Live Show Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: NINE INCH NAILS AT THE FORUM

I’ve spent the past week trying to put into words about how truly amazing and stunning the two nights of Nine Inch Nails were at The Forum. Those two nights were beyond magical and therapeutic for me as well as being the 20th and 21st times I’ve seen my all time favorite band. It’s astounding to me that songs written over 30 years ago can sound so fresh and invigorating. Almost to the point of taking on a whole new meaning. What Trent Reznor has been able to do with constantly being able to captivate an audience and make a show an entire experience is otherworldly.

The stage set up for this whole tour was something else too. Staring out on a small stage in the middle of the floor, Trent appears alone, at a piano, and begins playing the most absolutely beautiful stripped down version of “Right Where It Belongs.” This is one of those songs in the Nine Inch Nails catalog that will make tears start flowing and choke you up. Just when you thought it was over though, Trent pulls out my another stripped down song in “Somewhat Damaged.” Now this is my all time favorite Nine Inch Nails song and when I say this was emotional, I truly mean it. So much so that in the first 5 minutes of the show both nights, the tears were definitely filling up my eyes. From there another stripped down song in “Ruiner,” followed by the “Nothing Can Stop Me Now” remix of “Piggy” which can be found don the Further Down The Spiral remix album. I always love when Trent pulls out these versions live. It adds so much more of an extra dimension to the songs and live show.

At this point, the crowd was in the palm of Trent’s hands and then a full on onslaught of heaviness in the form of “Wish,” “March Of The Pigs,” “Reptile,” Heresy,” “Copy Of A” and “Gave Up.” It doesn’t matter how many times in my life I’ve heard those songs be it on album or live, I always seem to go apeshit. And at these 2 shows, oh did I. The way this part started with “Wish” and ended with “Gave Up” put it this way, if you still had a voice after these songs, you weren’t loud enough. By the end of “Reptile” on night one and by the end of “Wish” on night two, my voice was gone!

Then after that part of the set, Trent and Atticus moved back to the middle stage where they were joined by Boyz Noize for a set of songs that were remixed in a very awesome way. The highlight of this part was when they played “Vessel” from the very underrated and unsung masterpiece that is Year Zero. This had the crowd in a dancing frenzy. The crowd of course went nuts for “Closer” but the audience pop during the new song “As Alive As I Need You To Be” was something else. Closing out that portion was a really great remix version of “Came Back Haunted.” If you haven’t ever really given Hesitation Marks a listen, you should.

As the band headed back to the main stage after that awesome remix set, Trent and company unleashed more awesomeness with even more intensity as the band blasted “Mr. Self Destruct,” “Less Than, and “The Perfect Drug” into the stratosphere. Having Josh Freese back on the drums in Nine Inch Nails is like having him back home. Josh’s ferocious performance of “The Perfect Drug” is one of those that should be studied and watched a zillion times. It’s that good. Rounding out the set was the always fun “I’m Afraid Of American’s” which is quite the relevant song in the days we live in. As well as the staples of “The Hand That Feeds,” “Head Like A Hole,” and “Hurt.”

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the production of the tour. The lights, visuals, performances, and energy of the whole thing was unlike anything I’ve been to all year. You could tell that this tour was meaningful in a myriad of different ways. Trent even said, he wasn’t going to do a tour unless it was something that was substantial. And oh boy was it. As I mentioned these were my 20th and 21st times seeing Nine Inch Nails and I can honestly say this tour is in my top five NIN shows of all time! Thank you Trent, Atticus, Robin, Josh and Alessandro for two nights of absolute gold! I can’t wait till the next time!

Overall Rating: A

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Set List (Same For Both Nights):
01) Right Where It Belongs (with Somewhat Damaged)
02) Ruiner
03) Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now Remix)
04) Wish
05) March Of The Pigs
06) Reptile
07) Heresy
08) Copy Of A
09) Gave Up
10) Vessel (Remix)
11) Closer (Remix)
12) As Alive As You Need Me To Be
13) Came Back Haunted (Remix)
14) Mr. Self Destruct
15) Less Than
16) The Perfect Drug
17) I’m Afraid Of Americans (David Bowie Cover)
18) The Hand That Feeds
19) Head Like A Hole
20) Hurt

Photos:

LIVE REVIEW: THE ARMED AT THE ROXY

There are times when certain bands come along and captivate in such a way that makes you sit up and pay attention. Quite a few years back, my friend Adam, told me about this band he had been digging for a while. He passed along one song to check out and I was definitely hooked. The song was called “Polarizer” and it made me feel like that guy sitting in that chair in a very old commercial, and getting completely swept away by the sheer sonic intensity. Fast forward many years later, and here I am at The Roxy on Sunset, and oh man did the decibels rattle the spot!

