Live Show Reviews

Live Review: Blindside at Fonda

Since the trend started with bands playing albums in their entirety in concert, I’ve really come to enjoy it. Getting to hear the songs you normally wouldn’t hear during a normal set really takes the show up a few notches. Sunday night Blindside returned to Los Angeles for the first time since 2011 and they answered the call with such fire and passion that it was like yesterday they were here.

Opening the evening was Hearts Like Lions. This four piece from Los Angeles reminded me of a heavier Sunny Day Real Estate mixed with Sparta. Their set was electric and the right amount of energy to get the crowd into a frenzy for Blindside. Musically these gents were tight and full of great presence. Hearts Like Lions are one hell of a band live. So much so that the songs sound even better live than on recorded fashion, thus making their live show that much more exciting to watch. Check out these guys!!!

Blindside took the stage about 30 mins after the openers and came out swinging with “Caught A Glimpse.” Next up was “Pitiful,” which really got the crowd going. Throughout the entire night of the band playing their wonderful 2002 album Silence entirely, the crowd was singing along so loud that it really helped push the band to go all out. Even with a bit of a technical problem during “Sleepwalking,” singer Christian Lindskog used the audience participation to keep the flow of music going with chorus sing alongs. one of the highlights for me this evening was when they played “Thought Like Flames.” Blindside really delivered the good with their Silence set. Their encore was 4 classics and one new track entitled “Grave Digger.” Closing out the night was “About A Burning Fire,” and wow did they go out with a bang.

This was definitely a night to celebrate being a fan of Blindside. They played with so much fire and energy that it was like they haven’t left at all. I really can’t wait for what they come up with next and for their next LA show. Not only that but Hearts Like Lions really captivated me to put them on my bands to watch for in 2016.

Blindside-Silence:

By: Brian Lacy

Photos: Alisa Lacy

Live Review: Socionic, Here Lies The Hero, Elixir On Mute At The Viper Room

Live shows are beyond powerful. There is something really special when you can have a deep connection with an audience no matter how big or small. Friday night was an evening that belonged to the very deserving Socionic. Their new album Dividing Horizon just came out and it is spectacular. Their performance this night was outstanding. I’ve seen a lot (and I mean a lot) of bands in my life and Socionic just left a mark in my mind. Just as With Our Arms To The Sun has been able to do, Socionic grabs you from the first note all the way to the end. As they were the highlight of the night, there were a few other bands that really hit it home.

First up was Here Lies The Hero. This 5 piece post hardcore band similar to the likes of Letlive and Norma Jean, took charge to the stage. You could tell by watching them on the Viper Room’s stage that they are a very energetic band. I was waiting for them to lash out and go nuts, but they restrained themselves and focused on delivering a solid performance of mainly new material that sounded great. They really set the tone for the night.

Next up was the very interesting prog rock band Elixir On Mute. Guitarist Jordan Ferreira is a shredder amongst the best. His command of the guitar is captivating. Joining them for their live set was bassist Matt Denis (also of Socionic). Their set was very free flowing, allowing for the music to do the talking. Granted I wasn’t a fan of the vocals from the recordings I heard before seeing them, this band live really kills it.

The highlight of the night was Socionic. They are the real deal. They made the small Viper Room stage seem huge as they delivered on every song with tight precision and gusto. Singer Michael Meinhart, is so passionate in his delivery. Vocally he has range and personality along with solid melodies. Musically the band is tight and full of the prowess needed to deliver the lie performance. Their set consisted of songs from their EP Identity and new album Dividing Horizon. One of the coolest things I saw during their performance was the guy standing next to me. He had to be no older than 21 and was singing along to all the songs he knew. It was one of those moments that reminded me of myself when I was younger. Socionic has the music and live show to really leave a mark amongst all their peers.

It’s nights like this that make me long for the days of going to shows and being wowed by the bands I see. The entire night was filled with one good band after another. On an interesting note as well, The Viper Room is fast becoming the it place to play in Hollywood now.

