The Year Long Music Binge

Frankie Gavin and De Dannan

2010-07-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Millennium Stage
Washington, D.C.
March 18th, 2010

This week’s show is rather appropriate, seeing as it comes right on the heels of St. Patrick’s Day. You see, Frankie Gavin is a legendary Irish fiddle player, hailing from County Galway, and his band De Dannan has been playing Irish folk songs in one incarnation or another since 1974. Having played for President Obama the day before as part of the White House’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities, Gavin and company were warmed up and ready to delight the crowd at the Millennium Stage on Thursday evening.

Taking the stage as a four piece, the band consisted of Damien Mullane on accordion, Eric Cunningham on percussion and flutes, Mike Galvin on guitar and of course, Frankie Gavin on the fiddle. The band launched right into an Irish jig that saw Cunningham playing a beat on an Irish drum called the bodhrán that had feet tapping throughout the venue in no time at all. Building on traditional Irish folk song structures, De Dannan seemed to blend a healthy dose of American country into the mix, giving the illusion of experiencing St. Patrick’s Day at the Grand Ole Opry.

After two such upbeat numbers, the band slowed the pace down as vocalist Michelle Lally joined them onstage for the French ballad “If You Love Me”. The song built on her soothing vocals alongside Galvin’s acoustic guitar before Gavin’s fiddle slowly entered the fray, followed by Mullane’s accordion and Cunningham’s flute, all coming together to create a lush, vibrant sound. Lally remained onstage for the next song as well, a more upbeat number that sounded like a mash up of Irish folk with contemporary pop music and had each band member grinning from ear to ear.

The next few songs were played sans vocals and featured Irish jig versions of both a Beatles tune and a Bach composition, illustrating the band’s ability to mix traditional Irish folk with other styles of music, like country, pop and classical. The brilliance of this tactic is that the songs never got lost in the mix, each one standing apart from the one before it. So when Lally, who is the band’s secret weapon in my opinion, joined the band for another ballad called “Summer of My Dreams”, it was perfect timing to mix things up once again, keeping the set fresh and exciting.

An impressive duet featuring Cunninghams’ flute and Galvin’s guitar followed, and then Frankie Gavin announced that he and De Dannan would spend the next few songs incorporating yet another genre into their Irish folk repertoire…the blues. These self described “bluesy jigs” were the highlights of the instrumental portion of the performance as they allowed each band member to really show off their skills on their respective instruments. Next, the band was joined again by Lally, in her final performance of the evening, as they played “Heartbreak Pier”, which is a song she described as being about the hardships and struggles of Irish immigrants.

Before bidding farewell to the Millennium stage, Frankie and De Dannan played a finale that started with a solo by Mullane on the accordion before Gavin joined in with his fiddle, followed closely by the guitar and bodhrán. Of course just when you thought you knew where this jig was heading, Cunningham dropped the percussion and broke into a solo of his own on the flute. This of course led into a guitar solo by Galvin that featured some impressive blues runs before the percussion, fiddle and accordion all fell right back into place, just as it had been at the beginning of the song. The performance was a perfect showcase of a very talented and legendary act that really put the cherry…err, shamrock on top of this St. Patrick’s Day. Cheers!

See this performance for yourself here.

Album Review: Marulk - Self Titled

2010-06-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

I have a new album review posted over at Heavy Planet for the Swedish band Marulk. They have a very retro-70's vibe with a healthy dose of modern stoner rock. Check out the self described "new school boogie" here.

King Giant with The Resurrection Sorrow and The Crimson Electric

2010-06-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

The Red and the Black
Washington, DC
March 13th, 2010

If you’ve been following along throughout the course of this project, then you already know I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with the Heavy Planet, stoner rock blog on occasion. If you haven’t checked it out yet, then I encourage you to do so, because the guy who runs Heavy Planet (Reg) puts a significant amount of blood and sweat into discovering and shedding light on a lot of great unsigned bands. As such, I have Reg to thank for introducing me to tonight’s headliner, King Giant. He was able to put me in touch with Todd Ingram, the band’s guitar player (great guy, by the way) who sent me a copy of their excellent album Southern Darkness, which I then reviewed for Heavy Planet. What fell out of that experience was a spot on King Giant’s guest list for tonight’s show at The Red and the Black. Folks…now the Music Binge is getting somewhere! Read on…

The Crimson Electric
The opener for tonight’s stoner rock extravaganza at The Red and the Black was Virginia Beach’s The Crimson Electric who blasted the early arrivers with a fuzzed out wall of noise that sounded an awful lot like the desert rock perpetrated by Kyuss back in the early 90’s. With guitarists Will Sprague and Brett Mathews, bassist Dan Luper and drummer Brian Malbone cramming the tiny stage, vocalist Josh Nelson was forced to get up close and personal with the audience, literally performing from the venue’s floor. The singer wailed into a 50’s style microphone that could have been fit for Elvis, but somehow seemed perfect for The Crimson Electric’s driving, riff heavy tunes. Standing so close that I nearly caught a stray elbow from Nelson as he whirled around with his eyes closed, obviously feeling the energy from the gut-rattling riff-rock blasting behind him, I couldn’t help but crack a smile as my head began to nod uncontrollably. This was beginning to feel more like a stoner rock community gathering rather than a concert. And when Todd from King Giant walked up with a handful of shots for the guys onstage, that feeling was confirmed. If the opener was any indication, I was in for quite an evening.

The Resurrection Sorrow
Continuing in the doom and gloom department, The Resurrection Sorrow (great name) upped the ante by bringing a little New York City swagger to the stage with them on Saturday night. With a lineup consisting of Alex Dementia on vocals, Zak Gross on guitar, Alex Coelho on bass and Louie Gasparro (formerly of legendary NYC bands Murphy’s Law and Blitzspeer) on drums, the band picked up where The Crimson Electric left off, pummeling the crowd with riff upon riff of pure heaviness. Touring in support of their latest release "Hour of the Wolf", The Resurrection Sorrow’s music was every bit as impressive as the other bands on the bill, but unfortunately Dementia’s vocals suffered from technical difficulties with his cordless microphone.

This of course led me to question the need for a cordless mic in a venue the size of your average living room. And it was that aura of "rock star" posturing that held me back from truly enjoying The Resurrection Sorrow. With Dementia dramatically falling to his knees, spinning around in circles and relentlessly antagonizing the sound tech about the problems with his mic, I got the impression that the band, or at least their singer, was trying to play an arena, not a club. That notion wasn’t lost on Brett Mathews, The Crimson Electric’s guitar player, who could be heard heckling The Resurrection Sorrow between songs with comedic one-liners like "pure vocal sex" aimed at Dementia and "string mayhem" meant for Gross. Don’t get me wrong, Mathew’s barbs were purely fun in nature and really leant more to that aforementioned "community" feel than to anything antagonistic, but regardless, his comments were dead on and the ensuing laughter from the audience was proof that he wasn’t the only one thinking it.

Dementia and company were good sports about it though and by the end of their set they seemed to settle down and get comfortable in the tight quarters of The Red and the Black. The vocalist even offered an apology for his incessant complaining, saying that he "isn’t trying to be a bitch" about the feedback issues with his mic, but by this point his frustration had become painfully obvious. No matter, the crowd seemed willing enough to forgive and forget, and they showed their solidarity with raised fists and banging heads throughout the remainder of The Resurrection Sorrow’s set.

King Giant
When it came time for King Giant to hit the stage, the crowd had swelled to maximum capacity and literally filled the room from wall to wall. Guitarist David Kowalski, bassist Floyd Walters III and drummer Brooks set up shop onstage while guitarist Todd Ingram and vocalist Dave Hammerly made space down front. Hailing from the DC suburb of Pimmit Hills, Virginia, an "old, white trash, pagan neighborhood…full of bikers…and a great place to live" as described by Walters, King Giant appeared prepped and ready to put a cherry on top of this sludge rock sundae.

If there was any doubt whether King Giant could recreate the sound of their stellar "Southern Darkness" album in a live setting, they were laid to rest as soon as the first chords of "Lady Whiskey" chugged forth from their amplifiers. The band was tight, their sound was dead on and when Hammerly crooned the song’s opening manifesto, "does he have any idea what he’s getting into…maybe I should buy him a bottle or two" into his microphone, the stage was set (pardon the pun) for an onslaught of pure, blue collar, booze soaked, doom rock served up Southern style.

Speaking of Hammerly, the vocalist spent as much time singing to the drum set, a la Jim Morrison, as he did to the audience. Make no mistake, this is no criticism, the standoffish attitude actually works quite well with King Giant’s style and sound. In fact, you get the impression these dudes don’t give a shit if there’s anyone in the audience or not, they’re here to jam and dammit…that’s just what they’re gonna do.

Another highlight of the set came around the midway point when the band launched into "Mississippi River", a creepy little number that Floyd explained was originally written by his old band Blue Balls Deluxe (seriously, how can you not love these guys). The song finds Hammerly rasping "I gave her a lesson someone needed to give her, now they’re dragging for her bones in the Mississippi River" and features a sinister, bluesy riff that matches the evil tone of the lyrics to perfection. By the time King Giant wrapped up their set with the one, two punch of "Machine Gun Mantra" followed by "Solace", the place was a sweat soaked cesspool and every ear drum in the room had been beaten to a bloody pulp…mission accomplished.

After the show, when asked what’s next for King Giant, Ingram mentioned a new album in the works with plans to eventually play Philadelphia…New York…then maybe make their way down South to Raleigh and Atlanta…slow and steady. That plan of attack seems like a perfect summation of their sound as well…slow and steady. I for one have absolutely no problem with that. Wherever King Giant goes from here, count me in as being along for the ride.

Rogue Wave with Avi Buffalo

2010-05-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

9:30 Club
Washington, DC
March 5th, 2010

Avi Buffalo
My first impression of tonight’s opening act was…wow, how young are these guys? The four members of Avi Buffalo, Avi Zahner-Isenberg (guitar/vocals), Rebecca Coleman (keyboards/vocals), Arin Fazio (bass) and Sheridan Riley (drums) looked more like they belonged on a school bus than a tour bus. Given the amount of hype and publicity these indie rock neophytes are currently receiving (their debut album will be released on Sub Pop in April), I’m sure that’s a sentiment this Long Beach, California band must be getting used to hearing by now.

Despite the fact that the oldest member of the band is merely 21, Avi Buffalo showed no hesitation as they warmed up the 9:30 Club crowd with a fun set of guitar driven pop songs. My only complaint with the band was Zahner-Isenberg’s vocals, which often seemed way too high pitched for this music. In fact, he managed to completely drown out co-vocalist Coleman at times. Don’t get me wrong, musically I enjoyed the brand of indie-rock that Avi Buffalo created, and I loved the energy they displayed onstage…I saw Riley snap at least one drumstick while pounding away on her kit and Zahner-Isenberg attacked his guitar as if the thing was going to bite him. However, vocals can often make or break a band for a lot of people and that just might be the case for me with Avi Buffalo. I couldn’t quite get past them tonight at the 9:30 Club, but given the amount of talent these youngsters displayed onstage, I’d be willing to give them a second chance.

Rogue Wave
Ahh…Rogue Wave. Due to the quick turnaround of seeing shows on a weekly basis, I’m often checking out bands and artists that I’m unfamiliar with, which is fun, refreshing, enlightening…you name it. But tonight, I was extremely excited because I was getting to see one of my current favorite bands…Oakland, California’s Rogue Wave. I realize that these guys have reached a certain level of popularity (after all, they are playing the 9:30 Club), but for some reason I get the impression that Rogue Wave is still flying under the radar. For example, to my knowledge, tonight’s show did not sell out, whereas indie-rock heavyweights like The Shins, Band of Horses and The National, all of whom I would consider peers of Rogue Wave, continuously sell out wherever they play. So if you’re reading this right now and you’re at all into rock music with amazing pop hooks and beautiful vocals, please do yourself a favor and check out Rogue Wave!

Okay, enough with the sales pitch…on to the show! When the band took the stage, the first thing I noticed was an oversized Litebrite type device projecting what appeared to be old sci-fi visuals…very psychedelic and very cool! I also noticed that drummer Pat Spurgeon’s kit was situated at the front, left of the stage as opposed to the rear of the stage, no doubt due to the fact that the true essence of Rogue Wave is really the duo of Pat and vocalist/guitarist Zach Rogue. The rest of the band’s lineup consists of guitarist Dominic East, bassist Cameron Jasper and new guy Steve Taylor on keyboards, who Zach playfully introduced to the crowd by singing "Steeeeeve…the newest member of the band".

This playful banter and sense of humor is what followed throughout the entire performance by Rogue Wave. Once they were onstage, Zach immediately started tuning his guitar before opening the show with "Stars and Stripes" off the band’s latest album "Permalight". It struck me as a little odd that he would need to tune his instrument prior to playing even one chord, but later after a few more "tuning breaks" had occurred between songs, Zach explained that his guitars "are all old and crappy, so if you hear any funkitude, it’s coming from the guitar, not me". The singer went on to say that he recorded almost the entire new album on the old guitar he was playing, calling the instrument "an old man".

Speaking of the new album, Rogue Wave’s set at the 9:30 Club was front loaded with six straight songs from "Permalight", including the album’s first single "Good Morning (The Future)", which is a perfect example of the dance-y vibe that has garnered the band a bit of criticism from long time fans. Later, when they launched into my personal favorite song from the new album, "We Will Make a Song Destroy", imagine my surprise when Zach dedicated it to me…or at least to my kind. The singer smirked as he explained that the song was about "sticking it to the man", who in this case refers to "faceless internet bloggers"…hahaha.

Rogue Wave eventually branched out and began to draw from their back catalog, with crowd favorites like "Chicago X12", "Lake Michigan" and "Harmonium" from their 2007 breakthrough record "Asleep at Heaven’s Gate" in addition to a few songs from 2005’s "Descended Like Vultures". One highlight came during their encore when they morphed "Cheaper Than Therapy" into a slow version of Cheap Trick’s "Surrender"…you know the one…"mama’s alright, daddy’s alright…they just seem a little weird…surrender". Zach mentioned that the song ("Cheaper Than Therapy", not "Surrender") was "written during a very dark time in my life, which is all the more reason that its fun to play now, during a good time in my life." And that quote really sums up the fun and jovial mood that encompassed the venue tonight…for both the band and the crowd.

Zach was very grateful for his audience, saying "we know Friday night is an important night, so we appreciate you spending it with us" and for the 9:30 Club saying "this is one of the best rooms in the country". Towards the end of the show, Spurgeon finally took a break from his drum set and spoke to the crowd, asking us to check out a certain foundation for organ donation, referring to his own battle with kidney disease (Pat was born with only one kidney and underwent a successful transplant in 2007). Watching Pat play drums is really a miracle, given all that he’s been through.

On that happy note, Zach Rogue signed off for the evening, but not before addressing those aforementioned detractors of the "dance-y" vibe on "Permalight". As if to drive the point home that he stands behind his new album 100%, the vocalist invited people to join him onstage to do what else…dance. As the band closed their set by playing the title track from the new album, which is by the far the most danceable track on there, they packed the stage with members of the audience to help them out. You almost got the sense that this party wasn’t ending…no Rogue Wave was just getting started.

The Pink Floyd Experience

2010-05-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

The Music Center at Strathmore
North Bethesda, Maryland
February 25th, 2010

If you’ve already read my previous post on Nouvelle Vague, then you know my thoughts and opinions on the various types and styles of cover bands out there. If you haven’t, then I encourage you to do so prior to reading any further. The Pink Floyd Experience falls into a classification of cover bands that I touched on briefly in that write-up, a category I call the "tribute band". These acts focus the entirety of their performance on recreating the music (and sometimes the image) of another artist. Now typically, I am not a fan of these bands because I’d rather be seeing the real thing. However, oftentimes a tribute band is the only option we have for hearing the music of some of our favorite artists re-created in a live setting. Such is the case with the legendary Pink Floyd, who have lost two original members (Syd Barret and Richard Wright) and other than a few reunion type shows, have been, for all intents and purposes, broken up since the mid 1990’s.

The Pink Floyd Experience
When the band took the stage and opened with "Another Brick In the Wall: Part 3", every subtle intricacy and nuance of Pink Floyd’s complex sound was immediately noticeable throughout The Music Center at Strathmore, which is a venue that was designed and built for the sole purpose of showcasing live music…much like a smaller version of Radio City Music Hall. The Pink Floyd Experience was created by lead guitarist/vocalist Tom Quinn, who coincidentlly bears a striking resemblance to real Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmore (at least when he’s onstage). "The Experience" is rounded out by Graham Heath on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Gus Beaudoin on bass and backing vocals, John Cox on keyboards and effects, Jesse Molloy on saxophone, guitar and backing vocals, and John Staten on drums. Each member is a true virtuoso on their instrument (Graham’s being his voice of course) and this became strikingly evident as the evening pressed on.

The Pink Floyd Experience appropriately segued into "Welcome to the Machine", seemingly trying to wake up the surprisingly subdued Strathmore crowd. Perhaps the crowd’s malaise was due to the band’s decision to play a few lesser known numbers like "Let There Be More Light" off of Pink Floyd’s 1968 album "A Saucerful of Secrets" or "One of These Days" off the 1971 album "Meddle, during their first of two, hour-long sets. Or maybe the crowd was simply mesmerized by the signature lights and visual displays accompanying the music. Regardless, the combination of visual and aural perfection was pure space-aged, psychedelic bliss and any true Pink Floyd fan surely thought they’d died and gone to heaven…this reviewer among them.

Each member of The Pink Floyd Experience impressed me so much, that at varying moments throughout the show, I felt like a different one was the centerpiece of the band. During the first set, I found myself thinking that Cox was the man, as he continuously filled the room with the intense samples and sound effects that are such a key component of Pink Floyd’s music. But later, during "Have A Cigar", when Heath (who is massive by the way…I mean this guy looks like he could pick up a car) sang the familiar line "we call it riding the gravy train" where the word "train" is held longer than any human vocal chord should be capable, the vocalist sounded perfect. And when Beaudoin slapped and popped his way through a bass solo, it was as impressive a performance as I’ve seen on that instrument this side of Les Claypool. Molloy, Staten and Quinn were all equally proficient on their respective instruments too, as every member of the band was given an opportunity to showcase their aforementioned virtuosic talents.

There were multiple highlights from this performance, like getting to hear "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)" and "Comfortably Numb" in a live setting. But perhaps the most amazing thing happened just before The Pink Floyd Experience returned for their well deserved encore. As the sounds of rain and thunder echoed through the room, a man dressed in a suit made of light bulbs (which were in fact lit up) walked onstage, looked around and then opened up an umbrella. Of course, all the "Floydians" out there recognized the man from the cover of the Pink Floyd live album "Delicate Sound of Thunder". What followed was an amazing version of "Wish You Were Here", which included a sing-along with the crowd, who had thankfully woken up during set number two. By the time the band released a massive flying pig into the audience as they closed out their show with "Run Like Hell", there were literally people dancing in the aisles of Strathmore. Ladies and gentlemen, this is my type of cover band.

Nouvelle Vague with Clare and the Reasons

2010-04-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

9:30 Club
Washington DC
February 20th, 2010

Clare and the Reasons
The fact that Clare Manchon, the namesake for tonight’s opening act, took the stage wearing a washboard, should give you somewhat of an idea of the multi-instrumental folk-pop that followed. Accompanied by two other band members (one of which I’ve learned is her husband Olivier Manchon), whom I presume are "the Reasons", Clare played a short, sweet set that was unfortunately drowned out much of the time by the unmistakably inconsiderate crowd at the 9:30 Club. Typically an opening band has to deal with the ego shattering vastness of an empty room, but tonight Clare and the Reasons had quite the opposite…a completely full house...but full of uninterested chatterboxes.

Experimenting with a wide array of instruments that included kazoos, a clarinet, a xylophone and even a recorder (you know…the kind you played in grade school), the band soldiered on, despite the noisy crowd, which at times was literally louder than they were. Clare tried to give the crowd a break, saying "there sure are a lot of talkers out there…but I bet there are a lot of good listeners too…you listeners get a gold star". But it wasn’t long before her Brooklyn attitude shown through as she finally addressed the louder majority, saying "if your neighbor is talking to you, feel free to tell them to shut the fuck up"…there you go Clare!

Clare and the Reasons’ sound was very mellow, at times reminding me of a lounge act. The band soothed those who were paying attention with some beautiful vocal harmonizing and with Clare’s incredible whistling. Not since Axl Rose in that "Patience" video have I heard whistling this good! Adding to that previous list of instruments, the band members took turns playing an acoustic guitar, a bass guitar, a mandolin, a violin, a keyboard and a snare drum. As a matter of fact, each band member appeared to pick up something different with each new song. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until their finale, when they brought on a fourth "Reason" to play tuba that they finally figured out a way to overcome the murmur from the crowd.

Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague has one distinct characteristic that makes them completely and wholly unlike any other band or artist that I’ve written about for the Year Long Music Binge…that is, they are a cover band. Now I realize that cover bands are a dime a dozen and that you can literally find one playing in the corner of just about any old bar you happen to meander into on a given night. In my experience with these musical harbingers of unoriginality, there are three main types that I need to discuss prior to going further.

The first type of cover band is the aforementioned "faceless" band playing "Brown Eyed Girl" in the corner of the bar. These poor individuals typically go unnoticed and are forced to compete with the din of the bar patrons, a feat not unlike what Clare Manchon had to deal with tonight at the 9:30 Club. At best, they are the soundtrack to countless attempts at a drunken "hook up" and at worst, they are simply background noise.

The second type of cover band is that of the "tribute band" (coincidentally, I will be covering one of these in my next post for the Music Binge). These acts focus on recreating the sound (and sometimes even the image…yikes!) of one band and one band only. Now the tribute bands can be broken down into two sub-categories, one of which I find appealing and the other appalling. The first type of tribute band are those who choose to re-create the music of bands who have long since broken up, retired, died, what have you…think Led Zeppelin, The Beatles or Pink Floyd (these I’m okay with). The second type are those who feel the desire to "become" a band that is still very much active and creating music, i.e. Metallica, Pearl Jam, U2, etc. (these I just don’t get).

Finally, there is the third category of cover bands…the re-mixers, or those who take another artists’ work and completely transform or re-make it to fit their own style and vision. This can lead to some amazingly fresh sounds…think Jimi Hendrix’ cover of Dylan’s "All Along the Watchtower" or Eric Clapton’s version of Bob Marley’s "I Shot the Sheriff". Tonight’s headliner falls into this third category. However, unlike Hendrix and Clapton, they are a band whose entire catalogue revolves around making other artists’ music their own.

Nouvelle Vague, which is French for "new wave" is more a project than an actual band. The brainchild of producers Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux, they take old school punk and new wave tunes and recreate them in a laid back, bossa nova style sung by various female vocalists. If you aren’t familiar with bossa nova, it is a traditional Brazilian style of music that can be described as samba meets smooth jazz.

The live version of Nouvelle Vague features guitar, keyboards, bass, drums and two female singers. For this tour, those two singers were Brazilian Karina Zeviani from lounge/electronica act Thievery Corporation and Belgian actress/singer Helena Noguerra. From the minute the band took the stage, the atmosphere was more like a party than a concert. No doubt this was partly due to the fact that this was the last date on the American leg of Nouvelle Vague’s tour and they seemed ready to pull out all the stops. That same crowd who were completely inattentive during Clare and the Reasons’ set were all ears now. In fact, if you couldn’t hear Nouvelle Vague singing Depeche Mode’s "Master and Servant", it wasn’t due to rude chitter-chatter, but rather because of the deafening screams from the primarily female audience.

The band played through an interesting set of covers ranging from the upbeat and danceable, "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes to the downright depressing, "Bela Lugosi’s Dead" by Bauhaus, making all of them distinctly their own. The musicians were perfectly content to stay in the background, allowing Karina and Helena to flit and flirt around the stage, much to the delight of the males in attendance tonight. Renditions of The Police’s "So Lonely" and New Order’s "Blue Monday" were well received crowd pleasers, but it was the pogo inducing poppiness of Nouvelle Vague’s take on "Too Drunk to Fuck", originally by The Dead Kennedys, that turned into quite possibly the most interesting crowd sing along I’ve ever witnessed. Also especially notable was Nouvelle Vague’s version of Joy Division’s "Love Will Tear Us Apart"…I mean how do you make that song peppy?

The enthusiastic crowd refused to leave the 9:30 Club, calling the band out for multiple encores, which they in turn seemed more than willing to oblige. By the time Nouvelle Vague did finally call it quits, there wasn’t a face in the crowd left without a smile. Honestly, you’d be smiling too if you’d just seen two bombshells in skin tight dresses doing their best Johnny Rotten impersonation while rocking out to The Sex Pistols’ "God Save the Queen". As I’m finding more often than not with this project, I was pleasantly surprised with the performance I chose for this week’s entry into the Music Binge. And as the French often say when they’re surprised…ooh la la!

Hollis Brown with Scott Lucas and the Married Men

2010-04-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Red and the Black
Washington DC
February 13th, 2010

My intention this week was to go see metalcore stalwarts Killswitch Engage lay waste to Sonar in Baltimore, Maryland, but due to my pitiful procrastination in buying advanced tickets, I found out the day before the show that it had in fact sold out. Luckily, I had a plan B, which was to check out Scottish indie rock outfit We Were Promised Jetpacks at the Rock n Roll Hotel, but much to my chagrin, they too sold out, on the day of the show no less! Sooo it was back to the drawing board for the Music Binge, and after some careful perusing through the local listings, I happened upon a third promising option. So it was that I found myself in the tiny, upstairs room at The Red and the Black on Saturday night, a room literally smaller than my own living room, for an interesting double bill featuring two distinctly different styles of rock n roll.

Scott Lucas and the Married Men
What initially caught my eye about tonight’s show at The Red and the Black was the tagline on the venue’s website that read “featuring Scott Lucas of Local H”. Having been a fan of Local H’s brand of indie-grunge back in the mid to late 90’s, I figured it might be fun to see what Mr. Lucas was up to these days. As it turns out, his new outfit, the interestingly dubbed “Married Men”, is a far cry from his “High Fiving MF” days in Local H.

Gone are the crunchy guitars and long hair of the old days (Scott’s still rocking the flannel though), as they’ve given way to a violin, a slicked back, 50’s style greaser do and of all things, the honky-tonk sounds of an accordion. The band packed the tiny stage and opened with a very mellow number called "Cut a Hole" which features only Scott’s vocals and guitarist Pete Muschong’s gentle plucking. When the rest of the Married Men (Tom Szidon on bass, Randy Payne on drums, Rebecca Manthe on violin and Aaron Duggins on accordion) entered the fold for their second song, the result was a well orchestrated, lush sound that completely filled the room. Scott Lucas and the Married Men practice a folksy sort of countrified rock with a little bit of twang and a whole lot of harmonizing, particularly between Lucas and Szidon (who has an amazing voice in his own right). The band played through a handful of originals from their forthcoming album "George Lassos the Moon", as well as a very cool cover of David Bowie’s "Absolute Beginners".

I had an opportunity to talk with Duggins after the show and learned that he met Lucas when the bass player from his other band, The Tossers, was unable to accompany them on a recent European tour. By chance, The Tossers happened to share the same producer as Local H, who recommended Scott Lucas as a potential fill-in bassist. Apparently everything worked out well enough to complete a six week European tour, during which the seeds were sown for both Duggins and Manthe, who also plays in The Tossers, to join Lucas in the Married Men.

Hailing from Chicago, Scott felt entitled to throw a few digs at our fair city’s ability to handle a snow storm, saying "we were worried about you DC…what did you get, a foot of snow?" Ha ha Scott…try something more along the lines of four feet…I think my arms are still tired from all the shoveling! That may be small potatoes over in Chi-town, but around here we’re talking an all time record snowfall. But enough about the weather…tonight marked only the second date on Scott Lucas and the Married Men’s tour in support of their debut album. By my account, they’re off to a good start and Scott has himself a side project worthy of putting both Local H and The Tossers on hold until the snow melts.

Hollis Brown
Having no idea what to expect from tonight’s headliner, I was eager to document my findings for the Music Binge. To my surprise, when the four guys in Hollis Brown (Mick Monti - vocals/guitar, Jon Bonilla - guitar, Michael Wosczyk - bass and Mike Graves - drums) took the stage, my ears were treated to what has to be the finest southern rock being made north of the Mason Dixon line. Sounding like a dead ringer for Chris Robinson and the Black Crowes, the band (who takes their name from the Bob Dylan song "The Ballad of Hollis Brown") proved to everyone in attendance that you don’t have to be from the south to play this style of music.

Watching Hollis Brown at The Red and the Black on Saturday night, I couldn’t help but think I was catching a band on the ground floor, before the rise. I wouldn’t be surprised to see these guys playing a much larger venue in front of quite a few more than the thirty or forty in attendance tonight, the next time they come to DC. Despite the somewhat shy demeanor of their vocalist, Hollis Brown played like seasoned veterans and sounded as though they’d been together for decades. Imagine my surprise then when I learned that this was in fact their first tour and first time ever playing in DC.

The band played a number of songs off their self-titled, debut album, which is completely worthy of checking out, if I do say so myself (they gave me a copy at the show…how cool is that?). In addition they covered "Trouble No More" by the Allman Brothers and "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash…both excellent examples of where this band comes from musically. I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you that Hollis Brown is the most original act to come out of New York City, but I can honestly say that if you want some good, old fashioned rock n’ roll played with a healthy dose of swagger, then look no further…Hollis has it in spades.

Shadows Fall with 2 Cents, The Condemned and Big Whiskey

2010-04-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Sonar
Baltimore, MD
February 4th, 2010

Big Whiskey
Well I’m glad that tonight’s show was all ages, otherwise Carroll County, Maryland’s Big Whiskey wouldn’t have been allowed into the venue. Looking as though their average age was all of 16 years old, the youngsters whipped through a quick opening set of metal-tinged hardcore, each song barely distinguishable from the next. Musically, I suppose the kids sounded decent, albeit unoriginal, but they didn’t get much help from their vocalist, who spent the majority of the band’s set staring at his shoes as he grunted incoherently into the microphone. One would think that an opening slot for Shadows Fall would be a dream come true and a chance to really showcase your band’s talents and personality. I’m not sure Big Whiskey took full advantage of that opportunity.

The Condemned
The second act on tonight’s bill was another local metal band also plagued by that nasty unoriginality bug. Hailing from Deale, MD, The Condemned suffered from a muddled sound that had way too much bass, an over-abundance of distortion and a mix of headache inducing screams and guttural growls. The band’s blend of hardcore and metal was a mess to say the least. Whether or not the sound quality could be blamed on the venue is unclear, but The Condemned offered nothing new to these ears.

2 Cents
There’s no better cure for monotony than a set by Los Angeles’ own 2 Cents. These boys truly know how to put the fun in dysfunctional and like their name implies, they are always willing to throw in their "2 Cents". Hamming it up from the minute the band took the stage, vocalist/drummer Adam O’Rourke immediately let the crowd know what kind of atmosphere his band expected when he singled out a guy in front for not smiling, saying "dude…chicks don’t dig the tough guy look".

If you’re easily offended, you may want to stop reading now and skip ahead to the Shadows Fall discussion. The guys in 2 Cents, who also include Adam’s brother Dave O’Rourke on guitar, Jason Wendell on bass and Adair Cobley on guitar, are unpredictable to say the least. Musically, they straddle the age old line between metal and punk, seamlessly taking the best of both worlds and throwing them into the blender…and boy do they have a good time while doing it.

How else can you explain a band who announces their arrival by saying that they’ve come "to get naked, get drunk and get fucked"? The hilarity ensued throughout 2 Cents’ set, from Cobley shaking his hand as if it were on fire after scorching through a guitar solo, to O’Rourke (the vocalist) informing the crowd that "he’s black from the waste down…meaning ashy"…and then following that up with the disclaimer "I can say that because my guitar player is black", referring to Cobley.

But before you get the idea that the band is all fun and games with no substance, I have to mention the sincerity with which they approach their craft. Having seen the band twice now, I’ve noticed on both occasions that Adam is always certain to thank the crowd for supporting heavy music and the community that surrounds it. Tonight, he mentioned that "metal lives up here (pointing to his head) and in here (pointing to his heart)".

Of course the vocalist followed up this bit of seriousness by promptly pointing out a guy standing against the back wall with his arms crossed and saying "ooh…you’re so tough, I bet you’ve never even seen a vagina". And therein lies the beauty of 2 Cents…that dichotomy between taking their music seriously and having a great time while doing it. To drive the point home one final time, the band was joined by Brian Fair (vocalist for Shadows Fall) for a beautifully, bludgeoning rendition of Pantera’s "Strength Beyond Strength" just to reinforce their belief that heavy music is in fact "stronger than all".

Shadows Fall
Tonight’s headliner has been blazing the trail for American heavy metal for the past 15 years. Vocalist Brian Fair, guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand, bassist Paul Romanko and drummer Jason Bittner took the stage amidst a swirl of smoky, fog and immediately launched into the aural assault that is Shadows Fall. If you aren’t familiar with them (then stop reading this and go check them out!), the band plays an old school style of thrash metal that would fit perfectly alongside 80’s mainstays like Megadeth, Anthrax and Exodus, but they’re no nostalgia act, as they manage to make the music sound incredibly fresh and on time.

Unfortunately, Fair was struggling with a pretty nasty head cold tonight, which I can only imagine must be hell when you make a living by screaming your ass off every night. But as he informed the Baltimore faithful tonight, he’d "have to be in a coffin to cancel a gig", so the boys from Boston soldiered on. Despite the vocalist’s physical ills, he and the rest of the band sounded great as they played songs that spanned their impressive catalogue. As a matter of fact, the only hint of any sickness was Brian’s incessant phlegm spitting between songs, which he noted at one point by saying "damn…I’m spitting oysters up here". Now that’s metal! Otherwise, Fair was a ball of energy, flailing his trademark dreadlocks all over the stage and commanding his loyal audience to mix it up down front.

Having seen these guys multiple times in larger, festival type environments, I’ve never had the opportunity to really witness the band’s dynamics up close and personal. Tonight, I realized that despite the immense talents of each band member, there isn’t a whole lot of personality onstage other than their vocalist. Donais, Bachand and Romanko all tend to stand idly by, focusing on their instruments and backing vocals, without ever addressing the crowd or so much as cracking a smile. Of course watching Donais when he breaks into a solo is entertainment enough as he is honestly one of the best guitar players I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing or hearing.

Drummer, Jason Bittner also lives in his own little world behind the drum kit, but that’s easily forgiven seeing as the man hits the skins like a relentless machine throughout the entirety of the band’s set. He is literally a flurry of arms and legs and expends so much energy during each song that he has to spend each break sucking wind, chugging water and catching his breath. In fact, at one point during tonight’s show, the drummer broke something on his kit, prompting Fair to comment, "He hits the damn things so hard" that he’s always breaking something.

Shadows Fall gave their small, yet faithful audience exactly what they came to see tonight at Sonar…a quality metal show full of impressive guitar wizardry, gut rattling bass, pummeling drums and enough screams and growls to scare away the neighbors. This is a band that loves heavy music, loves being a part of the scene revolving around heavy music and does everything possible to garner support for it. So it wasn’t surprising when, towards the end of their set, they paid homage to one of heavy music’s legends as they launched into an incredibly fun cover of Ozzy’s "Bark at the Moon". Fair asked his audience frankly, "if you know the words, sing along…if you don’t, what the fuck are you doing here"?

As the set came to a close, it was obvious that Fair had expended about as much energy as he had to give. He gave a final wave to the crowd, threw the sweaty dreads out of his face one last time and said "thank you…we’re Shadows Fall…I’m gonna go throw up and have a beer" before tossing the mic needlessly to the ground. And with that, one of the hardest working bands in metal left the stage and left me and the rest of the crowd grinning from ear to ear.

Ben Sollee with Carrie Rodriguez

2010-04-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

Iota Club and Café
Arlington, VA
January 29th, 2010

At the risk of sounding repetitive, I must say that tonight’s show at Iota was one of the more impressive musical acts I’ve had the privilege of seeing over the course of this project. I realize that I’ve probably made this sort of grandiose statement about more than a few of the artists that I’ve covered here, but that’s irrelevant. If I told you that a guy from Lexington, Kentucky would bring down the house armed with nothing but a cello, would you believe me? Read on…

Carrie Rodriguez
The evening got started with a heartfelt set from the beautiful and talented singer/songwriter Carrie Rodriguez. Hailing from a music town (Austin, TX) and coming from a music family (her father David Rodriguez is a singer/songwriter and her aunt Eva Garza was a popular Latin artist in the 50’s); it isn’t surprising that Carrie Rodriguez makes a living with a guitar and her remarkable voice. When she took the stage on Friday night, Rodriguez treated the capacity crowd to an energetic blend of folk rock, with just enough twang to keep her inner Hank Williams (that would be Sr., not Jr.) satisfied.

Swapping between her fiddle and both acoustic and electric tenor guitars (meaning they only have 4 strings) and using a very effective boot-stomp technique as her sole source for percussion, Rodriguez played her songs with purpose and passion, mesmerizing the audience all the while. In fact, Carrie was most impressive when singing those songs that obviously had a huge emotional impact on her. For example, before playing “Seven Angels on a Bicycle”, the singer was very solemn when she explained that she had written the song about a close childhood friend who she lost way too soon at the young age of 25. Apparently, her friend had once ridden his bike all the way from Seattle to Austin, hence the title of the aforementioned song.

Later, towards the end of her set, Rodriguez played a cover of a song that her father had written and sent to her via email from Holland where he “went on tour when she was 15 and never came back”. The song was an autobiographical account of a “wandering troubadour”. Hearing these slices of Carrie Rodriguez’ life put to music, it’s evident that she too has become that wandering troubadour from her father’s song. The result of these collective experiences is an amazing singer/songwriter and tonight, those of us in the audience were the lucky beneficiaries.

Ben Sollee
Alright, as impressive as the opening act was at Iota tonight, nothing could top the headliner. Ben Sollee took his seat onstage, picked up his cello and proceeded to pluck, pop, strum, beat and bow the instrument into submission. The results were amazing, and it was immediately obvious that we were watching a master seamlessly demonstrate his craft. To be sure, I know nothing about the cello, but I can honestly say that I saw one of (if not the) most impressive cellists in the world at Iota on Friday night…I know it.

Let me explain this a little better…Sollee picked up his instrument and played it like a guitar, slapped the hollow body of it for percussion, used a bow in the traditional sense, plucked it like an upright bass and basically made it do anything he needed it to do. As if that weren’t enough, Ben managed to lay down some smooth, soothing vocals over the top of each song, creating an astounding mix of folk, bluegrass, R&B and rock. With an ever present smile, the headliner managed to make the cello seem like an obvious choice for any budding rock star…guitar, who needs a guitar? To be fair, Ben did play some impressive guitar during his set, but its that cello that makes his music so noteworthy.

After his inspiring solo set, Ben took a short break before bringing Carrie Rodriguez back onstage with him for an encore set of duets. Ben’s cello and Carrie’s fiddle made for a perfect combination and the duo continued to delight the Iota crowd with their folksy mix of down home, Americana music. By the time Ben closed the show with an improbable, hilarious and yet rousing rendition of Jay-Z’s “99 Problems”, every jaw in the place had to be picked up off the floor.

Before I close, let me just say that the Music Binge continues to introduce my ears to new and exciting music from all over the world. As I said at the beginning of this write-up, despite the amazing acts I’ve been lucky enough to see over these past few months, tonight’s performance was on a different level altogether. Do yourself a favor and check out Ben Sollee (and Carrie Rodriguez) if and when they come to your town. Artists like this are few and far between…and besides, don’t you want to know what Jay-Z sounds like on a cello?!?

Status Update/Album Review - King Giant: Southern Darkness

2010-03-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been on a bit of a hiatus lately due to...well, being incredibly sick, hosting out of town guests and sitting on jury duty for a month (that's right, a solid month...no shit!). So take your pick as to which excuse works best. I'll do my best to get back on track over these next few weeks. To be sure, I have lots of music to discuss.

In the meantime, here's a link to an album review I wrote for Heavy Planet. The band is King Giant from Northern Virginia and they play a killer blend of sludge metal mixed with Southern rock. Definitely worthy of a listen! Stay tuned for a review of their recent show at The Red and the Black in Washington DC, which will be posted right here very soon.

Take care.

Enter the Haggis with Adam Ezra Group

2010-03-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Jammin Java
Vienna, VA
January 22nd, 2010

As with so many of the acts I've already written about for the Year Long Music Binge, I was unfamiliar with both bands on tonight's bill at Jammin Java. Lucky for me, I've had the good fortune of stumbling upon some pretty good ones over the course of the past six months or so (wow, have I really been at this that long already?). Maybe when I'm finished I'll share some of my tried and true methods for picking and choosing my weekly music fix, particularly when there's nothing that looks familiar in the local listings (or worse...when the show you intended to see is sold out!). At any rate, this week was another good one for the Binge...read on!