As the clock struck 10:00pm and the curtain lifted, the sonic assault began. For the next hour, The Armed tore through song after song with a punk rock fury that could get a paralyzed person walking again. Ok well maybe not exactly that but, you can picture the intensity in which this show had. Playing the majority of songs from their very awesome new album, The Future Is Here And Everything Needs To Be Destroyed, there was no letting up for this band. Even when you thought, oh this will take a more mellow turn, NOPE, right back into the pummeling. The musicianship of all members was top notch throughout the set. There is a reckless abandon to an Armed show live. Their energy from the stage is beyond infectious and really makes you want to move. Then you throw in their punk/hardcore style mixed with some electronics and its a recipe for a barrage of excitement. There were a couple moments during the set that were genuine highlights for me. One being their cover of my all time favorite Nine Inch Nails song “Somewhat Damaged.” They stripped it down a bit and delivered a very convincing version. Then to close out the night, they played “Forever Scum” from their “Untitled” album, which happens to be my favorite album of The Armed’s.

If you get the chance to see The Armed, you definitely should. This band is one of those super fun, high energy bands that takes the best of punk and hardcore and makes it quite fun. It’s all serious but, there is an element of fun and danger to The Armed that makes it unhinged and slightly volatile. The Armed are a force of nature and should be on all your radars! Go check out what The Armed has in store for you!

Overall Rating: B+ (needed a better opener and more songs from Untitled)

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Photos:

LIVE REVIEW: LINKIN PARK AT INTUIT DOME

Wow! Seriously, Wow! I have to say this show was beyond awesome. There are some bands out there that just have the right recipe for putting on a show that leaves you feeling great, inspired and ready to take on anything and Linkin Park is definitely one of those bands. This show in Los Angeles as part of their From Zero World Tour, was outstanding. Last year around this time, I went to their return show at The Forum and that one too was something special. And just like that show, it was full of so many people smiling, singing along, sharing in the joy of getting to see Linkin Park do what they do best.

At 9:05pm, the screens around the venue turned dark and a 10 minute countdown appeared, when the clock hit zero, it was on! Colin, Joe, Dave, Alex, Emily and Mike all took the stage and blasted off with the heaviest version of “Somewhere I Belong,” I’ve ever heard. I didn’t realize how good of an opener that song really is. From there it was just an onslaught of banger after banger with “Crawling,” “Up From The Bottom,” Lying From You (which is one of my all time favorite LP songs),” and “The Emptiness Machine.” Talk about a way to open a set. Those 5 songs not only set the night on fire but, the crowd participation on each of those songs was astounding, especially on “Crawling” and “Lying From You.” After that, it went into so many other great gems LP has including 2 songs from the very underrated and very awesome A Thousand Suns, “Waiting For The End (another of my all time favorite LP songs)” and “The Catalyst.” The From Zero songs really were on fire like “Two Faced,” “Overflow,” “Stained,” “Over Each Other” but, even more so on the live debut of “Unshatter,” “Heavy Is The Crown” and “I Gave You Everything I Have.” The latter of which was a real highlight for me. The explosive nature of that song ferocious. Other fun songs like “Lost” from the Meteora 20 release sounded great. It started with just Mike and Emily then it hit the gas pedal for the second chorus and was simply divine. When they played “Numb” they started the song off in a very fantastic fashion by speeding it up to make it more of a “punk” sounding song. I so want to hear it in full like that! During “In The End” the crowd participation was almost deafening. I love a good concert sing along and this one might have taken the cake this year. Of course when they played “Faint” and “Papercut” I was through the roof. Those 2 songs are in my top 5 LP songs of all time. I absolutely love those songs. The video for “Faint” is one of my all time favorites too. During the set too there were a couple of solo moments where Joe Hahn showed off his scratching skills. I forgot how damn good he is at that. Reminded me a bit of seeing them back in the Hybrid Theory era and how they would do that. Also, Mike had his solo moment with “When They Come For Me/Remember The Name” during part of that Mike likes to throw in a different rap verse from other songs and this evening he pulled out part of “High Voltage” which was pretty awesome. Closing out the night was the always fun “Bleed It Out” which also during the bridge they threw in part of “A Place For My Head” and then it was over.

If you have ever been a doubter of Linkin Park, seeing them live will change that. I had a long history of writing the band off but, I’m really glad I went back to listen and rediscover them. Having Emily and Colin in the band now has not only breathed new life into the band but, given all of us fans a reason to look forward to the future. Emily is a force of nature all on her own and these songs go even harder than before. That’s not a knock on Chester at all. Chester was great too but, with Emily it feels like the older songs are taken to new heights and the new songs are so damn good. Honestly this show and night was genuinely everything you’d want it to be. The production of the stage show was superb. It felt very immersive and intimate even though there wasn’t an empty seat or place to stand in the whole arena.

