply concert motherf*#kers!” The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater has always been a great place for a festival, having played host to several Lollapalooza fests in the past, as well as at least one Lilith Fair.  To get to the amphitheater, one must walk through lush, open, green pastures before arriving at the large vendor section out front.  Unlike other venues, this vender section functions more as a flea market than as a traditional food, drink and souvenir showcase.  There’s a variety of food to choose from, as well as clothing, jewelry, CDs, kettle corn, and more.  “I (red heart symbol) Vagina”...is not something you see on a t-shirt everyday, yet one of the vendors had an entire stand dedicated to the bold slogan.  There were “I (red heart symbol) Vagina” shits, hats, bumper stickers, and more... Also located inside the vendor section was a small second stage, officially known as the “Monster Energy Stage.”  Those who arrived early to the concert, were treated to 40 to 50-minute sets by bands like P.O.D., Crossfade, Redlight King, Middle Class Rut and Asking Alexandra.  Drive A were the very first act of the day, performing at 11:30am.  Unlike other festivals, Epicenter was planned so that one could possibly go see all six bands on the “Monster Energy Stage,”...and then go over to the Main Stage inside the amphitheater proper, to watch the nine other bands.  Of course, things happen, and as it played out...P.O.D’s set ran longer than expected, which overlapped into the set of the very first band on the Main Stage...Red. At 4:00pm on the dot, Red...a 4-piece Christian hard rock metal band from Nashville, hit the stage in front of a of sparse crowd.  Lead by singer Michael Barnes, the band ran through a 5-song, 25 minute set that highlighted material from their latest release UNTIL WE HAVE FACES.  Barnes, drummer Joe Rickard, bassist Randy Armstrong, and guitarist Anthony Armstrong worked hard to engage the crowd.  Barnes, in particular, went out of his way to get the audience on their feet, leaping into the audience to further motive them.  It was a charged, energetic set, setting just the right tone for the rest of the day. “The rest of the day”...was managed quite well.  The organizers knew they had to fit nine bands into seven hours, so they built a rotating stage...so while one band performed in front, another band could set up their equipment backstage.  As a result, the downtime between each act was only about 5-10 minutes...if everything ran smoothly.  Of course, the next performer could not help but rebel against such a tight schedule. At 4:30pm, Everlast and his band came on stage to perform an excellent 5-song set...with a bonus.  Everlast (aka Erik Schrody) is not just any ole white-boy rapper.  He’s also a talented songwriter, musician, and leader of the legendary rap group House of Pain.  His solo work has been hip-hop-oriented, with touches of blues and rock...as evident in his 1998 smash album WHITEY FORD SINGS THE BLUES.  After opening with an instrumental jam, Everlast wasted no time indulging the audience with no less than three songs from WHITEY FORD...”Today (Watch Me Shine),” the brilliant “Ends,” as well as his biggest hit “What It’s Like.”  He also played his new single, “I Get By,” which fit perfectly with his older songs.  Very much the defiant gangster, Everlast choose to go past his allotted time, and ignore the fact that the stage began to rotate in order to present the next act.  Everlast stepped off of the stage and let his band rotate around without him.  Angry about being booted from the stage, Everlast also complained that he and his band had to park miles away from the amphitheater.  Despite, or perhaps because of his anger...Everlast brought out his House of Pain partner DJ Lethal to do a fantastic version of their 1992 House of Pain hit “Jump Around.”  Needless to say, the crowd went wild. Memphis Christian-rock band Skillet came on next.  Lead by husband and wife team John and Korey Cooper, Skillet performed five songs, featuring key tracks from their 2009 album AWAKE...”Hero,” Awake and Alive,” and “Monster.”  Similar to Red, Skillet worked extra-hard to engage the crowd...playing hard and loud, and employing shooting smoke in the background in order to enhance their stage presence.  John Cooper took on the role of preacher at one point, pontificating to the crowd about the “War for your souls.” With much excitement, Kansas City rockers Puddle of Mudd waltzed on stage to the sound of Led Zeppelin’s “In The Light,” and performed Stoned,” the opening track of their last album...2009’s VOLUME 4: SONGS IN THE KEY OF LOVE and HATE.  This was soon followed by “Psycho,” from their 2007 release FAMOUS.  From the beginning of their set, there were problems.  Lead singer Wes Scantlin was all over the place, yet never really took charge of the stage.  The sound mix was off-balance for the first few songs...creating a bottom-heavy drone that drowned out everything else.  The stage set-up was strange, awkward, and unpleasant to look at.  In front of a black backdrop, Drummer Shannon Boone played on top of (what looked like) a long, rectangular banquet table...with two platforms on each side.  Despite these setbacks, the band still sounded good.  Shannon Boone, Bass guitarist Doug Ardito, and guitarists Paul Philips, and Dizzi Devereux all played well...and frontman Wes Scantlin’s vocals were as strong as ever.  “Away From Me,” from 2003’s LIFE ON DISPLAY didn’t impress the crowd as much as “Control”...the opening track from Puddle of Mudd’s landmark 2001 release COME CLEAN.  This was followed by their latest single, a fairly straightforward cover of the Rolling Stones’ 1969 masterpiece “Gimme Shelter.”  To close out the set, Puddle of Mudd performed two of their greatest songs from COME CLEAN...”Blurry,” and “She Hates Me”...to the delight of the crowd. Lead by shirtless, tattooed-to-oblivion lead singer Josh Todd, SoCal rockers Buckcherry burst onto the stage after 6:00pm with the ironically upbeat “Dead,” the closing track of their 2010 album ALL NIGHT LONG.  Josh Todd prowled the stage like a middleweight boxer.  His feet were fast, and he moved as much as possible to the sounds of Keith Nelson and Stevie D. on guitars, Jimmy Ashhurst on bass, and Xavier Muriel on drums.  “Rescue Me” came next, a fast-paced track off of 2009’s BLACK BUTTERFLY.  Keeping up the fast pace, Buckcherry then broke out “All Night Long”...a party anthem that opens up their 2010 album of the same name.  “Recovery” is also off of the ALL NIGHT LONG album, and was performed with a fierce intensity.  “I used to go to high school around here” said Josh Todd, who informed the crowd that his teachers used to scold him for his dirty mind.  Buckcherry then attacked ”Dirty Mind,” from their 1999 debut album BUCKCHERRY.  It felt as if no time had passed.  After a few bars of Led Zeppelin’s “In My Time of Dying” the band went straight into their cocaine tribute “Lit Up”...the opening track off of their debut album.  Before the song, Josh Todd said “The first time I did cocaine, it was a Friday night.  Then I figured out I could drink more.”  Fantastic.  To close out the set, the band played “Sorry,” their second biggest hit from their breakthrough 2006 album 15, as well as Buckcherry’s biggest hit from the same album...”Crazy Bitch.”  Before performing the latter song, Josh Todd told the crowd that “a crazy bitch can take down an empire.”  The band then played snippets of Prince’s “Irresistible Bitch,” Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” and KC and The Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight” before launching into the song proper.  Buckcherry was clearly pleased to play at the Epicenter festival, and was the only band on Saturday to give a shout out to KROQ, the festival’s sponsor, and the station that first broke the band... The gentleman seated to my right noticed my press notes, then gave me the devil finger sign and warned me that Five Finger Death Punch was by far the heaviest band on the bill that day.  He was not kidding.  In fact, I think underplayed the emphasis on the word “heavy.”  With a new album due next month, the 5-piece heavy metal band blasted through seven of their best songs from 2007’s THE WAY OF THE FIST and 2009’s WAR IS THE ANSWER, as well as performing a new single called “Under and Over It.”  With Zoltan Bathory and Jason Hook on guitars, Chris Kael on bass, and Jeremy Spencer on drums, the band was fast and furious through each and every song.  Yet it was the presence of Ivan Moody on vocals that stole the show.  Moody is a formidable commanding general, leading his troops in a take-no-prisoners attack on the audience.  This is a man not to be messed with.  His vocals were frightening, whether he sung straight, or in a demonic, devil-sounding voice.  One song after another...”Burn It Down” into “Salvation”...”Under and Over It” into “Hard To See”... Five Finger Death Punch beat the crap out of the audience.  “No One Gets Left Behind” was dedicated to the military, and after the song, Commander Moody told the crowd that the band recently had gone to Iraq.  “It changed my f*#king life!” Moody continued, “Over there there they had a nickname for us...,” and thus began Five Finger Death Punch’s heavy cover of the 1974 classic by Bad Company...”Bad Company.”  However, Moody stopped the song midway, in order to call out the security people for being too rough with fans.  “You security guys need to relax!” he shouted out.  Moody in particular yelled at security for kicking out a woman from the lower seating level.  In protest, Moody refused to sing another note until security guards let the women back in.  Thankfully, security gave in, much to the crowd’s delight.  Moody was thankful, and told the security guards that he understood that they had a job to do, yet the fans paid hard-earned money for concert tickets, and deserved to be treated better.  Once that was taken care of, Moody and the band resumed “Bad Company,” and closed their set with two standout tracks from THE WAY OF THE FIST...”White Knuckles” and “The Bleeding.” With all due respect to the festival’s headliner, the biggest act of the day...the one that truly engaged the entire crowd, who stood on their feet in joyous rapture for their entire performance...was none other than Papa Roach.  With a lavish stage set, and in full costume...drummer Tony Palermo, bassist Tobin Esperance, lead guitarist Jerry Horton, and frontman lead singer Jacoby Shaddix arrived fashionable late to open the show with “Getting Away With Murder”...the title track of their 2004 album.  Soon the band leaped back in with “...To Be Loved”,” the opening song on 2006’s THE PARAMOUR SESSIONS.  Papa Roach had the packed crowd in the palm of their hands, and didn’t have to work as hard as the other acts that day.  Yet that didn’t stop them from pulling out all of the stops...and delivering an exciting, energetic performance.  Their latest album TIME FOR ANNIHILATION was showcased with strong songs like “Burn,” “One Track Mind” and “Kick In The Teeth.”  Jacoby Shaddix was not shy about leaping into the crowd to sing a few songs, though he was not impressed with the tepid mosh pit in front of the stage. “Between Angles and Insects” came next, a funky rap metal song from their landmark 2000 album INFEST.  “Forever,” from THE PARAMOUR SESSONS, was dedicated to the “dirty little girls,” and the majority of the crowd all sang along to “Scars,” a top 20 hit from GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER.  Papa Roach’s 2009 collection METAMORPHOSIS was represented by two songs...”Lifeline,” and the blunt yet effective “Hollywood Whore.”  Jacoby Shaddix was clearly having a good time, yet told the crowd that he’d been on tour since 1999, and teased them that the Epicenter concert would be Papa Roach’s second-to-last show ever.  Before anyone could cry foul, Shaddix assured the crowd that the band was only taking a month-long break (“which will feel like forever.”).  To close out their set, Papa Roach played a faithful version of the song that started it all for the band back in 2000, when KROQ played the track on super-heavy rotation...”Last Resort.”  Everyone around was very pleased...a sharp contrast to what happened next... Staind is no doubt an excellent band, having sold over 15 million records worldwide.  Aaron Lewis, the band’s frontman, is without doubt a fantastic vocalist, probably the best singer on the entire Epicenter bill.  Yet as big as the band is, their performance style clashed with the explosive energy exhibited on stage by the other bands who performed that day.  