In an era where music videos can transcend the very fabric of reality, Billy Squier's "Rock Me Tonite" stands as a beacon of hope for future generations looking to harness the unparalleled power of dad dance moves and the flamboyance of aerobics chic. With every pirouette and masterfully awkward sway, Squier reminds us that in the '80s, the closer your dance resembled a distress signal to nearby ships, the more prodigious your rock status. The pièce de résistance? A wardrobe seemingly stolen from a blindfolded costume designer during an electrical outage at a spandex factory. One simply cannot look away from the dizzying array of pastel explosions and wardrobe malfunctions waiting to happen – a sartorial spectacle that raises the bar for cheesy clothing enthusiasts across timelines. Indubitably, "Rock Me Tonite" is not just a video; it's a dance, a dream, a dizzying skirmish against the mundane – a heroic declaration that yes, you too can rock ‘n’ roll all night, provided you have the audacity to wear clothes that scream louder than your guitar.  That said, Billy Squire is truly one of my all time favorite guitarists and I will give him a mulligan on this 1984 video monstrosity.

- Matthew Belter

On March 24, 2024, the iconic walls of the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles vibrated with the pulsating rhythms and electrifying energy of KMFDM, one of the pioneering forces in the industrial music scene (or what I refer to as the 'Ultra Heavy Beat'. This exclusive photo gallery captures the raw intensity and dynamic performance of the band, as they enchanted their audience with a mix of classic hits and fresh tracks. Each image is a testament to the band's enduring influence and unique ability to fuse art with sound, offering fans both old and new a visual feast that complements the sonic explosion of the night. Step inside the heart of the action and relive the unforgettable moments of KMFDM's latest triumph in the City of Angels.

- Chris Loomis

In January 2024, Lynch Mob kicked off their The Final Ride farewell tour, celebrating the band's 35-year legacy.  They made a stop at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Easter Sunday March 31 to say thank you and farewell to the South Orange County fanbase. In October 2023, George Lynch stated "After 35 years since the inception of Lynch Mob, I feel the time is right to let this chapter of my musical life fade off into the sunset.”

The band hit the stage early on this night at 8:00pm and played a blistering 90-minute set that highlighted all the Lynch Mob hits as well as select Dokken classics. The current band consists of vocalist Gabriel Colón, Jaron Gulino on bass, long time drummer Jimmy D’Anda and of course Mr. Scary himself George Lynch. The band opened with "Lightnin' Strikes Again" from the Dokken album Under Lock and Key then into the Lynch Mob classic “River of Love”.

Lynch wore an Eddie Van Halen baseball cap for several songs as a tribute to the late axeman (who was without a doubt one of the greatest to ever strap on a guitar). Lynch changed between 3 different guitars throughout the show and proved without a doubt that at 69 years old he can still rip out solos like nobody’s business. Vocalist Gabriel Colón showcased his wide range of vocal talent throughout the night just nailing every song. While he does not sound exactly like Don Dokken or any previous Lynch Mob vocalists, he just has a range that works perfect for this band and all the songs. Definitely the youngster in the band, Colón also brought some great energy to the live show. Jaron Gulin (former Tantric bass player) also brings a bit of youth and attitude to the stage with his thumping bass lines while his rhythm partner Jimmy D’Anda remains one of the most animated hard-hitting drummers in the business. This guy is just pure fun to watch – from his comical facial expressions to his technique and movements, he is just absolute fire . . . and a true gentleman as well.

Without a doubt one of the highlights of the night was the instrumental “Mr. Scary” from Dokken’s 1987 release Back for the Attack as were the last two songs of the set “It’s Not Love” and of course Lynch Mob’s biggest hit “Wicked Sensation”.

The The Final Ride farewell tour is set to wrap up in March 2025, who knows what that means as far as seeing George Lynch play live, so get out there while you still can and catch Lynch Mob rip up the stage. Thanks George for all the memories, killer riffs and magical solos!

Lynch Mob Setlist:

Lightnin' Strikes Again (Dokken cover) | River of Love | For a Million Years | No Good | Testify | When Heaven Comes Down (Dokken cover) | Paris Is Burning (Dokken cover) | Time After Time | The Hunter (Dokken cover) | Rain | Mr. Scary (Dokken cover) | Dance of the Dogs | It's Not Love (Dokken cover) | Wicked Sensation

On Thursday evening, metal fans of all ages were treated to a blizzard of ear piercing, nostalgic metal madness! The Origins Tour with Queensrÿche and Armored Saint rolled through Sacramento’s Ace Of Spades nightclub with brutal force, making this a night to remember.  This 34 date North American Tour began for Queensryche in Houston Texas at the Hell’s Heroes Festival, making Sacramento the 5th stop on the tour with a stellar plan to play the bands self titled E.P. and their first full length album in its entirety.  I Personally was excited to hear an entire set list of 'Deep Cuts' instead of the usual set list comprised of radio hits with a few a few ‘B sides” sprinkled in.  This was going to be a night of 100% 'deep cuts' and one I just couldn't miss.  Let's dig in!

The evening began with Los Angeles’s power metal giants, Armored Saint. Right out of the gate, we were treated to Guitar Hero shreds and classic 1980’s  Metal Mayhem. Armored Saint has some heavy hitters in their line up with the magical John Bush on vocals, Joey Vera on Bass, Jeff Duncan on Guitar and of course  the Sandoval Brothers - Phil on Guitar and Gonzo on the drums. Playing songs from their 40 year discography was a treat, beginning their set with “1812 Overture” and then steamrolling right into “End Of The Attention Span”.  It was a proper way to set off the tone for the entire night's festivities. They followed with many more bangers to round out the 9 song set list.

John Bush is always a delight to watch as he makes his way back and forth on the stage with confident fervor, hitting all the right notes at all the right times. Joey Vera never disappoints with his insane bass technicality .The Sandoval Brothers are a Tour De Force of musical genius. Jeff Duncan on guitar is a perfect fit for Armored Saint contributing to  a well oiled machine of metal.  At one point in the life span of  Armored Saint, they had lost Bush to Anthrax in 1992 only to return in 1999 for the bands reunion. Although the band has had some line up changes over the years they are back touring behind their 2020 release, Punching the Sky, we were thankful that Armored Said has taken time out of their busy recording schedule(for a the rumored new album dropping sometime in 2024) to wow us with their metal mastery - incredible!

After a brief stage change over, the crowd was ready for Queensrÿche to hit the stage.  They successfully amped up the  crowd with Pantera’s “Walk” as an intro. Then without warning, they jumped straight away into the 1981 self titled 4 song E.P,  beginning with the explosive “Queen Of The Ryche”.  That was immediately followed by “Nightrider” “Blinded” and “The Lady Wore Black” - what an explosive way to begin the set.

Following was Queensrÿche's first full length album The Warning, and it was played in it’s entirety. Released in 1984, The Warning was not one of the band’s most prolific releases (according to album sales), but was one the most brutally intense and  cerebral albums I can think of from this band. For those who don't know, it was inspired in part by the world events of the 1940's and George Orwell's classic novel, 1984. Michael Wilton was captivating to watch on lead guitar.  Joined on stage with the unbelievable talent of Mike Stone, they ripped through the track listings starting with “Warning", “En Force” and “Deliverance” and all all songs were simply astounding.  The crowd was in a trance throughout the set from the thought provoking lyrical content and mind piercing power metal. Todd La Torre was insanely impressive as the bands  lead singer and front man, hitting his pitch and high octave notes with perfection. "Take Hold of The Flame” was my favorite song of the night really showcasing Eddie Jackson’s reverberating bass licks. “Child Of Fire” really highlighted drummer Casey Grillo’s timing and plangent beats behind the skins. Ending the evening with “Roads To Madness” as we knew it was  the last track of the album, we all wanted more from Queensrÿche on this sensational evening. The show ended with a 2-song encore including "Prophecy" and "Empire" and highlighted in spades why this bad is so beloved to so many all around the world.

Queensrÿche and Armored Saint continue their 34 date tour which will conclude May 12th in Ft. Meyers ,Fl.  Then, Armored Saint will begin their Saints Will Conquer World Tour Summer 2024.  If you can see either of these incredible bands live, make it happen.  These are bands that you just don't want to miss!!

I love heading down to the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA. It’s conveniently close to me, and I see a lot of the same familiar faces every time I go. This venue used to exist on Disney property at downtown Disney. This did limit the bands that could play the venue, as they had to be “Disney Approved” or they wouldn’t be allowed to perform. Since moving to the Garden Walk a few years ago, this rule has been lifted, and it feels like the House of Blues will book any band out there. This has opened the venue to having some of the wildest shows come through. The hardcore beasts known as Kublai Khan TX brought their United States Headliner 2024 to the House of Blues to rip the venue a new one. Bringing with them Sunami, Judiciary, and Momentum, this show may not have been allowed to happen at the original location. But its current location was ready to take on the chaos the fans were bringing.

Opening the night was California locals Momentum who got the show started with their song “Overkill.” As soon as those first beat down melodies rang out across the sound system, the crowd turned the House of Blues into a true hardcore show. Treating the place like we were in a basement show, with crowd killer moshers, crowd surfers, and the front row pushing and shoving on the barricade so hard that the security team had to hold it in place. With hardcore shows, the bands tend to not be too flashy, as Momentum's instrumentalists mostly just stood and played their instruments with conviction. It was the lead singer that helped elevate the energy in the crowd. As the tenacity in his voice could be felt in songs like “Forget 2 Die,” ‘7 Lives,” “Indulgence in a Lesser Self,” “Occam’s Razor,” “3AM,” and “Relapse.” Momentum was the perfect gut punch needed to start this chaotic night.

Up next was Judiciary, who mixed their hardcore sound with thrash metal. Starting their night off with “Blood,” guitarist Isreal Garza and Kyle Calfin riff on a Slayer inspired opening to the song. As bassist Jerel Ramirez and drummer Austin Scott-Looney come with in with the low end, they flavor the music with more beat down rhythms. Judiciary mix these two styles to perfection. So much so that the crowd is stomping about in the mosh pit with simultaneously head banging. But its not until vocalist Jake Collinson hits us with his screams that sends the crowd over the edge and surfers over the barricade. This energy was being fueled with songs like “Engulfed,” “Pure Fury,” “Karma’s Knife,” “Paradigm Piercer,” “Social Crusade,” “Temple,” and “The Axis of Equality.” The metal head in me loved the thrash infused beat that Judiciary was able to create, as my neck was sore the next day from headbanging mostly due to these songs.

Coming to the stage was the hardcore punk band known as Sunami. Originally created as a joke band to parody the Bay Area scene in 2019, their music ended up connecting with fans so much that it turned into a more tenured venture. Lead singer Josef Alfonso looks like a well mannered straight laced kid from the ‘burbs. But the power in his death growl and pig noises will send shockwaves through your ears. Guitarist Mike “Dirt” Durrett and bassist Theo Dominguez brought slam back to the House of Blues. While drummer Benny Eissmann, armed with his double kick drum, crafted the rhythm’s that let the crowd to go manic in the pit. Sunami unleashed an onslaught of songs like “Gate Crasher,” “Six,” “Dirty Work,” “No Heart,” “Contempt of Cop,” “Feds Watchin’,” “I Don’t Care,” “Die Slow,” ‘Y.A.B.,” “Y.S.A.B.,” “Step up,” and ending with “Weak Die First.” For what started as a joke band truly turned into one that is helping bring back hardcore and slam to the masses.

You’d think after 3 heavy beat down bands the crowd might be starting to wane on their energy. But they were still screaming and cheering during set change as they were ready to tear the place apart for their headliners. Opening their set with “Theory of Mind,” Kublai Khan TX was more than ready to give us what they have. Guitarist Nolan Ashley was armed with slow chuggy riffs that echo through our ear canals. Bassist Eric English tends to follow the guitar line adding a heavier layer to Ashley’s riffs. Drummer Issac Lamb helps to slow down the beat playing in half time and riding his crash cymbal. The sludgy-ness of the beat just emphasizes when the band speeds the beat back up and truly unleashes the rage in the crowd. Vocalist Matt Honeycutt mentioned early in the set that “We’re not here to reinvent the wheel. We’re hear to spin the pit.” Those words could not ring truer, as with each Kublai Khan TX song it felt like the crowd’s velocity continued to pick up. Though they were the headliner, they only played about a 45 minute set, but in that time they flowed through 17 songs back to back like “Loyal to None,” “Resentment,” “Boomslang,” “Swan Song,” “Low Tech,” “Us & Them,” “The Truest Love,” “No Kin,” “Taipan,” “Self-Destruct,” “True Fear,” “Eyes Up,” “Dynasty,” “The Hammer,” and ending  with “Antpile.”

Once the show had finished and the lights came on, you could finally take in the true chaos that was released upon Anaheim. Fans were soaked in sweat, both their own and others from everyone pressing into each one another. A funk graced the air as the people were finally able to catch their breath. And not a single person walked out of that venue without a smile on their face. We went to war with Momentum, Judiciary, Sunami, and Kublai Khan TX. We trudged through the trenches of the mosh pit and came out the other side. We share a glancing smile and head nod in appreciation of every person who went just through hell with us.

Growing up in the mid-2000s, there was one late night infomercial that would always catch my attention. It was called Monster Ballads and it was a culmination of some of the best power ballads from some of the biggest metal bands of the 80s. One moment during this infomercial that always stood out was them playing about 10 seconds of the music video for “Silent Lucidity” by Queensrÿche, as this was my first introduction to the band. They have been going strong for over forty years now, and with this latest tour they wanted to show their appreciation to the fans by playing their first Self-Titled EP and their debut album The Warning in its entirety. Bringing with them fellow 80s metal band Armored Saint, fans sold out the House of Blues in Anaheim for a chance to relive the beginning of a bands career.

Though I have seen vocalist John Bush with Metal Allegiance the last two times they played the House of Blues, this was my first true experience seeing Armored Saint. As guitarist Jeff Duncan riffed the opening lick to “End of the Attention Span,” it built the anticipation and excitement in the crowd. As the rest of the band came in, the sound of Armored Saint brought me back to wishing I grew up in the 80s seeing these during the metal heyday. Solid guitar worked passed back and forth between Duncan and Phil Sandoval, with driving basslines from Joey Vera, and a galloping drum beat from Gonzo Sandoval. This foundation would get anyone in the crowd banging their head and rocking out, but it is Bush’s powerful vocals that takes Armored Saint’s sound to a whole new level. The man can balance melodic singing with powerful sustains that sound like the heavens opening and shooting a beam of light onto the singer. His talents could be heard with each song they played like “Raising Fear,” “Tribal Dance,” “Over the Edge,” “March of the Saint,” “Do Wrong to None,” “Isolation,” “Win Hands Down,” “Can U Deliver,” and ending with “Reign of Fire.” After Armored Saints set, all I could wonder was how they never came across my path before. I feel I have done a disservice to myself by not listening to them earlier, and this will be rectified moving forward.

A voice over spoke to the crowd, greeting fans and welcoming them into the world of Queensrÿche. Opening with the first song off their self-titled EP “Queen of the Reich,” we were transported out of the House of Blues and into a fantastical world that the band created. Its astounding to see and hear how vocalist Todd La Torre can push his voice to hit some of the high notes in these songs every night without fail. Guitarist Michael Wilton and Mike Stone build the ambiance of Queensrÿche with dueling guitars. When Wilton takes center stage to play his solos, he beautifully lets himself shine on his axe while heightening the overall song and never making it feel out of place to the whole experience. Bassist Eddie Jackson adds more than just texture to the songs, as his basslines holds weight and adds emotion that can be felt in the music. Drummer Casey Grillo rounds out the band and adds the final touch to a live performance by Queensrÿche with a drum set that almost envelopes him. We truly did get every single song off the band’s first EP and LP like “Nightrider,” “Blinded,” “The Lady Wore Black,” “Warning,” “En Force,” “Deliverance,” “No Sanctuary,” “NM 156,” “Take Hold of the Flame,” “Before the Storm,” “Child of Fire,” “Roads to Madness,” and we were graciously bestowed a two song encore of “Prophecy” and “Eyes of a Stranger.”  

It is a very special time when a band decides to go back and perform their first albums in their entirety. The band has evolved past who they were at that time in their life, but the music still lives on and holds such a beloved place in fans hearts. Seeing the fans who showed up for this kind of experience, you could feel the passion and love they have for the band and for these original songs that introduced most people to who Queensrÿche would become. It was a night to relive the beginning of a true giant in the progressive metal genre.

Go Ahead And Die is the colossally heavy band co-fronted by Max Cavalera and his son Igor Amadeus Cavalera. This one-of-a-kind father/son collaboration combines old school thrash with some serious punk attitude. Max is without a doubt the God-Father of all things heavy and Go Ahead And Die adds to that legacy. The band just completed the Unhealthy Mechanisms Tour 2024 that had them play 58 shows in 64 days and they made a stop at the Glasshouse in Pomona, CA on Friday night March 22 to deliver a night of brutality to Southern California. Orlando Florida’s Deathcore masters BodyBox have been in the direct support slot for the entire tour and SoCal’s own Deep Within have been on the tour for the last 2 weeks of this Heavy Metal Brigade.

After three local opening bands Deep Within took the stage and the fans definitely knew who these hard rockers were as fist pumping and a circle pit ensued. The music sounded somewhat of a combination of Static-X mixed with Wednesday 13 and they without doubt took the intensity level of the Glasshouse up a few notches.

When Bodybox began their set the circle pit erupted as the Death Metal masters blasted through 30 minutes of total destruction. These guys toured in support of Max Cavalera’s other band Soulfly in 2023 so the fans are no strangers to this music and Bodybox had one job and they successfully completed their task of pumping up the crowd in preparation for Go Ahead and Die.

At 10:25 the lights dropped and Igor Cavalera took the center stage mic as bassist Jackie Cruz and drummer Johnny Valles took their spots then Max Cavalera hit the stage and the band blasted into the first three songs (“Desert Carnage”, “Split Scalp” and “Tumors”) off the new album as the Glasshouse erupted with headbanging and circle pits. Although the band has released two albums, this is their first tour and they certainly delivered on their promise of bringing extreme sweat and aggression to the stage every night.

With Go Ahead And Die, Max has stated he has given the keys to the car to Igor and he is sitting in the back seat and boy is Igor a chip off the ole block as he has the same intensity in his vocal delivery and guitar riffs as his Dad. Max and Igor trade off lyrics all night long and Max is a bit more guitar focused as he lets Igor be the frontman. Max served up some serious metal riffage and solos that you don’t usually see from him in Soulfly or Cavalera Conspiracy.

The band played the entire Unhealthy Mechanisms album and select cuts from their self-titled debut including the blistering track “Truckload Full of Bodies”. The rhythm section consisting of Jackie Cruz on bass and the hard-hitting Johnny Valles on drums kept the thumping loud and mean and along with the Cavalera’s guitars equaled some of the grittiest, raw, extreme punk infused metal out there today.

The night ended with Max wearing a sheriff’s uniform with matching hat as the band concluded their performance in Pomona with the song “Drug-O-Cop”. WOW – lots of blood, sweat and beers at The Glasshouse. With Max so busy with all of his projects (one of the busiest musicians in the business) who knows if Go Ahead And Die will ever tour again which would be a shame but at the same time it makes the performance on this night that much more special and a memory to soon not be forgotten.

Go Ahead And Die Setlist:

Desert Carnage | Split Scalp | Tumors | Truckload Full of Bodies | Toxic Freedom | No Easy Way Out | M.D.A. (Most Dangerous Animal) | Chasm | I.C.E. Cage | Prophet's Prey | Worth Less Than Piss | Blast Zone | Unhealthy Mechanisms | Drug-O-Cop

I have seen Stephen Marley in concert more than any other artist or band, probably around 15 times.  Damian is right up there as well.  This is one of the best performances by Stephen I have ever seen, Damian too, but Stephen’s performance stood out to me specifically.  Back in 2015 they toured together on the Catch A Fire Tour, but that was more of them doing their own songs and their own sets, only joining each other from time to time.  That was a fantastic concert as well, but in these nine years since, so many more songs from the two of them and so much growth.  Then in February of 2022 at Cali Vibes all the Marley Brothers performed to celebrate Bob Marley’s birthday.  That may be the best, most important, most epic show I have ever seen live.  There was truly a Natural Mystic flowing through the air that night.  I have shivers going up and down my back right now just thinking about it. That show took me to a totally different place.  But that show was all about Bob and celebrating his music and his legendary life.  The Traffic Jam Tour is about Stephen and Damian and all the work they have done together through the years.  I’ve always said they should do some albums together, between their solo albums and singles, they put out a ton of music together, so maybe they don’t need an album together.  But it would be nice to see them work on a unified project together, it would be amazing.

They walked out on stage, with huge grins on their faces, you could instantly tell this was going to be amazing.  The Fillmore was packed, I have never seen it this filled before. They played songs they have done together, their own songs and of course, Bob songs.  It was a perfect mix for a perfect show.  You can see how much they love each other and how much they love performing together, always smiling and laughing on stage.  Their connection and interaction is simply amazing.  After the first three songs (they actually had us leave midway through the third song “So Much Trouble”), I would normally keep photographing from the crowd close to the stage, but the venue was so packed and people were so close to each other, I couldn’t get anywhere near the stage for a good view.  So I spent the rest of the night up in the balcony, which was a great view and perfect sound.  They went into “Pimpers Paradise,” a song I have heard them do together but never live, I was so excited to hear this.  They absolutely killed it….with the crowds help.

“She loves to party (Stephen), have a good time (crowd)

She looks so hearty (Stephen), feeling fine (crowd)

She loves to smoke (Stephen), sometimes shifting coke (crowd)

She's laughing when there (Stephen)  ain't no joke, hey” (crowd)

“That's all she was, now
Pimpa's paradise (Stephen),  Pimpa's paradise (crowd)

That's all she was
Pimpa's paradise (Stephen),  Pimpa's paradise (crowd)
That's all she was, now
Pimpa's paradise (Stephen),  Pimpa's paradise (crowd)
That's all she was”

Then Damian comes in hard:

”Cause coke was a thing that once she first try
Was once a blue moon to once a blue sky
Now she's wondering who else wants to go buy
She don't got no money and wants to get high” 

I just simply loved hearing this!  They hit us with “Still Searchin” and kept up the love and energy.  The smiles from them was heartwarming. “Tight Ship” was next up, Stephen grabbed his guitar and hit us with his smooth voice and then Damian comes flying in with his verse, I love the contrast in their styles, sound and voices.  IT WORKS SO WELL!  Always has, but I swear the older they get it just flows so much better.  It was time to bring up the energy to another level with “It Was Written” with Damian jumping up and down and willing the crowd to join him. So much high energy in this song. What I loved about this show was the song choices, so many of their songs I was hoping to hear them play, old, new, crowd favorites, my favorites. Throughout this show, their band (a mix of Stephens and Damian’s bands) sounded amazing!  Their energy was so high, they were feeding off of Ragga and Jr. Gong, and Ragga and Jr. Gong feeding off of them! I was really hoping to hear something from Stephen’s new album Old Soul and they go into “Cast the First Stone,” and WOW this sounded perfect!  Stephen banging on the drum and singing and Jr. Gong doing his thing. I am so sorry I missed his Old Soul tour because that is one of the best albums release in a long time.  Another classic and another amazing song, “Jah Army” was up next.  This was one of the best on the night, they absolutely killed this.  I think the only thing that would have made this any better would have been if Buju stepped on stage with them. 

This crowd knew all the words to all the songs, it was truly an incredible scene.  It was time for Damian to educate the crowd on the medical and health benefits of marijuana, and we all knew what was coming……..”Medication.” Damian asking the crowd if it is legal in Philadelphia, and when the crowd yells no, he says “we need to change that,” the crowd erupting in a cheer!  They really hit on this one….but then again, they were hitting on all these songs.  It was time to take us back to 2008 with “The Mission,” another classic from Ragga and Jr. Gong.  Huge scream from the crowd as they started.  The band really was amazing on this one, and the energy between them and Stephen and Damian was powerful!  And while I said they took it back to 2008, then they took us waaayyyy back to 1996 for “Love and Inity.”  I swear the love and energy just kept rising and rising with each song.  It was time to hit us with a little Bob since they had this crowd “Jamming.”  Bob up on the screen behind them as they poured their hearts out on this one.  Sticking with the Bob groove, and one where the entire crowd sang along, so loud that they almost overtook Damian and Stephen.  Crazy listening to 3000 people all singing “Is This Love” and not missing a word or beat.  Stephen hits us with “Rock Stone” and like I’ve said before, the energy was crazy.  Just when you think it can’t get any higher, it does! 

“Road to Zion” was next up and Damian had everyone pull out their lighters and phones.  What a site, 3000 people holding up their lighters, what a cool vibe going on, chills hitting me.  Damian sounded perfect and I kept hoping Nas would come walking out on stage.  It was time for a song that no matter how many times I have heard it, it just never gets old, “Welcome to Jamrock.”

“Out in the streets, they call it merther”

I swear every time I hear this it gets better and better.  It never gets old. Damian goes into “Move!” the crowd jumping right along with Jr. Gong.  As Stephen and Damian walk off stage, the entire crowd starts chanting MARLEY, MARLEY, MARLEY! We all needed just a little bit more from them.  This was an epic show but no one wanted it to end.  We were all having such a great time, so were Stephen and Damian.  They finished off this wonderful show with a great, and long, rendition of “Could You Be Loved.” It really was the perfect song to finish this off, because we all felt the love between these brothers, we could feel the love they had for everyone there.  This is one of the best concerts I have ever seen, they were so amazing, everything about this night was perfect.  And like I said, I have seen them both many, many times and this was them at their best.

One Love - Todd

One of the best benefits to living in Southern California is the plethora of concert venues in the area. Orange County & Los Angeles alone easily have over 100 venues combined where shows can spring up and happen. If that isn’t enough for you, just a drive down the 5 freeway to San Diego can open up a whole new concert going experience with new venues to take in. I was fortunate enough to finally experience the Observatory North Park down in San Diego when KMFDM came through on their 40th Anniversary Tour. This industrial band from Germany has made a name for themselves over the decade, and I was finally able to see what they had to offer.

Opening the night was the band known as Sour Tongue. These guys brought an upbeat groovy punk aspect to the show. Lead singer Satori Marill lets her voice flow between sultry melodies and in your face screams of passion. Reminded me of Cherie Currie from the Runaways. Guitarist Jake Bonn drives the song with his distortion ladened riffs. Bassist John Murphy is one of the most animated on stage, letting his hair whip around while just losing himself on his instrument. Drummer Max Codoceo handles Sour Tongues changing styles with ease. From pushing the beat with punk rhythms, to creating a two steppin yeehaw vibe for a country-style song, and even crafting a dance beat during the song “Soap.” No matter what the song called for, Codoceo was able to groove with it. Sour Tongue played other songs like “Jorking My Shit,” “A Mile in Clown Shoes,” “Teeth,” “Supreme Jort,” “Godspeed 43,” “Godzilla Sex Tape,” “Nebraska,” “Watch This Drive,” and “Poopy Pants Baby.” The crowd may not have known what to expect from a band called Sour Tongue, but the band played with passion that could be felt with every note they put together.

Two podiums were placed on stage with the KMFDM logo spray painted across the bottom. The beat to the opening track “All 4 1” rang out across the venue. Founder and co-vocalist Sascha Konietzko stepped on stage still sporting a spiked mohawk. With the lyrics to the song starting by shouting the band’s name of “K. M. F. D. M.” the crowd went wild. Quickly joined by his other co-vocalist Lucia Cifarelli who helps to create a dynamic vocal range with Konietzko for each song. These giant podiums also serve as a bigger aspect to the show besides adding texture to the stage dressing. As Konietzko is the band’s programmer with Keys, synths, and percussion, while Cifarelli also performs on keys, these podiums hold the musician’s instruments. Yet, both performers find time to step out and play unobscured for the audience to truly taken in their performance. Something I love about industrial music is that traditional instruments are manipulated to create sounds you wouldn’t normally expect from them. Guitarist Andee Blacksugar handles a normal 6 string axe and drummer Andy Selway is on an acoustic drum kit. But by sending their sound through pedals and computer system they can modulate the sound to make it sound more robotic, futuristic, or even rhythmic.

KMFDM’s style and sound was on full display through songs like “Let Go,” “Freak Flag,” “Hyëna,” “Airhead,” “Oh My Goth,” “Naïve,” “Go to Hell,” “Push!,“ ”Liquor Fish & Cigarettes,” “Rebels in Kontrol,” “Bumaye,” “Blindface,” and “A Drug Against War.” With this being their 40th Anniversary tour, the band could not just end the show there. They have too many beloved songs and came out for a five song encore with “No God Here,” “Megalomanic,” “When the Bell Tolls,” “Godlike,” and truly ending with “Paradise.” Even though some of these songs can be considered heavy, KMFDM is creating more danceable beats and rhythms. A dance pit would form in the middle of the crowd, as fans couldn’t help but dance to some of their favorite music from the last four decades.

I have heard of KMFDM in passing over the years, but it took my editor Matthew Belter advising me to see their show to finally get me out there. And I am so greatly fully appreciated that he recommended this show. Not only was the music lively, fun, and danceable, but the band still sound like they do on record. I was transported to a industrial club with heavy bass pounding into our ear drums, and I soaked in every moment of it.

A fun way to pay homage to your favorite band can be starting a cover band. Some cover bands go above and beyond to not only sound like the people they are imitating, but to also dress and even look like them down to the hair and facial details. One band that decided to put a unique spin on the cover artist idea is the legendary Mac Sabbath. Imbodying the ideas of Black Sabbath if they had sponsorship deals from McDonalds and wore costumes like they were the live band at a satanic Chuck E. Cheese. Pioneering the Drive Thru Metal genre, Mac Sabbath has been singing about the perils of the golden arcs for a decade. Celebrating 10 years as a band, they came to one of their favorite venues, the Observatory in Santa Ana, CA and bringing D.I. and The Venomous Pinks to raise hell.

Opening the night was a three piece all female punk band from Arizona known as The Venomous Pinks. These girls were ready to raise hell and throw down just as heavy as any male punk band. Fronted by guitarist Drea Doll, she was armed with a voice full of intensity and rage. Not so much singing but commanding the crowd with her lyrics. Bassist Gaby Kaos screamed melodies alongside Drea and sync’d her playing perfectly with drummer Cassandra Jalilie. The two crafted bombastic rhythms that got the mosh pits started for the night. Playing songs mostly off their album Vita Mors, The Venomous Pinks infected the crowd with chaotic energy that would continue to grow throughout the night.

Up next was the Orange County natives known as D.I. As soon as the band hit the stage, but before a single note could ring out, the crowd was already screaming and ready to let the mosh rage. Helmed by Casey Royer on vocals, who was more just shouting at the crowd. But we ate it up. Guitarists Clinton Calton & Trevor Lucca tackled the fast simple punk melodies with ease and mixed in some quick but punchy guitar solos. Bassist Eddie Tatar and drummer Joey Tatar crafted the rhythm section with an almost running groove to it. This running groove helped keep the energy alive in the moshers to never let the pit stop. D.I. fully turned the Observatory into a hardcore show, with people jumping on stage, two stepping with the band, before launching themselves back into the crowd. The band fed off this chaos and their energy seemed to pick up as the crowd got more rambunctious. D.I. did not let the energy slow down even for a moment with songs like “Living in the USA,” “Johnny’s Got a Problem,” “Imminent War,” “Falling Out,” “Obnoxious,” “Richard Hung Himself,” “(I Hate) Surfin’ in H.B.,” “Guns,” and “Youth in Asia.” I have always heard of the name D.I. but finally getting to experience them was a whole other beast. They’ve been around for over 40 years, and they still continue to incite rage and chaos with the new youth of the nation.

A curtain was draped over the stage to allow a transformation into the drive thru restaurant we were all about to dine at. As the driving guitar to “Organic Funeral” rang out over the crowd, people cheered with anticipation. The curtain was ripped away as Mac Sabbath took the stage. Ronald Osbourne engaged the crowd strapped into a straight jacket. This madman could only be contained for the first song, before ripping himself free to truly embrace the chaos of the world we had just walked into. Flanked by guitarist Slayer MacCheeze and bassist Grimalice, this quartet is rounded off by drummer the Catburglar. These found entities imbue Black Sabbath sounds with lyrics about the horrors of fast food. All the while their Employee of the Month flings french fries into the crowd. When I say the crowd ate this up, I am speaking literally as people were eating the french fries. If there is one thing Mac Sabbath can do it is inciting pandemonium in the crowd. As my experience with Mac Sabbath shows continues, they cause some of the wildest crowds of any band I have experienced. With Songs like “Sweet Beef,” “More Ribs,” “Grilled by Death,” “The Lizard,” “Beth,” “Chicken for the Slaves,” “Frying Pan.” And “Pair-a-Buns,” the crowd could not be contained from showing their love for their McDonald’s overlords.

Mac Sabbath continues to be a hidden gem in the metal and overall music world. It can be tough for a cover band to really break out into the general public, but these guys have such a unique spin on the idea, you can’t help but have fun at one of their shows. This was their 10th anniversary show of being a band, and they don’t seem to be planning to stop. Drive Thru Metal could make its way to a city near you, and no matter how long the line is to place your order, the meal will leave you happy that tried something new.