Socionic:

https://www.facebook.com/socionic/

Here Lies The Hero:

https://www.facebook.com/Hereliesthehero

Elixir On Mute:

https://www.facebook.com/ElixirOnMute

By: Brian Lacy

Live Review: Soilwork At The Whisky

One of the coolest things about going to concerts pretty much my entire life has been to be able to see so many great bands. There are times that you don’t really dig on their newest material so you pass when they come to town. Last night, a friend of mine convinced me to go to the Whisky to see Soilwork. I haven’t seen them in about 10 years, and they crushed it. Soilwork just released a really solid new album called The Ride Majestic. A good few songs from the new one were played along with some classics and other deep cuts from their catalog. The band themselves seemed like they were really having a great time on stage. This was also the last night of their current tour, thus allowing them to leave it all out on stage. Singer Bjorn “Speed” Strid’s vocals were crisp and tight as tight can be. Even the crowd for it being a Monday night was extremely into their set. The pit was moving and the people were singing along. Not to mention that the sound inside the Whisky even sounded good. All in all it was a great night, and Soilwork made it that much better.

Also playing was Shattered Sun from Texas. Their brand of metal is akin to the likes of Killswitch Engage meets a bit of the Swedish metal. These youngsters were going all out and put on a good show. The only draw back was the banter in between songs. Given enough time to properly develop their sound, Shattered Sun could be on the rise to bigger things. On a side note their guitarist Jesse Santos is one hell of a player. His leads on the songs and backing vocals really helped gain my attention. It makes me really intrigued to see what they do next.

Before Shattered Sun was Earthside. This 4 piece instrumental band was good, and brought out a good vibe for the evening to break up some of the heavy. Their set was decent and you could tell that these guys were having a great time on their first tour. Speed from Soilwork does guest vocals on a track on their new album, but didn’t sing with the group onstage, which was kind of a let down.

It was a fun night to be back out in my old stomping grounds from my youth. Seeing Soilwork again after many years was quite fun, nostalgic, and reenergizing. I’ve been away from the “Metal” scene for a bit, but as long as bands like Soilwork are still around and commanding the stages they play, I’ll keep coming back.

Soilwork Setlist:

The Ride Majestic
Nerve
Bastard Chain
The Crestfallen
Death In General
Alight In The Aftermath
Tongue
Follow The Hollow
Petrichor In Sulfer
Stabbing The Drama
Spectrum Of Eternity
Let This River Flow
Late For The Kill, Early For The Slaughter

Encore:

Rejection Role
Enemies In Fidelity
Rise Above The Sentiment

Live Review: With Our Arms To The Sun, MAL & Macro at Petie’s Place

Since I’ve started this site, I’ve seen and heard quite a few bands that will forever be engrained in my brain. One of those bands, With Our Arms To The Sun is fast becoming one of my all time favorites. Musically they captivate you with the first note. Their live shows are beyond an experience. I’d even go as far as saying that seeing them live is life changing. These guys play with every ounce of their being and leave it all on stage. So on Friday night when they took the stage I could sense that this was going to be quite a show. They played with such force throughout their set, leaving no time in between songs to gather themselves, instead going straight into the next song taking no prisoners along the way. They set featured songs from their great album A Far Away Wonder which is being re-released this Friday through Fade To Silence records. Their set was so heavy and epic, that they literally brought the roof down and shattered a few lights due to their intensity and love for their music. When With Our Arms To The Sun comes through any town, you should get there and see them. You won’t be disappointed.

Another band that has been featured on this site, MAL, had their record release that evening too, The songs that I heard from them made me really interested to see them live. This three piece was tight and full of the right amount of energy. Not to take anything away from them, but going on after With Our Arms To The Sun is not easy, yet MAL held their own and made for a fun show that had lots of engagement with the crowd. Their music is full of heavy grooves an sensible melodies that translate really well. MAL are on the right track with what they are doing.

Also playing this evening was Macro. While still in the early stages of playing live, these guys showed a lot of potential into what this band is to come. They have a cool vibe to them that is similar to Science era Incubus mixed with a lot of other alternative rock of the 90’s.

This evening was what music is all about.All the bands playing made for a tremendous evening that showed the power of passionate music. To quote the movie School of Rock, “One great rock show can change the world.” Be on the look out for With Our Arms To The Sun, they are on the right track to become your next favorite band and will leave you speechless.

https://www.facebook.com/WithOurArmsToTheSun

https://www.facebook.com/malsongs

https://www.facebook.com/macrotheband

By: Brian Lacy

Photo by: Alisa Lacy

Live Review: Deftones and Incubus at Irvine Meadows

There are certain bands that hold a special place for me. One of those bands is Deftones. Whenever they come to town I run to see them. Over the years I’ve seen them now 13 times. There was something rather special about this evening. Being that it was the first time in 15 years that Deftones and Incubus had shared a bill together. I remember seeing Deftones and Incubus years ago at the Universal Amphitheater, when White Pony and Make Yourself were released. What a night that was, and what a night this was.