Adam Ezra Group
The Adam Ezra Group, which not surprisingly features the band's namesake on vocals and guitar, hails from Boston, MA and plays a folksy blend of good old American roots rock. Throughout the band's set at Jammin Java on Saturday night, Adam was sure to introduce each of his band members, giving them an opportunity to perform little mini-solos on their respective instruments. Passing on that information to you, the band includes Josh Gold on keys, Robin Vincent Soper on bass, a guy who goes by the name Turtle (which seems oddly appropriate) on percussion and touring drummer Chappy.

The pseudo hippie/jam band feel was accentuated by Adam's gruffy voice, bare feet and occasional use of a strap-on harmonica. Furthermore, the smiles on each of the band member's faces were contagious as it was strikingly evident that they were having a blast onstage, doing what they love to do. That vibe carried over to the audience as people danced and sang along throughout the band's set. A highly energetic experience, the Adam Ezra Group's performance was a picture perfect representation of how to warm up a crowd...as a matter of fact, I'd go so far as to say, I'd hate to be the act that has to follow them.

Adam mentioned that the producer for a fairly high profile band (The Fray, if you're wondering) recently approached him about recording some of the band's songs...calling it "the highlight of their musical careers". With any luck, you'll be hearing more from these guys in the near future. Here's to hoping the Adam Ezra Group gets the recognition and success they so rightfully deserve.

Enter the Haggis
Haggis [hag-is} - noun: a traditional pudding made of the heart, liver, etc., of a sheep or calf, minced with suet and oatmeal, seasoned and boiled in the stomach of the animal.

It is because of that definition and that definition alone that I chose tonight's show at Jammin Java as my show for the week. Having never heard of either act on the bill (which I've already discussed above), it was the sheer originality and absolute disgustingness of the name "Enter the Haggis" that caught my eye. Luckily my highly scientific formula for picking shows was dead on, as I was about to witness an energetic and fun blend of traditional Celtic/Irish music with pop/punk rock that must be seen to be believed.

Apparently, I was one of the few people in attendance tonight who weren't familiar with the band as it was obvious from the start that the majority of the audience knew every word to every song...as a matter of fact, at times I'm fairly certain they were singing louder than the guys in the band. Speaking of which, Enter the Haggis is made up of Brian Buchanan on lead vocals, fiddle, keyboards and guitar (this guy was all over the stage...a musical jack of all trades), Trevor Lewington on lead vocals and guitar, Craig Downie on bagpipes, harmonica, what I believe to be a penny whistle and backing vocals, Mark Abraham on bass and backing vocals and James Campbell on drums. The band calls Toronto, Canada home (I thought the same thing! An Irish band from Canada...huh?).

Despite being from the great white North, these five guys created a sound that made you feel like you were in a cozy pub in Dublin. Let's put it this way, I don't remember what I was drinking before the band came onstage, but once Enter the Haggis started playing, I'm pretty sure I went to the bar and ordered myself a Guinness. The combination of the traditional Celtic instruments like bagpipes (a personal favorite of mine) and penny whistle with the more modern electric guitars and...get this...electric fiddle, made for a truly original musical experience. Speaking of that electric fiddle, at one point Buchanan actually pulled off a solo with that thing (using a wah-wah pedal I might add) that was absolutely unbelievable.

The band played through two sets of music and still their crowd (known as "Haggis Heads") wanted more. Upon taking the stage for set number two, Buchanan expressed a little humor when he took a swig of water from a bottle that had apparently already been opened, looked to his left at bassist Abraham and said "hope you don't have any cold sores...that's the gift that keeps on giving". Adding even more personality to the show, Lewington introduced the song "Broken Line" as being about his grandfather's involvement in the fight over building a pipeline through his backyard in Canada...how cool is that?

Buchanan mentioned that this show was actually being broadcast live over the internet for all their fans...err, Haggis Heads...to see. Having been to quite a few shows in my day, I'd have to say that's the first time I've heard of a band doing something like that for their fans. If you can't see them for yourself, I'd recommend logging on and catching one of those live, streaming Enter the Haggis shows. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Julian Casablancas with Tanlines

2010-02-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

9:30 Club
Washington, D.C.
January 12th, 2010

Tanlines
When I arrived at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday night, the music emanating from the place was loud enough to make me realize that opening act, Tanlines was already onstage. Upon entering the venue, I realized this “band” was actually a duo, with one guy playing guitar and the other doing something with a couple of laptops, an electric drum and what looked to be some sort of effects machine. The result was no different than what you might hear if you stepped into any run of the mill dance club with a DJ, the only exception being the guitar, which was nearly unnoticeable over the thump-thump of the beats. I guess the danceable music was fun, but watching it live wasn’t all that exciting. Tanlines (Jesse Cohen and Eric Emm) made sure we all knew who they were and where they were from as I’m pretty sure I heard “Tanlines…Brooklyn, New York” after almost every song. Still, why am I finding it so hard to remember anything distinguishing about them or their music? Pass.

Julian Casablancas
We all know Julian Casablancas from his day job as lead singer for seminal, garage rock titans The Strokes. The vocalist was going it alone tonight however, playing the 9:30 Club in support of his debut solo album, the recently released “Phrazes for the Young”. When the lights dimmed, Julian’s backing band took the stage and started right into “Tourist” off of the new album. After a few bars of the song had been played, Casablancas strutted onto the stage like the rock star that he is, casually grabbed his microphone and began singing in that laid back, monotone voice that just oozes cool.

If you haven’t heard the solo material, it is very much unlike the minimalist, scaled back garage rock of his other band, but is instead a grand production that incorporates everything but the proverbial kitchen sink. From the dance-pop lead single “11th Dimension” to “Ludlow St.”, which might sound at home in an old western saloon, to the tripped out synth-rock of “River of Breaklights”, you get the sense that Julian is experimenting with anything and everything that doesn’t fit within the confines of The Strokes template.

To that end, it takes a good amount of instrumentation to recreate this full sound in a live setting, which is why Casablancas was backed by two guitarists, two keyboardists, a drummer and a percussionist who occasionally became a third guitarist. Julian is not one to interact much with the audience, so it was interesting to hear a little humor from him as he was forced to ad lib when his drummer’s kick pedal broke during the first song in the set. Julian - “So Maryland is close by? Who’s from Maryland?”…cheers from a good portion of the crowd…Julian – “You guys have the coolest flag of all…it’s so cool I want to wear it…I have no affiliation though”.

Equipment malfunctions aside, Julian and company proceeded to play through nearly every song off of the solo record. The tunes translated perfectly to the live setting…the grand sound of all those guitars and keyboards filling the venue from wall to wall. A few surprises were thrown in here and there, including a b-side and one song that Julian and his band apparently “threw together before the show”. The crowd seemed to eat it all up, leaving no doubt that Julian Casablancas is still one of the reigning kings of rock n roll…Strokes or no Strokes.

National Symphony Orchestra

2010-02-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Concert Hall
Washington D.C.
January 8th, 2010

The Music Binge was out to get cultured this week my friends. Having seen a multitude of different types and styles of music over the course of this project, I still hadn’t witnessed something quite like what I saw and heard on Friday night. As I took my seat and the lights in the massive Kennedy Center concert hall dimmed, I had no idea what I was about to experience.

Note: There will be no pictures accompanying this review due to the nature of the performance, i.e. I didn’t feel comfortable trying to sneak a few shots like I normally do…a rock show this was not.

Concerto in B minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61 composed by Edward Elgar
The performance began when the conductor, Leonard Slatkin entered and took his place on the riser directly in front of the orchestra members. Following this grand entrance came an even grander one, when concertmaster (which means she is subordinate only to the conductor) Nurit Bar-Josef, a violinist, entered the hall and found her place at the head of the string section. Finally, and possibly the most impressive, guest violinist and the star of the first act, Nikolaj Znaider entered and took his post, standing directly to the left of the conductor.

In addition to the massive string section (which included Znaider and Bar-Josef), the first composition of the evening featured two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, a contrabassoon (basically a larger bassoon), four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, a tuba and a timpani (otherwise known as a kettle drum)…whew, that was a mouthful! The next thing that happened completely blew my mind. With a wave of his wand, Slatkin had the entire ensemble, which had heretofore been randomly warming up their instruments, playing one note in unison. The resulting sound was kind of like that THX sound you hear in a theater before the movie starts, when the 5.1 surround sound melds perfectly in your eardrums. Truly amazing!

Slatkin proceeded to lead the orchestra into their performance of "Concerto in B minor" as Znaider stood idly by his side, with eyes closed, his head bobbing at all the right places in the music. Finally, when his time came, the guest violinist situated his instrument beneath his chin, steadied his bow on the strings and then erupted into a flurry of motion and sound. Considered to be one of the premier violinists in the world, Znaider commanded the stage and led the entire orchestra through the first act of their performance. This guy made playing the violin look every bit as cool as any rock God with a guitar…he was impressive to say the least.

On a side note, and adding to Znaider’s coolness, the instrument he played during this performance has an unbelievable history behind it. The violin is called the "ex-Kreisler" and was made by Guarnerius del Gesu (one of the most revered violin makers in history) in 1741. It is on loan to Mr. Znaider by The Royal Danish Theater (Znaider is Danish). The violin is the same one that was played at the premiere of the "Concerto in B minor" in London on November 10th, 1910 (Fritz Kreisler was the soloist that night). How’s that for a history lesson?

The Planets, Op. 32 composed by Gustav Holst
For act two, the National Symphony Orchestra re-tooled, this time taking the stage with four flutes, three oboes, an English horn, three clarinets, a bass clarinet, three bassoons, a contrabassoon, six horns, four trumpets, two trombones, one bass trombone, a tenor tuba, a bass tuba, two timpanis, a bass drum, cymbals and percussion that included a glockenspiel (a smaller, higher pitched version of a xylophone), a gong, bells, a side drum, a suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, a tambourine, a triangle, a xylophone and a celesta (similar to a xylophone, but played via a keyboard instead of by striking with a mallet). Oh yeah, there was also an organ, two harps, a full string section and a women’s chorus…impressed yet? The whole ensemble was again led by conductor Leonard Slatkin and concertmaster Nurit Bar-Josef.

Unlike the performance during act one, "The Planets" had no soloist and was therefore a true sum of all the various parts that made up the orchestra. This piece of music is divided into seven movements, all of which are based on…you guessed it…planets. It opened with the strikingly dark, almost sinister sounds of "Mars, the Bringer of War", which melded into the more soothing, calming sounds of "Venus, the Bringer of Peace". The music then evolved into the more upbeat sounding "Mercury, the Winged Messenger", which eventually gave way to the centerpiece of "The Planets", "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity".

In my mind, that’s what was so amazing about listening to the second act of the orchestra’s performance tonight, the fact that each of the seven planetary movements was easily discernable from one another, whether you were familiar with the piece or not. The jovial sounds of Jupiter devolved into the dreary, depressing sounds of "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age". And right on the heels of that segment was the appropriately mesmerizing "Uranus, the Magician" and then the finale, "Neptune, the Mystic". "The Planets" came to a close with the vocals from the women’s choir, set offstage and out of sight of the audience, echoing gently and growing quieter and softer until there was nothing left but silence. The effect was incredible, as if you’ve reached the end of the universe as we know it and all that is left is the nothingness of space. An overwhelmingly, amazing performance…the National Symphony Orchestra introduced me to an entirely new side of music, as classical is a genre I hadn’t previously given much attention. Like that aforementioned great expanse we call the universe, the Music Binge too continues to expand.

Clutch with Doomriders, Lionize and Never Got Caught

2010-02-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

9:30 Club
Washington DC
December 28th, 2009

Let it be known that I have probably seen Clutch no less than a dozen times dating back to 1996 when I first saw them headline an incredible bill that included Fu Manchu, Orange 9MM and Core. While they are truly an amazing live act in their own right, one of the most exciting things about a Clutch show is finding out who they’ve pegged as openers. Throughout the years, I’ve been introduced to an eclectic bunch of opening bands like Stinking Lizaveta, The BellRays, Dixie Witch and Clutch’s own side project The Bakerton Group, just to name a few. Tonight however, the Maryland boys one-upped even themselves by assembling one of the strongest lineups I’ve seen in quite some time.

Never Got Caught
Prior to this show, I was unfamiliar with this Beantown power-trio which includes Bryan Hinkley on vocals and guitar, Bill Hinkley on drums and Paul Dallaire on bass. I had no idea what to expect, particularly when the fellas took the stage in spiffy suits and nice hats looking more like a bunch of 1930’s era gangstas ready for a bank robbery than a rock band. Once they started playing however, it was all about that heavy, heavy groove.

It was easy to see (or hear rather) how Never Got Caught got on this tour as their musical style gives a rather obvious nod to Clutch (and it just so happens that Clutch vocalist Neil Fallon lends guest vocals to one of the songs on their latest album, “Creepshow”). What sets these guys apart from their peers however is the healthy dose of classic rock that permeates their sound…listening to Never Got Caught is like listening to the bastard child of Clutch and AC/DC. This correlation is due in no small part to Bryan Hinkley’s raspy vocal style which often evokes Bon Scott and that classic rock guitar sound that owes an awful lot to fellow Bostonians, Aerosmith.

Never Got Caught proved to be an excellent opening act for the evening and got the proceedings off on the right foot. When the band finished playing one particular song, Hinkley immediately leaned into his mic with arms stretched out, palms up and simply said (with a heavy Boston accent) “Eh?...Eh?”…translation: “pretty damn good, right?” The answer was a resounding yes, and by the sound of the crowd, most everyone in attendance agreed with me.

Lionize
Local (Silver Spring, MD) stoner/reggae fusion act Lionize was next on tonight’s bill. The band consists of Chris Brooks on keys, Henry Upton on bass, Mel Randolph on drums and the duo of Nate Bergman and, to my surprise, Clutch’s Tim Sult on guitars (Tim isn’t listed on the band’s website as a member, but he was up there onstage tonight). The tunes sounded like Sixty Watt Shaman meets Bob Marley, or in other words, a heavy dose of stoner jam-rock mixed with reggae. Lionize managed to blend the two styles so seamlessly, I had to wonder why it hadn’t been attempted before now. Throw in the Doors-like organ, which was prominent throughout the band’s set, and you have a perfectly original musical concoction. Yet again, a very impressive performance and a perfect opening act for the legendary Clutch.

Doomriders
As I watched the next band set up their equipment, I was extremely skeptical as to whether or not they could meet the high expectations associated with having a name as utterly cool as Doomriders. Lucky for me, this Boston (what’s in the water up there?) based act met my expectations and then some. Sounding like a slightly less heavy version of High on Fire, the band proved to be the highlight of the night in my mind.

Doomriders consists of Nate Newton (who also plays bass in hardcore band Converge) on guitar and vocals, Jebb Riley on bass, Chris Pupecki on guitar and John-Robert Conners on drums. The band’s abrasive style, which was much more “metal” than anything else on tonight’s bill, seemed to catch a large percentage of the crowd off guard. Fifteen years ago that may not have been the case at a Clutch show, but the headliners’ audience has changed over the years to fit their stylistic shift towards a more bluesy, jam-band type of rock…a metal crowd, this was not. That fact wasn’t lost on Newton, as was evidenced after finishing one song when he smirked and said to the crowd, with a hint of sarcasm, “kind of crazy, huh?”

It was obvious that the band was having a blast onstage, tearing through songs off their latest album “Darkness Come Alive” (a masterpiece if I do say so myself…I picked it up at the show after witnessing their set). Newton’s sense of humor was obvious throughout the set, for example after asking the crowd to “give it up for Never Got Caught”, to which he got a very mild response, he screamed “oh c’mon, give it up for Never Got Caught!”, at which point the crowd erupted and the singer said simply…“proper”, before launching into the band’s next song. On a night chock full of amazing bands, Doomriders were the cream of the crop (and like it or not, I’m including Clutch in that assessment)…proper indeed!

Clutch
One of the best things about going to a Clutch show is that you never know exactly what you’ll hear. They’re liable to play anything off of their nine studio albums (and three EPs/compilations) on any given night. That’s why when I heard that this tour would feature a full performance of their 1995 self-titled masterpiece, I was actually somewhat disappointed. Now don’t get me wrong, I tend to agree with the majority of Clutch fans, that the self-titled release is in fact their high water mark. But, they have so much great music in their repertoire, that it seems a shame to focus two-thirds of a set list on one album. But the whole “play an older album in its entirety” strategy seems to be the flavor of the moment for a lot of bands recently (see The Cult, Megadeth, et al), so I guess I’m not all that surprised.

Having said all of that, the stoner rock godfathers, hailing from Germantown, Maryland, took the stage and launched right into “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” off of their incredible new album, “Strange Cousins from the West”. Realizing these guys need no introduction, I’ll do it anyway. The band is made up of Neil Fallon on vocals (and occasional guitar) and Tim Sult on guitar, both of whom I’ve already mentioned previously in this review. In addition, Clutch consists of Dan Maines on bass and of course, the best rock drummer since John Bonham…Jean-Paul Gaster.

After rolling through over half of their latest album, the band settled into the “in its entirety” performance of their self-titled opus. Again, having heard all of these songs multiple times live, I have to admit that I wasn’t astonished to have the experience of listening to them in the order that they appear on the album. However, given that I had consumed my fair share of frothy beverages by this point in the evening and the band was playing what amounts to my favorite album (of theirs), I found myself shouting right along with Fallon (and the rest of the crowd) by the time he sang “we got Greedo…Solo to the rear” off of “Big News II”.

If you’re at all familiar with Clutch, then you know what ensued over the next hour or so as they worked their way through the album. From the powerful swagger of “Rock n Roll Outlaw” to the requisite crowd sing-along during “Spacegrass” (”Dodge Swinger, 1973, top down, chassis free…Buzz Aldrin, Armstrong, or maybe just me…Don’t worry, its coming…Don’t worry its coming…Jesus on the dashboard!”) to the intense, yet zany hardcore of “Animal Farm”, Clutch was on top of their game tonight, as always.

By the time they reached the chilled out, laid back album closer, the instrumental “Tim Sult vs The Greys”, it’s a wonder the band, or their audience, had anything left in the tank. But after a short break, the boys returned to the stage for an encore that included two more tracks from the new album in addition to an energetic version of “Regulator” and then the finale…“Gravel Road” off of my second favorite Clutch record, “Robot Hive/Exodus”. By this point, the 9:30 Club crowd had been sufficiently rocked.

If you’ve never seen a Clutch show (and you’re at all interested in rock music), then you owe it to yourself to do so. They are truly one of the most talented acts you’re likely to see, undoubtedly due to their incredible work ethic…these guys tour like no other band around. To use their own words, Clutch are “veterans of the trade” and they continue to prove it every single time I see them…tonight was no different.

Set List
50,000 Unstoppable Watts
Struck Down
Minotaur
Let a Poor Man Be
Algo Ha Cambiado
Abraham Lincoln
Big News I
Big News II
Rock n Roll Outlaw
Texan Book of the Dead
Escape From the Prison Planet
Spacegrass
I Have the Body of John Wilkes Booth
Tight Like That
Animal Farm
Droid
The House that Peterbilt
7 Jam
Tim Sult vs The Greys

Encore
Freakonomics
Motherless Child
Regulator
Gravel Road

A Service of Carols, Communion and Candlelight

2010-01-31T07:26:00.000-08:00

First Baptist Church
Shelby, NC
December 24th, 2009

With the holidays upon us, the Music Binge was on the road this week, visiting and celebrating with family. Given the nature of this blog, I was desperate for a show to write about to fulfill my weekly obligation, but had thus far come up empty. On Christmas Eve, I found myself wondering how, and more importantly where, I was going to manage to see anything remotely relevant to this project. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about it for long. As I sat with my family in a small church in a little town called Shelby, North Carolina, the sounds of an orchestra pierced the night and I realized I had found the source for my weekly write-up…

Many readers may find it strange to see a review of a Christmas Eve church service posted here alongside entries about various rock and metal acts that may or may not sit at the opposite end of the spiritual spectrum. If so, I’d ask that those people go back and read my initial post for this blog (So What's It All About?). In my mind, music is music and art is art. There are no boundaries. There are no styles, classifications or labels that will be omitted here. I encourage people to think outside of the box when it comes to music (or anything for that matter) and don’t be afraid to give anything a listen…you never know what may come of it.

Stepping down from my pulpit (no pun intended), I’ll now get back to the business at hand. The small orchestra, consisting of strings, horns and percussion, played through various Christmas carols as the crowd continued to file into the church. Given the daily rigors of life…work, traffic, relationships, work…I oftentimes find it difficult to get into the “Christmas spirit”, but more than any other time this holiday season, I felt it at that specific moment. It’s truly amazing, the effects that music can have on your mood and on your overall frame of mind.

The orchestra soon gave way to a hand bell choir that was incredibly fascinating to watch and of course to hear. A group of probably fifteen or so men and women, each with different sized bells, some small and high pitched, others larger and lower in sound, were led through another series of soothing Christmas carols. This was turning into quite the holiday event.

