Live Show Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: KERRY KING AT THE FONDA

It’s not everyday that you get to have a second career this far into your career. 5 years ago when Slayer hung it up (or so they said- I even remember telling my friend Justin at the last Slayer show, “Give them 5 years and I would bet they will be back playing festivals at least.”). Well that premonition came true right at the same time Kerry King announced his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise. Technically I could say it’s his second since Slayer’s last album, Repentless, was basically a Kerry solo album but, From Hell I Rise, gave us all another chance to keep riding the Slayer wave.

A few months before this show at the Fonda, I went with a few friends to see Lamb Of God and Mastodon on the Ashes Of Leviathan tour. On that tour they had Kerry opening up for them. While the set was short, it definitely led me to want to see the show when they came through as a headliner as they left a lasting impression on me.

Kerry King’s live band is one hell of a group of guys. First on vocals you have Mark Osegueda from Death Angel. Mark’s one hell of a vocalist and does a superb job here. Even with the moments that sound like Tom Araya, Mark really has come into his own with these songs. On drums you have the ferocious Paul Bostaph. We all know what he’s capable of. Then on bass you have Kyle Sanders. Who if you don’t know if the older brother of Mastodon’s Troy Sanders and was a part of bands like Bloodsimple, Hellyeah, Medication and more. Kyle has one hell of a thunderous low end delivery and the way he plays is outstanding. And on the other lead guitar is one of my favorite guitar players, Phil Demmel. Phil is an absolute beast on the guitar. The leads he added to Kerry’s songs take those ones to all new heights.

The live show for Kerry and company is quite intense as you’d expect. There is no shortage of aggression and heaviness permeating from the stage to audience. The Fonda in Hollywood is one of my favorite spots to see a show as it’s big but not too big and just intimate enough to feel like you are really close. Kerry’s set included all songs from the debut album like my favorites such as “Toxic,” “Shrapnel,” “Tension,” and “Residue” as well as 2 stellar Iron Maiden covers (“Purgatory and “Killers”), and a handful of Slayer songs including of course “Raining Blood.” Though it was cool to hear “At Dawn They Sleep” from Hell Awaits as well as “Disciple” from God Hates Us All. The band throughout the set was on absolute fire from the get go. The way Kerry and Phil play off each other is quite the the sight to see and hear. If you are missing Slayer, get yourself to a Kerry show and it will help with the withdrawls. One other thing before I close this out, I get that this is the Kerry King solo band now but, with a lineup of gents like this, I really hope that when it comes time to write the next album, these guys especially Phil Demmel, are brought in to write cause, if they do, I can definitely see the next album being one that just DESTROYS!

Review By: Brian Lacy (sorry no photos- was too into watching the show)

Set List:

01) Where I Reign
02) Rage
03) Trophies Of The Tyrant
04) Residue
05) Two Fists
06) Idle Hands
07) Repentless (Slayer Cover)
08) Toxic
09) Tension
10) Everything I Hate About You
11) Disciple (Slayer Cover)
12) Purgatory (Iron Maiden Cover)
13) Killers (Iron Maiden Cover)
14) Crucifixation
15) At Dawn They Sleep (Slayer Cover)
16) Shrapnel
17) Raining Blood (Slayer Cover)
18) Black Magic (Slayer Cover)
19) From Hell I Rise

LIVE REVIEW: Snot at SoHo Santa Barbara

There are certain bands that come around every so often and leave a lasting impact in a short amount of time. That short amount of time and the legacy that carried on is what makes those bands special. One of the bands that I’ve always thought of in that category is the band Snot. Their debut album Get Some, was an absolute force of nature and came at you with an attitude that got right in your face and pulled you in. The story of Snot is tragic yet the surviving members have carried on but kept the torch lit for their old band and singer. Over the years there have been a couple time when Snot has come back. I was lucky enough to open for them years ago when they had a certain singer in the band who will remain nameless. I could tell then that these guys really loved this band and music. And the crowds too were still into it. Of course as time goes on there comes a new breed of kids that discover the band and that is a great source of reinvigoration to get it going again. And let me tell you, SNOT IS BACK!!!