To start the night off was a local Los Angeles band called The Eeries. These guys just weren’t good at all. They seemed like nice enough guys but their music was beyond juvenile and dated. Their 15 minute set was the longest 15 minutes of my entire week.

Death From Above 1979 was the main support for the tour and they did not disappoint at all. Their blistering high energy set was remarkable. I’ve been wanting to see that for years, and am so glad they got back together. The duo wasted no time in getting the energy of the night to where it needed to be as the sun was starting to set. Irvine Meadows might not have been the most ideal place to see them, but they rocked the hell out of the place.

Deftones were then set to take the stage and boy did they. From the opening chords of “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” all the way till “Engine No. 9,” there was no mistaking that Deftones would be a hard act to follow. From their stage presence and visuals , it’s no mistaking that they came to kill it. Chino was spot on throughout the entire set, even being playful with the audience and the other guys in the band. Watching them you can tell they were really having fun up on stage, especially Abe Cunningham and Sergio Vega. Their setlist was a great blend of hits and deep cuts from all their albums with the exception of Saturday Night Wrist. They did put “When Girls Telephone Boys” in the set and all the guys really dug in on that song. The crowd was a little separate in who was there to see who, and you can definitely tell the Deftones fans from the Incubus fans. My voice was pretty horse after their set but it was well worth it, especially since they kicked off their set with my all time favorite “Be Quiet and Drive.”

Incubus headlined the evening. They sounded great and looked totally at ease. Despite their new EP being so so, they pulled out a lot of gems in their setlist. Their set kicked off with a jam of the Hans Zimmer song S.T.A.Y. from Interstellar and transitioned perfectly into “Nice To Know You.” Other gems from the set included “Sick Sad Little World (one of my top two Incubus songs of all time), “Vitamin,” “Dig,” and “A Crow Left Of The Murder.” The bands use of visualizers and cameras made for a fun night that was sort of hypnotic. I must say that it was a pleasure to see Incubus again. Brandon Boyd still has a great voice and Jose Pasillas is one hell of a drummer. I have to say though that I miss having Drik Lance aka Alex Katunich up on stage, he really had a vibe that fit the music.

All in all it was a great show, not to mention that I was with my wife and she really enjoyed it. Deftones though stole the night. They were such a hard act to follow. Had Incubus played some older stuff from Make Yourself and SCIENCE, they might have been able to steal it, but that’s not to say they didn’t put on a great show.

Deftones Setlist:

Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
My Own Summer (Shove It)
Diamond Eyes
Rocket Skates
You’ve Seen The Butcher
Sextape
Feiticeria
Digital Bath
Knife Party
When Girls Telephone Boys
Tempest
Swerve City
Passenger
Change (In The House Of The Flies)
Headup
Engine No. 9

Incubus Setlist:

S.T.A.Y (Hans Zimmer song from Interstellar)
Nice To Know You
Anna Molly
Circles
Absolution Calling
Are You In?
Sick Sad Little World
Vitamin
Trust Fall
In The Company Of Wolves
Wish You Were Here
I Miss You
Love Hurts
Pardon Me
Megalomanic
Dig
Drive
A Crow Left Of The Murder

By: Brian Lacy

Photos by: Alisa Lacy

Live Review: Laura Jane Grace at Masonic Lodge

I’ll admit I’m a little late to the party, but wow, I’m still in awe over how powerful and inspiring this show was. Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! played an acoustic show along with Atom Willard, at the very hypnotic and mystic Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary and I’m still speechless. The sheer honesty alone is enough to draw your attention to her. Add the performance of songs from the Against Me catalog and you can see and hear how raw and real that band is. Her story is beyond captivating. Laura’s stories about dealing with Against Me signing to a major label, addiction to cocaine and alcohol, shopping at Sears, where she knew she wouldn’t be seen, and legal battles with an ex-manager seamlessly bounced from funny to poignant. Between the spoken-word moments, there were spot-on acoustic performances of songs from throughout Against Me!’s existence, and an appropriate cover of The Replacements’ “Androgynous.”

There really is something to be said for being who you really are and being able to embrace it. Laura Jane Grace is a beacon of hope to so many people out there that feel lost and abandoned.

By: Brian Lacy

Live Review: Failure At The Ventura Theater

Since announcing their return in 2014 I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Failure a bunch of times. Each time I’ve seen them my level of excitement grows, and I’m continuously left in awe and with the feeling of inspiration. May 1st at the Ventura Theater left me with that feeling and then some. The bands 90 minutes set was roaring, filled with all the songs that I love, and to top it off they played three new songs from their upcoming album The Heart Is A Monster. The first of the new songs “Hot Traveler” was the first song of the set, and it really got things going. The song itself seems like it picks up right where Fantastic Planet left off. Of the two other new songs “Mulholland Drive,” was a really sweet and pleasant song that evoked the sensibility of say “The Nurse Who Loved Me.” The other new song “Counterfeit Sky” was a classic Failure song that had all that you’ve come to love about the band. The crowd was really into the set as well. Seeing them in Ventura as opposed to Los Angeles, presented a different vibe that was seemingly in a more relaxed setting that allowed the band to be a bit more free in what they chose to play and how they interacted with the crowd.

Ken Andrews voice is pristine and really conveys the lyrics in such a way that it leaves chills up your spine (in a total good way). Greg Edwards ability to create the most simple guitar leads yet make them so intricate and vital is astonishing. Kellii Scott is one of the most underrated drummers I’ve ever heard. He plays with such passion and intensity.

The only bad part of the night was the opening band. First off there should have been no opening band. Just give Failure 2 hours to play and let them do what they do. This opening band called Hy Brazil, was terrible. These guys have no clue what they want their music to be. The only intriguing thing about them was that they had a harp player in the band. The singer was embarrassing, humping the microphone stand like he was Steven Tyler in the 80’s, and trying to sing like he had pipes. Enough about that band, they didn’t deserve the chance to open for Failure.

Failure delivered exactly what you would expect them to do and then some as always. Thank you Ken, Greg and Kellii for another great night of music and inspiration and on my birthday weekend is a major plus!

Failure Setlist:
1. Segue 4 (new segue)
2. Hot Traveler (new song)
3. Frogs
4. Another Space Song
5. Counterfeit Sky (new song)
6. Saturday Savior
7. Segue 3
8. Dirty Blue Balloons
9. Pillowhead
10. Undone
11. Stuck On You
12. Macaque
13. Mulholland Drive (new song)
14. Heliotropic

Encore:
15. The Nurse Who Loved Me
16. Smoking Umbrellas
17. Daylight

By: Brian Lacy

Live Review: Brand New @ Shrine Expo Hall

When you go to a show to see a band that has really influenced you or has left a mark on your life it really has a special place amongst all the other shows. Brand New is one of those bands that has a special place for me. Their album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me is one of my favorite albums of all time and is in constant rotation amongst all the music I listen to. So, when the opportunity came to procure tickets to this show, it was a no brainier. Kicking off their set was a brand new song called “Mene.” This was a great high energy song that set the tone for the night. The crowd was in full force once “Millstone” was played. While looking around the crowd during that song, there wasn’t one person who wasn’t singing along. Hell, throughout the entire night there really wasn’t one person that wasn’t singing along to the songs. Other highlights from the set were “You Won’t Know,” “Sic Transit Gloria…Gloria Fades,” “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows,” “Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t,” “Degausser,” “Sowing Season” and “Jesus.” Actually the entire setlist was wonderful. The band had so much energy and you could tell they were really enjoying being on stage playing for the sold out crowd. Singer/Guitarist Jesse Lacey, is one hell of a songwriter, as is the rest of the band. His performance of these songs was astonishing, and his vocal delivery live is just wow.

There were two other bands that played the evening. Built To Spill and Desaparecidos were the openers. Both bands were just eh. I would have expected more from Built To Spill. They are talented musicians, but I was expecting a more upbeat performance, not something that was so laid back.

There are a couple things worth mentioning about the venue. The Shrine Expo Hall is a horrible place for a show. There is no acoustic treatment in the place, so the sheer magnitude of volume is just bouncing off the walls. Also it’s right by USC so it’s in the middle of South Central Los Angeles, which isn’t fun at all.

Brand New made it all worth while. I can’t wait for their new album to come out, whenever that might be. They really know how to put on a show and pack one hell of a punch live.