I took my daughter with me to the show as well and she had such an amazing time. She’s a huge LP fan and to see her smile, be happy and singing along was the cherry on top. Getting to share music with my daughter, friends and all of you is what makes this all fun. Seriously, if you haven’t heard From Zero, give it a listen. And the next time Linkin Park comes through town, GO!!! I know I will!

Overall Rating: A

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Linkin Park Set List:

01) Somewhere I Belong
02) Crawling
03) Up From The Bottom
04) Lying From You
05) The Emptiness Machine
06) The Catalyst
07) Burn It Down
08) Stained
09) Where’d You Go (Fort Minor Cover)
10) Waiting For The End
11) Castle Of Glass
12) Two Faced
13) Joe Hahn Solo
14) When They Come For Me/Remember The Name (High Voltage Verse)
15) I Gave You Everything I Have
16) One Step Closer
17) Lost
18) Unshatter (Live Debut)
19) What I’ve Done
20) Overflow
21) Numb
22) Over Each Other
23) In The End
24) Faint
ENCORE:
25) Papercut
26) Heavy Is The Crown
27) Bleed It Out (with A Place For My Head verse)

PHOTOS:


LIVE REVIEW: OASIS AT ROSE BOWL

Oasis is one of those bands that I’ve been hoping would get back together for years. The last time I saw them was in 2008 on what would be their very last tour. For almost 20 years this silly feud between Liam and Noel lasted. Thankfully, that’s behind them now (fingers crossed) and we can all get to experience one of the best pure rock bands from the last 30 years. There is no denying the great songs, albums and performances throughout the years. This time around though, it’s different. It feels like a renewed sense of purpose and the songs have taken on a whole new meaning. Seriously, the world needs Oasis right now and this show was definitely proof of that!

At 8:45pm, the lights went down and the video countdown on the screen appeared, then a short little montage of clips from their career started and then to a roaring applause, Liam and Noel walked out on stage hand in hand to even more of a roar, and then immediately kicked off with “Hello,” which I have to say, was the perfect way to start the set. “Acquiesce” would follow right after along with “Morning Glory.” “Morning Glory” was a highlight for me. I’ve always loved that song so much, and this version they played had a bit of an extra edge to it. Other highlights included “Some Might Say,” “Cigarettes and Alcohol,” “Fade Away,” “Little By Little,” “Stand By Me” this song had sooo many people singing along and swaying in unison. Quite the sight to see. When one of my all time favorite Oasis songs ever in “Slide Away” was played, it sent me into the stratosphere. Even my daughter who was with me was singing her heart out throughtout the night but, especially on this song. Proud dad moment right there. Also before they played the song, Liam dedicated the song to “all the lovebirds in the house but, not in the Coldplay way. Love who you want, we don’t care.” I love the dig at Coldplay because well, Coldplay sucks! Yeah I said it! Then not too long after, I heard my all time favorite in “Live Forever.” I don’t care how many times I’ve heard that song, I will never get sick of it. It’s such a beautiful song. And it was another one that my daughter was singing her heart out at. Closing the main set was “Rock n Roll Star” another fan favorite and this was quite the rock version of the song. For the encore we got four songs and they were all sung so loudly by the audience. 100,000 plus people singing along to “The Masterplan” but especially “Don’t Look Back In Anger,” “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova.” It was like a whole city singing along. The glow of cell phone lights and cameras was a sight to see as well. Though I do miss the sea of lighters more! A stellar set list and performance all together.

Now comes the part of the review where it flips. I’m not sure who’s idea it was to have Cage The Elephant be direct support for Oasis but, that was a really bad choice. First of all in the UK and Europe, they got Richard Ashcroft of The Verve. That right there with Oasis is how this should have been as well. Instead we got one of the most boring, overhyped, third rate Nirvana wannabes I’ve ever seen live. Seriously, they had zero energy. Almost to the point of soul sucking. Their stand still nature on stage was drab and just full of “when is this going to end.” I’ve seen so many bands in my life that, I can tell when a band is trying to hard to be something they are not, and Cage The Elephant is a prime example. You are not a rock band. You are an indie band that needs to stay in your lane and leave the rock to those that actually do rock! Seriously, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who, both of which are in their later 70’s, have more energy on stage than this band combined. Needless to say, I was not impressed. Also, there was another opener, Cast. They are an old school Brit-Pop band from the 90’s. Again nothing special and frankly a waste of time. Who the hell is picking these bands to open these shows? Come on! Do better!