The wait for the right time came just as the right person came along at the right time. All the stars had to be aligned in order for this to come back in this way. And on this particular Saturday night in none other than Santa Barbara, Snot’s hometown, in a rather intimate venue, the fans made sure to make this night special. As they took the stage to a roaring applause the moment those first notes hit, it was go time! Blazing through their debut album with delight on their faces, Snot ripped through the greats including my favorites “Joy Ride,” “Snooze Button,” “Get Some,” “I Jus’ Lie,” and of course the one that kicks it all off “Snot.” For their encore they brought out the Strait Up version of “Choose What” which tonight was “Starlit Eyes” (originally sang by Serj Tankian of System Of A Down) and closed it out with my absolute favorite “Absent.” Watching the band play for the 80ish minutes they were up there was so awesome. It’s not every day you get to see a band you love reunite and it sound as good as it does. <br><br>The dual guitars of Mikey Doling and Sonny Mayo are signature to them and them alone. That sound they have together and how they play off one another is quite special to watch, plus it was a blast to see them see if they could beat each other who could jump higher while playing. Sonny won! Then you have that thunderous low end of John “Tumor” Fahnstock. That tone alone I bet registers on the richter scale. Behind the drums is the one and only Jaime Miller. Jaime is an absolute beast on the drums (as well as pretty much every instrument). His playing and style in Snot should be studied as he makes it look a lot easier than it is. Now those 4 elements make up one hell of a sounding band. The only thing missing was the right guy and they found him in local Ventura County based singer Andy Knapp. I’ve known Andy for a long time and when it was announced it was him, I couldn’t have been happier. Plus Andy is a long time Snot fan and considers Lynn Strait to be one of his major influences. And when he took the mic and the show started, it was on!!!

What a comeback for Snot. This one was a long time coming and it finally aligned the right way. With the resurgence of music from their time, it’s only fitting that one of the originators of that style come back and show these youngsters how it’s done and should sound. The possibilities of new Snot music is on the horizon and I welcome it. Cheers to Mikey, Jaime, John, Sonny and Andy! And as always R.I.P. Lynn Strait and Dobbs!

Review and Photos (sorry for the quality- I was too into watching the show) by: Brian Lacy

Live Show Review: Gouge Away at 1720

It’s been a week since I saw Gouge Away and it left such a mark on me, it’s taken me a while to put it all together. Their new album, Deep Sage is as of this writing my favorite album of the year. There are many reasons why and I will get to that in another post but, the main thing is the connection that album has. Those are the type of albums and songs that when you go see that band live, it truly changes the whole perspective around.

As the sound of feedback began and the twinkle of cymbals began as though the calm before the storm erupted. Starting off with “Stuck In A Dream” was quite perfect. The song was shot out of a cannon and from there, there was no turning back. The ferocious yet delicate nature of Christina Michelle’s vocals are devastatingly beautiful. Then you back that up with a band that was firing on all cylinders, it’s simply magic. Throughout their set it was just an onslaught of excitement. The way the band mixed in their older songs with the new ones made for a really great listening experience, as you can see and hear the evolution of the band unfold in front of your eyes. Each new song played this evening had it’s own special charm. Songs like the epic “Dallas” was astonishing live and so cool that it was played early in the set. “Maybe Blue” was another new one that sounded so damn good live. Perhaps my two favorite songs of the night came when they played “Spaced Out” and “Idealized.” I didn’t even realize at the time how much and how hard I was singing along until I noticed how horse my voice was after their set. Ending the set was the always awesome “Ghost.”

Looking back on that show now, it gives me great joy to see a band live that not only enjoys it for the love of the music and each other but, there is a sense of reckless abandon to it in a playful dangerous way. Their live show is one of those that feels alive and vibrant, even if the stage is dimly lit. If you haven’t heard their new album Deep Sage yet, I strongly recommend you do so. It’s one hell of an album that bleeds from the heart. I personally hope Gouge Away can make it back to Los Angeles soon on a headline stop. That was easily one of the most fun shows I’ve been to in a long while and it’s one that I will remember for quite some time!

Yes, I did stay for Metz and they were great. But I really was there for Gouge Away and they stole the show.

Gouge Away- Deep Sage:

Live Review: Crosses at Hollywood Forever Night 1

There is something really quite beautiful to the excitement of making music that comes to one naturally and then performing said music to a crowd that devours each and every melody, rhythm and lyric. That’s what I saw and heard last night as I attended Crosses first live show in many years and their first of a three night stay at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary. The room was packed from the front to the back of eager fans waiting for this night, and at 9:15, Chino and Shaun made their way to the stage and so began the “revival” of Crosses.

