Reviews

CD, Concert and DVD reviews

PAPA ROACH
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD

Review and Photos by Marcy J Royce

BANG! Right out of a canon. PAPA ROACH stormed the stage with a vengeance. The electricity was high in Rams Head Live this night. Otherwise started the fever, Escape The Fate started the frothing, then PAPA ROACH grabbed the horns and took off. With every word of the chorus, “Burn… Burn… Burn!” the crowd chanted and fist pumped along with every word. Jacoby Shaddix had taken a early command of the crowd. And rightfully so with his intense energy and belted lyrics. He brought you straight to the top. But not to worry, the entire band was on fire right with him. It was like the entire stage was on fire, they couldn’t stay in one place for more than a few seconds. The entire venue was in full force rock out mode. Wow, time for me to hang on for the ride in the pit as the energy was thrown back and forth like kettle bells. The only problem that confronted me was the difficulty capturing each member in one place for even a second. I was on my toes keeping up!

PAPA ROACH

As Burn ended, To Be Loved took off. Same feverish crowd growing more hungry for every line of the song. Singing along as loudly as they could. Man, the fans were stoked for PAPA ROACH to be in Baltimore! As To Be Loved ended, Jacoby shouted at the crowd in the back about just standing there. He said, “Let’s F*#$in’ Do This!” And the crowd went wild. I smiled from ear to ear knowing that this lead singer was serious about each person in attendance being in the palm of his hand, firmly gripped to ride the rock out. I LOVE a frontman like that. Command a crowd early on and never wanting to let them go. And the crowd willingly followed. Halfway through the song Jacoby knew he had them. What a rush to see it all go down.

As I exited the pit the bass started and caught me at the beginning of Alive. I usually head for higher ground but this time I found a spot right away o n the floor and turned to watch the song and the crowd. Found myself bopping along. Really digging this tune. Then halfway through the song Jacoby jumped into the crowd just at the barrier. Girls squealed with delight. And he never broke stride with the lyrics. Arms and camera were everywhere.

PAPA ROACH

Silence Is The Enemy from their new release, The Connection, was next. Jacoby had the crowd jumping and clapping. I really enjoyed hearing this song live for the first time. Great riffs, few hooks, great bass, pounding drums. This was my first time seeing PAPA ROACH live. I’ve viewed them many times online. I have many of their cds. And my first live exposure to them lived up to my expectations. And them some. These guys are high energy every step of the way. From beginning to end. They are tight and dead on with every song.

And as I look back on this hot & heavy rock n roll night, I can honestly say it was hit after hit, even the new songs, and the crowd was fantastic and they never fatigued. They were roused the entire set. PAPA ROACH gives a great performance. One that I would assuredly want to see again and again.

Set list for PAPA ROACH: Burn, To Be Loved, Getting Away With Murder, Alive, Silence Is The Enemy, Forever, Before I Die, Blood Brothers, Give Me Back My Life, Angels & Insects, Angels Go, Still Swingin, Scars, Lifeline, Dead Cell, Last Resort

For more info on PAPA ROACH including tour dates, tickets, media, merchandise, and bios, visit http://paparoach.com/

I want to give a big shout out to Carise for making this opportunity happen for me and the Away-Team. Thanks!

BOOK Review: MERCILESS BOOK OF METAL LISTS

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on April 24, 2013

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Abrams Publishing, Flemming Rasmussen, Howie Abrams and Sacha Jenkins, Kerry King, MERCILESS BOOK OF METAL LISTS, metallica, Phil Anselmo.

MERCILESS BOOK OF METAL LISTS

Howie Abrams and Sacha Jenkins

Abrams Publishing

8 out of 10

So I’m sitting in a hotel room in the middle of BFE Indiana and I’ve just received a book to review called The Merciless Book of Metal Lists.

My first thought is what kind of bullshit can this be? A whole book of nothing but lists? I’m thinking it’s going to be somewhere just north of ‘That Metal Show’s Top 5 bullshit list to kill 5 minutes and not actually make a statement‘ lists. I was wrong. It is actually a fairly well put together book about metal that just happens to be in list form. I mean, who needs to write out all their thoughts with nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, conjunctions, complex sentences, and shit? Just think of a snappy title, and throw 5 to 10 items under it, and voila you have you own list of crap that hopefully someone else finds insightful or amusing, and in the best cases… both!

The latter is where this book sits. It has two authors but the key to the success of the whole book is that the lists within aren’t just from them. Flemming Rasmussen (Producer on 2.5 Metallica albums) has a couple of lists (Kill Em All Vs Ride The Lightning Vs Master of Puppets, Vs …And Justice for All), Kerry King writes the forward and Phil Anselmo writes the Afterword and there are a host of other contributors.

Sticking with the Metallica theme, one of the best lists in the book (though I disagree with it 100%) is ‘The Very Best Qualities Of METALLICA’S Load and Reload Albums‘. And the entire page is blank. If you don’t get it, then this book isn’t for you.

It’s hard to argue with a book. I mean, all lists are just opinions and opinions are assholes and assholes smell to high heaven. Well, that’s not quite right. It’s hard to argue with a book of lists, though it can be thought provoking at times, it can also be nothing but shit stirring. Which isn’t a bad thing, but reading it, in said hotel room, in said BFE, Indiana, I had no one to argue the finer merits of the 20 Greatest Metal Voices (Manowar’s Eric Adams is #4? Really? Above Geoff Tate and King Diamond? Above the likes of John Bush and Cory Taylor? Bullocks I say. Pure rubbish!

But that’s the point of this isn’t it? To get you thinking, to enlighten you just a bit, and to get you and your friends with a few cold beers to discuss and dissect meaningless things like ‘Rob Halford‘s lyrics re-examined‘ or ‘Paul Baloff‘s Stage Banter‘.

The Merciless Book of Metal Lists is just that. Merciless and Metal. That being said, you can go get your copy HERE or HERE, you’ll thank me later.

ROB HALFORD’S LYRICS RE-EXAMINED:
1. “yoU’Ve GoT ANoTheR ThING ComIN’”
I’m callin’ all the shots / I got an ace card comin’ down on the rocks
Rob’s like, “Shut up bitch—I’m the top here, and I’m gonna pound you until my load drips down your balls!”
2. “BReAKING The LAw”
Nobody cares if I live or die / So I might as well begin to put some action in my life
Obviously Rob feels alienated because his friends refuse to accept his lifestyle, so he hops a bus to San Francisco to get laid.
3. “LIVING AfTeR mIDNIGhT”
I’m all geared up to score again, loaded, loaded / I come alive in the neon light
Rob seems to not have gotten any in a while, so during a visit to Amsterdam, he hits the Red Light District in search of a Dutch stallion.
4. “hoT foR LoVe”
I can’t shake you off / You’re a wolf on the prowl
As he stated in “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” Rob fancies himself a pitcher, although as evidenced by this here passage, he doesn’t necessarily mind role-playing as Yogi Berra now and again.
5. “RoCK hARD RIDe fRee”
Get a grip on the action / Moving heaven and earth
Really . . . Who DOESN’T like some nice hand release???
6. “Some heADS ARe GoNNA RoLL”
If the man with the power / Can’t keep it under control / Some heads are gonna roll
If this isn’t the perfect slogan for premature ejaculators, we don’t know what is!
7. “New BeGINNINGS”
A new beginning has arrived / At the crossroads of my life / This new love keeps me alive
Finally, Rob Halford finds himself free from the shackles of discrimination and prejudice. Homophobia is fucked up and wrong. All due respect to a true Metal pioneer.

Device

Device

Warner Bros. Records

Rating: 9 out of 10

Release Date: 4/9/13

When Disturbed frontman David Draiman stamps his name on something one can’t help but take notice. Armed with a plethora of superstar cameos, the debut album from Draiman’s latest incarnation Device is one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. What you are about to read may do nothing to curb that anticipation.