Staind is very akin to The Eagles, in that they have great songs...have sold millions of records, yet cannot compare in performance style with other bands of equal popularity.  While Papa Roach, Buckcherry, and Five Finger Death Punch owned the crowd, Staind instead choose a much more low-key approach.  Interaction with the crowd was kept to a minimum, as the band preferred to just play.  There’s nothing wrong with that at all, except that most of the previous acts worked extra-hard to engage the audience.  The result of this contrast proved unsatisfying for both the crowd, and the band.  Feeling high off of Papa Roach’s dynamic set, the audience had a hard time connecting with Staind.  Aaron Lewis voiced his displeasure at the crowd’s indifference a number of times.  After a weak attempt to get people to sing along to song at one point, Aaron Lewis responded with “That’s all you got?”  Before Staind’s final number of the night, Lewis told that the crowd that he hoped the next act (Limp Bizkit) would somehow wake them up from their slumber....clearly a dig at the audience’s lack of enthusiasm for the band’s set.  Perhaps in a passive aggressive move (or just simply...aggressive), Staind punished the crowd by not performing their biggest hit...2001’s “It’s Been a While.” On a positive note, however, Staind still sounded great.  Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and percussionists Will Hunt and Sal Giancarelli all played very well.  The band’s 11-song set featured no fewer than five tracks from their strong new self-titled album, STAIND...”Failing,” “Eyes Wide Open,” “Paper Wings,” the excellent “Not Again,” as well as the closing song of the set...the sweet and tender “Something To Remind You.”  2005’s DYSFUNCTION was represented by faithful renditions of “Spleen” (the set-opener), “Right Here,” “Crawl,” and “Mudshovel.”  The crowd finally got  on its feet when Staind broke out two songs from their breakthrough 2001 album BREAK THE CYCLE...the somber ”Outside,” and “For You.”  Yet as the band performed “Something To Remind You”...the crowd went back to being unresponsive.  The Staind set ended with only a smattering of applause...which is a shame. Picking things up again, Epicenter Festiva headliners Limp Bizkit roared on stage with “My Generation”...not The Who’s 1965 classic, but Limp Bizkit’s original song from their 2000 hit album CHOCOLATE STARFISH AND THE HOT DOG FLAVORED WATER.  The band’s thrilling, 11-song set was the exact opposite of what Staind had to offer.  Fronted by lead singer Fred Durst, and featuring original members Wes Borland on lead guitar and John Otto on drums, as well as Sam Rivers on bass, and House of Pain’s DJ Lethal on turntables and keyboards...Limp Bizkit brought everything and the kitchen sink to the show. The stage set was big, featuring the band’s name in giant lit-up letters.  Wes Borland, as per tradition, dressed in an elaborate stage costume.  This time around, he painted his skin black, and wore a black demon costume, featuring a black death mask with eyes that light up. Borland’s face was never seen throughout the entire performance, yet was still ever the performer...prancing and stomping to the music as he played monster riffs on his guitar.  Fred Durst, dressed in a rapper-chic white t-shirt and jeans, and wore his trademark baseball hat tight around his head.  Durst worked overtime to interact with the audience.  He wore a Anaheim Angels hat for a number of songs, and leaped into the crowd to be among them as much as possible.  Durst’s goal was to aim to please.  Unlike every single act that day, Limp Bizkit did not perform one single song from their new album (GOLD COBRA).  Instead of forcing untested new material on the crowd, the band instead showered the audience with hits that they knew people would love. Staying in CHOCOLATE STARFISH AND THE HOT DOG FLAVORED WATER mode, Limp Bizkit next broke out “Livin’ It Up”, along with another CHOCOLATE STARFISH gem.. “My Way.”  Diving into classic material from their landmark 1999 album SIGNIFICANT OTHER, “Break Stuff” came next, which was performed with the same ferocity as when the track was first recorded 12 years ago. After a miscue, and some confusion as to which song to play next, the band asked the crowd what song they would like to hear... and finally settled on performing “Eat You Live,” from 2003’s RESULTS MAY VARY.  Then it was back to SIGNIFICANT OTHER-territory with a double-shot of great numbers...”Re-Arranged” and the huge hit “Nookie.”  Before performing the song, Durst dedicated the entire show to “all you troopers who have to work tomorrow.”  Shifting gears, Durst next lead the band through their 2003 acoustic version of The Who’s 1971 masterpiece...”Behind Blue Eyes.”  Then Limp Bizkit broke out 2000’s “Take a Look Around”...which was featured prominently on the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II soundtrack. Toward the end of the show. Fred Durst told the crowd that “Fieldy” (aka Reginald Arvizu) ...the longtime bassist from the nu-metal band Korn, was in the house that night.    Durst noted that without the music of Korn, there would be no Limp Bizkit.  He also made note of man in the audience wearing a jacket which read ”I (red heart symbol) Vagina.”  For whatever reason, DJ Lethal soon began to play the 1984 Harold Faltermeyer instrumental track from BEVERLY HILLS COP....”Axel F”...while Fred Durst yelled out “Hey ladies  This next song is dedicated to all the ladies in the house!”...and with that, Limp Bizkit played “Faith”...the band’s ferocious cover of the George Michael 1987 hit, which was featured on their debut album THREE DOLLAR BILL, Y’all $.  After a bizarre turn, where Fred Durst told the crowd repeatedly that Wes Borland had lost his keys, Limp Bizkit closed out the Epicenter festival with 2000’s “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle).” It was quite a day in Irvine...filled with beautiful weather, great food and drink, great music, high and low drama, as well as “I (red heart symbol) Vagina” t-shirts and jackets.  All in all, I’d say Epicenter...”Southern California’s Rock Festival,” was a real success.  Here’s hoping that they bring it back to Irvine next year...with the ”I (red heart symbol) Vagina” t-shirts, of course.