For the next hour and thirty plus minutes, I as everyone in the crowd was completely swept away with the goodness that permeated from the stage to the crowd. Playing a majority of songs off their new album, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete, the moment, the first song “Initiation” started there was no turning back and rightfully so. Chino Moreno sounded on top of his game as he sang his ass off on new songs like “Invisible Hand,” “Ghost Ride (which happens to be a personal favorite off of the new album),” “Found,” “Grace,” “Last Rites,” “Pulseplagg,” “Vivien,” “Sensation,” and “Girls Float + Boys Cry (which features The Cure’s Robert Smith on the album. No, he wasn’ there).” Even when they performed “Big Youth” (which on the album features EL-P. Again, no he was not there), hearing Chino’s flow on that song brought all of us in the crowd back to quite the nostalgic time. And the few older picks they played like “This Is A Trick,” “Telepathy,” “Option,” and “Bitches Brew” which featured Chino’s signature scream that ignited the crowd as they/we all screamed along! This show was something special. Watching Chino just be in his element and letting his more playful side come out is always a good time. Then you have Shaun Lopez, musically guiding everything along with meticulous fashion. The combination of these two is quite the pair. And you can’t forget the history of Deftones and Far so, if you know then you know! The way the set played out was one of those magical ones too. Even with it being just Chino and Shaun up there, it was alive and bombastic (and if/when they add live drums again, oh damn)!

On other thing I loved about this show is the setting. It’s been quite a cool and dark modern gothic vibe for the whole aesthetic and roll out of their new album. Having the first shows back in quite some be held at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary was quite the way to introduce this new era. The songs, performance, the energy in the room, and the sense that for the hour and 30 plus minutes the craziness of everything in the world just seemed to be on pause while this show swept us away.

Crosses Set List:

01) Inititation
02) This Is A Trick
03) Vivien
04) Found
05) Ghost Ride
06) Pleasure
07) ThHolyGhost
08) Sensation
09) Grace
10) Bitches Brew
11) Pulseplagg
12) Holier
13) Invisible Hand
14) Girls Float + Boys Cry
15) Last Rites
16) Big Youth

Encore:
17) Telepathy
18) Option
19) Goodbye Horses (Q Lazzarus Cover)

Review & Photos By: Brian Lacy (sorry bout quality of the shots, I was too into the show!)

Gallery:

Live Review: Baroness at The Bellwether

I love when I go see a band live that I haven’t seen in a while and I’m completely blown away. That happened the other night when I ventured out to The Bellwether in Los Angeles to see the one and only, Baroness! Riding high on their exceptionally great new album, Stone, Baroness delivered a show and set that shows that there is no slowing down for this band. If anything, they’ve only gotten better over the years. Having seen different lineups of the band over the years, I have to say this line up of John Baizley, Gina Gleason, Nick Jost and Sebastian Thomson is the best the band have ever sounded. It’s almost as though these 3 members were the missing ingredient for Baroness.

As the clock struck 9:00pm, the lights dimmed and the giant Baroness backdrop lit up and as they entered to “Embers” the opening of their new album, it was clear that business was about to be handled. Ripping right into “Last Word” it was apparent that Baroness is on a whole other level live these days. After “Last Word” it went straight into “A Horse Called Golgotha.” then onto “March To The Sea.” That trifecta alone was intense. Then came the awesome “Beneath The Rose” and from there we went into another exceptional new song, “Under The Wheel.” After that it was a nonstop onslaught of great song after great song including a personal favorite of mine “Tourniquet” from their Gold & Grey album. For their encore, they unleashed “Take My Bones Away” and “The Sweetest Curse. What a way to end the show.

Baroness are one of those bands that have such a vast catalog and cross section of influences which makes for great art, music and live shows. One of the things I loved most about this night and their set were the little extended jams to certain songs. When you listen to a Baroness album, especially those epic songs, you get swept up by it all and then live when those songs are played and they extend those parts ever so sweetly, it’s like hearing the song again for the first time. It’s quite a beautiful feeling. Another thing I have to mention is the intensity in which each member of the band played with. Watching them on stage put out the level of energy they did and play as hard as they did really upped the ante. As I mentioned in the opening, having Gina Gleason, Nick Jost and Sebastian Thomson in the band really completes the core. Their abilities as players and writers have pushed Baroness to explore different avenues which has made the band truly stand out and not be defined by one genre. This night showed that Baroness is here to stay and they are only getting better. If you haven’t seen Baroness live, I highly suggest you do as well as listening to their new album, STONE.