The album kicks off with the tracks “You Think You Know” and “Penance”, two songs that, upon first listen, scream Disturbed. After a familiar introduction, you do indeed think you know, but the first single “Villify”, a microcosm of the entire album, reminds us that this is a different animal. You see, many a closed-minded critic has said ”Oh this is just another Disturbed album.”, but upon further listen you realize it has just enough subtle difference to distinguish itself. Think the difference between Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman, except with some actual real talent and appeal! Actually forget I said that, those two don’t even belong in the same conversation. The point I’m trying to make is… you can’t expect someone with such a distinct voice and styling as Draiman to completely abandon his identity just to say he did so. I mean, did Ozzy completely abandon who he was when he left Black Sabbath? Exactly. In fact that is probably the best comparison that can be made. Ozzy left the slightly mellower, but still rockin’, Black Sabbath and found his inner madman; Draiman makes the return trip and leaves the madman behind, and finds his inner Sabbath on this album.

Appropriately enough, that brings me to two of the album’s highlights. The first is a duet with Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), a brilliant departure from the norm, in which they cover the Ozzy/Lita classic “Close My Eyes Forever”. Lest we forget about the Black Sabbath reference, in comes Geezer Butler to team up with Serj Tankian (System of a Down) on the politically driven “Out of Line”. In sticking with the political theme, the party would not be complete without the help of one of the greatest guitarists of our time, Tom Morello, lending his unique styling to “Opinion”.

As if that wasn’t enough, the album’s two closers are perhaps it’s pinnacle. M Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) lends his voice alongside Draiman’s to create the beautifully haunting, dark melody that is “Haze”; preparing us for the curtain call that is “Through It All”. A stirring ballad featuring Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Black Country Communion) that virtually hypnotizes the finger and has you pressing “Repeat All” before you know what happened.

All in all, the debut album from Device is an instant candidate for Album of the Year, and will make even the most rabid of Disturbed fans forget about their hiatus, and beg for the next Device album. This album comes VERY highly recommended, and if you don’t pick it up this Tuesday you might just be “Disturbed”!

For more Device, including Tour Dates and to pre-order the album visit the band’s Official Website here.

TOM KEIFER
Thursday, February 28, 2013
House Of Rock, White Marsh, MD

Photos by Marcy J Royce
Review by Marcy J Royce

This was 10 years in the making. A solo tour for TOM KEIFER that didn’t seem to come easy. And as the saying goes, much “blood, sweat and tears” were the building blocks to what the fans experienced this night at The House Of Rock. To me, it was almost an epic evening.

This venue is a place where I’ve been several times before. However I was not prepared for the over abundance of attendees. This place was packed! Just goes to show you the man has a devout following. And can pull huge crowds into smaller, more intimate venues. The fans could get quite close to the stage since there was not the typical barricade. This presented me with a challenge to capture those photos I wanted, ones that would convey TOM KEIFER‘s more personal side. I’m a short gal and always seem to encounter those tall people. This night was about to be a lucky night for me.

TOM KEIFER

I eased my way into a spot during the opening band. I was just 2-3 people deep from the stage. There was no way I was going to get any closer. There were swooning women in front of me who paid extra cash for VIP and earned their place against the stage. I was lucky in part to the fact these women were my height or smaller. Hallelujah! I wouldn’t have to bob-n-weave, just make sure I didn’t bonk them on the head with my lens. The wait seemed to take forever as I heard several people to my left discuss. It was a 40 minute lull until a local radio jock introduced Tom. She gave him the best introduction, really showing how she felt he was the “heart and soul, the voice, the founder, the guitarist, the keyboardist, the voice of Cinderella… TOM KEIFER!” The crowd was so ready to get this set rolling. As Tom approached the front of the stage he looked around briefly at what Baltimore was about to give him this night. The screams were loud from those pumped-up people.

Kicking off the night with Sick For The Cure proved to be a great choice. I was happy to see that Tom was backed with a fully talented band that produced a great sound complimenting the Cinderella songs superbly. The set was peppered with Cinderella hits but this tour brought out Tom’s solo work beautifully. I previously sampled The Flower Song online and liked what I heard. To hear the entire song was great. The meaning behind the lyrics was explained by Tom and he dedicated the song to his wife Savannah. She actually joined him & the band on stage for at least 3 songs. He also gave her huge credits to helping him co-write many songs from the forthcoming cd release. She also had a hand in co-producing them.

I wasn’t sure how the flow of the set was going to be, I drove there thinking it may be totally acoustic. It turned out to be a nice blend of electric and acoustic, the flow of the songs proved to be a recipe for success. Now, any Cinderella fan was eager for each Cinderella song. Each Cinderella song was met with over-the-top enthusiasm. And most people may have been these solely for those. But if that’s the only reason they came then they missed out. Tom’s superb talent as a singer-songwriter-guitarist shown brightly in the songs he played this night from the upcoming cd. I am more anxious now for the release on April 30 titled The Way Life Goes. It will contain 14 new songs swirling with rock, blues and country. Part of Tom roots for sure. The Flower Song single was released February 4 and the next single, Solid Ground, will be released on March 5. Both these releases were in the set and I took keen notice and dissected them. I was enamored by both.

TOM KEIFER

After the end of Cold Day In Hell, I wanted to switch vantage points and made my way around the room to stage left. As I walked to the back of the room to circle around, I stopped. I took in the vibe of the fans and the energy. I found myself closing my eyes to soak it all in as Don’t Know What You Got (till its gone) played. It’s one of those songs that reminds me of losing someone I loved so dearly to cancer at a very young age. My baby brother. I know the lyrics are not meant for that type of relationship but I took for granted he would be here until we were old and gray. The chorus is really what makes me thinks of our relationship. Feeling like I did something wrong that he was taken from my life so soon. Ah well, enough of that. I got to the front row at stage left and by the middle of Coming Home. I readied my smartphone to capture Shelter Me. You can see it below.

The night came to a close with Gypsy Road. The fans went crazy. It was truly a special night. I am happy I was able to witness this first leg of Tom’s solo tour.

Set list included:
Sick For The Cure
Ain’t That A Bitch
A Different Light
Shake Me
Ask Me Yesterday
The Flower Song
One For Rock And Roll
Solid Ground
Cold Day In Hell
Don’t Know What You Got (till it’s gone)
Coming Home
Shelter Me

Encore:
Little Help From My Friends
Gypsy Road

Once again, my girl Amanda of ABR made this night happen for me and the Away-Team. You’re the best, always!

SHINEDOWN
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Sovereign Center, Reading, PA

Photos by Marcy J Royce
Review by Marcy J Royce

A grand opportunity was given to me to photograph one of my ultimate and favorite bands. I wanted to venture to a new venue for me, the Sovereign Center in Reading, PA to see how this SHINEDOWN show would be. Well, no matter what venue you see these guys in, it’s a stellar show. No fan left this show disappointed. The amount of vigor displayed by the crowd was immense. But wait just a minute, I’m getting ahead of myself again by the excitement of the night. Time to rewind…

The day before the show I was preparing myself to make sure I captured every moment I could. I’m weird like that. I look for patterns, lighting, and distinct moments I don’t want to miss. I did some online research and found a surprise. The surprise was great for the fans but a little less great for us photogs going into the pit. We would only be able to capture 2-1/2 songs instead of our normal 3 songs. So I knew I had to make my time count since approximately 3 minutes was going to be shaved off my time. The night was to be kicked off at FOH with the song Enemies from the 2012 Amaryllis cd release. What a great idea! The fans towards the middle and the back of the Sovereign Center were given a nice little treat. They went crazy seeing Brent, Eric and Zach closer than they thought they would. Halfway through the song, the music hesitated as the guys made their way up the side barricade and back onto the stage. Once they started on stage we were released to enter the pit and get to shooting. My adrenaline was pumping. It was amazing to see the huge show production at stage left and back towards back stage (that is where we were instructed to wait until they released us). Being married to a lighting director for another band had me evaluating all that equipment that I usually only see in his lighting magazine.

I felt like I was shot from a gun once I began shooting in the pit. And then the pryo onstage pleasantly surprised me. The last part of Enemies was amazing. The intense energy only made me feel like I was levitating. It’s one of the reasons I love shooting live performances. The intense, raw energy make me feel like I’m on top of the world. SHINEDOWN was about to kick my ass those first three songs as a photographer first, and second as a fan. Next up in the set was Devour and Unity. Devour is one of those pumping songs with such great guitar leads, riffs, bass and drums. It’s one of the reasons I use this song for my ab workouts. I was all over the place trying to capture all the guys. However, I do know that Brent is such a powerful and deliberate frontman that his place is solid on his center stage box. I got some great shots! Check them here: SHINEDOWN PHOTOS from February 17, 2013 in Reading, PA

Unity was the next song to kick me in the ass. The entire Amaryllis cd is killer, it continues to be one of my favorite SHINEDOWN releases. As the intro began, the crowd became like a rabid dog. Pure energy started exploding from every direction. I could just feel the intensity of it all. Loving every second. Holy balls, it was intense. If any fan didn’t become swept up into the wave you shouldn’t have been there. I could see immediately how tight the band was with each other and the crowd. These guys certainly know how to make each fan feel like they are there performing just for them. Good interaction and eye contact everywhere, all night.

