Live Show 2026

LIVE REVIEW: THE BLACK QUEEN AT CATCH ONE

After seven years away, The Black Queen made their triumphant return to the stage. The wait for this bands return was well worth it. It’s crazy to think too, that it’s been ten years since their debut album, Fever Daydream, was released. This tour is a celebration of the release of their debut as well as the unveiling of a new live lineup that is truly special.

Los Angeles is a haven for live music and home to some of the most fun venues in the country. The first time I saw The Black Queen ten years ago, was at Catch One. And now for their return they played there again and it felt just right.

As the clock struck midnight, the lights went down and the start of the intro music began to intoxicate the audience. Then Greg, Steve and Danny took the stage to a rousing applause and roar from the crown and instantly began with the great “Ice To Never.” From there it was just an incredible onslaught of banger after banger featuring “Secret Scream,” “The End Where We Start” and “That Death Cannot Touch.” The trifecta of those songs is enough to make one’s head explode with excitement. The crowd singing along too was astounding. “Maybe We Should/Non- Consent” and “Strange Quark” delivered a great sensual performance that fit the vibe on such a special way. “Distanced” was a treat too as that song has a really cool ambience that is moody in the best way. The songs from the bands second album, Infinite Games, sounded bigger than before, especially “Thrown Into The Dark.” Closing out their great set was the fantastic “Apocalypse Morning.” This song is one of my all time favorite end of album songs. The live version of this song is absolutely epic. You have to see it live to know!

The Black Queen’s return to the stage is one of those very welcoming moments. The time away has given their albums, especially Fever Daydream, to reach new heights and acclaim. The addition of Danny Lohner to the live lineup was such a great idea. He adds so much extra to the songs with the instrumentation, arrangements, as well as stage presence. Watching Greg Puciato sing his heart out next to Danny Lohner and guitarist Steve Alexander is a sight to see. The energy of all three on stage emits to the audience and makes for a complete show. Greg sounded great. The way his vocals hit is otherworldly.

Looking around the crowd throughout the show, you could tell there was an excitement in the room. Having The Black Queen back on stage is/was very much needed. I genuinely hope this live lineup stays together. There’s something special about this. And the addition of drummer Chris Pennie will absolutely put it over!

When The Black Queen comes through your town, I urge you to go. You’ll definitely thank me after!

Review/Photos By: Brian Lacy

The Black Queen Photos (I was experimenting with lighting, sorry for the quality. I was also enjoying the show too much):

The Black Queen Setlist:

01) Ice To Never

02) Secret Scream

03) The End Where We Start

04) That Death Cannot Touch

05) Maybe We Should/Non-Consent

06) Strange Quark

07) Distanced

08) Even Still I Want To

09) Thrown Into The Dark

10) Taman Shud

11) One Edge Of Two

12) Now, When I’m This

13) Apocalypse Morning

LIVE REVIEW: POISON THE WELL & CONVERGE AT THE BELASCO

When this tour was announced it was an absolute no brainer that this was a must go. I mean, Poison The Well, Converge, The Armed and The Barbarians Of California all on one tour! Yes please!

On a quite perfect Wednesday spring night, Poison The Well, Converge and more rolled into the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, CA, and made sure to let everyone in the downtown area know they were in town.

As the clock hit 7:00 pm, the lights went down and The Barbarians Of California took the stage and immediately went into their blend of hardcore and punk. Their infectious energy radiated through the audience for the next thirty minutes. There is an absolute fun aspect to this band that really helps to ignite the crowd and spirit of the night.

Next up was The Armed. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out this band live, you are truly missing out. The Armed, like the Barbarians, are a fun band that demands your attention. For the next thirty minutes, The Armed blazed through their set with reckless precision that left you wanting more. I’ve had the pleasure of seen them a few times now and this might have been the most exciting show I’ve seen of theirs.