Baroness Set List:
01) Last Word
02) A Horse Called Golgotha
03) March To The Sea
04) Beneath The Rose
05) Under The Wheel
06) War, Wisdom and Rhyme
07) Anodyne
08) Chlorine & Wine
09) Tourniquet
10) Shock Me
11) The Gnashing
12) Isak

Encore:
13) Take My Bones Away (Tour Debut)
14) The Sweetest Curse

Review & Photos By: Brian Lacy

Baroness Live:

Live Review: Better Lovers at The Roxy

When the news first came out about Better Lovers, the level of excitement in my mind about it was pretty high. Then came the first release “30 Under 13” , then their surprise EP and from there I was in. It’s never easy to start again but, thankfully, the passion and drive found in each member of Better Lovers exists on a level that is on another stratosphere and the end result is one hell of a punch to the face in a total awesome way. This night at The Roxy was just that and then some.

Opening the night was Entry. They were the perfect band to start this night off. Having just seen them about a week or so ago when they opened for Converge, I knew that right as they started that this was going to be “a night.” Their set was blistering and ravenous as they blazed through song after song. In fact, I tend to think they were even better this night than when I saw them a couple weeks back. Entry are fast becoming one of my favorite Los Angeles based bands to see live. Definitely check them out!

Next up was Roman Candle from Las Vegas and they went off. While still keeping with the hardcore element, Roman Candle has more of a metallic/melodic edge to them which offers up different dynamics within their songs. Their set, was an onslaught of heaviness that not only was a great pre-cursor of what was to come but, made me a fan as well. I look forward to the next time Roman Candle is in Los Angeles.

Finally as the clock hit 10pm, the lights dimmed down and over the PA a ton of different snippets of songs played all with the word “love” accented. Then the curtain rose and from there for the next 40 minutes, the Roxy absolutely exploded. Opening with “Become So Small” was one hell of a way to kick things off. Then after that my favorite song released so far, “God Made Me An Animal” took things to a whole other level. With bodies flying off the stage both band and audience members, you knew right away that this was the real deal. “Sacrificial Participant” had a ton of crowd participation singing along. Two new songs were played and those ones went off with one hell of a bang. Just wait till you hear these new ones, this band is only getting started. Being that Better Lovers only have so many songs, they pulled out a cover of Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage” and absolutely nailed it. So much so that they made it their own by adding their own signature touches to it. Closing out their short yet oh so sweet set was “30 Under 13” and at this point it was no holds barred. By the time it was all over, you could tell the audience was all into it and didn’t want it to end. In fact, I wouldn’t have even minded if they had taken a mini break and played all those songs again.

Better Lovers have arrived and they are just getting started. Their time on the road this summer definitely made them a very tight band. The intensity that each member brings to this band permeates from the stage to the audience. It’s infectious and it doesn’t want to stop nor should it! I look forward to the next Better Lovers release and tour. If more bands took cues from the bands that played this evening, live music would be thriving again. This show was just what I needed after one hell of a week. I left this show not only inspired to want to get back into playing music but, with the feeling that good heavy music is alive and well. You just have to be looking at the right places to find it!

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy
(note on the pics- I was having too much fun enjoying the show to really want to take pictures)!

ENTRY:

ROMAN CANDLE:

BETTER LOVERS:

Live Review: Converge, Deaf Club, King Yosef & Entry at Echoplex

I have a list of bands that any time they come through Los Angeles I have to go see them. One of those bands is Converge. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen them (I think this was number 9 or 10), I just am compelled to go see them live. Converge aren’t just one of the best live bands around they are downright legends. Their catalog is one of those that you’d be hard pressed to find an album that isn’t good. And like a fine wine or scotch, Converge seems to only get better with time. This West Coast run got started this past Friday night along with Entry, King Yosef and Deaf Club and what a show it was.

Getting the night going was Los Angeles’s own, Entry. I’ve been fond of this band for a bit and they came out swinging. They really got the crowd ready for the evening. Though their set was short, only about 20 mins, they made every second count. Entry was on fire throughout their set as they blazed through song after song. I can see why they are garnering the street cred they have. They are the real deal and I look forward to their evolution as a band.