Spotlight- Sublime with Rome: YOURS TRULY

From:

http://issuu.com/rukusmagazine/docs/0911/19

SUBLIME WITH ROME

ALBUM - Yours Truly

http://www.myspace.com/sublimewithrome

In 1996, the great Long Beach ska, punk, rap, reggae, rock band Sublime released their biggest album.  Yet before a single record was even sold, lead singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell had died of a drug overdose, and the band was finished.  Thirteen years later, Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh and bassist Eric Wilson got back together to form a new version of Sublime...this time with a young singer named Roman Ramirez (aka “Rome”).  Now officially known as “Sublime with Rome”, the band spent two years performing together before finally releasing an album of their own.  Produced by Paul Leary (of Butthole Surfers fame)Yours Truly features 12 tracks (15, if you buy the Deluxe edition) that arguably continues where the previous incarnation of Sublime left off.  Tracks like “Panic,” “Murdera” and “My World” blend seamlessly with the band’s back catalog.  “PCH” has a fun pop song vibe, mixed with Sublime’s signature ska/rock sound.  “You Better Listen” has a retro reggae feel, accentuated by a chorus backed with a female vocalist (Maggie Walters).  Not everything works, yet Gaugh and Wilson sound strong, and Rome is no doubt a fine vocalist.  This admirable effort shows promise of great thing to come.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'M WITH YOU

From Rukus Magazine:

http://issuu.com/rukusmagazine/docs/0911/15


Red Hot Chili Peppers

I’m With You

RELEASE DATE: August 30, 2011

STARS: 3/5

LABEL: Warner Bros.

REVIEW BY:  Paul Lyons

WEBSITE: http://redhotchilipeppers.com

In 2009, veteran virtuoso guitarist John Frusciante decided to leave the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Several months later, Brendan Mullen had passed away.  Mullen gave the band their first ever break in 1983 when he booked them at L.A.’s Club Lingerie.  On the same day that Mullen died, vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, and drummer Chad Smith began to rehearse with a brand new guitarist...well, not entirely new.  

Thirty one year old Josh Klinghoffer has known the Chili Peppers for years, and had even worked closely with John Frusciante on his solo albums.  In 2007, he was added as a touring member of the band, providing additional guitar, keyboards and backing vocals.  Having Klinghoffer replace Frusciante on guitar was clearly the best (and most natural) choice.  Now the Red Hot Chili Peppers have released a new album whose title, I’m With You, was conceived by Kilinghoffer himself.  Produced by longtime collaborator Rick Rubin, I’m With You features 14 tracks that showcases he band’s best attributes.

The first track, “Monarchy of Roses” starts with a quick warm-up of the instruments...like an engine revving up, before launching into the song proper.  It’s working title was “Disco Sabbath”...and for good reason.  Josh Kilinghoffer’s guitar adds a heavy metal, Black Sabbath-like feel which counters the disco dance groove that carries the song.

Bands often sequence their records with killer songs that follow strong opening tracks.  Think “Rip This Joint” following “Rocks Off” on the Rolling Stones Exile On Main Street, or “In Bloom” following “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on Nirvana’s Nevermind.  Continuing in that tradition, the Red Hot Chili Peppers offer up what arguably is the best and most infectious song on the album...”Factory of Faith.”  The star of this track is clearly Anthony Kiedis, who is a master of rhythmic vocals.  Listen to his phrasing on the song’s chorus “Factually I, I’m just a piece of it.  Factually I, the very least of it.”  The way he blends “Factually” with “I” together as one word is just brilliant, and forces you to stop whatever you’re doing and listen.

“Brendan’s Death Song” is an energetic tribute to Brendan Mullen...with Kiedis singing “It's safe out there now your everywhere just like the sky. And you I love you, you are the lucid dream you are the ride.”  The song both mourns and celebrates Mullen at the same time.   “Ethiopia” sees the Chili Peppers back in funk mode, with a Chad Smith groove that Sly Stone would be proud of.  The hit single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” has a latin-influenced feel, coupled with a rock anthem chorus that will fit well in the band’s live set.

Josh Klinghoffer truly makes his mark on the album.  His guitar solos feel like welcome intrusions...injecting each track with an exotic venom that seems to come out of nowhere, yet works just the same.  Listen to him on “Brendan’s Death Song,” “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” or “Did I Let You Know.”  Klinghoffer’s licks cut through like razor blades, and bleed into the DNA of each song.  Flea is another star on I’m With You.  Listen to his trumpet solo on “Did I Let You Know,” or his bass solo on “Goodbye Hooray,” or his fine piano work on “Happiness Loves Company” or “Police Station”

I’m With You may not be a great record, yet it has greatness in it, and reinforces the fact that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are very much alive and well, and more than ready to conquer the world once again...