The Christmas Eve ceremony that followed was filled with some amazing musical endeavors. Listening to a duet of “Gesu Bambino” by Rachel and Mary Roby (mother and daughter), I felt like the church had been transformed into an Italian opera house. A solo performance of “O Holy Night” by Gina McWhirter was equally impressive. And of course the requisite church choir singing carols like “O Come, All Ye Faithful”, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World” over the traditional duo of piano and pipe organ was simultaneously awe inspiring and comforting.

Sitting there with my family, the whole experience made me both nostalgic for the more innocent time of my childhood and thankful for all that I have now as an adult. By the time the entire congregation stood together (the place awash with the glow from the candles each person held in front of them) singing “Silent Night, Holy Night”, I knew that this Christmas Eve service had given me all the material and the inspiration I needed for my next entry into the Year Long Music Binge.

Album Review - La Fin du Monde: Monolith

2010-01-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest review for the new La Fin du Monde album, Monolith. It's available over at Heavy Planet.

Margot MacDonald

2010-01-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Millennium Stage
Washington D.C.
December 18th, 2009

The Binge was back at the Kennedy Center on Friday night to witness local pop-rock sensation (she’s only 18 years old) Margot MacDonald ride the wave of momentum associated with being nominated for five 2009 Wammies (Washington Area Music Awards) onto the Millennium Stage. A quick glance at said stage informed me that this would be an atypical set for the young artist as I noticed a couple of acoustic guitars, an upright bass and what looked like a big wooden block surrounded by cymbals. My understanding is that Margot’s gigs are usually of the “plugged-in” variety, incorporating more traditional “rock band” instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass and a full drum set.

Tonight however, the singer/songwriter was accompanied by K.C. Hatton on acoustic guitar, Trevor Olexy on upright bass and Danny Schwartz on the aforementioned wooden block, which is actually an instrument called a cajon. If you haven’t heard of it, a cajon is basically a box drum that is slapped with the hands. Schwartz sat straddling the instrument so that the striking surface was between his legs. I, for one, have never seen anything like it and was quite honestly surprised at the volume and depth of the sounds it created.

Strange percussion instruments aside, when Margot took the stage, she introduced herself to the crowd and informed us that this wasn’t her first time performing at the Kennedy Center. Apparently she was here when she was 10, playing the part of a street urchin in the musical “Carmen”. Given the somewhat older crowd in attendance, undoubtedly not her usual audience, Margot mentioned that she was probably dressed quite a bit differently tonight than she was back then, a joking reference to the short skirt and cowboy boots which made up her current stage attire.

The quartet played through a very entertaining, hour long set of songs from Margot’s solo albums, with some interesting and exciting covers sprinkled throughout. In addition to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, the band managed an improbable acoustic cover of Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” with vocals so impressive that I’m not sure even Robert Plant himself could match them (at this point in his career that is). The highlight however, was the finale…but I’m getting ahead of myself.

In addition to Margot’s powerful vocals and notable guitar playing, her band was equally impressive. Hatton seemed to play his acoustic guitar with a sort of Latin flair that reminded me of Santana. This was especially evident during two particular numbers when Margot and K.C. performed sans rhythm section, resulting in a fantastic duet of guitar playing overlaid only by Margot’s striking vocals, which oftentimes reminded me of Evanescence’s Amy Lee. When onstage, Olexy was proficient on the upright bass and I’ve already mentioned the impressive percussion by Schwartz on the cajon.

The band even tried to get into the holiday spirit when Danny mentioned that there were Margot MacDonald cds for sale in the lobby. Due to the nature of the free Millennium Stage concerts and unbeknownst to Mr. Schwartz, apparently hocking your wares is against Kennedy Center rules. When Margot politely leaned over and mentioned to him that “you can’t do that”, Schwartz got an uncomfortable looking smile on his face and quickly recovered, saying “well in that case…happy holidays everybody”. The resulting laughter seemed to endear the band to their audience all the more.

As with any great performance, the time flew by and the show was over all too soon. Before leaving for good though, Margot mentioned that she wanted to try something special for us as a sort of finale/encore. As the three members of her band left the stage, the singer explained that she’d been given a “loop pedal” as an early Christmas present and wanted to try it out for us tonight. Using only this device, her voice and a rhythm created by clapping her hands, Margot performed an astonishing, multi-layered cover of Imogen Heap’s “Just for Now”. By far the highlight of the evening, this amazing solo performance has to be seen to be believed (see it for yourself here: Margot MacDonald at Kennedy Center). Margot MacDonald proved herself to be quite a talent on the Millennium Stage tonight, despite her relative youth. If you get the opportunity, I recommend you check her out.

Contributing Writer – Heavy Planet

2010-01-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

FYI, in addition to the Music Binge, I will occasionally be contributing album/concert reviews to Heavy Planet. I encourage you to check out this blog as it is an excellent resource for anything and everything stoner/doom metal related. My first album review was for a new EP by the band Blood of the Tyrant, which can be found here. Take care!

The Santaland Diaries performed by Joe Brack

2010-01-13T14:16:00.000-08:00

The Warehouse Theater
Washington D.C.
December 10th, 2009

The following review is going to be a bit of a departure from the norm for the Music Binge, given the fact that its not...well...music. However, it is a performance and it is art, so I feel that it still fits the bill for what this whole project is all about. And it’s my blog, so if you don't like it, don't read it. As always...enjoy!

Before I get into talking about the actual show that I witnessed tonight, let me first fill you in on the tucked away little gem that is the Warehouse Theater. Given that I am no theater buff, I have very little knowledge about the venues in this city that host such events. Since the metro stop for this place was Gallery Place/Chinatown, a hub for DC tourists and suburbanites looking to have some fun in the "big city", I figured I was heading to a well known and oft-frequented venue. What I didn't realize is that after walking 4 or 5 blocks from the metro and leaving the lights and glitz of the Chinatown area behind me, I was actually heading to a dark, back-alley theater-dive. To enter the Warehouse Theater, I literally had to walk through a barren parking lot towards a building that looked like...you guessed it...an abandoned warehouse. The only thing that gave me the remote hope that I was heading in the right direction was the huge blow-up Frosty the Snowman waving at me from the door. There were no signs, no cars in the parking lot, not even other theater-goers to lead the way, since I was nearly an hour early...this was going to be interesting.

Once inside, I found the place to be a small, cozy escape from the freezing cold. Christmas lights adorned the walls, a small, makeshift bar was set up in the corner and three rows of tiered chairs were set out on either side of the place, creating a stage right in the center of the room. The theater was probably big enough to seat about 100 people, tops.

After the crowd filled in, there were a few brief announcements about the theater company and the usual guidelines were laid out for us...no photography, no exiting the venue during the performance and no cell phones...at which time of course, someone's cell phone began to ring. The unfortunate person sitting in the front row scrambled to answer his phone and when he couldn't get it out of his pocket, he was forced to stand up and take the call while all eyes rested solely on him. What a perfect way to get the attention of your audience! It didn't take long to figure out that the owner of the misbehaving cell phone was in fact Mr. Joe Brack himself...and alas, The Santaland Diaries was underway.

If you aren't familiar with the play, it is a comedy based on an essay by David Sedaris about his experiences working as a Christmas elf at Macy's in New York City. As far as I know, it is a true story. The stage adaptation is a one-man show, which in my opinion, makes it all the more interesting. Like musicians who take the stage solo, any actor who can get in front of an audience and carry an entire performance on their shoulders alone has, without a doubt, earned my respect.

Joe Brack did a superb job of handling this pressure and showing all in attendance what it might be like to work as "Crumpet the elf". The humiliation of such a job was described early on in the performance when Brack, adorned in a pointy hat and stockings pulled to his knees, quietly recited about his attire: "I wear green, velvet knickers, a forest green velvet smock and a perky little hat decorated with spangles. This is my work uniform."

The humor of The Santaland Diaries is in the self-deprecating, raw and uncut variety, not unlike the movie Bad Santa starring Billy Bob Thornton. The performance uses the experiences of Crumpet the elf to point out the uglier side of the holiday season...everything from spoiled, greedy kids and their catering parents to racism (when one parent requests not to be sent to a black Santa). It is a no-holds barred look into the over-commercialization of the holidays and it is unfortunately all too real. Countless times during the performance, I thought to myself "sad, but true". Take this sample exchange between Crumpet, the mother of a spoiled child and said spoiled child...all acted out perfectly by Brack:

"This morning I worked as an exit elf, telling people in a loud voice: this way out of Santaland. A woman was standing at one of the cash registers paying for her pictures while her son lie beneath her, kicking and heaving, having a tantrum.

The woman said, Riley, if you don't start behaving yourself, Santa's not going to bring you any of those toys you asked for. The child said: he is too going to bring me toys, liar. He already told me.

The woman grabbed my arm and said: you there, elf, tell Riley here that if he doesn't start behaving immediately, then Santa's going to change his mind and bring him coal for Christmas. I said that Santa changed his policy and no longer traffics in coal. Instead, if you're bad, he comes to your house and steals things.

I told Riley that if he didn't behave himself, Santa was going to take away his TV and all his electrical appliances and leave him in the dark. All of your appliances Riley, including the refrigerator. Your food is going to spoil and smell bad. It is going to be so cold and dark where you are. You're going to wish you never even heard the name Santa.

The woman got a worried look on her face and said: all right, that's enough. I said: he's going to take your car and your furniture and all of your towels and blankets and leave you with nothing. The mother said: no, that's enough really."

It's that kind of scathing humor that permeates The Santaland Diaries and Brack's performance. The slow, transformation from a humiliated Macy's employee forced to wear a stupid looking elf costume, to a vindictive and spiteful person, tired of witnessing the ill-effects of society's overindulgence during the holidays. And haven't we all felt that same transformation during the holiday season? As the excitement of finding that perfect gift for a special someone gives way to the angst and ire of dealing with the waves of humanity at the local shopping mall.

The highlight of Brack's performance as Crumpet the elf had to be the segment where Santa is asking each child to sing his/her favorite Christmas carol. When one particularly shy child refuses to sing, Santa turns to his trusty elf (Crumpet of course) and asks him to sing instead. The carol to be sung is "Away in a Manger" and Brack/Crumpet, angry at the mere thought of having to sing for this kid, decides to do his best Billie Holiday rendition. Brack's mock-sexy performance as he sang in a sultry voice "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little lord Jesus lay down his sweet head" was laugh-out-loud hilarious.

I don't want to give the impression that the whole point of The Santaland Diaries is to merely be cynical about the holidays. Towards the end of the play, when Brack/Crumpet witnesses a mother yelling at her child for crying on Santa's lap and thus ruining the perfect photo-op, the true message is revealed. The point of Sedaris's essay, which Brack's performance made perfectly clear, is that Christmas has become a time when many (most?) people attempt to create the ideal, perfect world for themselves, even when that world isn't representative of real life. It is a humorous way of saying that we've lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas and the holiday season. Watching Brack in the Santaland Diaries was a great reminder that we all need to slow down to enjoy the season…and life for that matter.

Sloan with Magneta Lane

2010-01-04T22:02:00.000-08:00

Jammin’ Java
Vienna, VA
December 1st, 2009

Due to what I’m going to call "technical difficulties", there will be no pictures to accompany the following review.

Magneta Lane
Toronto garage-rock cum pop-punk act Magneta Lane was first on the bill tonight at Jammin’ Java. The all-female three-piece consists of Lexi Valentine on guitar and vocals, Nadia King on drums and, for this tour anyway, Kat Theodorelos on bass. Apparently the band’s permanent bass player is attending "university" back in Canada, so Kat, who regularly plays in fellow Toronto band, Lipstick Machine, is filling her shoes for the time being.

Valentine’s vocals reminded me of Karen-O from the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, only without the screaming. She had that "I’m so bored, I’m cool" kind of sound that really provided a perfect contrast to the loud, feedback-laden music. The vocalist stayed in self-deprecating character even when addressing the crowd, as she mumbled an almost incoherent explanation for why she kept studying the back of her guitar between songs…apparently she forgot to wear her glasses and as such couldn’t see the band’s set list on the stage, so she taped it to the back of her instrument.

Meanwhile, King, whose face could rarely be seen through the bushy, brunette mop on her head, seemed utterly determined to destroy her drum kit as she laid down the foundation of the band’s attack. Adorned in various combinations of skirts, heels and cowboy boots, Magneta Lane had a sassy look to match their equally sassy sound…kind of like a more respectable, Hole-era Courtney Love. The "beauty meets brawn" dichotomy of the band’s image and sound easily won over the half-full crowd in attendance tonight at Jammin’ Java.

Sloan
My first experience with Canadian alt-pop band Sloan, which was all the way back in the early 90’s (I’m dating myself), wasn’t one I look back on fondly. This was during the height of the major record label frenzy to swallow up anything labeled "alternative" due to the popularity of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, et al. At that time, Sloan had a minor radio hit with the song "Underwhelmed", which somehow propelled them to a headlining gig at a club called the Mad Monk (R.I.P.) in Wilmington, NC. My buddy and I, who were a couple of knuckleheads always looking for a good mosh pit to get mixed up in back in those days, made the hour long trek from our hometown to Wilmington in search of some action. Little did we know, we were heading to see a power-pop act that has more in common with the Fab Four than with Gang of Four, so needless to say, the scene was set for disappointment. As the show droned on (at least in our minds), my buddy finally decided to yell out the one and only song he knew, the aforementioned "Underwhelmed", to which vocalist/bassist (and sometimes drummer) Chris Murphy shot back a sarcastic retort for everyone in attendance to hear. The ensuing laughter from the crowd was embarrassing to say the least and Sloan would be forever cemented in our minds as a bunch of frat-boy, college rockers that could, for lack of a better term, kiss our collective asses.

Fast forward to present day…I’d like to think that my musical palate has expanded quite a bit over the course of the past 15 or so years. As such, I was back to make amends to a band that has stood the test of time and proven themselves as a mainstay in the alternative rock scene. I was ready for Sloan, take two. Of course, it didn’t take long for me to realize that Murphy hasn’t lost his witty, sarcastic sense of humor. Early on during the band’s set, he asked the audience "is this anyone’s first Sloan experience?"…when a few hands were raised he responded in his cocky, yet joking tone: "just finding out, huh?"…"yeah?"…"well, that’s okay".

Sloan is a band that doesn't rely on one particular member to handle lead vocals and a couple of the guys actually swap instruments during certain songs. I've already mentioned Murphy who primarily handled vocals and bass, but took a turn on the drums for a few songs. In addition, the band consists of Patrick Pentland, who played lead guitar and did his share of the vocal work, Jay Ferguson who played rhythm guitar, sang and played bass on a few tracks and Andrew Scott, who acted primarily as the band's drummer, but also took up the rhythm guitar and sang. Sloan was also accompanied by a keyboard player who, as you may have already guessed, provided vocals. Being proficient at multiple instruments and having one of four different voices out front at any given time gave the band a very diverse and interesting dynamic to their sound. You literally never knew what to expect from song to song.

Sloan is a band chock full of hooks and harmony and those in the audience who were familiar with their songs (I for one am not) seemed to eat it up. One fan in particular, who stood at the front and center of the stage, was a ball of energy, jumping up and down throughout the set, yelling song requests and singing word for word with whatever band member happened to be singing at the time. When Sloan did the aforementioned instrument swap, Murphy handed this guy a maraca and allowed him to keep the rhythm of the next song as the singer made his way back to the drum kit.

The rapport with the crowd continued throughout the band's set as they asked for requests...and when one fan yelled "Pen Pals...you haven't played that in three tours!", Murphy quickly retorted..."that's a fucking lie"...then turned to a young fan whom he had pointed out earlier in the show because she was celebrating her birthday and jokingly said "happy 13th birthday"...an obvious, semi-apology for his choice in language. This guy is funny I tell you.

For their encore, Sloan brought the enthusiastic front and center fan (the one with the maraca) onstage with them and gave the guy full reign over the microphone. Honest to God, I was completely blown away. The guy nailed every note of the song (again, I apologize as I have no idea what song was being played) and if you weren't looking, you never would have known it wasn't a member of the band doing the singing.

At the end of the day, I was glad I gave this band a second chance all these years later. Their Kiss meets the Beatles pop-rock sound combined with Murphy's wacky jokes and sarcasm are actually a breath of fresh air in the often stuffy "alt-rock" world. Amazing how age puts a new perspective on things.

Ryan Montbleau Band with Laura Tsaggaris

2009-12-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

Iota Club & Cafe
Arlington, VA
November 24th, 2009

With Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday frenzy right around the corner, I decided to tone it down a bit tonight, settling for the very laid back, pseudo-coffeehouse confines of the Iota Club and Cafe for my weekly music fix. Iota offered the perfect setting for a chill evening, with Christmas lights strung around the stage and a crowd consisting of both music fans and folks who were there to just relax, have a bite to eat, and sip a glass of wine. I had no idea what to expect from the acts on tonight's bill since I'd never heard of either one of them, but they too would prove a perfect segue into a time for being thankful.

Laura Tsaggaris
One of the things I respect more than anything else from a musician is the ability to get in front of a crowd by him or herself with nothing but a guitar and sing his/her own songs...no covers. In my mind, it is truly an amazing thing to witness. Local girl Laura Tsaggaris did exactly that.

Sitting atop a barstool with her guitar balanced on one knee, the strap dangling needlessly to the side, Laura played a stripped down set of songs with a very folksy vibe. She would have fit perfectly into the early 90's heyday of the Lilith Fair Tour. Lending even more to the coffeehouse vibe, Laura took a moment to introduce each song to her audience, ensuring that we felt what she was feeling when she wrote them. With her soothing voice and admirable guitar playing, Laura Tsaggaris was the perfect opening act for this evening...emotional, heartfelt, and most of all...inspiring.

Ryan Montbleau Band
I enjoyed the Ryan Montbleau Band so much, that I'm thankful I stumbled into Iota tonight just so I can call myself a fan of theirs. Are you sensing the theme of this article yet? My honest to God, takeaway impression of these guys can be summed up with the following question...how in the hell were they only playing a small place like Iota? The Boston based band features Ryan on guitar and vocals, Matt Gianarros on bass guitar (and upright bass at times, how cool is that?), Jason Cohen on keyboards, Laurence Scudder on violin and the ever smiling James Cohen on drums (no seriously, this guy wore a grin throughout the entirety of the band's set).

This is going to sound weird, but listening to the Ryan Montbleau Band was like listening to Tracy Chapman fronting the Dave Matthews Band. However even that description doesn't do justice to the range of capabilities displayed by Montbleau and company as they stylistically dipped in and out of folk rock, blue grass, reggae and even jazz, all in a matter of just a few songs. During one particular song, I felt like I had stepped into some backroom lounge act, like I should be sitting at a table in the corner, smoking a cigar, sipping a glass of brandy and having an important conversation. Comparisons to Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and even Otis Redding wouldn't be inaccurate...these guys are talented, I tell you.

Ryan was the perfect frontman, simultaneously being confidently witty and modestly humble. Sample exchange between him and the crowd after already thanking them profusely for coming out...Ryan: "I'm gonna continue to thank you all night"...someone in the crowd: "you're welcome"...Ryan: "thank you for saying you're welcome...now we're in a never ending spiral". He even performed a mini-solo set mid-show when the rest of the band left the stage, allowing Ryan to play a few songs on his own, just him and his guitar. See above for my thoughts on artists with that kind of talent and confidence.

The Ryan Montbleau Band has apparently played 41 cities in 52 nights. Ryan explained that when you're on tour, home keeps expanding. Being from Boston, when they first played in Buffalo, they thought "what the hell are we doing in Buffalo", but now when they get there they feel like they're almost home. He went on to explain that playing at Iota felt the same way...almost like home. Well Ryan, we're glad to have you my friend, and I for one will be back whenever you decide to visit your "home away from home" again.

Baroness with Earthless and U.S. Christmas

2009-12-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

Rock n’ Roll Hotel
Washington D.C.
November 18th, 2009

The Binge was at the Rock n' Roll Hotel this week, which is a very small, cozy venue in my favorite neighborhood in DC...the "up and coming" (which really means, keep to the beaten path or you may not make it home) Atlas District. The place is a freaky, little, hole-in-the-wall dive that doesn't hold much more than a couple of hundred people at best. And when I say freaky, I'm talking mannequins with steer skulls for heads, hanging from the ceiling freaky. So with that said, let's get to the business at hand.