Next up was King Yosef. What he brought to the evening was a bit of Industrial Hardcore. Thankfully it wasn’t just one guy up there with a laptop. The live band aspect of drums and guitar definitely helped bring the sound to reality. Thee set though short, was direct and to the point, just as hardcore should be. The industrial element to the songs gave them a bit more bite. His latest album, An Underlying Hum is quite good and live those songs really came to life. I would be interested to see King Yosef again.

Before Converge was the mighty, Deaf Club. They really came out guns blazing and got the crowd up in a bit of a frenzy. Deaf Club has a great mix of punk and hardcore in their sound with a bit of a grungy undertone to it a la Nirvana. Never one to be still, frontman/vocalist Justin Pearson immediately commanded the stage and with each song got the audience more and more involved. It was quite a fun thing to witness. One of the things tht I really like about Deaf Club is the added dynamics to their songs. While they are don’t lose their hold on their roots, their ability to add off time parts and some cool shoegazey moments makes them not only stand out amongst the other bands during the night but, it gives the audience more to listen to.

Now the main event of the night, Converge. I really don’t know what else there is to say about this band that I haven’t already said throughout the years. They still pack one hell of a punch and a ferociousness that is untouchable. Their set this night was one that I quickly found myself absolutely enthralled by. Converge played a good chunk of songs off my favorite album of theirs, Axe To Fall, along with other gems from Jane Doe, You Fail Me, All We Love We Leave Behind and The Dusk In Us, including a close personal favorite of mine “I Can Tell You About Pain.” When you watch Converge live, it’s like poetry in motion. Each member from Nate Newton, Ben Koller, Kurt Ballou and Jacob Bannon give their all each night and it shows. The precision that they play with combined with the explosive nature of the songs makes for one hell of a show. There are many things I love about going to see Converge live and one of them is watching the audience get so into the songs. At times throughout the set, I’m pretty sure the crowd was louder than the band. Converge are without a doubt pioneers and legends in heavy music. They prove time and time again that they are band that you just can’t mess with. I look forward to hearing what they have coming up in the near future as the world does need more Converge in it!

Converge Set List:

01) Eagles Become Vultures
02) Dark Horse
03) Under Duress
04) Axe To Fall
05) Heartless
06) You Fail Me
07) All We Love We Leave Behind
08) Predatory Glow
09) Hell To Pay
10) Bitter And Then Some
11) Eye Of The Quarrel
12) Reap What You Sow
13) Cutter
14) Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast

Encore:

15) I Can Tell You About Pain
16) Concubine

Axe To Fall= 5
Jane Doe= 3
The Dusk In Us= 3
You Fail Me= 3
All We Love We Leave Behind= 2

Live Review: Will Haven at Knitting Factory NoHo

There are some bands that have a certain aura about them that when they play live. It’s almost as though there is a cosmic shift that delivers an amount of energy that permeates through each person on stage and then into the audience. One such band that has this is the mighty Will Haven. Their most recent tour stop in Los Angeles (well technically North Hollywood) was a prime example of this aura taking over and infecting the crowd.

Opening the night was Arc Angles. If you haven’t heard Arc Angles, you should fix that. This three piece is a band that is explosive, creative and methodical in what they do. Not only did they set the tone for the evening, they sure made it a hard act to follow with their high energy set that showcased songs from their debut album Apocalisp and their most recent EP, Daisy. Having seen Arc Angles a few times and written about them a bunch, it’s been a pleasure to see how they keep pushing themselves to evolve and write songs that are both catchy yet slap you in the face.

Next up was Stronger Than Machines. These guys are one hell of a force to be reckoned with. If Arc Angles set the tone, Stronger Than Machines then raised the bar even more. Their metal-core style fit perfectly for the evening. Another band with a ton of energy that flowed right into the audience. One of the things I really like most about this band is their want to play hard and deliver a show that not only is true to them but also really gets the audience involved. Having a bit of a melodic tinge to their songs shows the dynamic range that they are capable of and they are only just getting started.

Right in the middle was Curse. These guys brought the rock to the night and in a way gave a bit of breathing room of all the heaviness happening. Their set was fun and energetic. Armed with catchy hooks and melodic touches, Curse was definitely not cursed this evening.

Before Will Haven was the Venice legends, Cycotic Youth. They brought a punk rock energy to the night that opened up the pit a bit and started to get the frenzy going. Rocking songs from their first album in many years, Cycotic Youth tore through song after song, and even had a little time for some stories about the early days of the band. They brought the audience to a level that was hungry for Will Haven, which was quite perfect.

