Formed in 2017, this 4 piece Los Angeles band is bringing back synth pop with a twist of 90’s Nostalgia. Members consist of Freddy Hale as Front man and vocalist, Cadu Costa as Drums, Collin Keller as Guitar, and Alex Pitta as Bass. They’ve been featured on the Youtube Channel “Music Human”, which is dedicated to recording live studio sessions of local LA artists. They’ve also recently played at the Resident hosted by Breaking Sound Los Angeles and have an upcoming show at Erwin House.
Their most recent single, “American Heartache”, is probably one of my favorite songs from The Sway. The music video opens up with the boys inside a boxing ring, and they're wearing these glorious white jumpsuits. As the video progresses, they boys go from jumpsuits to fighting inside the ring against one badass chick. This song is catchy from the very beginning and it keeps you hooked with its synthy guitar riffs, punchy drums and Freddy’s amazing vocals.
I hate to say it, but, this is one of those bands that are low-key underrated. Their music is phenomenal and I honestly wish more people knew about them. If you haven’t heard of The Sway check them out on all their social media platforms and don’t forget to hear “American Heartache” on Spotify. See them perform at Hunnypot's Live at The Mint party April 13th 2020.
Written by Elsie Hernandez
On a cool and damp evening, The City National Grove of Anaheim played host to one of the most anticipated shows in recent memory. The machine known as Skillet has been grinding out some of the most energetic, uplifting, and acclaimed music now for over 20 years. During this time, they have garnered a severely loyal and rabid fan-base that routinely pack theaters and arenas all around the world. Sunday evening was no exception, as the number of people lined up waiting for the venue doors was no less than staggering. From toddlers to the tenured, the crowd was as diverse as the bands slated to play this evening. The anticipation was doing a number on me, and I, along with everyone else, couldn’t wait to get this night started.
The first band to grace the stage was Ledger. The band hit the stage promptly at 7 pm and immediately got everyone fired up. A quick seven-song set executed with all the power and energy you’d expect from a talented up and coming band. A rocking yet heartfelt set of songs coupled with the adorable Jen Ledger fronting the group made for a truly captivating set. After seeing Ledger, I now realized why darn near three-quarters of the crowd was there so early. If you are slated to attend this tour this year, arrive early and don’t sleep on this band.
The second band of the night was one I’d never heard of before, Pennsylvania based rockers From Ashes to New. They stormed onto the stage bringing their, Rap infused Nu-Metal style and wasted no time in dropping the hammer. This band launched an assault that hit all the marks. The stage, the production, and of course, the sheer bombastic nature of the live show was not for the weak. From Ashes to New meant business and delivered. I would surely see this band again, what an act!
Now, as I waited for Skillet to take the stage, it occurred to me that I wasn’t sure that I’d have enough butt left for them to kick. With the two previous completely blindsiding me in terms of the quality of their shows, I was hopeful Skillet could follow them in kind and most certainly did. The Christian/Symphonic metal quartet opened their set with their massive hit “Feel Invincible” and got the near-capacity crowd jumping in place from the get-go. Taking a quick look around, I saw hundreds of ecstatic, smiling fans seemingly having the time of their lives.
The sound and the message was loud and clear; We’re here to give you a show for the ages and from the outset and Skillet was on track to do so. The husband and wife duo John (lead vocals, bass) and Korey (rhythm guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals) hit the stage like they had tacks in their shoes. Seth Morrison (Lead guitar) was holding down stage-right steadily pumping out the lead licks the concert-goers were lapping up. As if that wasn’t all, The previously mentioned Jen Ledger (drums, backing vocals) was a show all by herself. It’s quite a sight to see a drummer keeping time with the style and conviction she displays. There is genuine anger in her sticks! I challenge anyone to show me a drummer who hits harder than Ledger. As if this wasn’t enough, we were treated to an appearance from The Cello Guy, Tate Olsen, to drive home the orchestral flavor that Skillet has embraced over the years. Unbelievable!!! As you might expect, the energy in the room was off the charts all night. Their positive and upbeat stage presence was no fluke, as they consistently fed off the equally fired-up crowd throughout their monster 19-song set list.
In a nutshell, if you’re in the mood to see an all-around excellent rock show chock full of titanic sounds and boundless energy, you must seek out Skillet on their 2020 tour. The package, including Ledger and From Ashes to New, is a well thought out bill and will no-doubt leave you screaming for more. This was a hard rock concert for the ages and it fired on all cylinders from their opening crescendo to final curtain call. This show will have lasting effects on me and will be in my memory for years to come. Horns Up, everyone! Be Well.
On Saturday February 22nd, I attended the sold out Royal Rumble 2020: Andy Frasco and the U.N. vs. Big Something at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. These are two jam bands that have been on the road together for awhile and Saturday marked the last stop on this incredible tour. Both bands have a healthy mix of Rock and Roll, Blues, and Soul to them, but each are unique in their own way. I’d seen Andy Frasco and his band before, but this was my first time experiencing a set from co-headliners Big Something and was excited for the opportunity to finally catch them live. What took this to a whole new level was the tours unique wrestling theme, which only made the show that much more insane. Heck, they even had their own championship belts which was totally cool. I knew Andy’s shows could get wild from previous experiences seeing them on The Rock Boat and at Schuba’s In Chicago, but this show could potentially take their prescribed mayhem to a whole new level.
For the first time in my almost 40 years on this planet (and going to live shows for a good 25 of them), I have never seen a rock show opened up by a stand-up comedian. But in this case, California based comedian Kyle Ayers kicked off the show and was able to get the crowd pumped up early on. Kyle has appeared on Conan before and has written for CBS, Comedy Central, and TBS as well as contributed to various roasts over the years. Combine that with Andy Frasco's crazy and unscripted antics at his shows and Kyle was the perfect fit to open the show. At one point, Andy was watching the set from the balcony and Kyle tempted him to crowd surf from the balcony. He proceeded to jokingly call him a coward just as he began crowd-surfing himself. From there, Kyle proceeded to give Big Something an introduction that Michael Buffer would be proud of and the show continued on without a hitch.
For those who don'y know, Big Something is an unbelievable “jam band” out of North Carolina. They have released 5 studio albums but are well know for their high energy live performances (and Saturday's show was no exception). They have played with well known acts such as The B-52s, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, and Umphree’s McGee and from note one failed to disappoint. High energy and top notch musicianship ruled the set. Fans knew these two bands were tight, and throughout Big Something's set, many of Frasco's band-members made it to the stage including saxophone player virtuoso Ernie Chang (sporting a Lucha Libre mask to go along with the wrestling theme). I was thoroughly impressed with Big Something’s set even though I had never heard them before. They also played a fantastic cover in the middle of their set of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”. That alone was worth the price of admission.
Next it was time for the main event, Andy Frasco and the U.N. Andy is a native Californian and has a deep love for all things music and basketball (as evident from the Lakers Jerseys he frequently sports on stage). Joined by guitarist Shawn Eckels and Sax player Ernie Chang as well as a revolving cast of musicians from around the world that make up The U.N. part of this band. Bottom line, this is a group of top notch musicians that doesn’t ever take themselves too seriously. Their only goal at lives shows is to make sure the audience is engaged and having an amazing time from start to finish. If they were ever to make a reboot of “Animal House”, Andy Frasco and the U.N. would be the new Otis Day and the Knights (In fact they even closed the show with “Shout”).
From the opening notes of “Mature as Fuck” to fan favorites such as “Smokin' Dope and Rock n Roll” to covers of the aforementioned “Shout” and even Peter Gabriel’s “ Sledgehammer“, the crowd went from 0 to 100 mph from and never looked back. For fans in attendance, there is no workout quite like an Andy Frasco show. Aside from the amazing musicianship and collaborations between both bands, they engaged fans with a host of shenanigans that had most in attendance smiling ear to ear. Their hi-jinx included crowd surfing (once even to a basketball hoop that mysteriously appeared in the middle of the crowd for a dunk), sharing the bands trademark bottle of Jameson with their faithful fan up front, an some awesome wrestling mayhem including a table bashed over someone’s head!
I can honestly say I came home from this show happy and exhausted, and this ones gonna stick with me for awhile. Please keep an eye out for both Andy Frasco and the U.N. and Big Something as they come to a town near you soon. And take my advice, wear light clothing - you are gonna get sweaty!!!
Setlist: Big Something
Setlist: Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Encore:
It's a chilly Monday night and the band Dirty Honey is in town playing at the world-famous Bluebird Theater. To be honest, I've never heard of the band but figured a live rock and roll show would be just the ticket to cap off a long day at work. Plus, I never turn down an invite to live music and was excited to see what Dirty Honey had to offer fans here in Denver. Rolling in with a lot of hype, attitude, and ton of bluesy rock and roll grit, I was more then willing to partake it what I thought should be an interesting night in The Mile High City.
Before we get under way, a few things you should know about Dirty Honey. They currently hold a unique spot in rock as the only unsigned rock band to hit #1 in Billboard's 40-year history without label support. In addition, they also hit #1 on the mainstream rock charts and happened to land a spot on the list of the 66 best rock songs of the decade (and that is a huge accomplishment for such a young band). Dirty Honey seems to be walking on hallowed ground along side legends like Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Foo Fighters, and Alice In Chains. However, you wouldn't know that by the way they carry themselves on and off the stage. Dirty Honey is hungry, and know they have a lot to prove if they are going to sustain their initial success in the upper echelons of rock royalty.
First up at the Bluebird were The Amazons, and they took to the stage in front of a fairly packed house to get the night's festivities underway. This killer UK quartet is trying to establish a fan base here in the U.S. and really got the crowd rocking with their big sound and killer riffs. Front-man Matt Thomson’s howling vocals warmed the Bluebird right up opening with "Fuzzy Tree" followed up by "Mother", a track that just slapped you in the face with the intense drum playing of Joe Emmett. Add in Chris Alderton’s harsh, discordant mixture sounding guitar riffs and Elliot Briggs chunky basslines and you had all the ingredients for some in your face rock and roll. The Amazons ended their set with "Black Magic", and all you could see across a now packed house were heads bobbing to one incredible beat. This band rocked and definitely set the mood for what was to come next. I have to give The Amazons credit, their style and take on good old fashioned rock and roll is legit.
After a brief intermission, lights finally dimmed as AC/DC began rocking the Bluebird. The floor was now completely packed and immediately started to roar (even before Dirty Honey made it out on stage). Then just when you think it couldn't get any louder, the band made their way to the stage and cranked up their opener, "Scars". Taking center stage was vocalist Marc Labelle, and dressed as the Mad Hatter, made his way out the rabbit hole to serve the crowd some mushroom tea that put everybody in a full-blow rock and roll trance on Monday evening. His unique ear piercing raspy vocals coupled with a hypnotic swagger were in full display and quickly devolved into utter madness at the Bluebird.
Throughout the set, guitarist John Notto laid down some classic riffs on his Gibson, Justin Smolian's thunderous bass was in full-effect, and the hard hitting drummer Cory Coverstone just manhandled his drum set (which I believe could be a major crime in some states). Fans of all backgrounds were loving Dirty Honey, as fist pumping and head bobbin were constant all night long! And just as I thought it couldn’t get any better, the theater erupts once again as hit "When I’m Gone" is unleashed upon the Denver faithful. Wow. This song was like a sports car with a supercharged V8 that has you screaming on take off with white knuckles clinched to the steering wheel throughout the ride.
Dirty Honey seems to have a solid fan base in Denver and think it will be a lot bigger after Monday's show. I know because I became a big fan that evening. Their performance was everything you would want in a rock and roll show and then-some. If they ever make it to your neck of the woods during their Rolling 7's tour, drop some cash and check them out. You will not be disappointed. And in the big scheme of things, you'll be catching a band that is seemingly destined for greatness in the not so distant future. The world is searching for something different, and it’s a perfect opportunity for a band like Dirty Honey to finally make their move.
Article written by Luis Vargas and photography courtesy of Susie Wolcott
-Denise Taylor
I recently had the pleasure of sailing on The Rock Boat XX , a cruise that sailed from January 24-29, 2020 out of Miami. In it's simplest form, The Rock Boat is a music festival featured entirely on a cruise ship. Thousands of people from around the world congregate with a handful of killer bands and enjoy unbelievable musical performances day and night. Few things bring people together like live music, and this event did that and more over a magical five-day event.
But The Rock Boat is so much more than that to so many people. Hosted by Sister Hazel, this cruise it is now celebrating its 20 year anniversary and by the looks of it won't be slowing down any time soon. My first Rock Boat was in 2001, and I wasn’t sure what to expect when I embarked that fateful day. Sister Hazel had always been a favorite band of mine during my formidable high school years, and I knew a cruise headlined by these rock and roll legends would take their live experience to a whole new level. I was floored from the moment I walked the gangplank and have been a member of the Rock Boat family ever since.
Nowadays, music themed cruises are all the rage and there is one to suit almost any taste in music (in fact many of these cruises are operated and run by the same company that hosts The Rock Boat - Sixthman out of Atlanta, GA). However, I learned over the years that Rock Boat was special as it truly stood out from others in the crowd. From the minute my wife and I boarded our first cruise, we looked at each other and knew we were “home”. We have been on every Rock Boat since (This was year number ten for us). To say that this cruise has shaped my musical tastes and cultivated some of the greatest friendships of my life over the last decade would be an understatement.
There are acts every year that the average person would recognize and consider to be a “headliner”. Past cruises have hosted acts such as Tonic, Edwin McCain, Matt Nathanson, Better Than Ezra, Reel Big Fish, Collective Soul, Barenaked Ladies, Michael Franti & Spearhead, & Andrew McMahon in The Wilderness, and this year Switchfoot and NEEDTOBREATHE. In addition to well-known acts, there are also smaller and lesser known bands that are just breaking onto the scene. Ever heard of an up and coming country artist named Zac Brown? He played multiple Rock Boats prior to being signed. I hear he’s doing pretty well for himself these days.
The best part for me (at least from the music perspective) are the carefully picked acts that are not quite as well known or just starting out that join this festival. These are acts that I’ve fallen in love with over the years and dominate my playlists from festival to festival. My favorites over years include Red Wanting Blue, Welshly Arms, Stephen Kellogg, Will Hoge, Melodime, Andy Frasco & The UN, The Alternate Routes, Carbon Leaf, and Magic Giant (I could literally go on for hours and am sure you get the point).
Scott Terry of Red Wanting Blue calls TRB, “Summer Camp for Bands”, (and this is where The Rock Boat really becomes special). Many of these acts are friends or fans of other bands and with touring and the "musician life", they never get to spend much time together. When they get together on TRB its like a family reunion. Collaborations that you would never see anywhere else take place in real time, popping up all over the ship. Whether it’s sitting in on each other’s songs or participating in one of the various theme nights (roaring 20’s, glow night, or epic movie night), you can tell how much these bands love playing with one another. In addition, these band genuinely take the time to meet fans, hang out, and get to know them over the five day event. Egos are left at the port and what is left is just people connecting over the love of music.
One of the highlights of this trip every year is listening to “The Sixthman Sessions”. Sixthman carefully chooses a handful of artists every year and brings them on a separate cruise. In this case it was the Brantley Gilbert Cruise . The concept of this project every year is that they bring together artists who meet each other and with the help of producer extraordinaire Brian Fechino meet, write, and record an entire album over the course of 3 days in a cruise ship cabin. The result is pure magic. This year’s standout songs include “Top Shelf” and “Ready to Go”. The album can also be streamed via Spotify.
Again, it is very hard to sum up in words what The Rock Boat is and what it means to people. I will leave you with some quotes from both artists and cruisers trying to explain this amazing experience:
If this sounds like something you need in your life (and trust me, it is) you can sign up for the presale for TRB XXI at www.therockboat.com. Currently announced acts include Sister Hazel, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, The Trews, Red Wanting Blue, Meaghan Farrell, and Andrew Leahey and the Homestead with many more to be added throughout the year.
Full 2020 TRB XX Lineup (Scroll Down for Picture Gallery):
There’s nothing Phony about this video, you could tell from the beginning what was in store for those cheating male egos and their overconfident character trait. There's an instant party vibe channeling the 90s, glamorized by antique sports cars, driven by a strong female lead. The futuristic theme tells a story of femininity taking on the alpha male role. Lil Kim, Nicki Minaj and a few female artists have dominated this genre to send this message of women empowerment. The video style and visuals delivers cross over fashion styles from Marilyn pinup hair dos, to J’Los Furr, Mariah Careys body shimmered Corsets and Cardi B’s Knee-high boot.
Hot men were outnumbered in this video piece as the eye candy; It’s like “California love” by Tupac meets “Run the World” by Beyonce"
-Denise Taylor
Pardon me, or whomever, last night's Hunnypot Live was judged a winner. Hot Tub Johnnie started by sentencing everyone with a party music playlist. Jeff Cardoni get yard time with Hot Tub and DJ Spectrum to talk about his illustrious composing career. He also brought a playlist he enjoys in solitary. Torrey Mercer sang arresting pop music tunes. Billy Hammer pleaded his 5th instruments to us for desert soundscapes. Stoops & Tone Gold broke rocks and raps live on stage. Tucker Lives commuticated sweet soul pop music and Hot Tub closed the night with another prison riot dance party. (2/17/2020)
Jeff Cardoni’s talents range from intimate independent fare to full orchestral majesty. With over 45 feature film scores and several network series to his credit, one can hear his work worldwide every day. His unique ability to cross genres has made him a powerful player in the film composing industry.
Jeff originally studied classical piano, while playing percussion in school orchestra. But it would be rock and roll that would lead him to Los Angeles in 1997. After a brief stint as lead guitarist for the Warner Bros. band "Alien Crime Syndicate", Jeff left to pursue film scoring full time. He worked under several Hollywood composers including John Murphy (Snatch, 28 Days Later) while studying conducting and orchestration at UCLA. He was recently voted ASCAP 2019 TV Composer Of The Year, alongside such greats as John Debney, Bear McCreary, Nicholas Britell, and Daniel Pemberton.
His body of work ranges from studio features such as Fox’s Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates , Step Up: All In, Just Friends, Open Season 3, Firehouse Dog and Miss March, independent films such as The Confirmation from Oscar nominated Bob Nelson
(Nebraska) and The Vicious Kind (Sundance Premiere), to television scores such the hit
Mike Judge comedy Silicon Valley for HBO, CBS drama Training Day with the late Bill Paxton, the highest rated comedy of the year Young Sheldon for Chuck Lorre, and the worldwide Jerry Bruckheimer produced hit CSI:Miami.
Jeff is also an active songwriter, penning the theme songs to FX’s The League, MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”, and Fox’s MadTV, with songs appearing countless films, including "Hard Knock Life" with Mike Myers in Austin Powers, “Long Road Home” featuring Gene Simmons of Kiss for CSI, on camera songs for Fox’s Gotham, The Sweetest Thing with Cameron Diaz, A Walk To Remember, New York Minute and many others. Jeff produced several songs with Jon Lajoie for the soundtrack to The League and a Lexus spot with legendary alternative rock group The Pixies.
Recent scores include the Golden Globe winning Netflix series The Kominsky Method, starring Academy Award winners Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, the final season of HBO’s hit Silicon Valley, the Bad Boys spinoff series LA’s Finest for Jerry Bruckheimer, the Christmas feature Same Time Next Christmas for director Stephen Herek (Mr. Holland’s Opus), and the thriller feature Paradise Cove starring Mena Suvari (American Beauty).
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Award-winning San Diego/Los Angeles based recording artist and songwriter Torrey Mercer brings bold charisma to the stage thru her live show and inspiring lyrics.
Torrey Mercer is more than just a musical artist, she is a survivor, an activist, and her music has been a light in the dark for many who are struggling. Feeling like an outcast growing up has made her empathetic and compassionate for others and drives her music and lyric endeavors.
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Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, Billy Hammer, is set to release his latest single “Glow” on December 6th, 2019. A former remixer, he got his start as “GARLYN,” with his top two tracks amassing nearly 1M streams on SoundCloud and counting. With his Soundcloud days behind him, Billy Hammer’s recent work is characterized by its seamless blend of desert-psychedelia and electropop, and he writes, producers and records all of his music single handedly.
His upcoming track, “Glow,” is a story told through vignettes, each verse about chasing adventure and life-changing experiences. For Hammer, growing up in suburbia, the song is personal, the first verse describing the time he left his old life behind to be a musician in Los Angeles. A common thread across the vignettes, Hammer speaks to the power of music as a force of change and revelation.
Across his work, Billy Hammer discusses a search for meaning and often cites desert imagery and existentialism as inspiration. After mastering guitar, violin, and piano in his childhood, and becoming a popular future bass producer by the end of grade school, Billy Hammer’s work is a unique mix of live and electronic elements, making him a multi-talented musician to watch
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STOOPS
TONE GOLD
STOOPS - What up doe? I know bios are reserved for the third person, but I like speaking for myself, so you’re stuck with me.
Fast forward and we’re here; over 500,000 video views, over 100,000 streams, and a feat that nobody else in the history of music has accomplished (google the 52 Week Remix Challenge). And most importantly, we’ve barely scratched the surface. So if you’re reading this, I hope to call you a fan. And if you aren’t, stick around. It’s only a matter of time.What up doe? I know bios are reserved for the third person, but I like speaking for myself, so you’re stuck with me.
TONE GOLD - Rhymes written with potent precision balanced between braggadocios hooks over car-friendly beats make up the essential elements that craft the Tone Gold experience. Tone hails from the Midwest, Cleveland, OH, which he so warmly calls “The Land”. He pulls in the listener with a cocky yet refreshing style, strongly influenced by the sounds of Oakland, LA, Houston, Chicago and New York.
Tone credits Chamillionaire, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Dr. Dre, B.I.G. and Rakim as his greatest influences on the microphone. For fans of Curren$y, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa and Fabolous, you’ve struck GOLD! If not, look around and press play because you may hear something you’ll like.
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Tucker Lives is a singer/songwriter and musician based in Los Angeles, California. His mother’s favorite artist was Prince, which greatly influenced his sound. He was also close to his football coach, who listened to ZZ Top, which led to his acceptance of different genres of music. Tucker Lives has always had a passion for music but started off as a songwriter before eventually coming into his own as a singer.
His debut EP, Awkward Truth was released in 2018 on Spotify. Tucker Lives is also recording his next album, which features a sound that is more true to himself that shows his maturity as an artist. He is currently performing throughout the Southern California area, in a city near you
The long-awaited return of one of the most formidable metal alliances of all-time is finally upon us. Demons & Wizards; the celebrated collaboration between Jon Schaffer, mastermind of the unyielding metal band, Iced Earth; and Hansi Kürsch, the soaring voice of the Tolkien-inspired Power Metal legends, Blind Guardian have come off of their mountaintops to join us on this mortal coil. Their latest burnt offering, III, manifests everything that makes both Schaffer and Kürsch powerhouses of the genre with every song an epic unto itself. The duo also called upon Schaffer’s familiar cast of studio musicians from Iced Earth’s past and present including long-time collaborator, Jim Morris of Morrisound to lend his stellar lead guitar work to the fold.
With both Schaffer and Kürsch’s celebrated bands in full throttle, one would think another Demons & Wizards album would be doomed to be an afterthought. From the haunting opening track, “Diabolic” all doubt is set aflame as we’re quickly transported through the cavernous unknown into a world of fire and brimstone with Kürsch’s melodic harmonies perfectly complimenting Schaffer’s razor sharp trademark guitar attack. Each song takes on a life of its own with the duo exploring a multitude of genres throughout the album. “Wolves in Winter” is a triumphant sprint through an avalanche of ice and the band has never sounded more ferocious. Schaffer’s stygian approach to songwriting has clearly influenced and evoked some of Kürsch’s most aggressive and memorable vocal performances to date on “Dark Side of Her Majesty” and “New Dawn.”
Meanwhile, “Midas Disease” and “Invincible” are a clear instrumental departure from the rest of the album that still stands well on their own. Both songs are reminiscent of Schaffer’s own hard rock influences as heard on Iced Earth’s own cover album, Tribute to the Gods. “Split” is perhaps the most experimental and ambitious track on III with the song taking sharp twists and turns yet never losing momentum. Clocking in at over 10 minutes, “Children of Cain” is an epic dystopian tale weaved by Kürsch with Schaffer closing the album with an instrumental crescendo to turn the final weathered page of a story long since past.
III is Demons & Wizards’ testament of brotherhood and legacy, a sharp-edged blade that has stood the test of time. Schaffer and Kürsch’s musical worlds have always orbited very closely to one another. Seeing both Heavy Metal behemoths step out of the light of their individual success and emerge into something even greater is refreshing. Two decades have passed since the undisputed lords of Power Metal joined forces and through the success and longevity of their own projects, they’ve both clearly matured as songwriters and the musical bond they share is eternal. Demons & Wizards’ latest album, III is an enchanting addition to the impressive collection that all Iced Earth and Blind Guardian faithful holds so dear. Pick up your copy today and don’t let the regret of losing out on this treasure consume your soul.
As always, rock on my friends! Hunnypot Approved! Overall Rating: 9.2 out of 10
Artist: Demons & Wizards, Album: III, Release Date: February 21st, 2020, Label: Century Media Records
Tuesday evening was most definitely one for the books as Chris Carrabba and Dashboard Confessional took the stage at the House of Blues in Dallas for a sold-out show. I remember listening to Dashboard on my MP3 player in middle school and the night definitely brought back the nostalgia of my younger emo days. Piebald accompanied them on the 20 Year Celebration Tour and the crowd began piling in around 7PM. I was looking forward to two great performances.
Starting off the night was Piebald. They hail from Andover, Massachusetts and got the crowd going right away. I had never heard of them before, but I really enjoyed their incredible 17-song set. Kicking things off with their song “Long Nights”, they brought an awesome groove to the HOB stage. Piebald was very high energy and really fun to watch. You could really tell they have been doing this for a long time. After doing some research, I found out they have been performing since 1997 – and to be fair, it showed through the talent they exuded on the stage.
For being the opener, Piebald really gave it their all. They played some of their classic jams like “Grace Kelly With Wings”, “King of the Road”, and “American Hearts”. I think “King of the Road” was probably one of my favorites from their set. As Piebald's show came to a close, they finished off with their hit, “Karate Chops For Everyone But Us”. It was a fantastic performance and really set the tone for Dashboard to come out and blow us away.
As fans stood toe to heal in the sea of people, Dashboard Confessional took to the stage in an unfamiliar fashion. Chris Carrabba decided to start things off a little slow with some acoustic jams including “The Best Deceptions” and “So Beautiful”. It was a truly a beautiful way start to the set and set the stage for the rest of the show. At this point in the night, the House of Blues was packed, and you could barely move throughout the venue. Being up so close was literally a dream come true as we all yelled the lyrics to all of Dashboard's incredible songs. Carrabba continued with some more of the hits like “We Fight”, “Screaming Infidelities”, “The Swiss Army Romance”, and so many others. Fans in attendance were loving every moment.
The night was coming to a close, and you could tell Chris was saving the best songs for last. Everyone knew it wasn’t actually over when it was “over”. Moments later, lights come up and they ran right into “Vindicated” and the roars of the crowd seemed to blow the roof off the house. You could hear every word being sung in the venue. Dashboard continued the encore with “Stolen” and closed with fan-favorite “Hands Down”. The performance took me back to a time and place when all that mattered was the music, and I was happy to be able to experience Dashboard Confessional's 20 Year Celebration Tour. Carrabba and company rocked the House of Blues and never let up the entire time. If you have the chance to catch them on this tour, you definitely should. Simply put, it was a great show!