The whole night was all about Oasis anyways. The set was nothing but hits, fan favorites and choice deep cuts. For two glorious hours the world stopped and everyone in attendance felt infinite. Oasis means a lot to so many people. People were traveling from all over the world to be there this evening. It was one of those truly special shows. Having Liam and Noel back together again just feels right. I did enjoy both of their respective solo careers and albums but, this is where they need to be. Both of them sounded better than ever along with the whole band. Plus it was great to have Bonehead and Andy Bell back on stage with the Gallaghers. Welcome back Oasis! Please stay around this time!!!

Show Rating: A- (lost points for the openers)

Review/Photos By: Brian Lacy

Oasis Set List:

01) Hello
02) Acquiesce
03) Morning Glory
04) Some Might Say
05) Bring It On Down
06) Cigarettes & Alcohol
07) Fade Away
08) Supersonic
09) Roll With It
10) Talk Tonight
11) Half The World Away
12) Little By Little
13) D’You Know What I Mean?
14) Stand By Me
15) Cast No Shadow
16) Slide Away
17) Whatever
18) Live Forever
19) Rock N Roll Star

Encore:

20) The Masterplan
21) Don’t Look Back In Anger
22) Wonderwall
23) Champagne Supernova (with a fireworks show at the end)

Oasis Photos:


LIVE REVIEW: MESHUGGAH AT THE FORUM-04.09.25

For well over 30 years now, Meshuggah have long been one of the heaviest and most visceral auditory bands to see live and hear on a record. The gents in Meshuggah have long cemented themselves in the lore of heavy music and then some. Their influence on countless bands alone is astronomical. I can remember back to about 1998/1999 when I first heard Meshuggah. At first I was completely perplexed by them and how the hell they were pulling this off. Then fast forward to about 2001/2002 and Tool put out Lateralus and took Meshuggah out as their opener. That show was what really made me a believer. Also, I still to this day, don’t know how Tool was able to go on night after night as Meshuggah would rip those audiences apart!

This nice spring night in April at the Forum was a night for a grand celebration of not just heavy music but to show that Meshuggah is at the top of the musical food chain for good reason. I must say having soft jams play before the onslaught began was a nice touch especially walking out to “Careless Whisper.” From that point as the stage was dark and shadowy figures appeared and then… “Broken Cog” from Immutable kicks things off with one hell of a bang. Then a barrage of absolute beatdown songs “Violent Sleep Of Reason,” “Rational Gaze (one of my all time favorites),” and “Combustion.” Throughout the set the lights really brought the songs to life in a whole other way kind of like how a kaleidoscope looks on the inside. Other choice cuts for the evening included “Lethargica,” “Swarm,” and of course the classic “Future Breed Machine.” For the encore, “Bleed” was right out of the gate after a moment of pause. From the get go, the audience was completely sucked into the world of Meshuggah. The sheer volume that was permeating through The Forum was another thing all on it’s own. I kept looking up and around and saw the roof shaking a bit and then even outside, the rumble was making the security guards shake their head in disbelief. Put it this way, this was a LOUD show and it should be! The way that Jens Kidman, Tomas Haake, Fredrik Thordendal, Marten Hagstrom, and Dirk Lovgren are so precise is another show to watch all on their own .

Also playing this evening were Carcass (who we missed- thanks LA traffic on a Wednesday) and Cannibal Corpse. Cannibal I did get to see. It’s been since 2001/2002 since I last saw Cannibal and they are still badass and awesome. I was having quite the fun time watching them deliver a brutal set. I forgot how technical they are as a band and the tone those guys have is quite unique to them. You can hear others try to cop that one but, it’s not quite right. The head banging too, that was a sight to see. My neck was sore just from watching them head bang onstage especially Corpsegrinder. That guy really is the champ. Their set although short was another one that was chock full of classics and some other choice cuts. My buddy and podcast co-host Justin, is a big Cannibal fan so the enjoyment he was having was quite fun!

This was a great show. Meshuggah absolutely brought it and delivered a set and show that I hope is released as a live album. What a great show. It’s quite the heavy tour. I will say, it does feel like it’s missing that one direct support band to really put it over. Don’t get me wrong this lineup is great, it just felt like there should have been 1 more band to really up the energy and blow the roof literally off The Forum.