Now, Will Haven took things to a whole other level of heavy. Celebrating their now 20 year old classic album, Carpe Diem, Will Haven ripped and tore North Hollywood a new one with their no holds barred performance. That aura I was speaking about at the beginning of this review was all over the stage and then filtered to the audience. With each song, the crowd got more and more into the show. Will Haven kept delivering killer riffs, rhythms and vocals that could be felt throughout the whole building. I’ll never forget hearing Carpe Diem for the first time. It’s one of those albums that when you hear it, it immediately inspires you to want to go make heavy music. Will Haven are one of the best to do this style of heavy music. So much so that when you hear a band imitate it, it makes you want to just go listen to Will Haven. After they ran through Carpe with brilliance, it was time for a couple new songs from their exquisite new album, VII. These new songs and album are one of the best of 2023. Here’s a crazy thought too, Carpe Diem was released 20 years ago and it left a mark on heavy music, and now 20 years after that, Will Haven has delivered another classic album with VII that will and should influence another generation of bands. What a great set Will Haven put on. One of those that I will definitely remember for many years to come.

One last note about the night, this was a pleasure to help put on and curate. Working with The Cobalt Presents (aka The Cobalt Cafe) and The Radford Media Group on putting shows together has been a blast. I highly urge you to come check out what we have coming up. We have been putting shows on for the past 2 years and it’s only getting better!

ARC ANGLES LIVE:

STRONGER THAN MACHINES LIVE:
WILL HAVEN LIVE:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwmVH7eo3NA/?hl=en

Live Review: Iress at The Resident

It’s taken me a few days to truly process what I witnessed last Thursday night at The Resident in Los Angeles and I’m still a bit at a loss of words to properly describe it. The other night, I ventured out to finally go see Iress live and it was everything I’d hoped for and more. As the lights dimmed, the sold out crowd roared as Iress took the stage. From the first note till the last of their set, I was completely hypnotized. Musically, the band moves from shoegaze, doom, slowcore and rock in such a seamless way that it all feels cinematic in how it plays out. Bassist Michael Maldonado has a menacing tone that as the songs play, you become connected to them even more as each note hits your heartbeat. Drummer Glenn Chu propels the beat even more with his precision drumming and guitarist Graham Walker adds a delicate/brightness to the songs. Then you add in the vocals of Michelle Malley, which are quite powerful and absolutely beautiful. When you put all of these elements together you truly get one hell of a tour de force. Iress’s set covered songs from their debut Prey, to their latest EP, Solace. Songs like “Blush,” “Ricochet,” “Shamed” and “Wolves” were beyond stunning live. I’m not kidding when I say that I was hypnotized watching and listening. The raw and gut wrenching power being delivered song after song was seductive and astounding. The chills I got from listening and watching, I haven’t felt that at a show in quite some time. When you listen to and or see Iress, not only do you get a band that is truly passionate about what they do but, you can truly believe it all through the journey of love, loss, pain, anguish and more. Being able to weave intricate webs of heaviness with ambience is no easy feat but, when you see Iress live it all comes to life in a hypnotic way that will leave you breathless. I can’t wait for the next time I can see Iress live. They are without a doubt one of the top 5 bands in all of the greater Los Angeles area. Do yourself a favor, go listen to Iress and see them live!

Review and Photos* By: Brian Lacy

*Photo’s aren’t the best, I was too into the show to really focus on taking pictures.

IRESS LIVE AT THE RESIDENT- 08.11.23:

IRESS ONLINE:

https://www.weareiress.com

https://weareiress.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/weareiress

https://www.facebook.com/weareiress

Live Review: Greg Puciato at The El Rey Theater

Last November I had the pleasure of seeing the debut solo show for Greg Puciato. After that show was over, I knew that the next time he came through I had to go, it was one of “those shows.” Both his solo albums, Child Soldier: Creator Of God and Mirrorcell have yet to leave my musical rotation since they came out. Live these songs take on a whole new life and the end result is precisely why I had to go see Greg live again.

Before Greg though, there were three openers to get the night going. I arrived as the last 2 songs of Trace Amount’s set was ending. The mix of industrial and noise made for a very tension filled and intense performance. It’s really interesting to listen to Trace Amount and pick out certain little nuances in the programming.