Taylor Swift at the Staples Center - August 28, 2011

From www.ocrereloaded.com: Taylor Swift Speaks Now at the Staples Center

Written by Paul Lyons

Monday, 29 August 2011 23:35

On Sunday evening, Andrea Gardner strolled down the aisle at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.  The show hadn’t even begun, yet the crowd was going wild for Andrea.  With “13” signs posted everywhere; Andrea headed for the 13th row in the orchestra and (probably) sat down in seat 13.  To many, this is all made sense.  After all…Andrea’s daughter, Taylor Swift, has done very well by the number 13. Taylor Swift was born on December 13 1989.  She turned 13 on Friday the 13th, and her first album went gold in 13 weeks.  Her first number one song had a 13-second intro, and whenever she wins an award, its usually when she’s in seat, section, or row 13.  So to, on Sunday night’s Staples Concert, Taylor swift had the number 13 painted on her right hand.  Her left arm was decorated as well, with something else entirely. Throughout Taylor Swift’s four sold out shows at the 20,000 capacity Staples Center, Swift had chosen to write song lyrics all down her left arm.  No, these weren’t meant to help her remember words, nor were the decorated lyrics ever songs of her own.  Instead, Swift choose to cover her arm with lyrics that inspired her on a given night.  No two nights are the same.  One evening she had lyrics from the Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby.”  Another evening she had words from Joni Mitchell’s “California.”  Those of us at Sunday evening’s Staples Center show bore witness to an arm which had written on it: “I wish I could have this moment for life”…lyrics from rapper Nicki Minaj’s “Moment 4 Life.”  Little did the audience know that the inspiration was two-fold, yet more on that later. Who could blame Taylor Swift for wishing to retain her “moment”?  At 21 years old, Swift is in the prime of her life…having sold over 20 million albums worldwide, and now performing in front of sold out audiences in Europe, Asia, and North America.  Taylor Swift is a bona fide phenomenon…a true sensation.  So to, her concerts are nothing short of sensational. Sunday night’s two-hour plus, 20-song set was by no means a simple concert by a pop star princess.  No, Taylor Swift aimed to deliver the goods to a wildly enthusiastic crowd that stunned her with the sheer joy and love they have for her.   In return, Swift presented a grand spectacle…a highly theatric stage show that made great use of the gigantic size of the Staples Center. Sparks actually flew not long after Taylor Swift floated up to the stage (via a lift) for the first song of the night, “Sparks Fly”…one of twelve tracks performed that evening from her 2010 hit album SPEAK NOW.  This was soon followed by another SPEAK NOW track “Mine.” Swift was clearly moved by the wild cheering, and jumping and screaming of the crowd.  Before playing SPEAK NOW’S “The Story of Us”, she stood still in the spotlight for a beat, soaking up the moment.   “Hello Los Angeles.  I’m Taylor,” she announced to the explosive crowd.  “I can’t believe you guys.  I’ve fallen in love with you in about six minutes.”     For 2006’s “Our Song,” a man came on stage alone and pretended to sweep.  After a bit of mime and tap dancing shtick…the man walked over to a wall over levers.  He pulled one lever and out popped Taylor Swift like a jack-in-the-box.  He pulled another lever and Ellen DeGeneres rose up on the stage.  Ellen DeGeneres?  Yes, Ellen DeGeneres joined Taylor Swift on stage to thunderous applause.  A porch was set up, for DeGeneres, Swift, and her band to hang out on, and play.  DeGeneres tried a few instruments during “Our Song”…maracas, washboard, and eventually…a triangle.  The audience loved seeing DeGeneres (who claimed to have gotten lost while looking for the bathroom).  After Ellen DeGeneres left the stage, Swift and her band stayed on the porch set to perform another SPEAK NOW track…”Mean.” Snow fell on the band and the audience as the stage set changed to accompany a huge bridge, which held eight violinists for “Back to December.”  Then a church was set up with pews for a wedding, as a beautiful bride and groom exchanged vows (while Taylor Swift looked on) during “Better Than Revenge.”  Swift stole the groom after “Speak Now” and journeyed out into the audience to travel all the way to the very back of the arena. In a move I’ve never seen before, Swift climbed up by herself on a mini stage with a lit up tree on it, and performed 4 ½ songs to the BACK of the arena floor.  Middle of the arena sure, yet I’ve never seen an act play a set to the back section.  It was terrific.  Swift sat alone with a guitar or ukulele and sang one song after another, with her band backing her on the other side of the arena.  In this setting, she played the title track of her 2008 album FEARLESS, as well as SPEAK NOW’s “Last Kiss.”  Before the later song, Swift admitted she was a hopeless romantic, and said that “love is my favorite thing to write about, because I think that when we’re falling in love or losing it…that’s when we turn to music, because we need help understanding what’s going on.”  Swift is certainly wise beyond her years. As a tribute to her friend Colbie Caillat (a singer songwriter who has collaborated with Taylor Swift in the past), Swift performed an elegant version of Caillat’s 2007 song “Realize.”  Staying in tribute mode, Swift gave out a shout to another one of her heroes…Gwen Stefani, and performed the title track of Stefani’s 2006 album THE GREAT ESCAPE. “You Belong With Me” was a huge Taylor Swift hit when it was released as a single in 2009.  At Sunday’s Staples Center show, Swift performed half of the song at the back of the arena, then walked through the crowd to the main stage to perform the rest of the song.   Along the way, Swift greeted friends and fans alike, shaking peoples hands, and giving them hugs.   To the delight of the crowd, Swifts friends included Reese Witherspoon…and none other than TWILIGHT star (and ex-flame) Taylor Lautner, whose mere presence brought huge screams to the crowd. After playing “Dear John”, the screams rose up again as rapper (and inspiration for Taylor Swift’s arm) Nicki Minaj joined Swift on stage to play an exciting version of Minaj’s “Super Bass”…a fun track from her 2010 PINK FRIDAY album.  The two singers seemed to have a good time performing together. To close the show, Swift played three more tracks from SPEAK NOW: “Enchanted,” “Haunted:” and “Long Live.”  Each song had its own set, its own costumes, its own mood, its own high definition projection displayed on the giant screen behind the band.  Yet this wasn’t just spectacle, this was music as well…music that thousands of people cherished, and loved.  The crowd could not help but sing along to every song all night.  This was their music. For the encore, Swift and her band came out to perform two songs from 2008’s FEARLESS album.  “Fifteen” brought huge cheers from the crowd, and they sang every word with glee.  Fittingly, “Love Story” closed out the night.   Why fittingly?  Well, Sunday night’s Staples Center concert was all about love…Taylor Swift’s fans love her dearly, and she loves them right back.  In fact she loves her fans so much, that Swift got into a floating balcony, and rode high in the air across the entire arena…saying goodbye to everyone in the upper and lower sections.  It was a grand gesture; one made by an artist who truly loves what she does, and genuinely appreciates the people who love her for it.