Converge! What else can be said about this band that hasn’t been said before. This band is legendary for a reason. For the next hour, Converge, delivered a set that was as brutal and beautiful as it was pummeling and destructive. Riding high off their new album, Love Is Not Enough and their upcoming other new album, Hum Of Hurt, there was no stopping Jacob, Kurt, Nate and Ben on stage. Ripping through new songs like the title track, “Bad Faith,” “To Feel Something” as well as “Hum Of Heart” and “Death In Bloom,” these new songs have fast become live fan favorites as well as future set staples. The classic songs like “Dark Horse,” “Eagles Become Vultures,” “Concubine” and “Conduit” sounded even more ferocious with age. This set and tour shows why Converge are the blueprint for so many hardcore/metal bands today.

When it was time for Poison The Well, the energy in the Belasco shifted from a very intense energy into a very welcome burst of explosive fire as “Botchla” opened their set. From that point it was game on. The band is on tour now promoting their fantastic comeback album, Peace In Place. The new songs like “Thoroughbreds,” “Everything Hurts,” and “Wax Mask” sounded gargantuan and very urgent, especially “Everything Hurts.” The choice classics played like “Ghostchant,” “Slice Paper Wrists,” “For A Bandaged Iris,” “Crystal Lake” sounded violent and crisp. The band themselves had a sense of joy while playing. Watching Chris, Ryan, Jeffery, Vadim and Noah on stage was inspiring to see as they, like Converge, created a blueprint within hardcore.

This tour was one of those that if you didn’t go to, you missed out. This was one of those lineups that showcased the old school and new school in the best way possible. Each band delivered the goods the best way they can. Having this show in the middle of the week was also a welcome break to all of life’s craziness. We need more events like this to help us all!

What a night!

Review/Photos By: Brian Lacy

The Armed Setlist:

  1. All Futures
  2. Everything’s Glitter
  3. Grace Obscure
  4. I Steal What I Want
  5. Night City Aliens
  6. Fortune’s Daughter
  7. Liar
  8. Big Shell

Converge Setlist:

  1. Love Is Not Enough
  2. Bad Faith
  3. Eagles Become Vultures 
  4. Dark Horses
  5. Under Duress
  6. Conduit
  7. Hum Of Hurt
  8. Amon Amok
  9. Distract And Divide
  10. To Feel Something 
  11. Doom In Bloom
  12. The Broken Vow
  13. We Were Never The Same
  14. I Can Tell You About Pain
  15. Concubine 

Poison The Well Setlist:

  1. Botchla
  2. Zombies Are Good For Your Health
  3. Slice Paper Wrists
  4. Thoroughbreds
  5. A Wish For Things That Work
  6. For A Bandaged Iris
  7. Everything Hurts
  8. 12/23/93
  9. Letter Thing
  10. Ghostchant
  11. Parks And What You Meant To Me
  12. Crystal Lake
  13. Artist’s Rendering Of Me
  14. Loved Ones (Excerpts From Speeches Of How Great You Were, And Will Never Be Again)
  15. Nerdy

CONVERGE PHOTOS:

Poison The Well Photos:

LIVE SHOW REVIEW: MELTED BODIES AT OBLIVION LA

Late last summer when I went to see Reba Meyers play a solo show, the direct support band that evening really caught my ears. It was one of those moments when you hear a band you know nothing about and it just makes sense. That band was Melted Bodies and I just got the chance to see them again and good golly were they just as awesome. 

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LIVE REVIEW: NINE INCH NAILS AT HONDA CENTER

Everyone has that one band they absolutely love. That one band that every time they come to town, you drop what you are doing to go see them live. Since the year 2000 when I first saw my all time favorite band, Nine Inch Nails live, I have made it a point to be at every single Los Angeles area show they have done since as well as a few others outside of the area. Last year I had the chance to attend both nights of the Peel It Back tour. I even remember telling my friends I was with, if this tour does a second round, I have to go, this was too damn good not to see again. And low and behold not long after the first leg wrapped up, the second leg was announced. Of course this one had to be in Orange County but, it’s Nine Inch Nails, and I’ll make the trek. After this show, my total of seeing Nine Inch Nails is up to twenty two times and I’m not even close to being done seeing them. This night at the Honda Center not only was astoundingly sublime but, filled with great memories to last a lifetime (wink wink).

The way the show starts on the small B stage is something really special. The stripped down piano version of “Right Where It Belongs” is devastatingly stunning. Then you add in a bit of my all time favorite song in “Somewhat Damaged” and it’s a recipe for greatness. The emotional weight of both those songs are enough to bring tears to your eyes, as it did Trent. Then moving into a partially solo/acoustic performance of “Ruiner” was something else as well. That song in particular sounded so good with just a piano. Then to close out that section with “Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)” remix really gets the crowd’s energy pumping as Trent and band made their way to the main stage. The space in between was filled with a glorious Josh Freese drum solo section that included a snippet of “Getting Smaller” (which I hope that song makes its way into future set lists). Josh is so special in Nine Inch Nails. If you’ve seen NIN before you know what I mean. The second act on the main stage was just an onslaught of heavy classics like “Wish,””March Of The Pigs,” “Gave Up,” “Heresy.” One of the coolest moments was when “The Frail” was used as the transition out of “March Of The Pigs” into “Reptile.” Wow! What a seriously surreal section of the show. The seemlessness of the way those two songs meld together should be studied. Then we moved back to the small stage for the “Remix” section of the show. The way these remixes hit the audience is wild. If you’ve never been to a rave, this is a small glimpse into the fun you could be having. “Vessel,” and “Closer,” got the crowd jumping and dancing. Then you got hit with the How To Destroy Angels song “Parasite” and that in itself was a treat. This remix version is quite the jam. Closing out this section was the newest song “As Alive As You Need Me To Be.” This song I can’t get enough of. Watching all the camera angles this evening and how Trent, Atticus and BoyzNoize manipulate the sounds was exciting and inspiring. Sure certain parts were on tape but the live remixing really takes things to a whole other level. Now back to the main stage and more awesomness as “Mr. Self Destruct” erupted with such a loud pop that you couldn’t tell if it was Josh’s drums or the audience. The rest of the set was just choice cuts like “Less Than,” “The Hand That Feeds,” and “Head Like A Hole.” I’m personally glad to see “The Perfect Drug” still in the set. This song was for years not played live and in the last few years and tours, it’s been a prominent staple! Plus getting to watch Josh Freese on drums during that drum break is so exquisite. And as always, “Hurt” closed out the show.

The production for this show is something else. The tight camera angles mixed with the lights and visuals makes for a very intense visual show. Then you add in the music, lyrics and vocals, and it just comes together so perfectly. I’ve seen this show three times now and this one just might been the best one. I’ve seen Nine Inch Nails twenty two times now and this was one of the best tours I’ve ever seen. The addition of Stu Brooks to the band brought even more life and energy to the band live. As good as Alessandro was at his instruments his lack of energy on stage always seemed to be a damper. Stu on the other hand moves around and you can see/hear the vitality in him as the songs are played. This lineup of Trent, Atticus, Robin, Josh and Stu is one that I hope stays for a long while. Nine Inch Nails are one of the best live bands of all time. Each tour evokes something different as it should. The sheer intensity you get from a NIN show is unlike anything else. Even the most casual fan will walk out of the show a full fledged fan. The albums and songs are timeless and will be for generations to come. Who knows how much longer Trent will keep going. I surely hope he’s not done yet. Nine Inch Nails are more than just a band. If you are like me, it means so much more. Plus, we still need a full on tour for The Fragile! Just putting that out in the universe to make happen!! What a night and show. If you’ve never seen Nine Inch Nails, make a point to rectify that! You won’t be sorry!

Overall Grade: A

By: Brian Lacy

Setlist:

01) Right Where It Belongs (Acoustic, with Somewhat Damaged Outro)
02) Ruiner (Partially Acoustic)
03) Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)
04) Wish
05) March Of The Pigs
06) The Frail
07) Reptile
08) Heresy
09) Copy Of A
10) Gave Up
11) Vessel (with BoyzNoize- Remix)
12) Closer (with BoyzNoize- Remix)
13) Parasite (How To Destroy Angels Cover- with BoyzNoize- Remix)
14) As Alive As You Need Me To Be (with BoyzNoize- Remix)
15) Mr. Self Destruct
16) Less Than
17) The Perfect Drug
18) I’m Afraid Of Americans (David Bowie Cover)
19) The Hand That Feeds
20) Head Like A Hole
21) Hurt