Next up was Deaf Club who I was really stoked to see having been into their albums. Their set was on fire from the get go. One of the things that I really like most about Deaf Club is that while they are a punk band through and through, they add a more technical element to it with odd time signatures and interesting arrangements. Then when you add in a frontman like Justin Pearson, it’s the right recipe for chaos in the best way possible. During their set they did a cover of Nirvana’s “Tourette’s” with their drummer, the drummer from Escuela Grind and Ben Koller of Converge. It was pretty damn cool to see and hear and the topper was all three drummers were in total sync so that sound bellowing through the El Rey was thunderous!

Following Deaf Club was up and comers Escuela Grind. I wasn’t too familiar with them but, a friend of mine who I was there with was and he got super into it. The band combines grindcore, death metal and a bit of hardcore. Their energetic set was heavy and brutal and at the same time quite fun. Their “singer” had so much energy on stage at one point I was half expecting her to breakout into a full gymnastics routine with how much she was running and jumping. Solid set from this band and just the right amount of fire to get the crowd ready for what was to come next.

When Greg Puciato and band took the stage it was ON! From the moment they ripped into “Reality Spiral” you knew this was not going to be just any show. The way the set was constructed was absolutely pummeling in both the way that it was intense and pulled at your heart strings. When you have songs like “Do You Need Me To Remind You,” “Absence As A Presence,” and “Fire For Water,” all within minutes of each other, it still has me without the right words. As the set continued, the crowd got even more into it and the next thing I knew I was right up front for my favorite song “Never Wanted That.” I stayed up front for the rest of the night feeding off the energy that was permeating off stage and next to me. One of my other favorite moments was during the end of “Evacuation” Greg broke out part of INXS’s “Need You Tonight” which was totally rad. Ending the “set” for the evening was the always great “September City.” I believe the crowd was singing as loud if not louder than Greg by this point. This night was special in more ways that one. For the encore it was in the words on Larry David “pretty, pretty, pretty good.” Starting it off was Haex joining Greg for a remix version of The Black Queen’s “Secret Scream,” followed by A Perfect Circle’s Billy Howerdel joining Greg for The Black Queen’s “The End Where We Start” which was absolutely great. Then you had Tyler Bates and Gil Sharone join the fun for “Now You’ve Really Done It” from a compilation for DC Comics. Then it was Ben Koller jumping on the stage for “Roach Hiss” which definitely got the crowd screaming along. And to end it all was an absolutely cool and different version of The Dillinger Escape Plan’s “One Of Us Is The Killer.” It was part acapella in the verses and straight up fire during the chorus parts. I also have to mention the band Greg had on this run. What a killer and tight band. Joining Greg was James Hammontree on guitar of Black Magnet (another band you should really check out), Nick Sadler of Daughters on guitar. It was really great to see Nick up there and hearing that monsterous tone he’s had for years. Jeff Geisser on bass manhandled the low end with such tenacity and finally Noah Taylor on drums right in the pocket!

This show was definitely one of those that I’ll remember for a long long time. Greg Puciato’s solo albums are some of the best releases in the past few years. If you haven’t listened to them, I highly suggest you get on top of that! It’s artists like Greg that give me hope for the musical future. The whole package was interesting and gave bands from different genres a different audience making for an eclectic show. I’m glad I went and had a great time and to go with a couple friends that I knew would enjoy it too made it all that much better. Plus getting to see some other friends out in the crowd was quite awesome. I’m kind of at a loss for words at the moment when it comes to how to properly describe this show. I will leave it at this (unless I have a total epiphany of what else to say), shows like this don’t happen all the time. When the chance comes to go see one of your favorite bands, go do it! Thank you to Greg, Deaf Club, Escuela Grind and Trace Amount for one hell of a great evening!

Greg Puciato Set List:

01) In This Hell You Find Yourself
02) Reality Spiral
03) Do You Need Me To Remind You
04) Absence As A Presence
05) Fire For Water
06) Don’t Wanna Deal
07) No More Lives To Go
08) Deep Set
09) Never Wanted That
10) Lowered
11) A Pair Of Questions
12) Creator Of God
13) Evacuation (w/ INXS’s “Need You Tonight”)
14) September City

Encore:
15) Silent Scream (Haex Remix)
16) The End Where We Start (with Billy Howerdel)
17) Now You’ve Really Done It (with Tyler Bates & Gil Sharone)
18) Roach Hiss (with Ben Koller)
19) One Of Us Is The Killer

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Deaf Club:

Escuela Grind:

Greg Puciato: