Join the Hunnypot Crew and Hot Tub Johnnie for our New Year's Eve celebration at the Mint.
SUGARAY RAYFORD Performing Live! 2020 Grammy nominee + 2019 Blues Foundation Award-Winner for Best Soul Blues Male Artist. New album ‘Somebody Save Me’ out now!
Texas born Caron “Sugaray” Rayford began his musical career at the age of 7 singing & playing drums in church. His gospel influence can be heard and felt in his music today. Rayford’s phrasing is intimate and conversational and the soulful gravel in his voice hints at his firsthand experience with hardship during his childhood marked by poverty and loss. He remembers a sad game he played with his brothers, a competition that determined who was skinniest by counting the number of belt holes left unused on his belt. His mother struggled to raise three boys alone while battling cancer. When she died, it was a kind of a relief. “She suffered and we suffered,” Rayford said. “Then, we moved in with my grandmother and our lives were a lot better. We ate every day and we were in church every day, which I loved. I grew up in gospel and soul.”
When Sugaray belts out a song, you not only hear it, you feel it. The excitement in the room is palpable when he takes the stage. His dynamic voice is as large as the man himself. With his old school vocal style, Echoes of Muddy Waters, Otis Redding and Teddy Pendergrass can be heard. At 6’5” he is a big man, but he moves with grace and energy and his dance steps will remind you of the Legendary James Brown.
In 2000 Hot Tub Johnnie removed a taped apple off the wall at a gallery in West Hollywood and ate it. Some say that's the day Hunnypot was born. Last night's Hunnypot Live was a holiday hit. Thomas Golubic' skated in just in time to talk with DJ Spectrum and Hot Tub and sleighed the decks with a killer playlist. Jacob Reese Thorton hit us with snowballs of rock n roll. INDICA gave us the gift of RETROMODERN Hip Hop. The Lunar Rays "mooned" us with that sweet American sound and the Joker got away. Can1Live drove the Krampus away with beautiful sounds that DJ Spectrum likes to call "Roger Dean Music" and Hot Tub dropped a closing dance party to all a good night.12/09/2019
THOMAS GOLUBIC´ is a Los Angeles-based music supervisor, DJ and record producer. His music supervision credits include the AMC series Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Halt and Catch Fire and The Walking Dead, the Netflix series Grace and Frankie and Love, the Amazon series Sneaky Pete, the Showtime series Ray Donovan, and the HBO series Six Feet Under among many other film & television projects.
In 2017 Thomas became the president of the Guild of Music Supervisors, the same year he was nominated for the first Outstanding Music Supervisor Emmy Award for his work on
Better Call Saul. The Guild twice awarded Thomas with Best Music Supervision in a Television Drama for his work on Breaking Bad.
Thomas was twice nominated for Grammy awards for producing volumes 1 and 2 of the Six Feet Under soundtrack album, and with former partner Gary Calamar was responsible for the use of Sia’s “Breathe Me” in the final scene of the series. It is considered one of the most memorable uses of music in television, and launched Sia’s music career in America. Thomas is also responsible for producing four soundtrack albums for The Walking Dead, the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul soundtracks, and has assembled various remix projects for EMI-Capitol Records and MGM, including
reinterpretations of Peggy Lee, The Beach Boys, Henry Mancini’s Pink Panther theme and EMI’s Christmas Classics remix compilation ‘Merry Mixmas’.
Thomas’ formative years, musically speaking, were spent as a DJ, music programmer and on-air host for tastemaker LA radio station KCRW 89.9 FM. After ending his 10- year residency at KCRW, he turned his attention to music production and live audio/video DJ work. He formed The Arbiters, a music collective creating mash-up music and video productions, free-released two EPs, and created audio and video mash-up productions for clients including Google, YouTube, Microsoft and Levi’s. Thomas has also become known as an innovative club DJ spinning broadly eclectic music sets, often with live synchronized visuals. His SYNCHRONIZE re-score project, featuring live DJ re-scores of classic films has been featured at the Sundance Film Festival, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Luminato Festival in Toronto, Dubrovnik Film Festival, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, various residencies in Los Angeles, and has been profiled on Turner Classic Movies.
You can find more information about Thomas, and the SuperMusicVision team, at:
Jacob continues writing and recording and will release additional new material in 2019.
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INDICA is an American Musician. The 22-year-old is based In California, born and raised in the Washington D.C. area.
He is creating an unparalleled buzz with his infectious style and sound. There is no doubt that this gifted Twenty-something, is shaking up the industry while creating his own sound with melodic flows, electronic synths, and big drums. Fusing all the sonics together creates the INDICA sound that has gained him an ever expanding fanbase. Along with his music, authentic aesthetic flair and vintage-styled visuals shape a creative cohesive package that further elevates his ‘Iit’ factor.