Overall Rating: A

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Meshuggah Set List:
01) Broken Cog
02) Violent Sleep Of Reason
03) Rational Gaze
04) Combustion
05) Kaleidoscope
06) God He Sees In Mirrors
07) Lethargica
08) Born In Dissonance
09) Dancers To A Discordant System
10) Swarm
11) Future Breed Machine
ENCORE
12) Bleed
13) Demiurge

Cannibal Corpse Set List:
01) Scourge Of Iron
02) Blood Bind
03) Inhumane Harvest
04) Evisceration Plague
05) Death Walking Terror
06) Unleashing The Bloodthirsty
07) Summoned For Sacrifice
08) I Cum Blood
09) Stripped, Raped and Strangled
10) Hammer Smashed Face


Meshuggah Photos:

Cannibal Corpse Photos:

LIVE REVIEW: POISON THE WELL/ GLASSJAW/ BETTER LOVERS at Hollywood Palladium- 04.04.25

Every so often, a band will release an album that changes everything for the band and genre. 25 years ago, Poison The Well released their debut full length, The Opposite Of December and it set forth a path that would go on to help pioneer a genre and inspire a new bunch of bands. Their distinctive “metalcore” sound has become often imitated but, there’s nothing like hearing the real thing! Joining Poison The Well on this celebratory tour are 2 of my favorites new and old in Better Lovers and Glassjaw as well as Teenage Wrist. When this show pulled into the Hollywood Palladium on a beautiful Friday night, the wake of destruction that was upon all those in attendance would not be for the faint of heart. This show was designed to go off the instant it starts and oh boy did it! NOTE- Continued on next page (look below).

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LIVE SHOW REVIEW: DANZIG & DOWN At The Forum- 3.28.25

I love when it’s been a long while since you’ve seen a certain band live, then you go to the show and it’s just what you wanted it to be and even a little bit more too, since it’s been that long in between shows. This past weekend I went to see Danzig (who I haven’t seen live since 2013) and one of my all time favorite bands, Down (who I haven’t seen live in almost 10 years) at The Forum. What a show it was too. Also playing this evening were Abbath (first time seeing them live) and Cro-Mags (didn’t catch them). The Forum over the last decade plus has really stepped up their game in terms of sound, and the shows they hold. Getting to see Down here was quite special (think the last time they played the Forum was when they were on tour with Heaven And Hell (Dio era Black Sabbath).

First band I saw of the evening was Abbath. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a black metal band play and they sure were good. I forgot that the main guy was also previously in Immortal. Abbath was a good choice for this show (just thought of this, why wasn’t this tour billed as the new Blackest Of The Black tour- I’ll have to inquire). It was nice to see Norwegian Black Metal still thriving and destroying. Though I didn’t see Cro-Mags, the 1, 2 punch of Hardcore Punk then Black Metal is quite the way to open a show.


Now the part that really got me, DOWN!!! I love Down. I actually get into arguments with people because I like Down more than I like Pantera. To me Down just has more substance and depth. There’s nothing like seeing Down live and firing on all cylinders. It’s truly a magical thing to see and hear. Playing songs mainly from their classic debut, NOLA, as well as a couple from their second album, Down had the crowd in the palm of their hand for the hour they were on stage. The moment they all took the stage and the first notes of “Lysergic Funeral Procession” began, you knew that you were in for one hell of a set. From there it was just classic after classic. It’s always a pleasure to hear favorites of mine like “Losing All,” “Ghosts Along The Mississippi,” one of the best Track One’s of all time “Temptation’s Wings,” and one of the best closers too in “Bury Me In Smoke.” I also love that during the “Bury Me In Smoke” Phil sang the a bit of “Nothing In Return (Walk Away)” and that absolutely was a special moment. I love that song. It’s so epic that it too should be played live! Down was on fire and everyone sounded killer. Watching Philip, Pepper, Kirk, Jimmy and Pat on stage truly having fun and ripping through a great set like that is why I love going to concerts and seeing my favorite bands, Down especially!


Danzig headlined this evening and by the time he went on and the lights went down, it was sure time for things to get a bit darker. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Danzig live. The last time was probably the best Danzig show I have ever seen. This show is right up there though. There’s such a fun theatricalness to a Danzig show that it keeps you into it. Knowing his audience well, the set consisted of songs mostly from the first 3 albums with a few scattered ones from Danzig IV, Circle Of Snakes, and Deth Red Sabaoth. Personally I love Danzig III so getting to hear any of the songs from that album is a joy for me. The performance this evening of “How The Gods Kill” was great (you can watch it on the Audioeclectica Instagram page). Glenn is still one hell of a frontman and when he’s on like he was this evening, it’s pretty spectacular. Joining Glenn on stage was longtime Danzig collaborator and Prong’s Tommy Victor on guitar, Samhain’s Steve Zing on bass and Karl Rosquist on drums. Watching the crowd get into the show song by song was interesting. You could tell who knew more than just a handful of songs. Either way, it was a great bill all around.