U.S. Christmas
U.S. Christmas, hailing from a little town called Marion in my home state of North Carolina, was up first. The band literally crammed every square inch of the tiny R n' R Hotel stage as they consist of seven members! Lead by vocalist/guitarist Nate Hall, they played a psychedelic blend of stoner/sludge/doom rock. In addition to Hall, U.S. Christmas includes guitarists Matt Johnson and Chris Thomas, bassist Josh Holt, drummers B.J. Graves and Justin Whitlow and violinist Meghan Mulhearn. The dueling drummers, who quite literally blended together visually as if you were watching one drummer playing beside a mirror, provided a rhythm to the music that was heavier than all hell. And the subtle violin gave an eerie backdrop to the entire proceeding. Speaking of eerie, Hall had the skull of some mysterious, antlered animal hanging from his microphone stand, and to top it all off, he used it to hold his finger slide...weird! The band was nothing if not original, especially in a genre that has become oversaturated. Impressive.

Earthless
San Diego's Earthless were second on the bill and although foreign to me, there appeared to be quite a contingent there to see these guys. Appearing to be the band's front man, Isaiah Mitchell, walked onstage, thanked the crowd for coming out and then pushed the microphone away from him and proceeded to create a wall of feedback that lasted for at least five minutes. I knew immediately that those would be the last words we would hear from Mitchell, and true to my inclination, Earthless turned out to be an instrumental act. The band also includes bassist Mike Eginton and drummer Mario Rubalcaba, whose kit had one of the biggest bass drums I've ever laid my eyes on.

Earthless basically played one 40-minute song with Mitchell soloing for what seemed like 95% of that time. Now listen, I get what these guys are about and I have nothing but respect for it. Talent-wise, they have it in spades. With that being said, their shtick got old. Kyuss used to do this type of thing back in the day, but they did it much better. The difference? They had a vocalist, John Garcia, who would exit the stage and allow the rest of the band to play for what seemed like forever, but his presence alone ensured that you never, ever got bored with the music. Earthless weren't able to keep my attention in the same way. Perhaps they should consider adding a vocalist to the mix, even if it's only to offer the occasional distraction from all that guitar wankery.

Baroness
Baroness, from Savannah, Georgia, is the current torch bearer for stoner rock in my humble opinion. The band plays an amazing blend of slowed down, Clutch-like beard rock with a slight dose of Van Halen-esque guitar flare thrown in for good measure. Quite honestly, I could have listened to this shit all night long!

You would have been hard pressed to know the band was kicking off the tour in support of their latest opus "Blue Record" tonight, as they hit their stride immediately. Apparently these guys have ties to the DC area, having grown up in nearby Lexington, VA, which explains their decision to start the tour in DC (and explains vocalist/guitarist John Baizley’s tie to local bands Darkest Hour and Pig Destroyer, for whom he’s done album artwork in the past).

Baizley is quite the imposing figure, sporting a shaved head, a mighty beard and eyes that drill holes through the audience. When the vocalist screamed into the mic, the veins in his neck stood out so vividly, I thought they might explode…and those damn eyes, I tell you the man looked possessed! Baizley managed to command the stage, despite having nothing to say to the crowd throughout the first ¾ of the show. It wasn't until Baroness left for an encore that he addressed his audience, offering a sincere thanks and saying..."you allow us to do what we do".

Meanwhile, pig-tailed bassist Summer Welch was a maniac onstage, never losing the wicked smile that adorned his mug the entire night. And Peter Adams was equally as psychotic on the other side of the stage, handling lead guitar duty and playing off of Baizley’s rhythm guitar perfectly. Drummer Allen Blickle completed the picture, tying the whole thing up into a nice, neat package of southern-prog-swamp-metal bliss.

Speaking of pictures, behind the band was a backdrop with Baizley’s cover-art from “Blue Record”. This guy’s work really is worth a look, as he is an amazing artist. If you haven’t already done so, do yourself a favor and check out Baroness. Come for the music and stay for the art…just don’t get caught in the gaze of those eyes…

Lamb of God with Darkest Hour, Periphery and This or the Apocalypse

2009-12-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

9:30 Club
Washington D.C
November 11th, 2009

This marks the first (and probably not the last) time since initiating this project that I’ll be reviewing a band more than once. Taking a break from their stint on the Metallica tour (see Metallica with Lamb of God and Gojira), Lamb of God made a pit stop in DC to play a show that had all the makings of a true homecoming. To commemorate the occasion, the boys from Richmond, VA tagged local favorites Darkest Hour as openers in addition to two other regional acts, Periphery from Bethesda, MD and This or the Apocalypse from Lancaster, PA.

This or the Apocalypse
Who knew that the land of the Amish could produce a solid metal band? I have to hand it to the guys in This or the Apocalypse, they have a good time onstage. I don't think any of the five members in the band stopped bouncing and hopping throughout the entirity of their half hour set. Playing standard metalcore, replete with non-stop breakdowns and harsh vocals, TOTA proved to be a perfect opener for the evening, if a bit unoriginal. When the band's vocalist said "I want to see the stupidest circle pit the 9:30 Club has ever seen", I thought...whoa fella, those are some big words considering the impressive list of acts who've played this joint in the past. But I'll give it to the kid, the ensuing mayhem that opened up on the floor was impressive to say the least. Apparently these guys are playing with Machine Head tomorrow night in Long Island, NY. They've obviously done enough to get onstage with some real heavy hitters, so it'll be interesting to see where they go from here. A solid opening act.

Periphery
Periphery, featuring guitarists Misha Mansoor, Alex Bois and Jake Bowen (yes, that would be three guitars), bassist Tom Murphy, drummer Matt Halpern and vocalist Chris Barretto, would prove to be the surprise of the night. Hailing from DC suburbia (Bethesda, MD), the guys stormed the stage and acted as though they belonged in front of the near capacity 9:30 Club crowd. Sporting a very impressive afro, Barretto did his best angry guy/sensitive guy impression...you know, growling one minute and harmonizing the next. The style provided a nice change of pace and an interesting dynamic to the band's pummeling music. The vocals alone allowed Periphery to avoid the trap of monotony that can often accompany one trick pony metal bands who think the faster they play and the lower they growl, the better they sound.

The singer's choice in attire was a bit confusing however as he sported a t-shirt that read "New York Fucking City"...seemed an odd choice given the local nature of the show. Regardless, the band sounded phenomenal and in addition to This or the Apocalypse, I was extremely impressed with the lineup that Lamb of God had assembled for their evening in DC. On a side note, the pits continued to be a swirling mass of brutality during Periphery's set, a definite sign that the crowd was eager to bring the house down for the headliner.

Darkest Hour
Washington DC's Darkest Hour are, in my opinion, one of the most underrated and underappreciated metal bands on the planet. They helped to invent the aforementioned metalcore sound that has been popularized by bands like Killswitch Engage, All That Remains and As I Lay Dying. So with that said, I was extremely excited given that this was my first opportunity to see them live.

As much as I wanted to like them, I unfortunately found myself disappointed after watching Darkest Hour's set. Blame it on high expectations or the fact that they've been off the road for about three weeks (as was explained later by Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe when thanking Darkest Hour for opening), but something just didn't click for me. The band's songs all seemed to blend together without much to distinguish one from another (the exact thing I praised Periphery for avoiding).

The real highlights occurred when vocalist John Henry showed his humorous side (example: "Mosh so hard that somebody gets pregnant"...hahaha) or when he took a backseat and let guitarists Mike Carrigan and Mike Schleibaum step onto the risers at the front of the stage to play dualing guitar solos. Darkest Hour is rounded out by the rhythm section of bassist Paul Burnette and drummer Ryan Parrish who are solid, but didn't ease my feeling that something was missing. Still, Henry's sense of humor shined through as he leaned out over the front row of the crowd, threw his hair out of his face and asked "everyone here likes metal, I presume?"...very funny.

Perhaps the band would do well to take a few notes from their influences (one guitarist sported a Pantera shirt and the other a Down shirt) and slow it down a little bit. Part of my problem with Darkest Hour's set was that they seemed as though they were in a rush, like they needed to fit as many songs as possible into their 45 minute set. By the time they launched into "Doomsayer", their finale, I was ready for it to be over. As John Henry walked off the stage, he thanked everyone "for coming out to this show and supporting heavy fucking metal". You're very welcome John...but take a breather next time and give us a chance to enjoy it!

Lamb of God
"We are Lamb of God from Richmond fucking Virginia"...so said vocalist Randy Blythe as he and his band took the stage and rolled right into "Walk With Me in Hell". This is true grit heavy metal my friends, the kind that is not for the squeamish. As crazy as the DC crowd was for the three openers tonight, they reached another level when the headliners arrived, the floor turning into a swirl of humanity and the balcony a sea of fists and devil horns...a true sight to behold.

Blythe is a commanding heavy metal frontman. Not since Philip Anselmo (Pantera, Down, Superjoint Ritual, etc.) have I seen a guy who can work the stage and his audience in such an adept manner. The guy is a general out there and the audience are his troops. When he says to put your fists in the air, you do it and you do not ask questions.

Randy doesn't deny the true soldiers out there either as he makes sure to dedicate "Now You've Got Something To Die For" to the men and women of the armed services (something he did a few weeks ago at the Metallica gig as well). The singer continued by saying, those guys are "doing a dirty job in a shitty place...don't forget about them"...and then looked into the pit and screamed "this place is a warzone". Later, when guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell and drummer Chris Adler launched into "Laid to Rest", I looked down at the pit, saw an umbrella go flying through the air and had to admit that Blythe was right, this place is a warzone.

Lamb of God have apparently been on tour for about a year in support of their latest album "Wrath". Blythe mentioned that it has been great being on the road with Metallica, but that the "off-dates are a lot more fun where I can see all you motherfuckers"! Having just seen them in the arena environment, I have to admit, the band reaches a new level of energy and enthusiasm playing in a smaller venue in front of their own crowd. The place was truly alive.

Towards the end of the show, as the audience waited for the band to return for their second encore, the 9:30 Club was aglow with lighters (not cellphones!). Lamb of God returned to the stage to do a stunningly brutal rendition of their fan favorite "Black Label". When the smoke cleared, Randy looked out at the crowd and said "We are Lamb of God, we'll see you next time...Fugazi is up next" before dropping the mic to the floor (if you don't get that last quote, then do a little research on Ian MacKaye and the boys). A perfect coda to a night of local metal in DC's finest venue.

The Chuck Redd Quartet

2009-12-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Millennium Stage
Washington, DC
November, 6 2009

The Binge was back at the Kennedy Center on Friday night for another of their amazing "Millennium Stage" performances (see Moch Pryderi). This time the focus was vibraphonist Chuck Redd’s jazz quartet in what was billed as "A Celebration of Dizzy and Duke". Now I’m no jazz enthusiast, although I do have a healthy respect for the genre, but even I know that tagline was referring to legends Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington.

If you’re not familiar with what a vibraphone is, then you’re not alone. I walked into the Kennedy Center having no idea what to expect. The instrument basically looks just like a xylophone, however a little research tells me that there are some significant differences between the two instruments. For one, the vibraphone uses aluminum bars instead of wood and each bar has a tube paired with it, which produces a ringing "vibrato" effect when struck. Another key difference is that the vibraphone has a sustain pedal, much like a piano, which can be depressed to hold the sound for a longer period of time.

Now, with that key bit of information out of the way, let’s talk about the actual performance. Chuck Redd and the boys strutted onstage decked out in matching suits, looking like they belonged in some smoky, back-room jazz club from the 1960’s. Along with Chuck on the vibraphone, which sat at the front and center of the stage, the quartet also consisted of James King on the upright bass, John Toomey playing a Steinway & Sons grand piano and drummer Nucleo Vega.

With only an hour to play, the band wasted no time getting down to business. Redd played his instrument as fiercely as a rock guitarist would play theirs, making that "ooh it hurts so good" face with each strike of his mallets. Meanwhile, King was all over his fretless bass, moving his fingers so fast that I found myself holding my breath waiting for him to lose his place in the complex, polyrhythmic songs. He even launched into a solo at one point, while Toomey and Vega subtly played in the background, Chuck standing to the side looking on and coolly snapping his fingers to the beat.

As I said previously, I’m not familiar with jazz music or with the greats that were being celebrated tonight, but I did manage to jot down a few of the tunes that The Chuck Redd Quartet played during the set. Chuck introduced Gillespie’s "And Then She Stopped" by explaining that it featured a calypso beat. The band also played Ellington’s "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me" and Gillespie’s "A Night in Tunisia", the latter of which was opened with a stunning drum solo by Vega that Chuck introduced as an "African Battisti" performance.

Towards the end of the set, King and Vega left the stage and made room for an intense vibraphone/piano dual between Redd and Toomey. The two traded rhythms and runs back and forth, note for note until neither of them could resist breaking a smile, and when the rest of the quartet reemerged to finish the set, there wasn’t a person in the room who hadn’t joined them in smiling. When the band finished, they were met with a rousing ovation and chants for an encore. Having come from DC’s own Blues Alley jazz scene, I’m sure Chuck Redd isn’t accustomed to ending his evening at such an early hour. However, the band’s leader returned and regretfully informed us all that the Kennedy Center doesn’t allow them to play for more than an hour, but thanked us all so much for their enthusiasm. A classy ending to a classy evening…kudos Mr. Redd.

Pinback with Obits

2009-11-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

Black Cat
Washington, DC
October 28, 2009

Obits
Obits, hailing from New York City, did the honors of warming up the crowd for Pinback on Wednesday night at the Black Cat. A quick glance at the merch booth gave me all the information I needed to perk my interest in the band as I discovered they’re on the Sub Pop label, who’s ever growing list of artists is legendary to say the least. While tuning his guitar, vocalist/guitarist Rick Froberg casually asked the crowd if anyone knew the score of the World Series before he and the rest of the band launched into their set. From then on, Obits, which also includes guitarist Sohrab Habibion, bassist Greg Simpson and drummer Scott Gursky, were all business.

Obits’ sound is like listening to a garage rock band with Dick Dale playing guitar. The blending of the surf guitar style with their noisy punk rock was both fun and original. The kids down front didn’t seem to mind that the guys in the band are more than likely hovering around their parent’s age, as they bobbed their heads along to songs from Obits’ recently released debut album "I Blame You". There were no gimmicks to be found here, even when Gursky used a maraca as a drumstick. This is no frills rock n’ roll my friends, the kind that’s easy to move to, even if you’ve never heard any of it before.

Pinback
Pinback are one of those bands whose pop songs take root in your head and they’re just impossible to get them out. If you enjoy listening to their music, then you’d enjoy listening to them play live because they sound great. Unfortunately, there isn’t too much else to say about the Pinback live experience. The San Diego side project turned focus of Rob Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV (Zach) consists of four multi-instrumentalists and a drummer onstage and that’s about all you need to know. The guys swap out playing guitar, bass and keyboards (they literally have four keyboards onstage!) throughout the set and all of them provide vocals, although Rob and Zach handle the majority of the singing.

The set did have a bit of an art-house vibe to it as each song was accompanied by a homemade video, which was being broadcast on a screen behind the band. Of course it’s always fun too, to see how many beers Crow will consume throughout the course of one performance (I counted six tonight…not counting the one he was drinking while inconspicuously watching from among the crowd as Obits played). Make no mistake, I love Pinback and I’ll be back to see them again, but Rob is a shy front man and Zach doesn’t really do much to step up in that department either. With these guys, it’s all about whether or not you dig the music…and I certainly do!

Metallica with Lamb of God and Gojira

2009-11-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

Time Warner Cable Arena
Charlotte, North Carolina
October 18th, 2009

The Music Binge was on the road again this week, this time coming at you from Charlotte, NC. I was visiting a buddy in the Queen City who managed to score some amazing seats for the Metallica show...so big thanks to him! But before I get ahead of myself, Metallica had a couple of heavy hitters lined up to play in front of them, so let's get on with it.

Gojira
This was my second Gojira experience and I have to say, I've been impressed each time that I've seen them. These Frenchmen play a brand of poly-rhythmic metal with lots of stops and starts, much like Meshuggah. Heavier than a loaded cement truck, Gojira took their best shot at caving in the relatively new ceiling of the Time Warner Cable Arena.

Vocalist/guitarist Joe Duplantier, guitarist Christian Andreu and bassist Jean-Michel Labadie did a great job of rotating around the massive "in the round" stage that had been set up in the center of the building's floor. With microphones set at all four sides and all four corners of the stage, the three bandmembers made sure to give each side of the late arriving crowd plenty of attention. All the while, drummer (and Joe's brother) Mario Duplantier sat center stage, pounding out the rhythms that were the backbone of Gojira's onslaught.

It was obvious that this was a special show for the guys in Gojira when Joe Duplantier informed the crowd that this was their last date on the Metallica tour. As if to commemorate the occasion, Randy Blythe from Lamb of God came storming onto the stage to lay down some impressive vocals alongside Duplantier. Gojira's vocalist showed his appreciation for being given such a prestigious opening slot by thanking each member of the legendary headliners individually. The crowd, which had filled in as the band worked their way through their half hour set, roared in approval when Duplantier announced that this was Gojira's first time playing in North Carolina. By the sound of it, you'll be welcomed back anytime Joe!

Lamb of God
As Gojira's equipment was removed, four carpets were laid down on the stage with Lamb of God's logo emblazened on them (no doubt to soak up the massive quantities of water that Randy Blythe would soon be dousing over his head) and the drumset that sat on a massive riser in the corner of the stage was unveiled. The biggest band of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal was up next and you could feel the anticipation in the air. When the lights went down, the boys from Richmond, Virginia hijacked the stage for 45 minutes of pure aural brutality.

I have to give it to Metallica, you must feel pretty comfortable with your ability as a live act to willingly follow a band like Lamb of God each night. Rolling through bludgeoning cuts like "Redneck", "Ruin" and "Black Label", the band simultaneously impressed and scared the shit out of the Charlotte crowd, who were primarily there to see Metallica and Metallica only. Unlike the guys in Gojira, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler and bassist John Campbell were content to stand their ground on the stage focusing solely on the music, leaving the aforementioned Blythe to rotate around, spitting and spewing his venom all over the audience. All the while, drummer Chris Adler sat atop that huge drum riser, pounding the skins and showing off his impressive, chest-long goatee.

The highlight of the set had to be when Blythe reminded those in attendance that there are some of us who couldn't be here tonight because they're in a shitty place, doing a shitty job so that all of us could be here. He was of course referring to the United States Armed Forces as he dedicated "Now You've Got Something To Die For" to the members of the U.S. military. As if to punctuate the dedication, someone in the crowd held up a U.S. Marine Corps flag to which Randy pointed, all the while nodding in approval.

Like Gojira's vocalist earlier, Randy took time out during his band's set to thank Metallica for the opportunity to play on their tour. He also mentioned that the headliners paved the way for bands like Lamb of God. Listening to some of their more recent albums, it's hard to believe, but Blythe is right and it was a nice gesture for him to admit it. With that said, Lamb of God's set was proof that Metallica fans and metal fans are not one and the same. The crowd seemed shell-shocked by the harsh vocal style and non-stop abrasive attack of the band. Not this reviewer, I was left wondering if Metallica had a chance of living up to the two amazing openers they'd pegged for their own tour.

Metallica
Now let me start out by saying that I'm no stranger to seeing Metallica live, so this wasn't a new experience for me. And quite frankly, I've had a sort of love/hate relationship with this band since their "Load" and "Re-Load" days of the late 90's. I realize that a lot of hard core fans think that Metallica died with the release of the "Black Album" and an even more hard core contingent actually think they died with the release of "...And Justice For All" (and to a greater extent with the release of the video for the song "One" off of that album).

Well I disagree with both factions and happen to like both of those albums (as a matter of fact, Justice is tied with "Master of Puppets" as my favorite Metallica album). However, I just couldn't get past the blatant change in both musical style and image that accompanied the Load/Re-Load era. So with all of that being said, I've ironically always had a problem with the fact that Metallica themselves tend to primarily focus their live performances on older songs (from Justice, Puppets, "Ride the Lightning" and "Kill Em All"), neglecting their newer material and ultimately (at least in my mind) admitting that they're days of making quality music are behind them.

So tonight, I fully anticipated more of the same from the Bay Area thrashers when they proceeded to take the stage to an impressive array of laser lights and promptly roll through two songs off their latest release, "Death Magnetic". I couldn't believe my ears! Then, three songs later when I heard the familiar machine gun fire that opens "One", I was shocked that the band's usual encore song was being played so early in the set. This wasn't the same old Metallica set at all!

Now let me get back to that love/hate thing. The poor guys in Metallica...they really need no introduction, but here it goes anyway; James Hetfield (vocals/guitar), Kirk Hammet (guitars), Lars Ulrich (drums) and new guy Robert Trujillo (bass)...just can't win with me. All of a sudden I'm hearing these newer songs, which obviously proves that the band stands firm behind their latest opus, and I'm feeling disappointed! Here they are doing the exact thing that I typically accuse them of not doing, and I'm wishing for those old Metallica sets that shun the new stuff so that all us old school types can hear the songs we grew up with...love/hate I tell ya.

Make no mistake though, my disappointment was short lived. If you haven't experienced Metallica live, let it be known they are a consistently tight, accurate and precise beast...they do not miss a beat. And they are LOUD. The band either does not give their openers the same amount of juice, or the openers just don't have the sheer amount of equipment as the headliners, because the increase in volume was immediately noticeable...my ears were ringing! Metallica sounded soooo heavy during "Sad But True", I had to grab the railing in front of me to stabilize myself.

With all the requisite pyrotechnics, lighting rigs in the shape of coffins and a rotating drum set, Metallica were prepared to deliver a true rock show. Sprinkling in a couple of lengthy guitar solos by virtuoso Kirk Hammet, the band played a set heavy off their latest album "Death Magnetic" with favorites spanning their entire career making appearances throughout. Interestingly enough, the only albums omitted from tonight's set were Load, Re-Load and St. Anger...the three most criticized albums by longtime fans. Even two songs from the "Garage Days" cover album (Bob Seger's "Turn the Page" and Motorhead's "Too Late, Too Late") made the list!

By the end of the evening, when James Hetfield asked his audience if they'd enjoyed their night with Metallica, the resulting screams and cheers sounded like a resounding yes. It's obvious that these guys have cemented their place atop the metal heap for as long as they choose to stick around. Whether you love em or hate em...or maybe even a little bit of both, Metallica can still get you out of your seat with horns in the air. So when Hetfield led the crowd into the familiar chant along song "Seek and Destroy", there wasn't a vocal chord in the building that wasn't straining to join in...and I did my best to be the loudest. God I love these guys...until their next album.

Set List:
That Was Just Your Life
The End of the Line
For Whom the Bell Tolls
The Four Horsemen
One
Broken, Beat & Scarred
Cyanide
Sad But True
Turn the Page
The Judas Kiss
Guitar Solo #1 (Kirk Hammet)
The Day That Never Comes
Master of Puppets
Fight Fire With Fire
Guitar Solo #2 (Kirk Hammet)
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman

Encore
Too Late Too Late
Phantom Lord
Seek and Destroy

Them Crooked Vultures with Mini Mansions

2009-11-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

9:30 Club
Washington, D.C.
October 14th, 2009

Mini-Mansions
I'm not going to waste a lot of time talking about tonight's opener from Los Angeles, because this show was all about the headliner. To be honest, I spent the majority of the time Mini Mansions were playing trying to figure out how in the hell they managed to land this gig. The band is made up of three multi-instrumentalists, featuring Michael Shuman on drums (he plays them standing up) and guitar, Tyler Parkford on keyboard and guitar and Zach Dawes on bass and keyboards...all provide vocals. The band throws a lot of Beatles-esque harmonizing into their power-pop sound, which can be interesting at times. The highlight of the set was the tricked out version of Blondie's "Heart of Glass", which doesn't say a whole lot about the band's original songs. The crowd was subdued and frankly seemed bored when the openers were onstage. With very little crowd interaction and a somewhat bland sound, Mini Mansions wasted their opportunity to play in front of a sold out 9:30 Club crowd.

Them Crooked Vultures
If you haven't heard about this super-group, featuring Joshua Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Kyuss) on vocals and guitar, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) on bass and keyboard and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Probot, Nirvana) on drums, then shame on you. I've been to plenty of sold out shows at the 9:30 Club, but this one seemed extra sold out. The place was packed from wall to wall on the floor and in the balcony, with everyone craning their necks to see the slice of rock n' roll history that was about to take the stage.

In all the concerts I've been to, I have never before seen anything quite like this. Nobody in the room had a clue what they were about to hear because Them Crooked Vultures hasn't released any material to date. There would be no singing along tonight, no song requests shouted from the audience and no air guitaring to that familiar riff that everyone knows and loves. No, the people in attendance tonight were there because three of the most amazing rock musicians alive have decided to get together and try something new. They could have walked onstage and sang Christmas carols acapella and this crowd would have been in awe.

Fortunately, that's not what happened. When Grohl walked onstage, waved to the crowd and then took his seat behind the heavily sand bagged drum kit (yes folks, he hits them that freaking hard), the place exploded with excitement. Homme, Jones and rhythm guitarist Alain Johannes were right on his heels and the fun was about to begin. Grohl started with a nice, steady beat that got everyone's heads nodding and then...BOOM...he took off on a fast and furious rampage and the rest of the band dropped in right on time.

Grohl and Jones seemed content to take a backseat and allow Homme to play the role of band leader as neither said a word all night. About midway through the set, the frontman took a timeout to introduce the band. Of course, when Joshua said "ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Dave Grohl" the place erupted, to which he remarked "I know, I love him too". There was no louder applause all night however, than when Homme simply looked to his right and said "John Paul Jones". Not to be forgotten though, the singer very appropriately introduced himself by saying "and I'm your host, I'm Joshua...I think I've slept on most of your floors"...hahaha...this guy never fails to make me laugh.

If you're wondering what Them Crooked Vultures sound like, I'd have to say its a very heavy version of alternative rock. The band sounded amazing, playing songs like "Scumbag Blues", "Gunman" and "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" off their forthcoming album. Given the fact that Homme's vocal style is so unique, it's hard not to draw comparisons to Queens of the Stone Age. Grohl's hard hitting style carries the music to a different level however, discarding the laid back feel of Homme's other band. Although, during one particular cabaret-like number, Joshua removed his guitar, lit up a cigarette and strutted around the stage like a member of the Rat Pack...very cool (on a side note, Jones played a key-tar during that song!). And then of course there's John Paul Jones, who is like the father figure watching over the boys and keeping them in check. His rhythm on the bass and keyboards is the foundation for this heavy, groovy rock. I can't wait to hear the album!

It was obvious that the entire band was having a blast onstage, but Homme wanted to make sure they weren't the only ones enjoying themselves. At one point in the show, he asked "you guys having a good time?...I can't really tell...I am...I'm having a great time...I love being in this band." The crowds overwhelming reaction told Joshua all he needed to know, that indeed we were having a good time. Later in the set, he sympathized with the fact that none of us actually knew any of the songs, saying "it's a lot of new music...kinda confusing...kinda exciting too though, right?". He hit the nail on the head with that one, exciting is the word that best described this experience. I think I can probably speak for just about everyone else in attendance when I say that tonight, I felt like I witnessed something truly special. Whether this band is just a one off project or a full time gig, seeing Joshua Homme, John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl onstage together is an image, and more importantly a sound, that I won't forget. Amazing!

The Bravery with The Dustys and U.S. Royalty

2009-11-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

9:30 Club
Washington, D.C.
October 11th, 2009

U.S. Royalty
Locals U.S. Royalty opened the show tonight at the 9:30 Club by happenstance. When The Bravery rolled into town, they were supposed to be accompanied by alt-rock up and comers Living Things, but unfortunately that band had their van and all of their equipment stolen the previous night in New Jersey. Like the old proverb says, one band's misfortune is another band's gain...or something like that. Regardless, U.S. Royalty, who happen to be old friends with some of the guys in The Bravery, were asked to fill in at the last minute. The band was actually playing a block party in Dupont Circle (a neighborhood in D.C. for those out of towners who may be reading this) earlier in the day when they got the call from The Bravery.

The band had an old school rock n' roll vibe with just a little Southern rock thrown in for good measure...kind of like if the Rolling Stones and the Black Crowes got together for a jam session. As a matter of fact, singer John Thornley bears a striking resemblance to the Crowes Chris Robinson and his dance moves onstage are eerily similar to those of Mick Jagger. The singer kept himself busy throughout the set, at times playing a harmonica, a tambourine and a maraca. The remaining members of the band include Thornley's brother and Boy George look-alike Paul Thornley on guitar, Jacob Michael on bass and Luke Adams behind the drum kit. Despite the late notice, U.S. Royalty were a hit with the crowd and a perfect compliment to the dance rock of tonight's headliner.

The Dustys
The same cannot be said for The Dustys from Arlington, Virginia, who were actually billed to play in U.S. Royalty's slot. With the late cancellation of Living Things, The Dustys got bumped up in the lineup to play in front of the headliner, a slot they seemed ill-prepared to fill. With very little stage presence and a bland garage-rock sound, the band fell flat and frankly seemed out of their element. The vocalist/guitarist had very little to say to the crowd, deferring to the keyboardist, who had even less to say (but at least he tried). I'm pretty sure at one point in the show he actually talked about the hat that he was wearing, letting us all know that he got it in Tulsa...huh? Forgettable.

The Bravery
New York City new wave purveyors The Bravery came out to the familiar riff of their hit "Unconditional". Awash in a sea of lights with a movie screen background, the band rolled through songs from both of their albums, as well as music from their forthcoming release "Stir the Blood". As a matter of fact, frontman Sam Endicott informed the crowd early in the show..."we're gonna play some new shit, we're gonna play some old shit, we're gonna play some middle shit". And that's exactly what they did.

John Conway's keyboards were the focal point of The Bravery's sound, at times nearly drowning out Endicott's vocals. That being said, when the band was on, they sounded brilliant. When the singer introduced "Time Won't Let Me Go" by dedicating it to Pony Boy and Soda Pop (if you don't get it, then please stop reading this and go read The Outsiders), the crowd erupted and the band fed off their energy.

Rounded out by guitarist Michael Zakarin, bassist Mike Hindert and drummer Anthony Burulcich, The Bravery were fun, but like their supporting acts, perhaps not all that memorable. Aside from the hits, especially "Honest Mistake" which sounded amazing, the rest of the show seemed like a blur of keyboards and lights. When Endicott said "it's good to be back, this is the city I was born in", the crowd seemed ready to welcome him. Only time will tell if they'll still be there when he returns.

In Flames with Between the Buried and Me, 3 Inches of Blood and The Faceless

2009-11-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

9:30 Club
Washington, D.C.
October 5th, 2009

If you had told me a couple of months ago when I started writing this blog, that it wouldn’t be until show #10 that I did a review from the legendary 9:30 Club, I would have called you a liar. You see, of all the venues in the D.C. area, and quite frankly in the country (I can’t speak for venues outside of the States…yet), the 9:30 Club is far and away my favorite. The place is truly a concert goers dream. It feels big, yet it’s actually quite small (capacity is approximately 1,000). The main level of the place is a large open space (perfect for the swirling mosh pits that open up from time to time) with two bars on either side and an additional window for ordering food (which is surprisingly quite good…and healthy too!). In addition, there is a two tiered balcony that encompasses the entire venue, so you can watch the show from any vantage point you like (i.e. looking straight on at the stage, or from the left or right of the stage). On the second tier of the balcony (all the way at the top) is a third bar. Finally, for those who want to get away from the action altogether (and perhaps have a drink with one of the band members) there is a fourth bar in the secluded basement, where there isn’t any view of the stage. I’m writing this description because my next few reviews, and probably quite a few more over the course of this project, are all from the 9:30 Club…as always, enjoy!

The Faceless
The first band of the night was a 5 piece death metal outfit from Encino, California, playing in D.C. for the first time. Quite honestly, I knew it wasn’t my thing as soon as vocalist Derek Rydquist opened his mouth and let out the first of what seemed like a never-ending stream of growls. It sounded as though Oscar the Grouch had taken over the mic at the 9:30 Club. The one saving grace for The Faceless was guitarist Michael Keene, whose classical style of playing was evident, especially during his solos. Unfortunately, aside from his solos, Keene was drowned out by the bludgeoning rhythm section (and I use the word rhythm loosely) of guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Brandon Giffin and drummer Lyle Cooper (who wore the band’s influences literally on his sleeve, by sporting a Nile t-shirt). Rydquist almost seemed bored as he addressed the crowd, and as far as I’m concerned, the feeling was mutual.

3 Inches of Blood
This was my second opportunity to see 3 Inches of Blood, having caught them on the second stage of Ozzfest a few years ago. Lumped in with a dozen other metal acts in a festival setting, I don’t remember being all that impressed. Tonight however, the boys from Vancouver completely won me over.

If you aren’t familiar with 3 Inches of Blood, they are a throwback to the time when good old fashioned thrash was all the rage. As soon as they hit the stage, I felt like I’d been time-warped back to the late 80’s. The chugging guitars, double bass and glass shattering, high pitched vocals were in a word…awesome! When vocalist Cam Pipes (has there ever been a more appropriate name for a metal singer?) screamed "Unleash Hell!", I knew I was in a for a pummeling.

Pipes is a vocalist that could bring a tear to Rob Halford's eye...seriously. Looking like he rode in with a group of Hell's Angels, he and guitarist/co-vocalist Justin Hagberg stormed through a set of Dungeons & Dragons themed music, with their tongues planted firmly in their cheeks. These guys definitely do not take themselves too seriously. As a matter of fact, when Cam screamed "gee-tar" mid-song, right before Hagberg launched into a solo, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or bang my head unmercifully.

3 Inches of Blood, who are rounded out by guitarist Shane Clark, bassist Steve Erickson and drummer Ash Pearson, are about the most fun you can have watching a metal band. When they announced "we've got one more for ya DC...this is your last chance...kick your buddy in the balls!”, I decided that laughing and banging my head simultaneously was a perfectly acceptable option.

Between the Buried and Me
Spaz-core juggernaut Between the Buried and Me were up next and I'll say up front that these guys were the surprise of the night for me. Like 3 Inches of Blood, I had seen Between the Buried and Me on the second stage of Ozzfest a few years ago and found their set to be annoying at best. In this setting, their complex sound was easier to discern and the results were astounding.

There's a lot going on here folks, this stuff is not easily digestible. But if you can learn to appreciate it...to expand your musical palate so to speak, the end result is a truly remarkable experience. For lack of a better description, I'll say that Between the Buried and Me sound like a mash up of progressive metal and jazz. They sound like Meshuggah mixed with Rush with a sprinkle of John Coltrane. Interested yet?

The five piece from Raleigh, North Carolina sounded downright epic when they launched into "Selkies: The Endless Obsession". Tommy Rogers alternately sang/snarled over his etheral sounding keyboards, while guitarists Paul Waggoner and Dustie Waring somehow managed to stay on track even though at times it seemed they were playing two completely different songs. I have to reiterate, this is some complicated shit! How bass player Dan Briggs and drummer Blake Richardson managed to keep up is beyond me.

It was evident that not everyone in the crowd "got it" though, as someone yelled "you suck!" at one point during a break in the action due to some technical difficulties. The always clever metal crowd was ready with an answer though, as another fan screamed "fight him with a battle axe!", to which Rogers answered "I would if I could see who said it"...ahh metal heads, gotta love em'.

By the end of the set, Between the Buried and Me had won over the majority of those in attendance. Rogers thanked the crowd for checking out his band and then went on to mention that he'd always wanted to play the "legendary 9:30 Club...I mean fucking Bad Brains played here...shit". When he announced "White Walls" as their last song of the evening, the crowd let out a collective moan of disappointment. The vocalist reassured them though, by reminding them that "it's a long one". And long it was as the band didn't actually finish their set for another 15 minutes. I have to say, I was sorry to see it end.

In Flames
Before headliners In Flames even made an appearance, you knew it was their show just by the shear amount of equipment packed onto the stage. The drum set perched high up on its riser, the walls of amplifiers and the impressive lighting rigs would have looked at home in an arena, much less a club. As the house lights dimmed, the legendary Gothenburg, Sweden five piece took the stage to a roar of approval from the D.C. crowd.

With founding guitar player Jesper Stromblad sidelined for this tour due to personal issues, the rest of In Flames, vocalist Anders Friden, guitarist Bjorn Gelotte, bassist Peter Iwers and drummer Daniel Svensson made it their goal of the night to initiate fill-in guitarist Niclas Engelin by hazing him constantly. During an early break in the action due to yet another technical difficulty (unfortunately involving Engelin's guitar), Anders looked across the stage at the new guy and jokingly said "you're this close to being fired". He then proceeded to make the poor guitarist do his best Scorpions pose, which Engelin pulled off perfectly, nearly doing the splits on stage...hilarious!

As for the music, In Flames seemed like they were out to prove something to their longtime fans. You see, this is a band who has taken a lot of heat recently for focusing their more recent live performances on newer material and neglecting to play songs from their older albums. That wasn't the case tonight, as the set list included songs that spanned the last seven albums of the In Flames catalog, going all the way back to 1997's "Whoracle" and including everything up to their most recent album, 2008's "A Sense of Purpose" (only their first two albums, "Lunar Strain" (1994) and "The Jester Race" (1995) were omitted).

Anders seemed in rare form tonight, going out of his way to make sure the crowd participated. At one point in the show he leaned down to the front row and actually handed the microphone to an unsuspecting fan, allowing him to handle the vocal duties. And then a few songs later, as if to outdo himself, Anders actually invited a fan onstage, gave the kid his microphone and then left him alone out there. The young fan stood there at first, a little dumbfounded as to what he should do next. But as the rest of In Flames tore into "Square Nothing", he realized what Anders was asking him to do and he laid down the vocals for the entire song, all the while banging his long-haired head and encouraging the rest of the crowd to sing along. During the guitar solo, Anders reappeared, handed the would-be singer a beer and then proceeded to leave the stage yet again. It was an unbelievable sight, watching this random kid take over vocals for one of the most influential melodic death metal bands of all time. When the song was finished, the new vocalist got a rousing ovation from the crowd and Anders bowed to him onstage, saying “maybe I should think about retiring”…very cool indeed.

Later during the show, Anders pulled yet another fan onstage, this time a girl who was shooting pictures of the band. He explained that she’d get a better angle from onstage and insisted that she share her videos with everyone else on YouTube. The girl seemed to have a blast dancing around, snapping pictures and taking video as the band played on. Before she left the stage, Anders gave the lucky fan a chance to say something to the crowd and the girl responded with her best attempt at a death metal growl, to which the vocalist replied “that was some real Arch Enemy shit right there”, referring to another Swedish band’s female vocalist Angela Gossow. This set was full of some truly clever and funny ad lib by Friden.

Unfortunately however, things weren't all smiles between the band and their audience. After jokingly asking the crowd "which side of the balcony is the old timers section?", a heckler fired something back that clearly struck a chord with the vocalist. Anders stopped the show long enough to address the culprit, even inviting him to come onstage and take over the mic if he thought he could do better. Once the short delay was over, In Flames wasted no time picking up right where they'd left off, but it was evident that the incident had gotten under Friden's skin as he continuously glared back up at the balcony throughout the rest of the show.

Whatever the complaint may have been, it was lost on me as I was in my own little heavy metal heaven watching In Flames tonight. When two of the 3 Inches of Blood guys came storming across the stage and dove head first into the crowd towards the end of the show, you couldn't help but throw the horns in the air. Anders mentioned that this would be the last time we'd be seeing In Flames for quite awhile since they'd be heading back to Sweden after this tour to record a new album. Let's just hope we don't have to wait too long.

Set List
Cloud Connected
Embody the Invisible
Pinball Map
Delight and Angers
Disconnected
Square Nothing
The Hive
Drifter
Clayman
Come Clarity
Leeches
Alias
The Mirror's Truth
The Quiet Place
Take This Life
My Sweet Shadow

Shinedown with Sick Puppies, CAVO and Adelitas Way

2009-10-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

House of Blues
San Diego, California
September 30th, 2009

Traveling for work this week in beautiful San Diego, I had to make time to squeeze in a show for the Music Binge. Feeling a little under the weather and tired from traveling, the thought of spending a late night at a show was less than appealing. Regardless, I scoured the local entertainment rags and quickly narrowed my options down to either seeing British indie rockers The Horrors at the Casbah on Tuesday night or radio rock staples Shinedown at the House of Blues on Wednesday. Quite honestly, my first choice would have been the former, but due to my work schedule, I ended up at the House of Blues. Bare with me on this one, I’ll try and be nice.

Before I even get to the bands that played on Wednesday night, I first need to mention a few things about the venue. Once I got inside the sold out building, I was quickly shuffled downstairs with the rest of the over-21 crowd as the poor youngsters were corralled into the upstairs, balcony area. Apparently at the House of Blues, you’re not allowed to inter-mingle those who are able to legally drink with those who aren’t, so the kiddies aren’t even permitted to be on the same floor as the stage...bummer for them.

After grabbing a drink from the bar and scoping out a good spot to watch the show, I pulled out my camera (point and shoot, not professional) to snap a few pictures of the interesting artwork adorning the walls. Within seconds, the security was on top of me, warning that there are no cameras allowed and that mine would be confiscated if they saw me taking anymore pictures. So, because of the Nazi security guards at the House of Blues, you won’t be seeing pictures of the opening acts from this show (Note: I did manage to sneak a few shots of the headliners…take that House of Blues…\m/).

Adelitas Way
My fears were realized as soon as openers Adelitas Way took the stage: I was in for a night of pure, unadulterated cock rock. This is the kind of band that you’d see on Cruefest or hear on Octane (for you satellite radio folks out there). Vocalist Rick DeJesus (I’m stifling a Big Lebowski joke right now) actually introduced one song as being played at WWE (that’s professional wrestling my friends) and on Monday Night Football. Ugh! Talk about selling your soul. DeJesus had all the typical rock star poses down pat as he repeatedly punched his mic stand into the air at all the right moments in the songs…the smell of cheese was officially in the air. One positive takeaway from the Las Vegas band’s set was guitarists Chris Iorio and Keith Wallen, who both managed to display some impressive chops. Adelitas Way, rounded out by bassist Derek Johnston and drummer Trevor Stafford, weren’t terribly inventive, but I’ll give them credit for being good at what they do.

CAVO
Next up was four piece, CAVO from St. Louis, MO, who picked up right where Adelitas Way left off. Their set was chock full of chunky riffs, sprinkled with a couple of ballads. Vocalist Casey Walker had no problem pimping his band’s success by mentioning that one of their songs is featured on the Transformers 2 soundtrack. I don’t know which would embarrass me more, having a song on the soundtrack to a terrible, summer blockbuster movie or having one played on WWE…yikes! Bassist Brian Smith strutted around the stage playing a 5-string bass that I’m pretty sure was more for show than anything else, as I didn’t hear anything truly complex enough to warrant the extra string. CAVO, who's lineup also includes guitarist Chris Hobbs and drummer Chad La Roy, closed their set by introducing the song "Champagne" as their "current single". These guys are true salesmen! I hadn’t heard of the song before, but I am apparently out of the loop as the rest of the crowd seemed to know every word. Next…

Sick Puppies
Thankfully the next band, Sick Puppies from Sydney, Australia started to shift away from the monotonous radio rock that had permeated the House of Blues so far tonight. The three piece, made up of vocalist/guitarist Shimon Moore, bassist Emma Anzai and drummer Mark Goodwin, had more energy and emotion onstage than the previous two bands combined. The band plays an upbeat brand of rock with a rather obvious nod to Green Day (specifically when they used the music from Brain Stew during their hilarious cover of Destiny Child’s "Say My Name"), and at times, Moore’s vocals reminded me of the very distinct style of Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace. The singer demonstrated a lot of charisma on stage and did an amazing job of engaging the audience and really working the crowd.

The band wasn’t perfect however, as they too felt the need to hype their own success as Moore bragged that the Sick Puppies have "the number one song on rock radio", before they launched into "You’re Going Down". The band also committed the cardinal sin of rock shows (at least in my eyes) when the singer requested that the crowd hold up their cell phones during one of their slower numbers. If you haven’t seen this, it’s the next generation of holding up a cigarette lighter, and it looks about as asinine as it sounds. Despite the few missteps however, the Sick Puppies were far and away the highlight of the evening thus far.

Shinedown
When headliners Shinedown hit the stage, they made it evident that this was their show. The stage was packed with lighting rigs and amplifiers that looked like they belonged in a stadium, not a small theater like the House of Blues. With his straight, black hair parted down the middle and overdone eye makeup, singer Brent Smith bared an uncanny resemblance to Ozzy Osbourne. Guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass weren’t shy with the makeup either and I’m not sure I understood drummer Barry Kerch’s decision to wear a bandana around his face. Images aside though, Shinedown sounded great.

At the conclusion of their opening song, Smith did something I’ve never seen before at a rock show. He stopped the music, had everyone in the crowd look left, then right and shake the hand and/or high five their neighbors. It was an awkward, yet hilarious way to open things up and I nearly heard myself say "peace be with you" as I shook the hand of the guy next to me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the only time that Smith stopped the concert to address the audience. During the hit song "45", the singer noticed a fight breaking out near the front of the stage, stopped his band-mates mid-song and addressed the two would-be pugilists. After reminding us that "we’re all friends here", the band got back to business.

Shinedown were in full stride when, like Sick Puppies, they got derailed. For the second time tonight, I had to witness the woeful cell phone salute as Brent Smith asked the audience to hold em' up during the hit "Second Chance", which by the way I had no idea was a Shinedown song. The band recovered however, closing the show with another familiar tune, this time the hit single "Devour". This particular show wasn't necessarily my thing, but I witnessed a fun performance by a very talented band who obviously understands what they're audience wants and ensures that they give it to them.

She Wants Revenge with Kill Hannah and Paper Route

2009-10-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Black Cat
Washington, D.C.
September 22nd, 2009

The show tonight at the Black Cat was a perfect example of two things: 1) why you should always show up early and catch opening acts and 2) how important it is for young bands, like Kill Hannah and Paper Route, to play in the opening slot before an established act, rather than tour on their own. Regarding number 1, there have been so many times when I’ve shown up early for a show and just been blown away by an opening band who I either didn’t know at all or had heard very little of prior to the show. As for number 2, too often, I have gone to shows where the main act is touring off their debut album (or maybe even their sophomore release) and they just don’t have enough music and/or enough of a fan base to support their own tour. Tonight’s show was a perfect example of why both of these tenets are true.

Paper Route
Unfortunately for me, I nearly flubbed number 1, showing up just in time to catch the last two songs of Paper Route’s set. Regardless, I was immediately impressed by this band from Nashville, TN. Despite only having five people onstage, the shear number of instruments and depth of the sound made it seem like you were watching twice that many people create the dense, dreamy pop music that filled the venue. Aside from the full size drum set that sat center stage, the band also had a separate, stand-up bass drum sitting to the left and a smaller, almost toy-like drum set on a riser set off to the right. In addition to these instruments, there were two guitars, a set of keyboards and an effects machine (if that’s what you call it?) onstage. Bottom line, there was so much filling the Black Cat’s main stage, it barely left room for the band members. And when the band’s drummer scaled that riser to wail away on the smaller, toy-like kit, he was nearly hitting his head on the club’s ceiling. These guys had literally packed the stage to the rafters. Regarding the music, let me just say this, in the course of two songs I was driven to buy Paper Route’s LP, EP and a t-shirt. These guys were incredible. I understand they're heading out on the road with Paramore next, so hopefully they’ll get the recognition they deserve on that tour. They definitely earned a new fan with me.

Kill Hannah
This band was a perfect example of point number 2 from above. Kill Hannah are a band that I’ve heard quite a bit on alternative rock radio, but quite frankly never had much interest in what I was hearing. Had these guys been on their own tour, I more than likely would not have paid to see them. However, given that they were opening for She Wants Revenge, here I stood front and center as they took the stage, and my impression after seeing them in a live setting has changed dramatically.

Upon seeing the five band members as they took the stage, my very first thought was that they must be from Chicago and lo and behold, I was right. These guys just have that old school industrial; Wax Trax Records look to them, a la Sister Machine Gun. Vocalist Mat Devine marched to the beat of his own drum, wearing a white hoodie (with hood up), suspenders and red boots. The rest of the band members, guitarists Dan Wiese and Gil Baram, bassist Greg Corner and drummer Elias Mallin were clad in black and sported arm bands that depicted a heart in crosshairs. I have to mention that the guitars and bass all had bright white lights installed inside of them, giving an eerie glow that shot back into the crowd at all times…nice touch boys.

Being unfamiliar to the band, save for the few songs I’ve heard on the radio, their music struck me as a kind of industrial pop. The sound was incredibly thick and heavy, which made Devine’s sensitive vocal styling stand out. Speaking of the vocalist, his crowd interaction and presence were incredible as he stalked the stage, holding hands with the occasional front row female as he sang twisted lullabies like the hit “Lips like Morphine”. Mat couldn’t pass up a photo op either, as he snatched a camera from one girl, leaned down beside her and snapped a picture of the two them, all without missing a single line of the song.

The band’s set was heavy off their forthcoming album “Wake up the Sleepers”, as they played “New York City Speed”, “Strobe Lights” and the first single “Radio”, which Devine explained is about their decision to finally leave their hometown of Chicago. My eyes were glued to the stage for the entire set and for the second time tonight, I found myself becoming a fan of a band I had otherwise not known much about. Kill Hannah’s energy and confidence onstage were undeniable, so much so that it was hard to believe when Mat Devine mentioned this was the first time in 6 and a half years of touring that his band had played the legendary Black Cat. Let’s hope it won’t be that long before they return.

She Wants Revenge
Unfortunately, headliners She Wants Revenge weren't able to match the energy of their two openers. Having seen this band open for Depeche Mode a few years back in a much larger venue, I was left feeling a little disappointed seeing them in this setting. Whereas in the larger venue, the focus was more on their ethereal, yet danceable rock, at the Black Cat the band's lack of stage presence became painfully evident. This, combined with the fact that She Wants Revenge were intent on playing songs off two independantly released EP's (2008's "Save Your Soul" and this year's "Up and Down"), which the crowd (including myself) seemed unfamiliar with, led to a somewhat lackluster experience.

When the band did decide to play tracks off their two full length albums, noteably hits like "These Things", "Tear You Apart" and "True Romance", the crowd came alive, dancing, jumping and flailing around like you would expect. She Wants Revenge seemed as though they were trying to shed the two-man electronica style that they've become known for, replacing it with a more traditional, organic guitar/bass/drums type of rock sound. At times when listening to vocalist/guitarist Justin Warfield and keyboard/programming/vocals/everything else player Adam Bravin, I felt like I was hearing a slightly heavier version of Prince. The results were sadly underwhelming. I really wanted to like this performance because I'm such a huge fan of the band, but at the end of the night, I was just thankful that I'd gotten to see Paper Route and Kill Hannah. Not a good sign if you're the headliner.

Ballyhoo! with Black White Radio (Aaron Crawford), Monako and Prettier In Person

2009-10-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

Jammin' Java
Vienna, Virginia
September 17, 2009

So a friend and I were running some errands in Vienna, Virginia on Thursday night and knowing I still hadn’t seen a show that week for the Music Binge, she mentions a venue close by that neither of us had ever heard of or been to before. When we arrive, I find that the place is a combination bar/coffee house/music venue, aptly named Jammin’ Java. It turned out to be the perfect setting for the show I was about to see. In terms of size, it fell somewhere between the main stage and the back bar stage at the Black Cat, which is to say it probably holds around 400 or so people. And as a side note, the veggie chili at this place was ridiculously good!

Prettier In Person
The show for tonight was a local showcase of sorts, starting with Vienna’s own Prettier In Person, who were playing only their second show together as a band. Led by androgynous vocalist/guitarist Dayzey, they had a punk meets glam rock meets metal sort of sound, kind of like the evil spawn of the New York Dolls and AC/DC. The three piece were having a blast onstage, despite the late arriving crowd at Jammin’ Java, and their energy was undeniable as they launched into a cover of The Donnas’ “Take It Off”. Bassist Big T, looking as though he came to the show straight from his day job, sweated right through his white button down shirt. The highlight however, was Prettier In Person’s drummer, Nickel, who flailed around behind his kit, beating the skins so fast that all you saw was his mop of red hair flying this way and that. For only their second show, this band was impressive…a surprisingly fun start to a random night of rock n’ roll.

Monako
The second act of the night was Monako, who are apparently comprised of members of several other D.C. area bands. This four piece owes an awful lot to reggae rock radio staples like Sublime and Sugar Ray. Vocalist/guitarist Matt Waller was by far the highlight of the set and the centerpiece for this band. He and bassist Ken Barnum harmonized beautifully on songs like “Sticky Situation”, “Undertow” and the title track from their debut album, “Amnesia”. The rhythm section, consisting of drummer Jared Barnum and bassist Joe Owens were more content to take a backseat to the other two. On a side note, it was often difficult to get past Ken’s incessant and irritating gyrations (dance moves?) during the songs and color commentary between them. I kept hoping someone else in the band would politely ask him to stand still and shut up. With the Prettier In Person guys watching from the front of the stage, the show was really starting to take on the feel of a good old fashioned showcase for local bands. Fun!

Black White Radio
The third set of the evening, billed as Black White Radio, was actually a solo/acoustic performance by Aaron Crawford, formerly of Sterling Park, Virginia band Rude Buddha. The crowd really came alive during Aaron’s set, especially during “Bar Song”, apparently a local favorite from his old band. The cozy, local feel continued as someone from the crowd handed Aaron a shot between songs, which he casually drank down before letting out a nice, long belch into the mic. Crawford, who sat perched atop a bar stool with one foot propped on a monitor, displayed a lot of confidence and a cool demeanor throughout his brief set, which turned out to be the highlight of the evening in my eyes…his closer and the namesake of his moniker, Black White Radio, being the hallmark moment. In the song, Aaron sings “I want to know…can I add color to black/white radio?” Well Aaron, in my opinion, radio is a lost cause these days, but your performance at Jammin’ Java was colorful to say the least…kudos my friend.

Ballyhoo!
Unfortunately, by the time that headliners Ballyhoo! took the stage, the crowd had dwindled considerably. The Aberdeen, Maryland foursome could have easily been mistaken for a bunch of Southern California surfers, thanks to the palm tree tucked inside their band logo and vocalist/guitarist Howi Spangler’s bleach blond hair and penchant for wearing surfer clothes (not to mention the guys are signed to Surfdog Records). The funky, energetic set from Ballyhoo! would have fit perfectly in the late 90’s/early 00’s nu-metal scene. However, despite the inclusion of turntables in their lineup, the band thankfully owed more to the funk infused rock of 311 than the white boy rap/rock of Limp Bizkit. The loyal Ballyhoo! fans who hung around seemed perfectly content with the nostalgic sound as they jumped and danced as if it were 1999.

Overall, aside from show openers Prettier In Person, nostalgia for the late 90’s seemed to be the theme of the evening. The concert was full of energetic rock with a funk/hip-hop vibe. I felt like an outsider who had stumbled into someone else’s high school reunion, but was welcomed with open arms. I discovered four great new acts and one new venue…a good night for the Music Binge.

The Black Crowes

2009-10-14T21:28:00.000-07:00

American Music Festival
5th Street Stage
Virginia Beach, VA
September 6th, 2009

The Black Crowes headlined the American Music Festival in Virginia Beach on Sunday night, bringing their soulful blend of gospel infused blues and straight forward rock & roll to the massive, beachfront 5th Street Stage. Lead vocalist Chris Robinson, sporting a lengthy beard and looking as shaggy as ever, wasted no time getting down to business when he led the band into “Good Morning Captain”, the first song from the Crowes’ latest offering, “Before the Frost…”. At first, you could forgive Chris and brother/guitarist Rich Robinson for their lack of crowd interaction as the band attempted to squeeze as much as possible into their allotted two hour set time (according to the festival's schedule anyway). For a band accustomed to spending a 3rd of that time jamming on one song, this was no small feat.

If you’re familiar with the Black Crowes, you know that their set lists change from show to show, so you never know what you’re going to get. They’re just as likely to break into an obscure (to the casual fan) track like “Nebakanezer” off their 1996 album “Three Snakes and One Charm” as to play their most well known hit, “Hard to Handle”. Tonight, the Crowes raced through favorites like “Soul Singing”, “Wiser Time”, “Jealous Again” and “Remedy”, while leaving plenty of room in their set for cuts off their new album like “Appaloosa” and “I Ain’t Hiding”. The band even found time for Rich and somewhat new guitarist (as of 2007) Luther Dickinson (also the vocalist/guitarist of the North Mississippi Allstars) to show off their unbelievable chops during an extended jam session on “Poor Elijah – Tribute to Johnson”. Likewise, drummer and only original member outside the brothers Robinson, Steve Gorman gave the rest of the band a breather by pounding his way through an impressive solo. The rest of the Crowes ever changing lineup, currently rounded out by bassist Sven Pipien, keyboardist Adam MacDougall and a duo of unbelievable sounding gospel singers, were equally impressive.

The set was all over too soon though and as great as the Crowes sounded, the Virginia Beach crowd (myself included) was left feeling somewhat unsatisfied, as was evident from the smattering of boos that could be heard when the band failed to return to the stage for an encore. When the house lights came up after the final notes of “Been a Long Time (Waiting on Love)”, it was like a rude awakening for the crowd who were anticipating a much longer set. Whether it was a Virginia Beach curfew to blame is unclear, but for a band who typically play sets that are nearly double the length of this one, the early ending was a real disappointment. The real shame is that you got the impression that the Black Crowes were just getting warmed up.

Having seen this band multiple times in the past, I know that they are typically much more interactive with their audience. This set reeked of a “business trip” mentality for the boys from Atlanta...a get in and get out type of affair. The enthusiastic crowd deserved at least a “thanks for coming out”, but had to settle for a subtle wave goodbye from Chris Robinson as he left the stage (after an hour and a half). Don’t get me wrong, I love the Crowes and will certainly go see them again, but perhaps they would do well to remember who pays their bills.

Set list:
Good Morning Captain
Soul Singing
Wiser Time
I Ain't Hiding
Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution
Appaloosa
Poor Elijah - Tribute To Johnson
Thorn In My Pride
Jealous Again
Remedy
Thick N' Thin
Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)

Heart

2009-10-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

American Music Festival
5th Street Stage
Virginia Beach, VA
September 5th, 2009

Legendary Seattle band Heart headlined the American Music Festival on Saturday night. For an hour and a half, they ran through hit after hit after hit, to the delight of the 20,000 plus fans who packed themselves in front of the beachside stage. The crowd roared as the familiar, opening riff to "Barracuda" blasted forth from the amplifiers and set the tone for the evening. It was evident from the start that sisters Ann (vocals) and Nancy (Guitar) Wilson, along with the rest of Heart, were here to rock.

If there was ever any question as to whether Ann Wilson possesses one of the greatest voices in rock n roll history, let it be said that she proved it tonight. And Nancy's guitar playing was unreal as she stormed around the stage, kicking her boots to the heavens as if she were a member of the Rockettes. It's no wonder this band was honored at the VH1 Rock Honors show in 2007 and ranked number 57 on the channel's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".

Rounded out by guitarist Craig Bartock, bassist Ric Markmann, keyboardist Debbie Shair and drummer Ben Smith, the current incarnation of Heart ripped through mainstays from the 70's like "Crazy On You" and "Magic Man" and 80's power-ballads like "Never", "These Dreams", "What About Love" and "Alone". But make no mistake, Heart weren't content to play the role of nostalgia act. The fact that the band was playing music spanning three decades was hardly noticeable as the timeless songs flowed together seamlessly.

Highlights of the evening included the two Led Zeppelin covers, "Immigrant Song" (with Nancy Wilson on mandolin) and "Going to California", which due to Ann Wilson's vocals, would have impressed the Golden God himself (perhaps Robert Plant should throw in a Heart cover or two on his next solo album). Debbie Shair's keyboard playing was phenomenal and well, entertaining to say the least. She bobbed her pigtailed head up and down and never stopped grinning throughout the entire set. It was evident that she was thrilled to share the stage with such rock royalty.

Music festivals like this one often bring out the one hit wonders and acts that are trying to re-create the magic of a lost era. Heart's inspired set ensured they didn't fall into the latter category and the sheer number of hits certainly proved they weren't part of the former. Here's to hoping Ann, Nancy and the rest of the crew continue doing what they do for another decade!

Cowboy Mouth

2009-09-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

American Music Festival
24th Street Stage
Virginia Beach, VA
September 4th, 2009

Cowboy Mouth are one of those rarest of breeds in rock music, the kind who's singer just so happens to also be the band's drummer. You can imagine how difficult it must be to simultaneouly sing, lay down the beats and fills associated with energetic rock music and maintain the kind of stage presence required of a rock n roll frontman. Well let me tell you, if you want to see it done to perfection, then do yourself a favor and go see Cowboy Mouth.

The New Orleans band was in Virginia Beach on Friday night as part of the annual American Music Festival and they provided the laid back beach crowd with a much needed kick in the ass. The aforementioned vocalist/drummer, Fred LeBlanc set the tone early in the set when he left the stage, marched into the crowd, who he was clearly not happy with due to that laid back demeanor, and literally forced them to move closer to the stage. LeBlanc even went so far as to single out one unfortunate attendee who looked a little too comfortable standing in the middle of the crowd smoking a cigar, and dragged him to the front of the stage. He informed us all that "rock n roll is not a spectator sport, it's a participatory event". Preach it brother...I agree whole heartedly!

The band clearly has a personal relationship with their core fans as was evident when those in the know threw red spoons at the band during the song "Everybody Loves Jill". Racing through fun songs like "Joe Strummer" (sample lyric: "why would I wanna be with someone who doesn't know the Clash saved my life...she had to go cause...she didn't know who...Joe Strummer was...Hey!") and the hit "Jenny Says", the band had the crowd jumping, dancing and singing for the entire hour and a half set.