SHINEDOWN

As I took my place in the back of the GA section behind FOH, I really began to take in the phenomenal light show paired with the awesome sound mix. Stellar and impressive. Great talent in the crew. For the rest of the show I stayed firmly planted in my floor spot. Each and every song I evaluated and dissected. SHINEDOWN’s drive, determination, and raging desire to be the best they can be surely showed in this performance. Brent’s vocals were dead on, strongly delivered, and he never waivered the entire night. He is one of the best when it comes to vocals of a frontman. Barry pounded those drums with fever, delivering heart pounding beats from beginning to end with a huge smile constantly. Eric was a monster on the bass. And Zach was steller. Both Eric and Zach were like energizer bunnies, running around that stage without any indication that batteries were running low. I’m sure many of you attending concerts have had some disappointment with how the songs sound live compared to a cd. Well, that was not the case with SHINEDOWN.

SHINEDOWN

One thing that has continued to be evident to me about Brent Smith: I could see just how much he has continued his physical regime. It shows. I follow him on Twitter. Looks better, feels better, and the tons of swooning women were delighted. His delivery, his power, his intensity… he may not move like Mick Jagger but man o’ man, is he a powerful singer. I could watch him belt it out days on end. I often compare other vocalists to him in my own mind. Someday I’d love to have an one-on-one, in-person interview with him. So many questions, so little time… HA HA! He has come so far as a singer-songwriter in these past years. Oh, but just to dream is enough.

As I left the Sovereign Center, I was feverishly reviewing in my head the show that memories are made from. I kept playing it over and over again in my head. I did capture a video of Amaryllis on my smartphone from where I was standing most of the show. See it below:

All the above means you must just go see them for yourself. I promise you, 100%, that you will not regret spending your hard earned cash to see one of the premier bands of this time. True musicians doing what they love. And excelling at it.

To say the least, SHINEDOWN is one of my go-to bands for many reasons. Live show is priceless. Songs are crafted and meaningful. Energy is high and unrelenting. And many of their songs I use for motivation and for life experiences. Now go check out SHINEDOWN’s website, www.shinedown.com, for information on music, videos, photos, bio and also where their next tour date is near you. Because you MUST GO! You will be disappointed if you don’t see them. I know I would have been.

Setlist for this night:
Enemies (Amaryllis)
Devour (Sound Of Madness)
Unity (Amaryllis)
The Crow & Butterfly (Sound Of Madness)
Save Me (Us & Them)
I’ll Follow You (Amaryllis)
Diamond Eyes (single)
If You Only Knew (Sound Of Madness)
Amaryllis (Amaryllis)
45 (Leave A Whisper)
Encore:
Sound Of Madness (Sound Of Madness)
Second Chance (Sound Of Madness)
Medley of Covers including:
She Talks To Angels, Over The Hills & Far Away, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Enter Sandman, Stairway to Heaven, Wanted Dead or Alive
Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
Bully (Amaryllis)

I want to give a big shout out to Kelly McWilliam for making this opportunity happen for me and the Away-Team. You rock, my dear. Always a pleasure to work with you.

Show Review: SEVENDUST 2013-02-05 Lancaster, PA

Posted by Marcy J Royce on February 6, 2013

Posted in: News, Reviews. Tagged: Animosity, Black Out The Sun, Clint Lowery, Cold Day Memory, Home, John Connolly, Lajon Witherspoon, Morgan Rose, Next, review by Marcy J Royce, Seasons, Sevendust, Vince Hornsby.

SEVENDUST
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA

Review & photos by Marcy J Royce

High anticipation is the best way to describe the days leading up to SEVENDUST invading South Central PA on this frigid night in February. I learned in November of last year the gritty, hard rocking guys would be making a stop in Lancaster on their new tour in support of their March 26, 2013 release of their 9th studio CD, Black Out The Sun.

Sevendust Black Out The Sun Album Cover

Just three shows in to this tour and its brilliantly evident the new release is gonna soar to new heights. And rightfully so! Black Out The Sun is KILLER! And when SEVENDUST performs, you stand up and take notice. I’ve been afforded the honor and rare opportunity to preview the new album. I can tell you this, YOU WILL WANT TO PREORDER THIS BABY! I’ve already chosen quite a few tracks as my faves. The first pick for me is Decay, which kicked off the set this night. I was very pleased as I feel that song is definitely a show stopper and a show starter all wrapped up into one integrated package. Another pick for me is the only other song from Black Out The Sun to appear in the set this early on in the tour, Till Death. WOW! Just wow. I have two other picks from the new CD but will not spoil the surprise for you since they were not in the set. You’ll just have to get the CD. (insert evil grin here, ha ha!)

Someone I know asked me at the show to describe how I felt Black Out The Sun compared to the previous 2010 release of Cold Day Memory. I told him this… it grabs you hard, and hits you square in the chest, it will knock you flat on your ass. It’s harder, it’s darker, it’s packed full of melodies, grit, and riffs. It also has a mellow, soothing, mood- invoking tendency. It runs the gamut and blankets everything in a way that’s so poetic. I’m really excited for the masses to lay their mitts on this CD. It’s one for the record books. He and I exchanged stories about SEVENDUST before I had to excuse myself to take my place firmly in the pit. My anticipation was about to go full tilt.

RP-Sevendust-8059

You see, SEVENDUST is one of those bands that really sets the bar very high for their counterparts in their genre. And even for themselves. They are one of those bands you must see live. If you think their music is riveting listening to it on your MP3 player, in your car, at home, just about anywhere… you haven’t experienced all that encompasses the full circle of these guys. You will see what I mean at your first show, your fifth show, your fiftieth show. They deliver the goods solidly each and every time. It’s a WYSIWYG type of thing. They truly are themselves on the stage, they truly love what they do and it extends off the edge of the stage right to the fans. Case in point, Lajon signed something for a fan from the stage and Morgan threw out many a drumsticks. I even think a few picks made it to mid floor. SEVENDUST is truly a fans band with the fans eating it up. There is no way you will ever be disappointed. I personally guarantee it.

RP-Sevendust-8065

As I stood there moments before the action ride of my life, I peeked at the set list taped to the stage floor. Yowza!!! These electrified fans were going to go ballistic. Their set was everything I had hoped it would be. Energizing, intense, loud, raw and mind-blowing. From the very first song, Decay (from Black Out The Sun) to the last song, Face To Face (from Seasons), they certainly delivered the hard edge goods. As I exited the pit to stage right, I absorbed the charged atmosphere. The exchange of energy between SEVENDUST and the crowd is one of the reasons I love photographing live musicians. It’s a feeling like none other. I couldn’t help but raise my camera in the air to capture the crowd. They were being worked into frenzy by each member of the band.

RP-Sevendust-8130

SEVENDUST has an appetite for pure domination of their genre and their music proves that they are one of the most powerful bands out there. They have been around since 1994 and have perfected their craft. They’ve taken the good and the bad of the last 19 years and have risen to be the best of the best.

Set list this night included:

Decay (Black Out The Sun, 2013)
Praise (Animosity, 2001)
Denial (Home, 1999)
Ugly (Next, 2005)
Bitch (Sevendust, 1997)
Trust (Animosity, 2001)
Angel Son (Animosity, 2001)
Waffle (Home, 1999)
Strong Arm Broken (Cold Day Memory, 2010)
Till Death (Black Out The Sun, 2013)
Pieces (Next, 2005)
The End Is Coming (Cold Day Memory, 2010)
Splinter (Cold Day Memory, 2010)
Face To Face (Seasons, 2003)

SEVENDUST is truly one of THE BEST bands I’ve ever seen live. And I cannot wait to see them again! If this Black Out The Sun tour finds its way anywhere near you – GO! Don’t hesitate, don’t delay. Don’t think twice. There simply is no reason to not see them live. Their power will overtake you and make you want more and more. Just maybe arm yourself with earplugs, these guys are loud and proud. Just the way I like it.