Motley Crue, Bush and Escape The Fate at Sunset Strip Music Festival - August 20, 2011

From www.ocreloaded.com: Motley Crue, Bush and Escape The Fate at Sunset Strip Music Festival

Written by Paul Lyons

Monday, 22 August 2011 05:46

On Saturday, the sun shined bright over Southern California as rockers young and old gathered in mass to attend the final day of the fourth annual Sunset Strip Music Festival.  From 1:30pm to 9:45pm, Sunset Boulevard overflowed with music from dozens of bands performing not only in legendary clubs like the Roxy, the Key Club, the Viper Room, and the Whisky A Go-Go...but also on two large outdoor stages that bookended an outdoor street festival. The East Stage stood near the festival entrance at San Vicente Boulevard, and featured acts Tribal Seeds, Cobra Starship, The Dirty Heads, Matt & Kim, as well as Public Enemy.  The West Stage stood near Doheny Drive.  Due to the difficulty of going back and forth between the two stages, as well a preference for getting a good spot near the action, I spent the majority of my time hovering near the West Stage. After early sets by Black Veil Brides and She Wants Revenge, Escape The Fate hit the stage at 4:30pm sharp, and pounded away through a 40-minute set.  The Nevada-based hardcore band worked hard to excite the impatient, mid-afternoon crowd.  Lead singer Craig Mabbit gave a shout out to his “homeboys that came out from Arizona” before launching into their next single “Liars and Monsters”...a track only to be found on the deluxe edition of last year’s best-selling album...Escape The Fate.  This was followed by a strong version of the thrash title track from their 2008 album, This War Is Ours. Running ten minutes late, 90‘s British rock heroes Bush finally hit the stage at 6:10pm, and performed an excellent and exciting ten-song, 50-minute set...starting with “Machinehead”...the 7th track off of their smash 1994 album Sixteen Stone.  It was a welcome return for a group that had disbanded nine years ago.  Unfortunately, original Bush members Nigel Pulsford and Dave Parsons (on guitar and bass respectively) choose not to participate in the reunion.  Fortunately however, superstar vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale and drummer Robin Goodridge hired two new members who sound fantastic...Corey Britz on bass guitar, and the heavily bearded Chris Traynor on lead guitar.  Gavin Rossdale looked like he hadn’t aged at all since Bush ruled the charts and the radio 16 years ago.  A true rock star, Rossdale worked the crowd into a frenzy as he waltzed across the stage, stood on top of speakers, and even jumped into the crowd to let all his fans be near him. From old to new, Bush followed “Machinehead” with “All My Life,” a strong track off of their brand new album The Sea of Memories.  Then it was back to the great well of Sixteen Stone for a fantastic version of “Little Things.”  Shifting gears, the band played “The Chemicals Between Us” from their 1999 album The Science of Things, before launching into the opening track of The Sea of Memories... “Afterlife.”  A rollicking version of “Everything Zen” came next...which is the opening track of Sixteeen Stone.  Gavin Rossdale commented beforehand how much he loved the Sunset Strip, making note of Bush’s first ever L.A. concert at the Roxy back in the day.  Then he lead the band back to Sea of Monsters territory with the mid-tempo “The Sound of Winter.”  Rossdale next stood on the stage alone and belted out another Sixteeen Stone classic, “Glycerine”...with the rest of the band joining in towards the end of the song.  Perhaps in the spirit of the festival, Bush soon performed a faithful version of the Beatles 1969 classic “Come Together” to lift the crowd up.  To close out the set, they doe back to their beloved Sixteen Stone album for a rousing version of “Comedown”...a huge top 40 hit in 1995.  Bush certainly made the most of their time slot, paving the way for the BIG show that came next... Having survived drugs, internal squabbles, disease, death, jail, the 80’s, and virtual extinction...Motley Crue has somehow come out ahead in the end.  To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band’s existence, the Crue returned to their homeland Saturday night to perform a rousing 13-song, 75 minute set.  Like many successful L.A. rock and roll bands...Motley Crue cut their teeth playing gigs at the Whisky A Go-Go, Gizzarri’s (now known as The Key Club) and The Roxy.  To see Motley Crue perform on the Sunset Strip, is to truly experience the band in their element. Literally exploding on stage out of nowhere at 8:30pm, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx, vocalist Vince Neil, and drummer Tommy Lee (as well as two female dancers/backing singers) shook up the crowd with a thunderous version of the 1987 Girls, Girls, Girls track “Wild Side.”  The audience could not have been more excited.  Playing to the crowd, the town, and the festival, it was only fitting that the band next went straight into “Saints of Los Angeles”...the title track of their 2008 album.  Fists were raised in the air as Vince Neil belted out the song’s chorus of “We are, we are the saints, one day you will confess, and pray to the saints of Los Angeles.”  From new to old, the Crue then reached back to their 1981 debut album, Too Fast For Love, belting out a powerful version of “Live Wire.”  Quickly moving on to 1983, the band broke out “Shout Out The Devil,” which had everyone shouting out loud. Mick Mars looked frail, and was covered in heavy white makeup and black lipstick, yet he played like a monster.  Nikki Sixx looked a little worse for wear, yet commanded the stage like a champion...and sung background vocals in front of his unusual hanging microphone stand.  Tommy Lee’s forceful drumming created giant beats emanating from his transparent Pearl drum kit.  