Let me be clear though, Cowboy Mouth is indeed a band and not just an individual. Reginia Zernay did her part on the bass to make that very well understood as she danced around the stage in her white boots, mini-skirt and fishnet stockings, banging her pig-tailed head like a mad woman. Meanwhile, axemen John Thomas Griffith and Jonathan Pretus anchored down the sides of the stage while laying down some serious guitar licks. At times, the band seemed as amused by their singer's antics as the crowd did, laughing along as LeBlanc licked his drumsticks and made comments to the crowd like "I won't bite, but if I do, you'll like it".

By the end of the show, I was left feeling sorry for headliners Sister Hazel. To take nothing away from that band, I would absolutely hate to have to follow a band like Cowboy Mouth, who are clearly at their best in a live setting. As if to express how much they love playing live, Fred explained to the crowd that they would be jumping back in their van at the end of their set to drive to a show in Indianapolis the very next afternoon. Insisting that the crowd live for the moment and put all of their energy into the show, he preached that it isn't about the past because that's over, and it isn't about the future, because that isn't here yet...all you have is right now! As if to drive that point home, LeBlanc explained that he and the rest of Cowboy Mouth would "worry about Indiana when we get to Indiana". How can you not give your all to a band that will be exerting this same amount of energy on a stage 12 hours away in less than 24 hours?

This is my third time witnessing the Cowboy Mouth experience live and each time I've come away with the same mix of feelings and emotions. They truly make you leave your problems at the door and make you simply happy to be alive. At the same time, they make you feel exhausted by watching the sheer exertion that they display onstage. I only wish I could bottle that energy and drink it on Monday morning! If I haven't convinced you to check these guys out yet, then you may not have a pulse. To quote Fred LeBlanc one more time, "the name of the band is...Cowboy Mouth"!

Nebula with The Entrance Band and Naam

2009-09-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

The Black Cat - Back Bar
Washington, D.C.
August 25th, 2009

Before discussing the Nebula show, I need to first set the stage for you regarding the venue. Now don't misunderstand me, I've seen plenty of shows at The Black Cat, but this was my first foray into the world of the back bar. This place gives you the feeling that you're walking into some sort of modern, punk rock speakeasy. You make your way through the venue's lobby, into the main bar area to the very back of the place, next to the jukebox against the wall (and what a great jukebox it is by the way) where you find a door man waiting to check your I.D. Walking up to the guy, I almost felt like I needed to remember the secret pass code to gain entrance. Once inside, I found myself in a dingy little space no bigger than your average living room, which made the crowd of 30 or 40 people seem enormous. Put plainly, it was great and I couldn't wait to see the bands in such an intimate environment!

Naam
The first band to take to the tiny stage was a three piece out of Brooklyn, NY known as Naam. These guys were the perfect opener for what was to be a night chock full of psychedelic, stoner rock. The slow, heavy riffs from vocalist/guitarist Ryan Lugar built to a crescendo that all came crashing down when drummer Eli Pizzuto hit his cymbals hard enough to split my eardrums. The band was so steeped in 70's groove that the guy up front wearing the Heaven & Hell t-shirt must have been in...well...heaven. And to add to that 70's era, garage rock image, Lugar even unstrapped his guitar mid-song at one point in the set, motioned to his bandmates to keep playing, and proceeded to go side-stage to remove a second guitar from its case and strap it on before re-joining the others. No roadies here my friends, this is DIY, van traveling music at its finest! The highlight of the Naam set had to be vocalist/bassist and Captain Caveman look alike John Bundy (great beard!). His method of leaning into the microphone, which was situated about a foot lower than it needed to be, when howling out songs like "Skyling Slip", just added to the overall experience. My one complaint? Turn off the reverb effect on the vocals whenever you're addressing the crowd guys, it's really annoying. But then again, these psychedelic types have never been known for their stage presence because it's all about the music...right?

The Entrance Band
Next onstage was The Entrance Band, fronted by Baltimore native Guy Blakeslee, who's somewhat local status seemed to be evident by the noticeable swell in the crowd. His long dark hair and all white get-up that looked to be made of hemp gave the odd appearance that Jesus had just taken the stage at The Black Cat sporting a pair of Chuck Taylor's. During his mic check (done by himself...again, no roadies!), Guy continuously cooed "oooh, oooh, oooh" in a high pitched tone that sounded absolutely ridiculous. Now I've seen some funny sound checks my friends, but this one was certainly one of the funniest. Rounded out by bassist Paz Lenchantin (yes, the same Paz Lenchantin who played bass in A Perfect Circle and Zwan) and drummer Derek James, The Entrance Band would prove to be the highlight of the night. To take nothing away from Naam and Nebula, this wasn't your typical stoner rock band. Listening to The Entrance Band play, you could hear layers and textures in their music and I swear I could hear multiple sets of voices at times, even though Blakeslee was the only one with a microphone in front of him (no, no I wasn't smoking anything...I promise). Running through songs like "You're So Fine" and "Lookout!" from their new, self-titled album, which is apparently the first to be recorded as a band (past output was glorified solo material from Blakeslee), The Entrance Band held the crowd in a trance. Each individual member of the band lived in their own little world onstage, Guy playing to his amplifier, Paz dancing around like a rock star and Derek wailing away behind his kit, but the sum of their parts musically is what left the indelible impression on this reviewer. In a word...unforgettable.

Nebula
In a night of power-trios, the headliner was supposed to be the most experienced. Formed back in the late 90's by a couple of ex-Fu Manchu veterans, Nebula has been crafting their brand of Kyuss influenced stoner rock for over a decade. However, when the band took the stage on Tuesday night, the dwindling crowd was informed by bassist Tom Davies that drummer Rob Oswald had left the band the previous night in Baltimore. Amazingly, new drummer Adam Kriney had been recruited almost immediately and he made the overnight trek from New Jersey to Washington DC with his drum kit packed into a U-Haul trailor. Even more unbelievable, Adam spent the day of the show learning the incredibly complex drum parts to five of Nebula's songs. The end result was a blitzkrieg, 20 minute set of garage rock bliss. The new drummer barely missed a beat, even when vocalist/guitarist Eddie Glass coerced him to stay onstage for a 6th song encore, literally teaching him the drum fills on the spot, in front of the audience. Most bands would have cancelled this gig. The fact that Nebula soldiered on and put their faith in a new skinsman, only 24 hours after learning about the departure of their old one, speaks volumes about this band. True road warriors! I look forward to seeing these guys once they've had an opportunity to gel as a solid three piece again.

Moch Pryderi

2009-08-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Millennium Stage
Washington, D.C.
August 21, 2009

Before I begin reviewing the performance by traditional Celtic act Moch Pryderi (Welsh for Pryderi's Pigs), let me first fill you in on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. This is a program that offers free performances in music, theater and dance every single day of the year. That's right, at 6 p.m., you can find a live performance that is absolutely free, 365 days a year. Why am I just now hearing about this?

Okay, enough about the venue and its generosity, let's talk about the music! Moch Pryderi are a six piece out of Fredericksburg, VA who play a blend of folk and Celtic music that sounds like...well...think the soundtrack to the movie Braveheart. Each of the band members contributes in his or her own unique way and the majority of them are multi-instrumentalists. They're quite an impressive act to witness live.

The band took to the stage on Friday evening dressed in what looked like traditional Welsh garb. The four men wore lacy white shirts with brown vests and matching pants (except bagpipe player Bob Roser, who wore a traditional kilt). The two women sported flowing green dresses that could have been pulled straight out of a performance of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The band opened the show with a stunning instrumental number. When the steady percussion dropped in and I heard the first notes from Roser's pipes, I started looking around for the nearest biergarten...this is drinking music my friends. For their next song, Moch Pryderi played the Appalachian folk tune "Santa Anna's Retreat", adding their own Celtic twist that was highlighted by the faux Welsh accent in the vocals of frontman Bill Reese.

When the band started into "Am Alarch", which apparently "dumps on the French" and has a chorus that translates "into battle I will go", I felt like jumping to my feet and stomping around. Percussionist Rik Rice managed to create a thunderous sound out of a single drum that looked from my vantage point to be no bigger than a standard snare. Combined with Deborah Wenrich's fiddle and Dave Rich's guitar, Moch Pryderi's sound was hauntingly beautiful.

The star of this show however, was Mary Triola and her harp. More specifically, Triola was introduced as one of only 13 other musicians worldwide, outside the country of Wales, to be proficient in the Welsh triple harp. This instrument, as you may be able to guess, has three rows of strings and looks about as daunting as any instrument I've ever laid eyes on. Triola however, played the thing like a master. At one point, her band members even left the stage, allowing her to play a triple harp solo like a true Celtic rock star. Incredible!

When the band closed their hour long set with the instrumental "Dancing in the Pigsty", I was left with that amazing feeling you get when you realize you’ve just been entertained and educated at the same time. I came away with an appreciation for and an interest in Welsh/Breton music and history that I didn’t have prior to seeing these incredible musicians. And to think this enlightening experience was free? I truly was happier than moch in a pigsty.

Mayhem Festival

2009-08-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Nissan Pavilion
Bristow, VA
August 9, 2009

Hot Topic Stage:
Whitechapel
Job For A Cowboy
Behemoth
The Black Dahlia Murder
Cannibal Corpse

Jagermeister Stage:
Saint Diablo
God Forbid
All That Remains
Trivium

Main Stage:
Bullet For My Valentine
Killswitch Engage
Slayer
Marilyn Manson

I respect what the Mayhem Festival is trying to do, I really do. But when you're lining up metal bands to play back to back all day long in the dog days of summer, why not embrace the variety and eclectic nature of the genre you're trying to support? Too much of this years lineup ran together into one distortion laden, growling mess that was frankly too much for even the most seasoned of veteran metal fans (read...me).

I'm not like the majority of reviewers of these types of festivals who only show up late in the day for the main stage headliners, or only catch a smattering of the side stage acts because they're too busy grabbing a bucket of popcorn and bullshitting with their buddies. I saw every act on this tour and I'm gonna review them all...so let's get started.

Whitechapel
I had high hopes for the show opener from Knoxville, Tennessee as I'd read good things in some of the national metal publications that they were one of the young up and comers in the industry. As soon as they took the stage, I was disappointed. So this is deathcore huh? Why is it that so many bands these days feel the need to play non-stop double bass and blast beats as fast as humanly possible while their vocalist does his/her best cookie monster impression? Top the monotony of the "music" off with vocalist Phil Bozeman's inane commentary between songs, trying his best to fit the word "motherfucker" into every sentence, and this Mayhem Festival was off to a rocky start in the eyes of this reviewer.

Saint Diablo
These guys served as the Jagermeister band for the Bristow show, meaning they aren't actually on tour with Mayhem, they're a local artist who were given a 20 minute set to play in front of more people than they've likely seen in all their previous shows combined. Saint Diablo, from Richmond, Virginia (somewhat local?) made the most of their opportunity. The band had kind of a mid-90's, nu-metalish sound to them with a heavier punch...like Korn on crack. The vocalist even sported the braided corn row look that so many bands were fond of back in the day...yikes! Now I realize nu-metal is a bad word these days, but considering what I'd just seen from Whitechapel, these guys were actually a breath of fresh air. It wasn't all that memorable, but not bad either.

Job For A Cowboy
Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, this was the first band of the day to really impress me. Don't get me wrong, it was more deathcore (the flavor of the week in the metal genre), but if you want to sell me on this stuff, this may just be the band to do it. The band was tight as shit and every instrument stood out. Put plainly, it wasn't just noise! And listen, I'm not an image guy by any stretch of the imagination, but these guys have the look! They don't look like a bunch of young punks trying to be loud and evil, they're just loud and fucking evil! Vocalist Jonny Davy was an absolute beast on the mike. This is a band I will definitely keep my eye on...I have a feeling they'll be around for awhile.

God Forbid
The thing that struck me about New Jersey's God Forbid is singer Byron Davis's ability to really work the crowd. This band seemed very appreciative of the fans and of the metal community in general. One of my favorite things to hear a band say at a festival like this is to remind the crowd that "this is your day", because it's true. Metal fans truly do make up an underground community that appreciate a style of music that is virtually shunned and ignored by mainstream society. To witness 10,000+ people supporting aggressive music at something like the Mayhem Festival is always a treat, especially to someone like Byron Davis who typically plays in front of a tenth of this crowd. Regarding their set, God Forbid represented themselves as a true metal band. Amazing guitar solos, excellent vocals (actual singing...gasp!!!) and a bludgeoning rhythm section. If you like metal and you're not listening to God Forbid, then you're missing one of the true pioneers in the genre today.

Behemoth
The Polish black metal stalwarts were next. Now this wasn't my first Behemoth show, so I knew what to expect here, but again...not my thing. Guys (and girls), corpse paint just doesn't do it for me. Please explain this concept to me. Am I supposed to be scared? Is it supposed to enhance the music in some way? What am I missing here? Behemoth...extremely fast...extremely loud...extremely evil...extremely boring.

All That Remains
Admittedly, I am a huge ATR fan...I never get tired of seeing these guys (and girl) live. I wasn't disappointed in the least when they took the stage at Mayhem. My only question was why in the hell were they playing so early in the day? Oli Herbert is truly one of the best guitar players on the planet and I love how he doesn't mind taking center stage when it's his time. He wants you to know that he's the shit! You always know the sign of a good show when you don't want to see it end, and that's how I felt about ATR's set at Mayhem...they could have played all day and I wouldn't have gotten enough. Phil Labonte's voice seemed to bother him at times (he let the crowd sing a little too much), but his energy more than made up for it. Phil has had some vocal problems in the past and I can only hope that he can hang on for years to come because he really is an amazing vocalist. All told, ATR weren't the best band from Massachusetts on this day (that honor would go to Killswitch Engage), but they came damn close!

The Black Dahlia Murder
Back to the Hot Topic Stage for more of the same. That being said, these guys were probably the best of the day on this stage outside of Job For A Cowboy. Chubby vocalist Trevor Strnad is a lot of fun to watch and the band as a whole is definitely colorful. They somehow manage to make death metal fun, and there's something to be said for that. A review of TBDM would have to include words like blast beats...screams...gutteral growls...guitar solos...but you also have to include fun. When your vocalist is sporting a huge beer gut with the word "heartburn" tattoed across it, how could it not be fun?

Trivium
Back to the Jagermeister stage for headliners Trivium from Orlando, Florida. This is a band that I've watched in earnest since they got their start on Roadrunner Records. It's been fun watching them grow up. I can honestly say, they've become true professionals onstage. Matt Heafy is definitely one of the better front men in the business today. Their sound and stage presence remind me of a young, albiet heavier, Metallica. The crowd got to see a humorous side to Matt that I for one hadn't seen in the past (If you don't live in this area, don't worry, we're gonna be coming all over the place on our next tour...that's what he said"...hahaha.). When I originally saw the lineup for the Mayhem Festival, I was shocked that Trivium were closing the Jager stage, given that ATR were playing that stage as well, but they proved today that they were deserving of that slot. Having seen these guys play a rather lackluster set a few years ago at the Family Values Tour, they really changed my impression this go around. Maybe it's because they were more in their element in this setting? Whatever the reason, I can't deny that Trivium deserved to be the Jagermeister Stage headliner, they were one of the highlights of the day for me.

Cannibal Corpse
From Tampa, Florida, by way of Buffalo, NY are Cannibal Corpse, one of the legendary death/grind bands of all time (alongside the likes of Death, Napalm Death and Obituary). These legends took the stage and continued the bludgeoning nature of the Hot Topic Stage that started way back with Whitechapel at the beginning of the afternoon. Front man George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher oftentimes seemed like he wasn't exactly sure what to say to the crowd. My impression was that he definitely felt unsure of himself in front of a crowd of this magnitude. At one point, he dedicated the song "Fucked With A Knife" to the ladies...seriously. It left me wondering who in the hell likes this shit? I was off to the main stage.

Bullet For My Valentine
I feel about this Welsh band's live show like I do about their albums, which is to say inconsistent. At one minute they really do sound amazing and the next they just kind of fall flat. It's as if they can't decide if they truly want to be a metal band (Scream, Aim, Fire) or if they want to be crowd pleasing rockstars (Tears Don't Fall). Don't get me wrong, these guys have their fans and they were out en masse at the Mayhem Festival. And this was definitely the first time all day that I heard the ladies in the crowd overpower the men. If nothing else, BFMV provided a nice break from the Hot Topic Stage monotony by giving us a little rhythm and harmony, which was a welcome change to this reviewer's eardrums.

Killswitch Engage
"We came to drink all of your beer and pee on all of your women"...so said KsE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz as the Massachusetts band took to the main stage at the Mayhem Festival. To watch KsE live is to witness one of the true anomalies in metal, perhaps in all of music. There are five members of the band and each one of them brings something to the table that is absolutely essential to creating their tightly knit and innovative metalcore sound. However, it is the two primary opposing forces of this band, vocalist Howard Jones and the aforementioned Dutkiewicz that somehow manage to create the amazing chemistry that is KsE. Jones is a stocky, African-American who abstains from alcohol and plays it cool at all times. Adam D. on the other hand, is a tall, lanky white guy who drinks his face off and doesn't take anything seriously, including himself. And it's that self-deprecating humor that sets this band apart from their peers...what other band takes the stage with all five members sporting tuxedo t-shirts? And when Dutkiewicz, sporting a cape and shorts that would make Daisy Duke blush, chants "devil, devil, devil" in a high pitched voice between songs, you just can't help but laugh. But don't get the wrong impression, this is no comedy act. When KsE launch into songs like "Rose of Sharyn" or "The End of Heartache", I got chills just watching them. The band is passionate about their music and you can feel it. Like ATR earlier in the day, this was a set that I didn't want to see end, and that's about the best compliment you can ever give to a band. Despite their use of pyrotechnics, which may have been a cool main stage diversion for some bands, but felt unnecessary for a band of this magnitude, KsE stole the show at this Mayhem Festival.

Slayer
What can be said about the legendary Slayer that hasn't already been said before? When the house lights dropped and all that was left was a white curtain in front of the stage with pentagrams spinning on it, everyone in the crowd knew what was in store next. And when the curtain dropped and the first notes of "Disciple" hit your eardrums, the Slayer experience was in full effect. Strobe lights, fog, a wall of sound and a Slayer eagle logo lit up in flames...YES! Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't deny that these Bay Area thrash titans are an incredible live act. Guitarists Jeff Hanneman, dressed in his traditional Raiders jersey and black baseball catcher leg pads, and Kerry King, sporting black leather pants and full on chains hanging from his belt, shredded like it was 1988. Drummer Dave Lombardo was a monster on the skins, as always. And vocalist/bassist Tom Araya played the part of twisted ring leader to a tee. The band launched into classics like "South of Heaven", "War Ensemble", "Angel of Death" and "Raining Blood" and even gave the Mayhem crowd a taste from their upcoming album with new song "Psychopathy Red". Araya even showed a humorous side when mentioning the new album, saying that "it's about murder, death and serial killers...it's a typical Slayer album". This is a rare band that when you show up to see them play live, you know exactly what you're going to get, which is to say an energetic, loud and inspired performance. Slayer never fail to disappoint and they were on top of their game on this night.

Marilyn Manson
I wish I could say the same for the Mayhem Festival headliner. Marilyn Manson took the stage and proceeded to play up his prima-donna image. Throwing his microphone stand to the ground repeatedly, only to have it quickly put back in place by some poor roadie, became routine during the set. Manson ran through favorites like "Little Horn" and "Tourniquet", along with hits like "The Dope Show", the Eurythmics cover "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and "The Beautiful People". However, unlike the two bands that preceeded him, this set seemed uninspired and the headliner appeared to be bored. Manson seemed more interested in interacting with his road slaves between each song by getting toweled off or taking a swig from a fresh Budweiser, only to spit it all over the first few rows of the crowd and toss the remainder away. After seeing 8 straight hours of metal, this wasn't the set I expected from a headliner. Disappointing to say the least.

So what's it all about?

2009-08-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Alright, here's the deal...I dig music. What kind of music? Well, that pretty much depends on the mood I'm in, which can run the gamut of...well...just about anything. So being the music fan that I am, I find myself at live shows all the time. I'm talking big stadium concerts, dive bar local gigs, you name it, if it's live music I'm interested.

Well, I figured it's about time that I start documenting some of this stuff and the idea struck me to start a blog (actually, it was totally not my idea, but I'm taking credit for it!). What actually was my idea, is how I'm going to approach this whole thing. My goal with this blog is to check out at least one show per week for one year and write about it right here. Can I do it? Questionable. But I'm gonna give it a shot!

Now I'm a DC guy, so the majority of what you're going to see here will be local stuff in the DC/Baltimore area. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem traveling to see a good show, so every once in awhile you'll get a review/write-up on a gig from some other city (or country).

Concert number 1 comes from the Mayhem Festival at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA, which took place last Sunday, August 9th. There were 13 bands and over 8 hours of music, so it seemed like a perfect place to start.

I hope you enjoy.

More to come...