SHOW PREVIEW: THE COBALT PRESENTS- 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PT. 2

For those of you that don’t know, over the past five years, it’s been an absolute pleasure to be a part of the new Cobalt Cafe. What started off as a one off to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Cobalt in 2021, has turned into five fantastic years of The Cobalt Presents. While the old Cobalt is closed, “Cobalt” Dave and I found a new way to make it feel like you are there still. These three anniversary shows take place at two of the venues we’ve been able to make into a new Cobalt, (so to speak) when we are there, Corbin Bowl in Tarzana and Hotel Ziggy in Hollywood.

Part 2 of The Cobalt Presents Five Year Anniversary shows takes place on Saturday July 18 at Corbin Bowl/Bar10 At Corbin. We have a lineup of 6 great bands that are from the new era of Cobalt bands!

Starting the night off is Heirloom. This fun young band mixes alternative rock, garage rock and a bit of shoegaze into their sound. Lively bunch of kids to really get the night going.

Next up is Strych9. This sibling band is really coming into their own. With roots in metal, punk and goth, it’s going to be a lot of fun to hear where they are headed musically!

From there we get into a more experimental alternative style courtesy of Au Jus. These guys have a very 90’s feel mixed with a bit of spontaneity that gives their live show the extra charm.

Then we get a bit heavier and melodic with Pushing Veronica. This band has been a favorite of the Cobalt for a while now. There’s a real sense of fun, rock and pop all rolled into a great band. Definitely a band to watch out for!

Witkin is one of the best and underrated bands in all of So Cal. The early glam style (from the 1970’s) mixed with fun arena rock and 80’s tinges, truly makes Witkin a band to see.

Closing out the night is Sleeper Cell. Their pop punk meets garage rock sound is catchy and packs quite the vibe. Another really fun band to dance to.

So don’t miss out!! Tickets at $10! That’s right TEN BUCKS (CA$H AT THE DOOR)!! 

SHOW IS ALL AGES!!!

DOORS AT 7:00PM!

MEMORABLE LIVE PERFORMANCES: STONE TEMPLE PILOTS- DEAD AND BLOATED WITH CHESTER BENNINGTON (2001)

Twenty five years ago, the Family Values Tour was on the road. The lineup for that year was headlined by Stone Temple Pilots along with Linkin Park, Staind, Static X and Deadsy. The tour took place during the fall of 2001.

During the tour in Toronto, STP brought out a special guest in Chester Bennington of Linkin Park to join them for “Dead And Bloated.” Seeing and hearing both Scott and Chester on this song sounds so good. And the performance aspect of it is stellar. The look of excitement on Chester’s face while getting to perform with STP is quite something to see. As things would play out later on down the line, Chester wound up fronting STP for a brief moment in time.

Enjoy this memorable moment from 2001!

Stone Temple Pilots- Dead And Bloated with Chester Bennington (Live 2001: Toronto, Ontario, Canada):

NEW RELEASE: MASTODON- SNAKES FOR DINNER

The wait is almost over for new Mastodon! That’s right, the best band of the new millennium, yes I said it and stand by it, will be releasing their ninth studio album, Marrow Deep, on August 28, 2026! The band have already released the song “Your Ghost Again” and have now served up “Snakes For Dinner.” Joining Mastodon on this song is Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme. You might remember his guest appearance on “Colony Of Birchmen” from Blood Mountain.

As we all know, this is Mastodon’s first album without the late Brent Hinds. If you’ve been listening to Mastodon as long as I have, you know that when tragedy strikes, the next album is quite the gem.

Mastodon- Snakes For Dinner:

Mastodon- Your Ghost Again:

ALBUM RANK UPDATED: MACHINE HEAD

When the urge to listen to a band comes, more often than not, the want to go through the whole catalog comes with it. While it had been a minute since a few of these have been listened to, the Machine Head catalog is still one hell of a good one. And now the updated Audioeclectica Album Rank for Machine Head.