DOWN Set List:
01) Lysergik Funeral Procession
02) Lifer
03) Hail The Leaf
04) Ghosts Along The Mississippi
05) Pillars Of Eternity
06) Temptation’s Wings
07) Stone The Crow
08) Eyes Of The South
09) Bury Me In Smoke

DANZIG Set List:
01) Skin Carver
02) Brand New God
03) Twist Of Cain
04) Evil Thing
05) Hammer Of The Gods
06) How The Gods Kill
07) Her Black Wings
08) Killer Wolf
09) Black Hell
10) Tired Of Being Alive
11) The Hunter (Albert King Cover)
12) Am I Demon
13) Not Of This World
14) Mother
ENCORE:
15) She Rides
16) Dirty Black Summer
17) Do You Wear The Mark

DOWN PHOTOS:








DANZIG PHOTOS:

LIVE REVIEW: DEFTONES AT THE FORUM

It’s been 10 years since I’ve seen Deftones live. I’ve seen them at least 12 times in my life before last night. I had taken a bit of a break from seeing them for a myriad of reasons but, I’m really glad that a couple friends said “Brian, I got an extra ticket and you are going to Deftones with us.” And what a show it was. Before I get into all the fun of the night, I will say this was one of the best Deftones shows I’ve been to. There is something special about this new run for them and I’m quite excited to hear what’s to come.

Just before 9pm the hype music started and all sorts of 80’s dance songs started pumping through the Forum. The looks on peoples faces was quite a sight to see as you could tell people were most definitely getting hyped up and ready for the onslaught. Then the lights went down, and Stephen Carpenter appeared on stage and then you heard the start of it all and BAM… “Be Quiet And Drive” kicks it all off and with a trademark Chino scream to really kick it off. The groove of that song had the entire crowd on their feet and immediately drawn into the show. From there it was just classics and fan favorites throughout the night. Songs from every album were played making it a well rounded set. Some of my favorite highlights were “Diamond Eyes,” “You’ve Seen The Butcher,” “Rocket Skates” the tour debuts of both “Around The Fur” and “Headup” (both of which are on the Audioeclectica Instagram page for you to view) as well as “Rosemary,” ” Hole In The Earth” and “Bored.” The production behind the band was quite awesome too. I think this is the biggest production they’ve had in a long time. The visuals playing behind the band and the different camera angles of each member made for a pretty visually stunning background. Abe Cunningham is still a beast on the drums. I find myself watching him a lot at Deftones shows cause he’s so damn good. Frank Delgado’s textures and keys really do add to these songs and live it’s even more fun to hear those nuances. Stephen Carpenter looked like he was genuinely having fun on stage more so than I’ve seen in years. Chino sounded great and his energy is absolutely infectious as it’s always been. The cardio workout he does must be something else! Then you have new comers Fred Sablan on bass who did a great job of holding that low end down. It is still a little weird not to have Chi or Sergio up there but Fred is doing a great job. And I want to give big props to Lance Jackman who has been joining the band on the road for a bit now on guitar and backing vocals. He really adds another layer to these songs that was sort of missing for a bit. All these pieces together really made for a great Deftones show and experience.

Now, this is the part of the review where I’m going to get serious. Having The Mars Volta as direct support on paper was a great idea. Whoever in their camp that came up with the idea to play only their upcoming album really needs to be slapped upside the head. That was one of the most insufferable sets I’ve sat/stood through. I’ve walked out on The Mars Volta in years past for just basically jamming on stage for however long they were on. This was a total self indulgent set. And while I get they wanted to try something new and different, it didn’t work. In fact it damn near sucked the energy out of the entire arena. It’s a shame too cause as musicians they are fantastic but, good lord are they boring. I’d rather be watching paint drip off a wall than see The Mars Volta ever again. Seriously guys, get over yourselves and play at least a good chunk of songs people would know. Selfishness as direct support is ridiculous.

The opening band Fleshwater was cool and had a fun sound that is reminiscent of more mellow Deftones and Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins. They had a good energy on stage and tried their damnedest to get the crowd going but, when you have too much of a shoegaze sound it does tend to all bleed into one and it gets lost. Again, that’s not to say they aren’t a good band, they are a good one, they just need a bit more of an edge to push those songs into your chest. Also, considering that a few of the members are from the band Vein.fm, I did expect a little more but, I did enjoy what I heard.

Basically, I was there to see Deftones and they delivered a great set and one that was chock full of some of my all time favorite songs of theirs. Selling out two nights at the Forum at this stage in their career is a great accomplishment and one they should be quite proud of. This was seriously one of the best Deftones shows I’ve seen since I started to see them live back in 1998 (yeah I know I’m getting old hahaha). I look forward to the new Deftones album when it comes out and seeing them again. Hopefully next time with openers that bring it!