Recently signing with Tommy Boy Records, the super talent and his imprint have wasted no time cooking up dynamic music in the lab. INDICA plans to release his next project titled, RETROMODERN on March 29, 2019. Momentum is building with the recently released singles INTOXICATED and REMEDY
The highly anticipated effort, RETROMODERN produced and mixed by Andrew Luce, is inspired by 80's movies like the cult classic ‘Scarface’ and millennial fav, ‘Tron’. RETROMODERN gives fans and newcomers a glimpse inside the mind of one the industry most multi-faceted, multi-talented, rising artist.
The catalogue the musician has put together is outstanding -- being able to cross between genres with projects like INDICA (self-titled), and now RETROMODERN. From Electronic to R&B; from Hip-hop to Pop, INDICA’s knows no boundaries! The rising star has solidified his roles as a musician, song writer, influencer and fashion mogul. In an effort to continue to build and expand his brand beyond music, INDICA has joined forces with esteemed entertainment industry veteran Kevin Evans of 7th Agency.
Do yourself a favor...plugin your earbuds or headphones to feel the vibe of Indica's masterpiece, RETROMODERN.
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The Lunar Rays are a band that explores the twangy edges of alternative rock and vocal harmonies. They’re a new group on the LA scene but come to the stage with years of individual experience and music exploration. Kevin Houlihan (Guitar/Vocals), Chris Jacks (Guitar/Vocals), Sean “Sheriff” Caffey (Pedal Steel), Adam Kootman (Bass) and Blake Oswald (Drums).
The Lunar Rays sparkle and shine while telling heartfelt tales of love, loss and hope. Pack up your car and drive deep into the canyons for a moonlit night of soulful guitar rock performed by a band inspired by the likes of Ryan Adams, Neil Young, Pete Yorn and The Jayhawks.
An enormous, black mass of rabid fans congregated outside Spokane Arena in Washington. The chill in the air couldn’t cool the blood that flowed through the veins of the legion of metalheads eagerly counting down the minutes till the doors opened to the massive arena. After nearly 4 decades of live aggression, Thrash metal giants, Slayer were ready to step down from their thrown. As one of the so-called “Big 4” in thrash metal, Slayer’s influence on extreme music is without question. Their timeless metal anthems are legendary, and from the stories I heard from throughout the arena, their dedicated fan-base traveled from all over North America to witness the onslaught of their Final Campaign.
As a start to the night, Phil Anselmo, the acclaimed and controversial former frontman for the legendary Groove Metal band, Pantera, pointed a finger to the sky and dedicated the night to his departed bandmates. One of Anselmo’s countless side-projects christened, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, performed A Vulgar Display of PANTERA, a tribute to the glory days of his band, long-since past. With a raised fist, he and his group of renegade outlaws revisited classics from their ground-breaking album, Far Beyond Driven, Vulgar Display of Power as well as a few other hits from the band’s timeless catalog. Hearing Anselmo sing with such reverence and brute force transported me back to a special time in my formative metalhead years when I would play Vulgar Display of Power on repeat while clutching the lyrics close to my heart. With his arms in the air, Anselmo ended their time on the stage with the anti-establishment anthem, “The Great Southern Trendkill” and with a deafening cry, thousands of devoted fans became one, screaming in unison, “The Trend is Dead!”
A massive glowing cross appeared in the darkness of the stage and Al Jourgensen, the dreaded, brainchild of industrial metal gods, Ministry, stood with his arms spread wide over his head. And like a hammer pounding relentlessly on steel beam, the opening riff of “The Missing” one of the many venerable hits from the 1988 album, The Land of Rape and Honey, reverberated through the skulls of every living thing in Spokane Arena. The industrial metal progenitors didn’t stray away too far from their older defining albums. With a ding-a-ding-dang and a dang-a-long-ling-ling, Jourgensen cranked the engine on “Jesus Built My Hotrod” from KE*A*H** (Psalm 69) and continued down the highway of their past to the delight of their long devoted fans with their most anticipated favorites, “Just One Fix” and “N.W.O.”
On the surface, Primus seems like an odd choice to have on Slayer’s Final Campaign but in actuality, their classic albums, Pork Soda and Sailing the Sea of Cheese have almost always unapologetically shared the same space on the album shelf with Reign in Blood and Seasons of the Abyss. With Les Claypool’s virtuosity, thumping bass riffs and outlandish humor, they were met with bobbing heads and skanking metalheads all throughout the Arena. Deranged, bicycle-riding, monkey-people hybrids rode through suburbia on a massive backdrop to the hypnotic thump of, “Here Come The Bastards” and all normalcy went right out the window. Claypool reached for his stand-up bass and dawned his infamous pig mask becoming the eccentric Mr. Krinkle. Defying the laws of tradition of any metal concert that has come before, Primus was the perfect contrast to the brutality to come.