Vince Neil looked happy, tan and tattooed, and seemed to be singing quite well.  Unfortunately, microphone problems plagued the night (or perhaps it was an unbalanced sound mix?)...so it was not often that I could actually hear him sing.  For the most part, Neil’s vocals were too often drowned out by the bass, drums and guitar. Before launching into the 1989 Dr. Feelgood track “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.),” Vince Neil spoke to the crowd.  “We are f*cking back home, man” he exclaimed.  “We’ve been together for 30 f*cking years.  We started on these streets 30 years ago.  Before I was walking down the street, putting up posters that we’re gonna be playing over at Gazzarri’s or the Whiskey, the Roxy and the Troubadour and every place” Neil continued.  “It’s really good to be back here, and playing on Sunset Boulevard.” The Crue spared no expensive when it came down to lights and pyrotechnics.  Flames flew up, out and down during songs.  Behind the band sat a giant circular projection screen which displayed colorful images of electric bolts and pentagrams.  In front of the screen sat a circular roller coaster.  You heard that right, a roller coaster.  Seated on the roller coaster tracks was none other than Tommy Lee, no stranger to extreme theatrics. Speaking of theatrics, a mirror-tiled grand piano was brought on stage for Tommy Lee to  play on for the 1985 Theater of Pain classic “Home Sweet Home.” Before performing the song with the band, the shirtless Lee reminisced about his history on the Sunset Strip.  Pointing east down the Sunset Strip, Lee remarked that he travelled “so many times from that club, to that club, to that club.”  He continued to look on and point at the various rock and roll venues on the Strip and stated that he “Played that club.  F*cked in that club.  Threw up in that club.  Drove home drunk out of that club.  I’ve f*cking done it all on this mother f*cking street, and you know what?  It’s our town baby so I am gonna send this one out to all of us.  We’re home.”  With his headset mic, Lee was vocal throughout the evening, calling out bandmates names followed by the word “dog.”  Mick Mars was “Mick Dog.”  Nikki Sixx was “Sixx Dog” and so on.  “Primal Scream”, a rare gem off of the 1991 compilation album Decade of Decadence, was played next...and sounded terrific, the this was soon upstaged by...you guessed it, the roller coaster. While the rest of the band left stage, Tommy Lee was carefully strapped down to his drum stool.  He began to play a four on the floor straight drumbeat along with some pre-recorded music, and soon enough...his entire drumkit began to move up and down the circular roller coaster.  The drums moved along the track, and soon travelled all the way around the circle, even going upside down.  All the while, Tommy Lee continued to play the drums.  After taking a few spins on the roller coaster, Lee upped the ante by inviting one of his friends to join him on the ride...deadmau5 (pronounced “dead mouse”), the insanely popular electronica and house music producer and DJ whose trademark is wearing a giant mouse mask on his head.  After strapping deadmau5 in, he and Tommy Lee took another ride around the roller coaster.  It was a truly a sight to behold, and the crowd loved it. On an usual note, later on in the show a crewman was seen climbing up the roller coaster...perhaps to make an adjustment to the lights.  All of sudden, he fell, and hung upside down; his feet holding on for dear life to a hanging cable.  The band played on as if nothing happened.  Eventually, they lowered the cable, and the man was brought back to the ground.  Not sure if this was part of the show or not.  With Motley Crue, anything was possible. Not allowing the audience to take a breath, the band then charged full swing into 1989’s “Dr. Feelgood”, soon followed by “Girls, Girls, Girls,” the classic title song from their 1987 hit album.  Staying in the 80‘s, the Crue next brought out their 1985 top 20 hit “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”...a charged cover of the old 1973 Brownsville Station song.  With the show moving at a lightning pace, it was time to rev it up for the final song of the evening...”Kickstart My Heart.” Written for 1989’s Dr. Feelgood album, the song chronicles Nikki Sixx’s death experience 2 years earlier.  In 1987 he was declared clinically dead after a massive drug overdose, only to be revived later by no less than two shots of adrenaline to the heart.  With the reverb and tremolo overdrive of Mick Mars’ guitar, the crowd went wild as the song began.  When it reached its climax, with fire and flashing lights in full swing...Motley Crue choose to end the evening by once again proving that they are still lifelong bad boys.  With Neil, Sixx, and Mars all sporting smocks...the band showered the audience with blood...gallons and gallons of blood.  The good news was, it was fake blood.  The bad news was, it was sticky and disgusting fake blood.  Why Motley Crue choose to do this, I don’t know.  What I do know, is that all of a sudden, Motley Crue’s die hard fans, who had waited hours to see the band...were now covered with blood, and had to wander down Sunset Boulevard in desperate search of a bathroom, or a shower.  Yours truly had to spend the late evening cleaning off blood from his hands, face and neck, as well as from two blood-stained expensive cameras.  It was a sour way to end an otherwise fun and exciting show, and a well-produced festival. To the members of Motley Crue, I think you’ll understand when I say F*ck You!  On the other hand, I can’t complain too much.  The Crue really brought it to the Strip, and gave an appreciative audience a thrilling and entertaining show.  The fact that the evening ended on a bad note, with an obnoxious prank, is besides the point.  I hated being covered in blood, yet it was very rock and roll.