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

DEFTONES PHOTOS (not many as I was too busy watching the show):

DEFTONES SET LIST:
01) Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)
02) My Own Summer (Shove It)
03) Diamond Eyes
04) Tempest
05) Swerve City
06) Feiticeria
07) Digital Bath
08) Prayers/Triangles
09) You’ve Seen The Butcher
10) Rocket Skates
11) Sextape
12) Around The Fur (Tour Debut)
13) Headup (Tour Debut)
14) Rosemary
15) Hole In The Earth
16) Change (In The House Of Flies
17) Genesis

ENCORE:
18) Minerva
19) Bored
20) 7 Words

LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL AT VENTURA THEATER

Going solo is never an easy thing but, when you are such a prolific songwriter and player, sometimes you need to go at it on your own to explore ideas that might not have fallen into the realm of the main band. For Jerry Cantrell the transition between being in Alice In Chains and his solo work carries over in such a way that you can still get a bit of the Alice touch but, the work on his own delves a bit deeper into the inspirations that have guided Jerry. When you listen to his latest album, I Want Blood, you can definitely hear the way Jerry lets those inspirations guide where the songs go and it’s quite the album and listening pleasure. So when the time came for this tour, it was an absolute necessity to go.

As the time hit 9:15 and the lights went down, the energy inside the musty and sweaty Ventura Theater got really going as Jerry Cantrell hit the stage and started things off with “Psychotic Break” from his wonderful second solo album, Degredation Trip. Then just as things were getting going… BAM, we get hit with “Them Bones.” Talk about a 1, 2 punch! From that point the audience was in the palm of Jerry and his band’s hands. The songs from I Want Blood seem to have taken quite the sip of blood as each song played had a ferociousness that kept growing as each song was played. Songs like “Villified,” “Afterglow,” “Off The Rails” really hit hard and vent straight for the veins. The songs from Brighten even hit in a different way than I remember giving them a bit more of an edgy turn. Even the older solo material played from Boggy Depot and Degredation Trip sounded fresh and full of gusto. Then there’s the handful of Alice In Chains songs that were played that still give me chills no matter how many times I’ve heard those songs or seen them played live. Getting to hear “Hate To Feel” live was beyond a treat. I’ve personally been waiting years to hear that song live and wow, what a performance it was.

I really must say that the live band that is accompanying Jerry on this tour is beyond fantastic. On drums you have one of my all time favorite drummers in Roy Mayorga. The way Roy plays is amazing. He hits so hard that you feel each drum beat pulsating through your body. And his style mixed with Jerry is a real treat. On bass Eliot Lorango held that low end down with precision and you could tell this guy was truly having fun up there. On second guitar with Jerry is Zach Throne. Zach is one hell of a player too and the way he approached these songs and plays off of Jerry is quite fun to watch and hear. Then you have Greg Puciato on vocals and I could seriously write a whole article on Greg (and one day I probably will). The way Greg sings and takes these songs on is exceptional. Being a giant Layne fan and a William DuVall fan, Greg really knows how to inhabit these songs and bring his style to them. Not to mention the sheer emotion he pours into them. Jerry and Greg’s voices together is something quite special just like how Jerry and Layne were magical and same with William. The sum of all these pieces make for one hell of a performance and band. It’s not Alice and it’s not supposed to be. This is Jerry solo and it’s got it’s own special charm.

Also playing this evening was Filter. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen Filter live and they delivered a really solid opening set. Their most recent album, The Algorithim is quite a good record and the couple songs from it that were performed this evening sounded great. Now when they got to playing “Jurrasitol” that’s when I could see the crowd start to get into the show. That song is one hell of a track and I’m glad it’s been a Filter staple for a long time. Though their set was short it was a very fun set that definitely set up the tone for the rest of the night. One other song that Filter played that I’ve always loved is “Welcome To The Fold.” That song and the riff is so damn good. And of course no Filter show is ever complete without “Hey Man Nice Shot.” No matter how many times I hear that song, I still love it.

What a night for rock music and on a rainy Wednesday night, this showed that rock is for sure not dead. The place was packed and full of people having a great night. I couldn’t help myself from singing along through most of the night. As a die hard Alice In Chains fan, getting to see Jerry do his thing solo is an absolute treat. He’s a legend for a reason and there’s no shortage of great songs that he has. I look forward to more Jerry and more from Alice In Chains. This show was one of those that I will look back on quite fondly and it’s also one of those shows that has left me inspired. So I thank Jerry, Greg, Roy, Zach and Eliot for that along with Filter. Do yourself a favor and go listen to Jerry’s solo albums if you haven’t. and go listen to Filter too!


Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Jerry Cantrell Photos:

FILTER PICTURES:


JERRY CANTRELL SET LIST:

01) Psychotic Break
02) Them Bones
03) Vilified
04) Afterglow
05) Atone
06) Off The Rails
07) Held Your Tongue
08) Down In A Hole
09) Cut You In
10) My Song
11) I Want Blood
12) Man In The Box
13) Had To Know
14) Angel Eyes
15) Hate To Feel
16) Would

Encore
17) Let It Lie
18) Brighten
19) Rooster

FILTER SET LIST:
01) You Walk Away
02) The Drowning
03) For The Beaten
04) (Can’t You) Trip Like I Do
05) Jurrasitol
06) Take A Picture
07) Drug Boy
08) Welcome To The Fold
09) Hey Man Nice Shot

LIVE REVIEW: HELMET AT THE REGENT THEATER


There are quite a few bands from the 90’s that are a huge influence and inspiration for bands today. The resurgence of that sound is coming back around and while it’s been fun to hear some of these bands, there is nothing like the ones that pioneered that sound and style. Helmet is one of those band from the 90’s that can be heard in so many bands of the last 20 plus years be it Linkin Park, Chevelle, Deftones and more. Which is why when the chance to go see Helmet play their classic album, Betty in full came up, it was an absolute no brainer to go.

From the moment Helmet took the stage and the feedback started and then launching straight into “Wilma’s Rainbow” you knew this night was going to be special. Playing Betty in order meant that I got to hear one of, if not my favorite Helmet song quite early which is “I Know.” That song is so damn good. It’s one of those too that you can tell many bands have ripped off. Throughout the play through of Betty the band kept the train rolling without breaks making the show quite an immersive experience. Betty has a plethora of great songs including “Biscuits For Smut,” “Milktoast/Milquetoast,” “Tic,” “Street Crab,” “Speechless” and the always fun “Overrated.” The whole play through of Betty was superb and the crowd was super into it. Watching people singing along, moshing, headbanging, swaying, it was all just great. Then came a whole other set featuring songs from Meantime, Aftertaste, Strap It On and their most recent albums, Dead To The World and Left. As a giant fan of Meantime and Aftertaste it was quite awesome to hear those songs especially “Driving Nowhere” from Aftertaste (which I truly believe to be one of the more underrated albums of the 90’s). They also threw in their song “Just Another Victim” from the Judgement Night soundtrack and the crowd went nuts for that one. Didn’t hurt that it was played right after “Unsung” either!

The Regent Theater was packed from the front to the back and upstairs as well. Helmet absolutely decimated the venue with the volume and aggressive performance that left me wanting to go home and riff out. I haven’t been to a show in a while where I have left feeling like that. Page Hamilton is still a force of nature on guitar and one of the most innovative guitarists. Plus those little jazz licks that he throws in just adds to the fun. This lineup of Helmet has been with Page since 2010 and you can most definitely tell how tight the band is not to mention the amount of fun they have up there. Guitarist Dan Beeman is one hell of a player and he brings it each and every night to the songs new and old. He’s got this tone that matches Page’s so well that when you hear it in unison it’s this gigantic wall of sound that will blow your hair back. Then you add in bassist Dave Case and his rumbling low end and drummer Kyle Stevenson and his thunderous groove. Add those all up and you’ve got one hell of a band. Helmet live in 2025 is one hell of a show and I will most definitely be going back again next time they are in LA.

Also playing this evening was a band I was not familiar with called Slomosa. I’ve been trying not to check out the opening bands like I used to so I could go in with fresh ears and I’m glad I did. These Norwegians kicked ass. They have this really cool style that sounds like Songs For The Deaf era Queens Of The Stone Age mixed with Master Of Reality era Black Sabbath along with a bit of Helmet in there. Slomosa is anything but slow. They are one hell of a rock band and I really hope more people get to hear them as they are now on my radar for sure!

I’ve been to a few shows already this year and I have to say this one is going to probably stay in my top ten of the year. Thank you Page, Dan, Dave and Kyle for one hell of a show and the chat! Can’t wait to see Helmet again. And if Helmet is in your neck of the woods, get out to the show! You won’t regret it!


Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

HELMET:

SLOMOSA:

HELMET SET LIST:

Betty (Set I):
01) Wilma’s Rainbow
02) I Know
03) Biscuits For Smut
04) Milquetoast
05) Tic
06) Rollo
07) Street Crab
08) Clean
09) Vaccination
10) Beautiful Love
11) Speechless
12) The Silver Hawaiian
13) Overrated
14) Sam Hell

Set II:

15) Ironhead
16) Drunk In The Afternoon
17) Birth Defect
18) Broadcast Emotion
19) Bad Mood
20) Dislocated
21) Driving Nowhere

Set III (Encore):

22) Gun Fluff
23) Unsung
24) Just Another Victim
25) In The Meantime