The brooding curtains that draped in front of the stage fell to the floor and the countdown to the final farewell began. Surrounded by the flames of the violent firestorm behind them, Slayer stood indomitable before thousands of their most loyal fans in the massive arena. The ferocious intensity of their opening track, “Repentless”, a song off their latest album of the same name, seemed to shrink the stage. With four decades and twelve studio albums, their setlist was carefully assembled to showcase the entirety of their long and defiant career. Despite the toll of decades of touring, bassist and frontman, Tom Araya’s voice carried over the audience with the same fire it did in Slayer’s defining years. Kerry King, the band’s unmistakable lead guitarist, violently banged his head along with guitarist, Gary Holt, through a dizzying maelstrom of notes while leading the band through their timeless anthems from Seasons of the Abyss, Reign in Blood and even their 1983 debut, Show No Mercy.
Slayer’s Final Campaign was a milestone that their legion of followers will carry with them for the rest of their lives; be it on their sleeves, their hearts and for some, even carved on their forearms. Having Slayer’s sharp-edged logo worn on your chest is a sign of allegiance, a silent nod to a long and celebrated legacy of aggression and brutality. And with that priceless bit of history worn like precious battle armor, you can point to the date on the back of that shirt and proudly state, yes, I was there and I still have that ringing in my ears.
Concerts are supposed to be fun. There is nothing better than grabbing your friends and heading out together to your favorite band’s concert. The atmosphere. The anticipation. As the evening progresses, the band plays perfectly, and everyone goes home happy. Last Friday night at the Observatory, I was embarking on the exact opposite excursion. I was set to check out three bands I did not know much about and consequently did not know what to expect. Can one still have fun? Well, I’m here to tell you that on Friday night at in Orange County it was indeed possible.
As I entered the theater and took my position, I noticed on stage the setup for the band Tartar Control, a hardcore Mormon three-piece (or two, depending on how you look at it). Robert Selander (vocals) and Sean Hart (guitar, backing vocals) were milling about on stage just before showtime and getting Robot (bass, drums) ready to begin the show. They were extremely personable and polite, talking to some folks in the front row. That was all about to change as within minutes they were unleashing some of the most hilarious and devastating punk rock I’ve heard in a long time. The crowd was eating it up. Within minutes pits were created, crowd surfers abound, and Tartar Control was IN control and we were off and running. Clever dialog and comedic banter delivered with diabolic music by clean-cut Mormons and a robot is a lot to digest right out of the chute, but we managed. And everyone smiled. Their set was over in what seemed like 5 minutes with the crowd wanting more. What fun!
Next on the bill was 45 Grave, a horror rock band fronted by the legendary punk Goddess Dinah Cancer. They put through a good 40 minutes set of some of the most intense and well-played rock you will ever see. Dinah Cancer’s 45 Grave are considered pioneers in the L.A. deathrock and horror punk scene. They spent their set hypnotically captivating the audience as Diane simply owned the observatory on this night. As they finished up, their decades in the music scene showed through and illustrated to me how professional and well done this set was. I would not mind experiencing this engaging group again. Spooky captivating fun!
Finally, it was time for the reason why we all gathered on this chilly November evening, Mac Sabbath. I was extremely eager to watch this anticipated spectacle, as they have been gaining much traction in recent years. Being a massive Black Sabbath fan over the years (they were my sidekick during high school I must admit), I was eager to hear this band and what they can do. The lights finally dimmed, and the band broke into “Organic Funeral” (“Electric Funeral”) to begin their set. The band members Catburgler (drums), Slayer MacCheeze (guitars), Grimalice (bass), and of course Ronald Osbourne (vocals) came to play. Fans were treated to a myriad of hits including “Sweet Beef” (Sweet Leaf), “GMO blind” (Snowblind), “Into The Void”, “Love Buns” (KISS’s Love Gun), and even “Grill My Pet”, (Motorhead’s “Killed By Death). The show wrapped up with a couple of Mac classics, “Frying Pan” (“Iron Man”) and “Pair-a-Buns” (“Paranoid”). Hilarious!
This show had it all: The lights, the burger-flipping, the moshing, the stage-diving, and of course, the attention to detail Mac Sabbath puts into its shows. Let’s not forget the quality of the playing - it was brilliant and all came together on Friday night. The creativity this band demonstrated was off the charts and frankly can’t believe I hadn’t crossed paths with them before. I’m so glad I did and will surely seek out their unique show again! Their brand of insanity and chaos was a ton of fun!