Soundgarden at The Forum - July 22, 2011

From www.ocreloaded.com:

Soundgarden at The Forum

Written by Paul Lyons

Sunday, 24 July 2011 06:09

Can you name a band that looks and sounds better 14 years AFTER they had broken up?  If you asked me a week ago, I would have been stumped.  Yet today the answer is loud and clear: Soundgarden.  Ever since they reunited last year, Soundgarden has been on the rampage playing shows across the country and destroying their audiences.  Friday night at The Forum in Los Angeles, Soundgarden unleashed their ferocious power on a near-capacity crowd with an unbelievable 25-song, 2 1/2 hour extravaganza. The most fascinating thing is, unlike every other headlining band in the universe, Soundgarden still plays as if they are still an opening act.  What that means is, despite their fame, fortune, and legend...Soundgarden never ever rest on their laurels.  They perform their songs as if they need to win the audience over...like they have something to prove.  Further emphasizing this point, on Friday night, lead singer Chris Cornell made sure to remind the audience a few times that “We’re Soundgarden”...as if the adoring crowd needed to be told who they were.  Yet that’s exactly what an opening band would do. The mood was set when the The Stooges wah-wah classic “1969” blasted over the loudspeakers before the lights went down.  One by one, the reunited Soundgarden hit the stage to thunderous applause.  From the opening song, “Searching With My Good Eye Closed”...a great track from 1991’’s classic Badmotorfinger album, it was clear to all that Soundgarden were firing on all four cylinders, and were going keep up that momentum for the entire show.  Lead guitarist Kim Thayil looked just like he did 20 years ago...with a touch of grey in his beard.  His exotic, fluid playing (usually in the delicious Drop D tuning) was flawless.  Bassist Ben Shepherd has bulked up in the last few years, yet he still plays like a renegade maestro...as if he’s gonna bolt any second from the show, with his bass hung dangerously low to the ground.  Ever reliable Matt Cameron on the drums provided the same forceful, complex yet steady rhythm that has fueled Soundgarden’s music since the 1980s. Then there’s lead singer Chris Cornell, who’s 8-octave range has never sounded better.  Even when I saw Soundgarden back in their 90’s heyday, he did not sound this good.  I’m just gonna say it...Chris Cornell has drank a gallon of water from the Fountain of Youth.  How else to explain the fact that he looks younger now then he did 15 years ago?  How else to explain the fact even at 47 years old, his voice still sounds just as amazing as it did when he was 25.  There were times where my jaw dropped just listening to him sing. If you were a die-hard Soundgarden fan, the setlist last night was really and truly a dream come true.  Beginning last year, Soundgarden dove deep into their back catalog for the first time ever.  In the 90’s, the band would only play songs from their 90s records...ignoring their great 80’s songs completely.  Last night at The Forum, they sky was the limit in terms of what songs they could play.  There was no new album to support...so it was anything goes. After “Searching With My Good Eyes Closed”, Soundgarden killed the crowd with a faithful rendition of “Spoonman”...the classic 1994 track from their masterpiece Superunknown, one of the greatest albums ever made.  Then it was time to reach back to a rare gem from 1989’s Louder Than Love...”Gun.”  Never thought I’d ever see that one played live.  This was followed by an excellent double-shot of Badmotorfinger tracks: “Jesus Christ Pose” and “Room a Thousand Years Wide.” Turning back to 1996, Soundgarden broke out “Blow Up The Outside World”, a key track from their final studio album Down On The Upside.  Then they performed a triple-shot of Louder Than Love tracks: “Loud Love”, “Big Dumb Sex” and the great “Ugly Truth.”  It’s hard to believe that Soundgarden dropped these fantastic songs from their set 17 years ago, and never performed them again until last year. Superunknown is filled with nothing but amazing, dark rock and roll songs.  So the band fed from that album as much as possible, such as the next song they played “Fell On Black Days.”  Yet just when you think you got the show figured out, Soundgarden reached back to their very first full-length album...1988’s Ultramega OK, and performed a stellar version of the great opening track from that record...”Flower.” Chris Cornell told the crowd that the band originally considered playing some of the new  material they had been working on recently, then changed their mind and decided to just play old songs instead.  Needless to say they crowd did not mind, as they were more than happy to stomp and sing along to the Badmotorfinger classic “Outshined.”  About headlining at The Forum for the first time, Cornell mentioned that the night’s concert was going to be one of the Forum’s last, as it was just recently sold.  He was clearly not happy about that.  I can’t blame either, as The Forum has been THE venue for thousands of great Los Angeles concerts for well over 40 years now. From old, to relatively new, Soundgarden next brought out “Black Rain”...a song originally recorded in 1991, yet was re-worked and released for the first time ever just last year on their compilation album Telephantasm.  Speaking of 1991, next up was the great opening track from Badmotorfinger: “Rusty Cage.”  Rusty, this song was not...sounding just as fresh as it did twenty years ago.  Then came a double-shot of Superunknown classics: “The Day I Tried To Live” and the brilliant and powerful “My Wave.”  Down on The Upside’s “Burden In My Hand” followed...still sounding strong fifteen years after its initial release. To close the main set, Soundgarden treated the crowd to no less than four Superunknown tracks in a row: “Black Hole Sun,” the transcendent psychedelic epic “Head Down”, “Superunknown” and the rarely performed gem “4th of July.”  A huge highlight of the show was when Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready joined Soundgarden on stage to jam on “Superunknown.”  Kim Thayil let McCready take a guitar solo, which to no surprise to anyone, was fantastic. Just when you thought the Soundgarden show could not get any better, the band came back for an encore to again dive deep in their back catalog to perform an out of this world version of Ultramega OK’s “Beyond The Wheel.”  I still am in awe of how Chris Cornell sang that song.  His vocal skills in the upper range seem almost...superhuman.  I don’t know how he does it.  At 47, to hit the same extreme high notes Cornell did back when he was 24?  Unbelievable...In fact, I still don’t believe it. Spoiling the crowd rotten, Soundgarden next treated the crowd to another old rarity...their first ever single: 1987’s “Hunted Down”...sounding as if it were just recorded yesterday.  Next, the band brought out the ninth Superunknown track performed that evening: the brooding and vengeful “Mailman.” To close out the show, the band played the great, pounding, Badmotorfinger classic “Slaves & Bulldozers”...which ended with five minutes of nothing but loud feedback from Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd.  The roar of the amps washed over the crowd in a sea of distortion and noise...which still somehow fit perfectly with the concert, and ended the night on a high note. Soundgarden’s Friday night concert at The Forum was just pure perfection in all ways.  Great setlist.  Great performance.  Amazingly, the band has lost none of their edge.  Doesn’t get any better than that.  And to think that this incredibly talented and powerful quartet are now officially back together AND recording a brand new album?  This scares the crap out of me, because the potential for greatness is enormous.  Watch out world, Soundgarden is most definitely BACK.