MACHINE HEAD ALBUM RANK:

11) UNATONED:

10) CATHARSIS:

09) SUPERCHARGER:

08) UNTO THE LOCUST:

07) BLOODSTONE & DIAMONDS:

06) THE BURNING RED:

05) OF KINGDOM AND CROWN:

04) THROUGH THE ASHES OF EMPIRES:

03) THE MORE THINGS CHANGE:

02) THE BLACKENING:

01) BURN MY EYES:

SHOW PREVIEW: THE COBALT PRESENTS- 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PT. 1

For the past five years, it’s been an absolute pleasure to be a part of the new Cobalt Cafe. What started off as a one off to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Cobalt in 2021, has turned into five fantastic years of The Cobalt Presents. While the old Cobalt is closed, “Cobalt” Dave and I found a new way to make it feel like you are there still. These three anniversary shows take place at two of the venues we’ve been able to make into a new Cobalt, (so to speak) when we are there, Corbin Bowl in Tarzana and Hotel Ziggy in Hollywood.

Part 1 of The Cobalt Presents Five Year Anniversary shows takes place on Saturday July 11 at Corbin Bowl/Bar10 At Corbin. We have a lineup of 6 great bands that are from way back and new bands that have become mainstays in this new era.

Opening the show is Scrawny Ratz. These youngsters bring a renewed sense of fun and energy to their music. Mixing metal, punk and a bit of extreme music, Scrawny Ratz are the perfect band to open this show.

Next up is Diverted Dissonance. This is a special band for the evening as it’s a mashup of two bands, The Infinity Project and Tantalus. This is going to be a very rocking and melodic set. The Infinity Project has really come into their own as an original band.

Madam Bombs are one of the most fun young bands out there. Their progression over the last few years is astounding. This three piece rock band that mixes punk, garage rock, and tinges of metal and alternative. The influences and inspiration for these ladies is endless and it shines through their songs. If you don’t see em, you’re missing out!

Lava Diva are early 90’s alt rock and were part of the OG scene back in the day. Not only that, they are Cobalt alum. Four years ago at our First Anniversary show, we got Lava Diva to reunite and it’s been awesome since. Be sure to check out their collaboration with Madam Bombs called “Daybreak.”

The mighty MAL! These long time alt rock vets are one of the hardest working bands out there. A live show and performance that feels like it’s a time warp from the psychedelic era and the peak of 90’s rock. A three piece band that packs quite the punch.

Closing out the night is Macro. If you’re into prog rock mixed with a bit of jazz and jam rock, this is the band for you. After so many badass rock bands, having Macro send it out is quite perfect!

So don’t miss out!! Tickets at $10! That’s right TEN BUCKS (CA$H AT THE DOOR)!!

SHOW IS ALL AGES!!!

DOORS AT 7:00PM!

NEW MUSIC SPOTLIGHT: MACHINEKIT- VOYEURISM

We all have those bands we pay attention to. One of those you look forward to new music just to hear what directions they venture in. For the past couple of years, Machinekit has fast become a favorite of mine. They aren’t your typical electronic based band. Instead, Machinekit bends genres to create intriguing and interesting music.

Machinekit has released their first new single “Voyeurism” from their upcoming new EP, Body Without Organs (out August 3rd). “Voyeurism” is a track that has an electro/industrial vibe mixed with a stark minimalist aesthetic, making for a very intense listen. 

Be sure to keep your ears open for Machinekit!

Machinekit- Voyeurism:

BAND OF THE WEEK: CATRAT

Putting on live shows has its perks. Getting to see a plethora of great live bands is the best, especially when you see one of them that really grabs your attention. The other night at The Cobalt Presents and Audioeclectica June Showcase at Hotel Ziggy in Hollywood, we had 6 really great up and coming bands. One of which not only grabbed our attention but the entire venue itself.

CatRat is a name you should take note of. At only twelve and thirteen years old, Molly (drums/vocals) and Frances Macias (guitar/vocals), are roaring into venues and straight up slaying audiences. CatRat’s an alternative punk band that mixes garage rock, surf rock and a tinge of metal into their very infectious songs. Their live performance is controlled chaos at its best. Another great aspect is the amount of fun that is had not just on stage but in the crowd as well. Danger and fun have been missing from music and yet, these two sisters get it!

The two singles released “Running Over Kids” and “Lemons” could have easily been released in the mid 90’s. There’s a recognizable feeling that hits back but, feels fresh.

More bands like CatRat please! Be sure to see CatRat when you see their name on a show. You won’t regret it!