Huge shout out to my girl Amanda, of SEVENDUST’s PR team, for making this amazing opportunity happen for me and the Away-Team. You’re the best, girl!

Check out everything SEVENDUST at www.sevendust.com
Follow SEVENDUST on Twitter: twitter.com/sevendust
Like SEVENDUST on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Sevendust/25493613958
And SEVENDUST on MySpace: www.myspace.com/sevendust
See SEVENDUST photos on their official flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/sevendust
Visit SEVENDUST videos on their official YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/officialsevendust

Show Review: HINDER 2012-12-12 Lancaster, PA

Posted by Marcy J Royce on December 21, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Austin Winkler, B|W|R Public Relations, Cody Hanson, Hinder, Joe Garvey, Marcy J Royce, Mark King, Mike Rodden, Nina Kolb.

HINDER
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA

Review by Marcy J Royce

Being that HINDER was formed in 2001, their newest release is just their fourth. Welcome To The Freakshow hit stores & iTunes officially on Tuesday, December 4. Only 8 days before I was to catch their live show at The Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA.

I bought my physical copy of the cd and began my dissection of the tracks. Almost immediately I was drawn to a few songs including Save Me, See You In Hell, and Wanna Be Rich. Probably because all three sound familiar, sound akin musically, and most like what I’ve come to associate with what HINDER is to me. Don’t get me wrong, this cd is definitely more diverse and a bit darker lyrically. Still there are 2 “radio worthy” tracks that should get some airplay.

But hey, that’s just my take. Get your own copy and see for yourself. I think you’ll really get into the cd.

This post-grunge, alternative metal/rock band sure does have a lot to offer and are nowhere near the end of what their potential holds. Last time I caught these guys was in the summer of 2011 when they were touring on the All American Nightmare release. It was sweltering in the Pennsylvania summer and HINDER turned the knob to MELTING that night in July. So my expectations seeing the guys this time, almost 18 months later, was very high. And let me say this… AUSTIN, CODY, JOE, MARK and MIKE DELIVERED IT like an overnight priority package. Fulfilled every expectation and even took it up a notch. Their live show is something to see. And even though the weather outside was so cold, the great mass assembled inside was feverishly hot and almost rabid at the midway point. The staff actually had to disseminate the revelry that escalated into a fight. This is one time I was glad I was plastered against the wall, out of harms way.

Of course my night started in the press/photo pit for the first 3 songs. As I stand in waiting for HINDER, I took in all the extra lighting they brought. They brought it last time and it helped their show in this small, sparsely lit venue. I usually fight for acceptable photos in this place. So view my photos to see how I did with HINDER‘s added light show. The fans directly behind the barricade, all the way across the front row, were avid fans. I know this because the only other photog this night was being repeatedly asked to move to they could see and the show hadn’t even started yet. And apparently someone was motioning that they were gonna spill their beer on me to get me to move. Thank goodness my hubs alerted me so that I could move a bit. These fans were dead serious about their HINDER affliction.

HINDER kicked off the set with 2 Sides of Me (All American Nightmare), Up All Night (Take It To The Limit), and Use Me (Take It To The Limit). Pure energy just rolled from the stage. I love the rush, it’s almost like a drug. I did fall prey to Austin’s spitting however. But that’s ok, I got a killer shot of him in the process. As I moved strategically back and forth in the pit I couldn’t help to look around from crowd to stage and back again. HINDER had this crowd in a firm grip. Austin does quite well working his frontman status to capture those fans in an almost hypnotic state. Sometimes the crowd was singing along so loud that I had a bit of a time hearing Austin belt out each word.

The set list for this night was:
2 Sides of Me
Up All Night
Use Me
What Ya Gonna Do
Save Me
See You In Hell (also see my video below)
Hey Ho
Better Than Me
How Long
Shoulda Known Better
Homecoming Queen
Lips of an Angel
All American Nightmare
Talk To Me
Use Me
Put That Record On
Get Stoned

I was quite pleased with the mix of songs. The new ones mixed into all the fan favorite hits. Here’s my video of the new “See You In Hell”. Best I could do from my position plastered to the wall.

What a great night HINDER provided to their fans. Once again I was very pleased with what I saw, heard, and felt on this return trip to Lancaster. Hurry back boys. I’ll be sure to come see you again!

Check out everything HINDER at www.hindermusic.com.

Thanks and a shout out to Nina from HINDER‘s PR team for arranging this opportunity for myself and the away-team. You’re a doll!

DVD Review: THE DOORS – Live at the Bowl ’68

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on October 26, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: EAGLE VISION, Jim Morrison, Live at the Bowl ‘68, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, The Doors.

THE DOORS

Live at the Bowl ‘68

Blu Ray

Eagle Vision

6 out of 10

I have never seen a decent version of a Doors concert, and being a fan of a lot of their stuff (Ok, so their 2 CD Best Of is always in heavy rotation but never got into a full album of theirs), I was excited to hear of this show getting a proper release and modern treatment.

In fact it dawned on me as I was watching it that the show I was watching/hearing probably sounded 100 times better than what the crowd heard on July 5, 1968 at the Hollywood Bowl. The 5.1 mastering sounds superb, and may very well be the best I’ve ever heard The Doors.

Having been listening to The Doors for the later part of 25 years I can’t believe it never occurred to me that they didn’t have a bassist! As I watched the show, it hit me about two songs in; there is no bassist on stage. So I had to do some research to figure out what was going on, and Ray Manzarek was credited with playing the ‘keyboard bass’ as well as the keyboards. So presumably he had a loop going of a bass line for the songs.

If you’ve seen the movie The Doors then you’ve probably seen a more energetic and charismatic version of Jim Morrison then you will on this disc. The first time he really seems to come alive was during Light My Fire when he begins screaming at the crowd after the lengthy jam and before they reel it back in to the last refrain.

The band is ridiculously good. Even when they breakdown into the extended jams they still hold it all together tightly and don’t lose you as they nod out and let the music take over.

I’ve never really understood the fascination with him; I mean he is almost revered as a demi-god by many. And after seeing this show, I understand it even less.

Morrison never seems to actually ‘be’ there. And his between song banter, or poetry slam, just leaves you scratching your head. Right, so it leaves ME scratching my head, point taken.

I know he was phobically afraid of crowds and the stage fright was crippling to him. And only being three years into the band when this concert was filmed may be a big part of this, but his eyes are closed through 80 percent of the show, and he moves very little (which is true for the entire band, yes a keyboardist and drummer can’t really move around too much, I get that) but he and Robby Krieger aren’t the most energetic on stage.

The execution during The Unknown Soldier is gripping and Jim’s vocals throughout the entire show are great. What he lacks in on stage charisma he more than makes up for vocally.

Some songs are difficult to pull off live, and you would think that an epic song such as The End would be almost impossible to make work in a live situation. Especially during the 60s and 70s when everyone was always sitting down because there were no arenas at the time just large theaters with seats. But damned if The End wasn’t as strong live as the recorded version. And yes, live it is still chilling and enthralling.

The extras on the Blu Ray are worth the price of admission alone. Two mini documentaries on the show at the Bowl as well as an in depth look at how the film was restored and remastered for this release are included with three bonus performances.

THE DOORS Live at the Bowl ’68 is out now on DVD, Blu Ray, CD, and Double LP.

Gary Moore

Blues for Jimi

CD

Eagle Records

7 out of 10

Gary Moore is a great guitarist; this is not up for dispute. Gary Moore throwing down some Jimi Hendrix can’t be viewed as a bad thing, ever.

Where this live CD works is in Gary’s masterful interpretation of Jimi’s licks. Where it seems to fail is in the mix and vocals. If Gary were to just stand back and shred and allow for someone else a little more Jimi ‘sounding’ to sing it may make up for the bad mix. But as it stands the vocals just seem to add to the bad mix and almost ruin the CD as a whole.

When Gary isn’t singing and just wailing away at Hendrix classics like Purple Haze, Manic Depression, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, and Voodoo Child (slight return), all is right with the world. Gary stays as true to the songs as possible and even though it’s live and Jimi would be known to go off on his solos, Gary never seems to take over the song, just channels Jimi into and through the guitar and lets it wail.

The concert itself was recorded in 2007 in London. The band includes Dave Bronze, Darrin Mooney, and the end of the set Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell from the original Jimi Hendrix Experience join Gary on stage for Red House, Stone Free, and Hey Joe.

Unfortunately Gary Moore is no longer with us, as I can’t imagine he wouldn’t be continually on one of the Jimi Hendrix Experience tours going on now.

A great guitarist paying homage to another is a wonderful thing to behold. Sadly the mix is just a little muddy for the drums and bass. With today’s technology I can’t imagine why the sound ended up the way it did. If anything I guess it puts you back into the late sixties and gives you that ‘retro’ feel.

DVD Review: DANKO JONES – Bring on the Mountain

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on October 7, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Bad Taste Records, Bring On The Mountain, DANKO JONES.

DANKO JONES

Bring on the Mountain

DVD

Bad Taste Records

9 out of 10

Ever heard of DANKO JONES?

Well you should have. They’ve only been around for 16 years. Yes, 16 years. They should be the biggest rock band out there today. They should be. You should agree with me. You should.

That being said, I have a great way for you to find out more about DANKO JONES than you ever thought you needed to know. Bring on the Mountain is their first ever DVD and it is chock full of DANKO JONES‘ history. The format of the DVD is great in that it has Danko and band sitting around essentially just telling you stories about how the band started interspersed with video clips from ‘back in the day’. That’s 90 minutes of Danko and company telling you about their KISS inspired Punk Rock roots through lineup changes through today. It is a great visual and spoken word history that is well presented.

But there’s more to Bring on the Mountain than just a Danko Jones history lesson. You have a mini movie based on their video trilogy from Full of Regret, Had Enough and I Think Bad Thoughts. There are 15 live clips of some of Danko’s best songs and all 19 music videos that the band has ever done.

Yes 19 videos! The best Rock & Roll band out there has 19 videos and you’ve never heard of them. It could be because they are from Canada and the Canadian media is all about Rush and Nickelback apparently. Or it could be it has taken them this long to get this good, and now is their time and Bring on the Mountain is the vehicle that is going to take them to the top of said mountain and everyone will know that greatness that is DANKO JONES!

Because this band does NOT deserve to be held in obscurity any longer.

The only reason this great package got a 9 instead of a 10 is that there needs to be a full length concert with it. Yes there are 15 live videos here, but it isn’t all just one show. Hopefully the littlest biggest band in the world will offer up a full live show for us rapid fans.

Check out Bring on the Mountain and discover Danko Jones for yourself. You WILL thank me later.

Jon Lord

Concerto for Group and Orchestra

CD

Eagle Records

10 out of 10

Rest In Peace Mr. Jon Lord.

Concerto for Group and Orchestra was originally recorded live in 1969 with DEEP PURPLE and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. It has seen many performeds and recorded variations (I happen to have it on DVD Audio that I bought about 10 years ago), but it was never recorded in a studio until now.

With the help of Guy Pratt, Brett Morgan, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann, Bruce Dickenson, Steve Balsamo, Kasia Laska, Joe Bonamassa, Darin Vasilev, and Steve Morse, Jon Lord was able to finalize a dream that had taken 43 years, 30 performances with different orchestras and conductors all over the world, and 30 more performances with Deep Purple themselves.

Thankfully Jon was able to approve the final mixes before he passed away earlier this year.

Most Deep Purple fans already know about Concerto, and even some casual fans may. This isn’t an album for the fan expecting Smoke on the Water with strings. This is a true musical concerto that was composed by Jon Lord. Yes it ‘rocks out’ in some parts, but this is a true musical movement that needs to be heard to be appreciated.

I’m not sure the casual music fan can appreciated the music and subtle nuances of Concerto for Band and Orchestra that Jon Lord has written, but if you sit, listen, and open your ears and mind you’ll hear the unmistakable strains of Jon Lord’s Hammond B and you’ll hear wonderful performances from Bruce Dickinson that you would never have thought possible.

Concerto for Band and Orchestra is credited as the first ‘marriage’ of rock band and orchestra. Paving the way for the likes of Metallica’s S&M and Roger Waters‘ The Wall performance in Berlin Germany as well as a slew of other rock/orchestra events.

You deserve to hear Concerto for Band and Orchestra. You need to hear Concerto for Band and Orchestra. You’ll thank me later.

RE-MACHINED

A Tribute to DEEP PURPLE’s Machine Head

Various Artists

Eagle Records

8 out of 10

DEEP PURPLE may be the best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band ever. There is no disputing their massive influence on the music scene over the years. And there can be no denying that whatever personnel line up they had at the time the music was magical.

Machine Head was originally released 40 years ago and I defy you to show me an album that old that stands up as well or better than Machine Head. Do yourself a favor and go watch the Classic Albums episode featuring Machine Head and you’ll see that the subject of Smoke on the Water was just the tip of the nightmarish iceberg that the band had to deal with to record the album. That an album was recorded at all under those circumstances is amazing, that said album came to be the monster that is Machine Head is a testament to the band and their perseverance.

Re-Machined a Tribute to DEEP PURPLE’S Machine Head features many acts that were inspired directly from Deep Purple and the album itself. From Metallica to Black Label Society, Joe Bonamassa to Carlos Santana, from Steve Vai to Chickenfoot, Iron Maiden to Jimmy Barnes and more all throw down on Re-Machined with great verve and gusto. There is even a special appearance by former Deep Purple Bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes.

Metallica’s take on When a Blind Man Cries is one of the stand out tracks on this album. While the original track itself was recorded during the Machine Head session it wasn’t released on the album itself. Carlos Santana and Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach) take on Smoke on the Water which has stellar moments (Carlos Santana of course) and not so stellar moments (Jacoby is no Ian Gillan). Chickenfoot’s Highway Star is a raucous take on a perennial classic (Would have LOVED to have seen Metal Church’s version on here as it is even better, but alas that was not to be). Pictures of Home by BLS is pure BLS. And yet Zakk channels Ian almost perfectly. There are several uncanny moments where you can’t tell if it is Zakk or Ian singing. And Lazy by Jimmy Barnes and Joe Bonamassa is unreal. If Metallica’s When a Blind Man Cries wasn’t so strong this may be THE track of the album. These two songs alone make the entire album.

There are always two schools of thought on doing covers. One is you remain true to the original and the other is you provide your own unique take on the song. Both work, IF the band doing the cover does it well. And that my friends brings us to The Flaming Lips. I cannot name one The Flaming Lips song. Not. One. And after hearing their version of Smoke on the Water, I don’t ever want to hear another The Flaming Lips song. Ever. This album, though it is all covers, would have rated a perfect 10 from me (even with Jacoby’s sometimes less than stellar version of the same song), but the inclusion of The Flaming Lips here just baffles me. Firstly there was already a version of Smoke on the Water so it wasn’t like they needed to have this version to make the album complete. Secondly there are so many other bands out there directly influenced by Machine Head and DEEP PURPLE that could have been included here, there was no reason to waste a spot with The Flaming Lips, and lastly, after hearing The Flaming Lips you can’t tell me they were ever influenced by DEEP PURPLE.

So, Metallica, Carlos Santana, Jacoby Shaddix, Chickenfoot, Glenn Hughes, Chad Smith, Black Label Society, Joe Elliott, Steve Stevens, Duff McKagen, Matt Sorum, Jimmy Barnes, Joe Bonamassa, Iron Maiden, and Steve Vai good.

The Flaming Lips bad.

Skip Track 6 and you’ll love this album. I know I did and I do.

ALL HAIL DEEP PURPLE.

And don’t even get me started on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announcing their nominees and DEEP PURPLE finally gets nominated the year Jon Lord passes. FUCK YOU ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME.
Fuck. You.

R.I.P. Jon Lord.

DVD Review: QUEEN – Greatest Video Hits

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on October 7, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Another Bites The Dust, Bicycle Race, Bohemian Rhapsody, David Bowie, EAGLE VISION, Fat Bottom Girls, Flash Gordon, Greatest Video Hits, Killer Queen, MTV, Queen, Radio Ga Ga, Under Pressure, We are the Champions, We Will Rock You.

QUEEN

Greatest Video Hits

DVD

Eagle Vision

8 out of 10

Who knew QUEEN had so many videos? I mean, We have ALL seen Bohemian Rhapsody and if you were a child of the 80’s you’ve had to see Radio Ga Ga and Under Pressure with David Bowie, but really, as a casual QUEEN fan can you name any other videos of theirs?

Did you know that they had 33?!?!?!? At least that is the number of videos packed into this 2 DVD set! 33 videos from a band whose biggest success was BEFORE MTV.

Disc 1 is all about the 70’s. From the aforementioned Bohemian Rhapsody to Another Bites The Dust and it includes the greatest cheesiest Soundtrack ever, Flash Gordon! Of course the great We Will Rock You and We are the Champions are here too. Classic FM Staples like Killer Queen, Fat Bottom Girls and Bicycle Race are here too in a stunning new 5.1 mix.

For those of you born IN or AFTER the 80’s you have to remember that MTV didn’t always exist. There are many ‘promotional clips’ as they were called from bands pre-MTV but they were few and far between. They were used to promote the singles to other industry people, not really used for commercial consumption. So to have QUEEN have so many videos from a pre-MTV era is remarkable. And to have them all presented here with a beefed up audio track is fabulous.

The second disk is all about the 80’s post-MTV birth and you can see the difference in composition really. The biggest thing I noticed is that all but Radio Ga Ga, Under Pressure, and Body Language are new to me. I had no idea there were QUEEN videos out there for A Kind of Magic, I Want It All, and Who Wants to Live Forever.

This two disc set is a great idea if you are a casual QUEEN fan and looking to get a visual glimpse into them. A visual greatest hits package is a great place to start.

CINDERELLA
Friday, August 18, 2012
Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD

Review by Marcy J Royce

If anyone tries to convince you that 80′s rock is dead, I highly suggest you send them to go see CINDERELLA perform live. PERIOD! Once they see them, hear them, and feel the 80′s vibe with them… all doubts will disappear.

Jeff LaBar and Tom Keifer of Cinderella

I grew up a musical child of the 80′s, I truly loved the time of the hair bands. Back in the pure days of MTV it seems that most of the bands were basically split between their musical talent and their stage looks. CINDERELLA was one of those bands that seems to have fallen victim to the Aqua Net hair, eyeliner eyes, skin tight spandex, and lipstick. However, they were among the few that had that raw talent that would lie deep within them. For CINDERELLA today, those 80′s looks have faded but their music has not. That’s because the strong foundation they built with their music has stood that test of time to this day.

Back in the full throws of the 80′s golden days, CINDERELLA was one of my go-to bands to play on the cassette player. (not sure some of you will remember much of that, ha ha). Sure, I was one of those gals who swooned at most of the heavily made up, yet so sexy men of the bands of that time. Now that I’ve matured musically I can look back objectively and see those bands for what they were really worth musically. CINDERELLA has made my list as one of the talent survivors. Tom Keifer is a very talented singer/songwriter that makes the band thrive. He seems to continue to be a great driving force behind the success of the band today. While I look to each member separately and what they each bring to the table, Tom is the spearhead in which will continue to bring the masses to see the band perform today. He commands the stage with the best of the best in respect to frontmen. He may not move around like he did in the 80′s on stage. But the strength of his presentation has not waned.

August 2 of 2011, CINDERELLA performed at Rams Head Live. It was the first time I had seen them in a very long time and it was only shortly before that performance that the band had begun to do shows again because Keifer was off for an extended amount of time recovering from vocal cord issues. Fast forward a year and here we are again, August 17, 2012 at Rams Head Live for another highly anticipated show. I approached the night like any other. Full of excitement and energy. The set was basically the same as the year before. No surprises there because they seem to ft on all the familiar hits the fans crave. I miss hearing “Push Push” and “Fallin’ Apart At The Seams“, two of my many favs from the foursome. But yet the 13 songs they did performed the fans thorough approved of by the roars of approval and the hands in the air.

The setlist was this: Once Around The Ride, Shake Me, Heartbreak, Somebody Save Me, Night Songs, The More Things Change (see my video below), Coming Home (also see my video below), Second Wind, Don’t Know What You Got, Nobody’s Fool, Gypsy Road, and the encore of Long Cold Winter and Shelter Me.

To me the set should have been at least two songs longer. However, I found out why the last three songs as to the reason. It was very disheartening to me to hear the struggle develop for Tom’s voice. I felt bad for him, he was trying really hard. And after what his been through previous years with his vocal cord issues I couldn’t help wanting to end quickly for him. But besides that issue the band sounded strong and solid. I did find Jeff LaBar was bursting with more energy than when I had seen him last. It was quite invigorating since I have heard he had some physical issues last year. Not any more! That man was all about the stage and hopping and spinning around. I also had my eyes on Fred Coury. I’m drawn to drummers and I always lose myself watching them perform. And last but not least I always dissect Eric. Bassists follow close behind the drummers for me as to whom I follow. The night always belongs to Tom, however. He’s a frontman that is so strong that the crowd is drawn by the magnetism. Plus the ladies still have the eyes for him. Even the cute 14 year old in the front row whom Tom made sure to personally bend down and had his pick to. I spoke with her later and she was ecstatic. Rightfully so. I was the same way last year when he told me I had a good eye when I asked him to sign two photos of mine in Atlantic City. Talk about a tough one to balance professionalism with fan girl. Whew! So Katie, congrats on the pick, signed setlist, hug and photos. I share your excitement.

The encore this night I especially loved. I turned to my husband during “Long Cold Winter” and exclaimed THIS was the perfect way to make rock bluesy. I was enjoying every chord, every note. Then it ended perfectly with “Shelter Me“, on of my top tunes from CINDERELLA. Add Tom playing sax and I was like butter.

I would say this 2012 25th Anniversary would be classified as a success. CINDERELLA delivered the goods like only a few from the 80′s can. The fans were happy. And so was this photographer/journalist.

For all things CINDERELLA including tour dates, tickets, media, merchandise, and bios, visit http://www.cinderella.net

An enormous shout out to my gal, Sky Nicholas of UEG Inc., who is always the consummate professional and so very good to me. Thanks Sky, you’re top notch in my book!

CARNIVAL OF MADNESS TOUR 2012
Featuring: Evanescence, Chevelle, Halestorm, and New Medicine
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Pier 6 Pavilion – Baltimore, MD

Photos by Marcy J Royce.

The Carnival Of Madness Tour 2012 came to Baltimore, Maryland bringing with it some really great bands. The night was to be kicked off by NEW MEDICINE. Notice the word ‘was’. However NEW MEDICINE had to cancel their set because singer, Jake Scherer, had an emergency procedure that rendered him unable to perform his usual duties. So up first was CAVO instead. Then HALESTORM. However, due to a scheduling conflict I missed both of those bands completely. I arrived just when HALESTORM had finished. I was okay with missing HALESTORM only because I’ve seen them numerous times, and I heard they did not disappoint. Like I had any doubt! So I readied myself to take in the mighty CHEVELLE.

CHEVELLE is one of those bands you don’t forget. Mainly because their set is filled with so many hits. While they don’t stand atop of their genre of music as a front runner, they still provide a good show laced with contained energy, giving the fans what they want, and the fans really get into their performance. They sounded good and I was pleased with the show from start to finish.

Chevelle, Carnival of Madness, Baltimore, MD – 8.7.12

I was taken aback by the massive bull at dead center stage. Very much making it’s statement by its sheer size and the size of those testicles. OH MY! I mentioned it to one of my fellow media and both our eyes were large. Those things were hard to miss, let me tell you.

Some songs from CHEVELLE’s setlist included: Sleep Apnea, Face to the Floor, Jars, The Meddler, Another Know It All, Vitamin R, I Get It, The Clincher, Get Some, Send the Pain Below, The Red, Hats Off to the Bull.

Next was the main attraction, EVANESCENCE! I had never caught this band live even though I own several cd releases. My chance had come. I was really psyched to see Amy Lee perform because I’m a huge fan of girl power in rock and roll. I know Lzzy Hale is superb and I wanted to see how Amy stacked up compared to Lzzy.

As I stood in the press/photo pit area just in front of the stage, I was anxiously awaiting the opening song, What You Want from their recent release last fall. It’s a kick ass tune with heavy riffs and catchy licks. It’s one of those songs you play speeding down the highway, angry as hell, making you feel so much better. Amy Lee’s voice was everything I had hoped live. When I’m really into a song it gets very difficult for me to concentrate on the photos I’m taking. Balancing being a fan and working can get difficult, this was one of those times.

Amy Lee, EVANESCENCE, Carnival of Madness – Baltimore, MD 8.7.12

The next song, Going Under from their 2003 release Fallen, was great. The band had settled into the Pier 6 Stage and Amy was commanding the fans with that girl power I love so much. Fists were pumping, horns were up, and the temperature was beginning to rise under the cover of the pavlion. Look out! The groove was infectious and the pure power of the song just beat me in the chest. Next up was The Other Side, also from their fall 2011 release. Yowza! That song live is killer. I love the guitars in the beginning. The songs just oozes with melodies, riveting guitars, deep bass, and rocking drums.

I vacated the pit and went for my seat, and in my head I was saying WOW. She’s quite a female frontrunner. She performed quite well for the entire set, not once wavering in the power of her delivery. In my humble opinion though, I do believe that Lzzy Hale is the better of the two women. Lzzy has more range than Amy. Both present strong and hard for an entire set. And that is why I think Amy can give Lzzy a run for the money, but Lzzy is the better of the two women vocalists. Lzzy is also more in touch with the fans and makes a connection with them each performance. And that is something I was looking for in Amy as well. However, she seemed to me to be repeating over and over throughout the set the same moves and actions. Not quite making that personal connection to the fans I had hoped to see. Stone me now, but those are my beliefs and opinions. I call it how I personally see it.

The rest of the band delivered well. They held up their parts and contributed to the raw force needed to catapult Amy to the greatness the fans have come to expect. Some backing parts were missing compared to the recorded versions of the songs. I had hoped they would be tracks, loaded and played, along with the rest of the song. But they were missing, much to my disappointment. I knew the band wouldn’t be doing backing vocals when I first discovered early on there were no mic stands on stage, anywhere. It all was made better in my mind since I got to see EVANESCENCE perform Bring Me to Life. Here is the link to my video:

The setlist for the evening was: What You Want, Going Under, The Other Side, Weight of the World, Lithium, My Heart Is Broken, Whisper, The Change, Never Go Back, Made of Stone, Your Star, Lost in Paradise, Call Me When You’re Sober, Imaginary, Bring Me to Life, Disappear, My Immortal.

For more info on EVANESCENCE including tour dates, and to find out where to purchase music and merchandise visit http://www.evanescence.com/

Be sure to check out all my photos in the ‘PHOTOS’ section of our site, for both CHEVELLE and EVANESCENCE.

I want to give a big shout out to Bari Lieberman for making this opportunity happen for me and the Away-Team. Thanks Bari!

PETER GABRIEL

SECRET WORLD LIVE

DVD

Eagle Vision

10 out of 10

Just this month I have seen the be all end all live show of live shows. Hands down, the best show I have ever seen or been a part of. I have seen, work at, or worked with around 1,000 shows over the years, and this month I saw Roger Waters the Wall Live. And it was amazing. You can read my review of it right HERE.

I say this because in that review I posted the top 5 shows I had ever seen. And I was wrong. I am fixing that here and now.

In 1993 I was in the US NAVY and home ported in the Bay Area of California. We were underway so much that we never got so see many shows, and we didn’t dare buy tickets in advance because we never knew if we’d be in the country let alone town come the day of the show.

So it was a happy accident that we were in Oakland the day Peter Gabriel brought his magnificent Secret World Live tour to town. We didn’t have tickets to the sold out show, but we went anyway, confident we could score them from the scalpers out front. And we did just that.

While Peter Gabriel was never that big on my radar, I knew who he was, and I was familiar with his body of work. That was prior to his phenomenal US album. I mean, everyone knew his big album SO, and the megahits off of it Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes (best use of music in a movie ever kudos go to Cameron Crowe’s Say Anything… . Who can forget John Cusack standing on the hood of his car with a boom box over his head blasting the song at a sleeping Ione Skye?). Red Rain and Don’t Give Up where on there too, I mean to say it was a good album. But in 1986 when SO came out I was ‘all metal all the time’ and didn’t appreciate the great songwriting, musicianship, and lyrics that made up SO. It wasn’t until Gabriel released US that I really connected with his music.

Which brings us back to Secret World Live. Watching the DVD was an eye opening experience. So many things were forgotten about that night in Oakland, or taken for granted, or simply softened by the passage of time. Being able to relive it now is a special treasure for me.

Secret World Live was one of the most innovative shows I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to ruin anything here, but the opening song Come Talk to Me and the English phone booth was one of the aspects I hadn’t forgotten and highly recommend you see. Pretty much every song is ‘acted’ out on stage, whether it’s lighting, props, or a giant hill of dirt. The set list comes alive on stage in a myriad of lights, bodies and effects.

Peter Gabriel’s band is simply remarkable. With Many Katche, Tony Levin, David Rhodes, Jean Claude Naimro, Shankar, Levon Minassian, and a relatively unknown (at the time) Paula Cole on vocals with Peter, they take a large collection of instruments from song to song and weave a tapestry of sound as thin and soft as a silk worm’s trail to something as loud and raucous as a Sledgehammer (see what I did there?) with a stunningly brilliant deftness.

All of the expected Gabriel hits are here, Steam, Blood of Eden, Solsbury Hill, Sledgehammer, Don’t Give Up, In Your Eyes and Red Rain. The bonus material consists of a ‘making of’ some special remixes with tour photos, a time lapse of the stage being built, and a bonus track from 2011.

There is no reason why you should not get this DVD. It has everything. I didn’t give it a 10 out of 10 because it brought back some great memories for me, it received the 10 because it is a ridiculously amazing show that everyone should experience once. I could go on for another two pages about the band, Paula Cole’s vocals, Peter Gabriel as a front man and ring master, The effects of the show, video, lighting, sound, camera work, and how it all comes together to rival anything Pink Floyd has ever done, or how it is light years beyond anything U2 could ever hope to do.

Want to see how a real rock show is done? Secret World Live is the way to do it.
Want to see Peter Gabriel at his best? Secret World Live is the way to do it.
Want to see Paula Cole before Dawsons’ Creek fame? Secret World Live is the way to do it.
Want to see Come Talk to Me, Steam, Digging in the Dirt, and In Your Eyes brought to life? Secret World Live is the way to do it.
See a trend here?
Secret World Live reminded me that even though I thought I’d seen it all, sometimes we forget the magic that we have experienced, and we can still have the breath knocked out of us by the brilliance that we have witnessed in the past today.

DVD Review: SLIPKNOT – {sic}nesses: Live at Download

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on August 1, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Clown, Corey Taylor, EAGLE VISION, Joey Jordison, Ozzfest, Shawn Crahan, SLIPKNOT, {sic}nesses: Live At Download.

SLIPKNOT

{sic}nesses: Live at Download

Blu Ray

Eagle Vision

6 out of 10

Slipknot has released their first Blu Ray {sic}nesses: Live at Download filmed June 13th 2009 at the Download Festival at Donnington Park, England.

I have seen Slipknot live once at Ozzfest, and I was not impressed. There were something like 9 people on stage and it was a caconophy of noise and motion that I simply could not connect with. I was sorely disappointed in their show. Of course I have never really been a fan to begin with, so there is that. I did figure that seeing them live would give me more insight into the band, and maybe I would understand what all the hype was about. I thought that maybe they were a ‘live’ band, and seeing them live would allow you to ‘get’ what the band was doing. That didn’t happen.

So maybe it was a bad show, maybe they were off that night, maybe the sound was off, I don’t know. But I couldn’t understand anyone singing through their masks, and I couldn’t get over all the idiots on the stage jumping around banging on cans and riding cherry pickers.

So when Slipknot’s Blu Ray arrived in the mail, I thought maybe, JUST MAYBE, I would enjoy it, and I might finally figure out what is going on here. And with it being Blu Ray maybe the sound would be superior to seeing/hearing them live. So I sat down with an open mind, a cold beer, and waited.

And waited.

And boy was I disappointed.

So the band takes the stage, and I have to ask, what kind of festival has the headliner take the stage when it is still light outside? I mean, what time of day are they taking the stage? Why is it still light outside? What time do shows go down in England? The best part of them coming out and taking the stage was Joey Jordison comes out dressed as some kind of evil Christ/tree thing. He looked awesome and because he was behind the kit, I’m sure it was lost on 79,900 of the 80,000 people in attendance.

And once the music kicks in and Corey Taylor begins to sing, you realize that you can’t understand him any better on DVD than you can live. Obviously he doesn’t sing with the mask on in the studio because you can understand him better in studio than you can live. Yet people are rabid over this band, and you can’t understand ANYONE singing/yelling through their masks. 3 guys on vocals in masks simply makes it three times less intelligible than just one person in a mask singing.

Also, watching the band close up on DVD in the masks makes it a little disconcerting and disconnecting. You never really connect with the band because there is no emotion coming from the stage. You can’t see their eyes, you can’t connect with them because you can’t tell if they are looking at you. You can’t see if they are smiling or frowning (Ok, it is SLIPKNOT so of course you can assume they aren’t smiling under their masks), there is just an odd disconnect staring at them all in masks.

So I have heard the name Clown and Shawn Crahan for years and I always thought he kind of ran the band. But on stage I have to ask you, the SLIPKNOT fan, what the fuck does he do? He’s beating on fake drums, throwing around empty kegs, and jumping up and down and spinning around on a cherry picker during the entire show. I mean, what is the point of him being on stage? He adds nothing to the music, so why is he there?

For you SLIPKNOT fans, there is a 45 minute documentary directed by Clown, there are music videos, a short film by Clown, and the making of the short film.

The show is 159 minutes long, there are 18 songs performed, and it is in glorious 5.1 surround sound for you maggots.

Enjoy it. I didn’t. I do see a contest coming up soon where I think the grand prize is going to be a brand new Slipknot Blu Ray!

Blu Ray Review: KASABIAN Live at the O2

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on July 24, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: EAGLE VISION, KASABIAN, Live at the 02.

KASABIAN

Live at the 02

Blu Ray

Eagle Vision

7 out 10

So every once in a while something will show up in my mail box unexpectedly. I usually throw it in the stereo or DVD player with trepidation, and I’m usually right to fear what I am about to hear/see. So when the new Kasabian Blu Ray Live at the O2 showed up in my mail box, and I had never heard of them before, you can imagine my surprise when I put it on, and actually enjoyed watching it.

I’m not one for Brit Pop Rock. Oasis had one good song. Radiohead blows. Keiser Chiefs and Placebo do nothing for me. Hell, I respect what the Beatles did, but never really liked them either for fuck’s sake.

But I think Kasabian leans just a bit more to the art rock side of things than your normal Brit Pop. There are times when their lush full sound reminds me more of Muse than say Oasis.

The production on this Blu Ray is what really sold the band to me. The visual aspect of the show is stunning. Sometimes live shows don’t come across as well on video; the light shows are designed for the arena, not television cameras, though with the advent of HD that is taking care of that issue. It allows the directors to really delve into the lights and production of the show more than ever before.

Kasabian’s show LOOKS great, and keeps you watching even if you are unsure if you like the music or not, and that is a huge bonus.

While you are enamored by the visuals, and enjoying what you see, you slowly but surely come to realize that the music is beginning to win you over as well. The full rich sound of the band comes across and envelopes you in a great 5.1 mix that puts you in the center of the show. This is definitely one of the best live Blu Rays I have seen/heard. The only reason it got a 7 out of 10 is because I don’t know who Kasabian is, and even though this Blu Ray looked and sounded great, the band’s style of music didn’t make me want to rush out and buy their CD.

If you are a casual fan, you’ll enjoy the hell out of this, if you have never heard of them, you may not want to pick this up. But if you want to see how an arena show should look/sound, this is a great disc to have and enjoy.

CD Review: STAIND live From Mohegan Sun

Posted by Slim Jim Keller II on July 24, 2012

Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: Armoury Records, Carolina Rebellion, Fred Durst, Live From Mohegan Sun, Nickelback, Staind.

STAIND

Live From Mohegan Sun

CD

Armoury Records

4 out of 10

There are many bands I want a live CD from. Nickelback is one of them. You need to see Nickelback live. Why? Because they are so much heavier live than they are on CD, everything comes across crunchier, faster, fatter, and rocks the hell out. Nickelback live is good Nickelback, you can say whatever you want about their CDs. However, I am afraid that a live Nickelback CD might have the same issue a live Staind CD has.

My first Staind show was in 07 as they headlined the shed I worked at in Raleigh. I didn’t expect much from them because I didn’t think their music would translate well live. It seemed a bit too brooding and monolithic to come across live. I was wrong. It was a great show. High energy music that just grabbed you and moved you.

I saw them again this past summer at Carolina Rebellion (you can see the pictures HERE) and I was surprised how different it seemed to me. It could simply be that it was 3pm in the afternoon, it was 90 degrees in the shade, and we were all just dazed and confused by the merciless heat. But the set seemed to lack the energy that I had witnessed a few years earlier.

So I randomly get the new Staind live CD in the mail. I’ve like many of their songs over the years, and like I said, I enjoyed their live show a few years ago. So it is with mixed feelings I throw the CD in and begin listening. It takes about two thirds of the way through the CD before I get to a song I like, yes I recognized the radio hits but I said songs I like! And without the visual of the live show it strikes me that I was actually right about Staind live, it is a little plodding, a little dirge like, a little slow and low energy.

The slower angstier Staind songs don’t work on a live CD setting to me. The slow tempo just seems to drag, and while Aaron may scream his way through it trying to emote and evoke a response and strike a chord with the crowd, the songs just don’t pop for me.

Finally we get to a song that works, For You. And yet, somehow it loses steam in the middle of the song. You hear that shit on the CD and it just stomps like a juggernaut from beginning to end. Live his voice is a little strained, and the music is all low end and somehow falters. Again if there were visuals to go along with it, and we could see the band and crowd it might work better. Especially since the break down Aaron has the crowd sing along with him.

Outside will never be as good as it was on the Family Values tour that was released as a single with him and Fred Durst. Not because of Fred Durst mind you, just because, it works so much better just Aaron and an acoustic guitar. With the band backing him the song loses the intimacy (yeah, there were 20,000 people in the crowd for Family Values but the song had an intimacy to it) that you feel with the single. And of course he has the crowd sing the chorus and they’re a beat off and it kills the song.

It’s Been Awhile may be the highlight of the set. It is a slower plodding song yes, but it seems to come across better than the others. Oh, wait, there’s the breakdown… Sorry, I was wrong.

Let’s just get to Mudshovel; they can’t fuck that up right? I mean, this is the song that put Staind on the map. Goddamnit. Whoever began this bullshit sing along crap needs to be drawn and quartered. I want the artist to sing, I don’t want to sing, I didn’t pay upwards of $100 to see you just to have to sing for YOU. See how that works, I pay you, you sing to me. I don’t want to hear the crowd sing, I don’t want to do a sing along, a Staind show isn’t even a ‘feel good’ show, it’s all Emo and angsty. So why are 3,000 people in a casino being forced to sing along to a diatribe song about a man digging through the depths of his soul trying to get past the girl that ripped his heart out and filleted it in front of him?

The only sing along that has ever worked (and only once mind you) was on Tom Petty’s Pack Up The Plantation when he starts Breakdown and the crowd starts singing the song before him, and he lets them sing three quarters of the whole thing. It is organic, it was a moment in time, he didn’t tell them to sing along, they just started and were so loud he just stepped away from the mic and let them continue. That is an awesome moment in time captured on a live recording. This bullshit today of bands forcing you to sing along with them. I don’t want to be part of your band; I want you to dance like the monkey I paid you to be. Perform for me and get on with it. If I wanted to sing I’d do it naturally, not because you tell me and everyone else in the room to do it.

And you’re singing country now, so how ‘angsty’ can you be? Or did you just change in your ‘mommy and daddy didn’t love me growing up’ for a little, ‘my truck broke down after she ran over my dog with it’?

Wait, wait…Something to Remind You might just be THE highlight of the CD for me. Never heard this song before. It is just Aaron and a guitar. It is what Outside should still be. There’s no sing along, there’s no plodding, it is just… a very cool song and great way to end the show. So, if for nothing else, Something to Remind You is why you want to pick up this live CD.