Ventura Theater

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: Gojira & Pallbearer at Ventura Theater

60411-MMS-1501783162221-attachment1-20170802_214436.jpg

When a band goes on tour these days, it’s always best to take other bands out with you that can keep the attention of the audience. That’s exactly the case with the latest tour that Gojira is on. In between their off dates from the Metallica tour, Gojira with special guests Pallbearer, are taking every venue by storm and leaving it in shambles. When you have two powerhouse bands playing on the same bill, you know you are going to get something special.

20170802_205040.jpg

As Pallbearer took the stage, the crowd began to fill into the venue. From the first note of their set, you could sense that you were about to hear and see something substantial. Touring in support of their latest epic opus Heartless, Pallbearer took no prisoners as they pummeled the audience with a sonic assault of 70’s inspired rock and doom metal. But it’s not your run of the mill doom, instead, Pallbearer instills a sense of melody that drives the songs to epic proportions. Though their set was only 4 songs, Pallbearer managed to leave the crowd wanting more but also absolutely warmed up for what Gojira was about to bring. On a side note, I’ve been wanting to see Pallbearer live for some time, and they didn’t disappoint. In fact, I really enjoyed their set and hope they do a headlining tour soon with a Los Angeles stop so I can really see more of what they have to offer.

20170802_214629.jpg

Now for the main event of the evening, Gojira. This was my fourth time seeing them live and each time I see them, they get better and better. I honestly don’t know if there is a band out there that is as tight as they are. As a band with 6 albums into their career, it gets a bit difficult and interesting when putting together the set list but, Gojira really knows how to pick songs that will drive audiences wild. Songs like “Only Pain,” “The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe,” “Silvera,” Stranded,” “Flying Whales,” L’Enfant Sauvage,” “Oroborus,” “Vacuity,” “Toxic Garbage Island,” are absolutely stellar live. In fact, I’d dare say that Gojira are better live than on their albums. They have also really developed a show with lights, fog, and jams, the latter of which makes the songs feel like different beasts entirely. At the end of their set for the evening, they even graced the crowd with a rousing rendition of “Territory” by Sepultura. A song that they have now made their own after that performance.

What a great night for heavy music and live music in general. Seeing these two bands not only left me inspired to want to go play but, also to want to go see more shows. Bands of this caliber make nights like this all worth while. Gojira are on their way to becoming a band for the ages and Pallbearer are on the verge of taking the rock world by storm. Do yourself a favor, go to your favorite record store and pick up albums by both Gojira and Pallbearer, play them really loud at home, in your car, or wherever. You will be glad you did, and those around you will be too.

Pallbearer Set List:

1) Thorns
2) Devoid Of Redemption
3) Dancing In Madness
4) Worlds Apart

Gojira Set List:

01) Only Pain
02) The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe
03) Silvera
04) Stranded
05) Flying Whales
06) The Cell
07) Backbone
08) Terra Inc
09) L’Enfant Sauvage
10) Drum Solo
11) The Shooting Star
12) Toxic Garbage Island
13) Band Jam (with Joe and Mario switching instruments)
14) Oroborus

Encore:

15) Vacuity
16) Territory (Sepultura Cover)

 

Review By: Brian Lacy

Photos By: Alisa Lacy

Live Review: Failure At The Ventura Theater

11150382_10153336132807904_3639161145926426919_nSince 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