By: Brian Lacy

CatRat Online HERE

CatRat- Lemons/Running Over Kids:

https://catratband.bandcamp.com/album/lemons

CatRat- Live at Hotel Ziggy:

COLLABORATIONS: LIMP BIZKIT & SCOTT WEILAND- HOLD ON

Some bands have songs that your least expect to come from them. For many years when asked about Limp Bizkit, I’ve said, when they actually sat down to write a song, you know a real song, they have the ability to write really good deep cuts. Their first four albums have some tremendous songs that if you heard you’d scratch your head, second guessing that it was Limp Bizkit.

On Limp Bizkit’s third album, 2000’s Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water (one of the dumbest album titles ever), there’s one particular song amongst the singles we all know like “My Generation,” “Rollin,” “My Way” and “Boiler.” That song is found at track thirteen and it’s called “Hold On.” This song was lyrically written by both Fred Durst and Scott Weiland. When you hear this song it will definitely make you think, “wait, this is Limp Bizkit?!” This isn’t the first time Scott has helped out on a Limp Bizkit album. On their previous album Significant Other, you can hear Scott sing on the song “Nobody Like You.”

Give five minutes of your time to check out “Hold On.”

Limp Bizkit with Scott Weiland- Hold On:

ALBUM REVIEW: THE PRETTY RECKLESS- DEAR GOD

Rock music has always been about feeling. No matter the genre, the “feel” of the music propels you to hear things in a whole different way. When the music hits right and the words convey a thought that strikes the right chord, that magic is what keeps us all coming back. These days finding a real rock band that does that is quite difficult. So many bands have sounds that while are rooted in straight rock music, it’s a convoluted mess. The Pretty Reckless though, they’re the real deal. And on album number five, Dear God, that “feel” is what sends this record to the heavens.

The Pretty Reckless have put in a really solid amount of time to write an album that feels like a hard rock albums you’d find from the 1970’s mixed with the early 90’s. Taylor Momsen, Ben Philips, Mark Damon and Jaime Perkins have quite the chemistry on this album in a very deep way. Each song is a journal entry that comes to life through Taylor’s vocals. Songs like “For I Am Death,” “When I Wake Up,” “Love Me,” “About You” and “Dear God” are quite the rock songs packed with vigor and emotion. Then you get into a mid tempo territory that gets extremely raw the further it goes. Especially on songs like “Eye Of The Storm” and “Devil In Disguise (Michelle’s Song).”

Upon first listen, the album may seem front loaded but, it actually gets deeper the further you get into the record. There’s a lot of words within the lyrics, it all plays out in a journal come to life. Sure it’s something we all do but, to have someone who grew up in an industry that will eat you up and spit you out just as easily as it will make you feel like you’re the one, it’s quite introspective and revealing. The performance in Taylor Momsen’s vocals are full of every piss and gasoline. Its blues meets grunge and a tinge of goth. Making for a nice twist and turn as it is woven into the accompanying music. 

The Pretty Reckless absolutely won me over with their 2021 album Death By Rock And Roll. This is a really solid album and follow up. Definitely look forward to hearing these songs live.

Overall Rating: B

By: Brian Lacy

The Pretty Reckless- Dear God:

AUDIOECLECTICA RESEQUENCES: METALLICA- LOAD & RELOAD

NEW TOPIC ALERT!!!!

Audioeclectica and Sinister Reviews bring you a very exciting new topic all about, Resequncing The Album. We’ve all listened to albums that feel like songs are out of place or should be higher/lower in the track listing, even the way some songs start and end and what they go into. 

So with that in mind, Audioeclectica has joined up with Sinister Reviews to not just resequence but also combine Metallica’s albums Load and Reload. Both of us have spent a lot of time listening to these two underrated albums to bring you a definitive listening experience. This new version of the album is truly fantastic. It’s one of those that makes you realize if you’re hated on these two, you surely were missing out on great songs and music. 30 years for Load and 29 for Reload, have made them age like fine wine or scotch. The epic is even more epic now, and even the couple songs that people were not into, you’ll hear them differently now.

Without waiting anymore, enjoy the Audioeclectica Resequence of Load and Reload by Metallica. We like to call it…

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