Brand New Setlist:

1. Mene
2. Sink
3. Gasoline
4. Millstone
5. You Won’t Know
6. Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades
7. I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light
8. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows
9. Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t
10. Mix Tape
11. Untitled 04 (Missing You)
12. At The Bottom
13.You Stole
14. Brothers
15. Sowing Season
16. Luca
17. Degausser
18. Jesus

Encore:

19. Sealed To Me

By: Brian Lacy

Photo By: Alisa Diaz

Live Show Review: Jeremy Enigk At The Troubadour

When you hear the voice of a band on it’s own, it really shows the vulnerability and strength of just what that person has to offer. Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate came into town on Sunday night and lit the crowd on fire. He was in top notch form and delivered the goods. His set was only a little over an hour long but it could have gone on all night. The Troubadour was the perfect setting for his return to the stage after 5 years. The new songs he sang sounded massive with just him playing. They were signature Jeremy, but had so much more to offer from a mature stand point. The classics he sang were beautiful and really went over well with the audience, not that they wouldn’t. One of the biggest highlights was his cover of The Police song “King Of Pain.” I personally can’t stand The Police (mainly because I can’t stand Sting as a person). This cover was tremendous and really stood out to me. As much as I and a lot of people would love a new Sunny Day Real Estate album, these new songs that Jeremy sang will for sure wet the appetite of those wanting just that. Speaking of his new album, Jeremy has launched a pledgemusic campaign to get his new album to all.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/jeremyenigk

Live Review: Coal Chamber at House Of Blues

In front of a packed house and playing in front of your home town crowd, you know that you have to deliver the goods. Coal Chamber did just that on Saturday night at the House of Blues. Their 75 minute set was blisteringly heavy and pleased everyone in attendance. This was the second time Coal Chamber has played Los Angeles since they announced their return, only this time they were tighter than they had ever been and were playing with such a passion that it seemed like they never left. Their setlist included songs from all their albums including two new ones from their new album Rivals (their first album in 13 years). The new songs “I. O. U. (Nothing)” and “Rivals” were very strong, heavy and what you would expect new Coal Chamber to sound like, not to mention they will be crowd favorites for a long time to come. Dez’s vocals are still ferocious and unrelenting. Meegs still has the knack for the down tuned riffs. Mike Cox and Nadja are tighter than they ever were live before. Some highlights from their set included opening with “Loco,” “Big Truck,” the always fun sing along “Rowboat,” “Not Living,” “I,” and closing the night was “Sway.”

Also playing the night was Filter. I’ve been a Filter fan for a long time and was really looking forward to seeing how this would play out for them in front of this audience. Well it didn’t go that great. Richard Patrick just couldn’t get the crowd going and engaged until the final song of the night. His new band was sloppy, kept having technical problems and who ever was doing their sound needs to be fired for the mix he put up. Their short set was so so. Though they did open with “You Walk Away” from their album The Amalgamut which was a nice surprise. I thought they would have opened with something like “Welcome To The Fold” instead. They did play “Jurrassitol” from The Crow: City Of Angels soundtrack. Closing their set was “Hey Man, Nice Shot” with special guest guitarist Brian Liesegang (who was in the original incarnation of the band). Filter is a good band but not the right fit for this tour.

The second band of the night was Combichrist. I’m not very familiar with them at all. And as entertaining as they were, I couldn’t get into them. Musically they have an industrial tinge to them, but it sways more to the EDM side of things. Their singer looks like the type of guy that would front a hardcore band, not a band like this, I will give him props for being really engaging with the crowd. The band did have a lot of energy and you could tell that a lot of people in attendance were big fans of the band. I’m still not sold on them.

Opening the night was American Head Charge. They were one of my favorite bands that came out of the scene in the early 2000’s and it was really great to see them back on stage. They came out strong and brought the heavy. Their very short set did include a brand new song off an album they said would be coming out in June.

This was a great night full of nostalgia in the Sunset Strip area where a lot of bands from the late 90’s and early 2000’s made their name (along with countless others dating back to the 60’s). It’s also sad to know that soon the House of Blues on Sunset will be torn down to make room for some monstrosity of an expensive hotel. The thing that stuck out to me this evening was the sheer excitement and enjoyment everyone in attendance had to see Coal Chamber back on stage killing it.

Coal Chamber Set List:

1. Loco
2. Big Truck
3. I.O.U. Nothing (New Song)
4. Fiend
5. Rowboat
6. Something Told Me
7. Clock
8. Drove
9. Not Living
10. Dark Days
11. I
12. Rivals (New Song)
13. No Home
14. Oddity
15. Sway

Filter Set List:

1. You Walk Away
2. Can’t You Trip Like I Do
3. We Hate It When You Get What You Want
4. What Do You Say
5. Jurrassitol
6. Dose
7. Hey Man, Nice Shot

By: Brian Lacy

Photo By: Jim Morris lifeisaphoto.net

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