Hunnypot is the best plate of Thanksgiving food in an Instagram story. Last night was gravy. Hot Tub Johnnie preheated the night with new and classic hits. Matthew Chaim got the crowd pumpkin'd up with pop power. Xharlie Black presented all the R&B trimmings and dropped in the hot tub to talk about his music and life. Communicant had us stuffing our ears with pop hooks. Hung Yung Terrarist got in the hot tub to talk turkey and gave a live performance that grabbed us by the cranberries. Suniel Fox cobbler'd a raucous set of electronic rock music and Hot Tub whipped us with a creamy dance party to finish the night. 11/25/2019
Montreal's Matthew Chaim is captivating audiences with his genre-bending songwriting style and unique vocal tone. Matthew fell in love with the drums as a teenager. But it wasn’t until his early 20’s having graduated university and working a 9-to-5 job in finance that Matthew began writing songs.
Matthew’s first EP, “Homemade”, was written and produced in Montreal with his close friends Noah Barer and Austin Tecks. With ‘Homemade’, Matthew started carving out his emotional and soulful sound, while pulling from his influences at the time, including Drake, Frank Ocean, and Kid Cudi.
Matthew’s sound is now evolving into completely new territories, with his musical influences moving towards the likes of Bon Iver, Coldplay, and Tame Impala. Working closely with LA-based producer Rabitt, Matthew Chaim has begun releasing singles off his upcoming record set to drop Fall 2019.
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Even the staunchest R&B purists will be blown away by Xharlie's impeccable vocals and soul-soothing lyrical style while his boom-bap production will have the hip-hop heads moving to the beat.
Fellas, if you've been wondering which show to take your lady to, THIS is the one!"
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LA’s newest psych-pop group Communicant bridges the gap between 60’s psychedelia and R&B-tinged indie pop with their debut self-titled LP (due late 2019). Communicant is dynamic - ranging from sunny and colorful songs for leaning your hand out of your car window, to introspective compositions best befitting sitting on your bedroom floor in the dark with headphones on.
The group could easily be the lovechild of Frank Ocean and Tame Impala; lead singer Dylan Gardner’s vocals are silky smooth; a perfect accompaniment to swells of dreamy guitar and shiny glistening synths. Self-produced by Gardner, cocooned in his home studio in Pasadena, his production is utterly fresh; Communicant ’s tunes are filled to the brim with headphone candy and cleverly layered vocals.
The album features contributions from collaborators including Ben Goldwasser of MGMT (“Temporary”), newcomer singer-songwriter Syndie Jo (“New York Times”) and sound designer Mark Gardner. Much of their sound is an undeniable nod to the record collection of a vintage anglophile with a modern reworking. Their vibe grows increasingly more modern on more R&B-leaning tracks like “Better Than Me” and “Exclusivity”.
The lyrics take on themes of impulsiveness, angst, and change through the lens of being the radioactive age of 22. These lyrics against the instrumentals make Communicant ’s music fresh in their world of summer-y anthems, as well establishing that this isn’t your everyday, carefree indie pop group. With the group’s thoughtful melodies, substantial hooks and dreampop elements, they’re the next band in between your headphones.
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Everwide is the debut release by Suniel Fox. It is inspired by the idea that anyone can reimagine and recreate themselves. Tragedy struck Suniel in 2009 after an armed gunmen came into Suniel's home in a home invasion robbery. Suniel saved his family, but not before being shot in the neck. The bullet was just millimeters away from striking a vocal cord. After that fateful day, his life and his band - The Surrender, fell apart. Everwide is the first solo music he has released since 2009, and it marks a beginning and a return of his passion and love for music and emotional expression
The first thirty seconds of this video are pretty stark; just vocals and guitar, no beats. And all we see is Jackii Kennedy sitting in her car texting. But as the beats drop things start to get very interesting! As Kennedy drives along we see what appears to be a robot with a heart on its belly. This could only be a metaphor for an unavailable lover. Kennedy appears to interact with the robot on a series of dates and finds it mostly unresponsive aside from dousing her with a cup of liquid at some festivity, obviously a reflection on some public embarrassments. And to process these issues Kennedy gets a whimsical psych session where even her therapist gets in on the act of singing.
Musically there is a hip hop vibe but dub reggae influence too. At one point you feel as though you are listening in on a big party just behind a door, fitting as the omniscient lyrics warn to be aware of signs of a failing relationship. Jackii says the song is, “...a note to my younger self. If I could go back, I’d want to tell myself ‘...everything is going to be fine.’” It is notable that Kennedy experiences synesthesia, a condition whereby some musicians are able to see the colors of sound. In case you wondered “Mine” sounds like "pink and yellow with splashes of baby blue."
-Brooke Trout
Magic Beans and Mungion, two bands making waves and on the rise in the jam band scene took the stage on Wednesday night at the legendary Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ. A surprisingly decent size crowd showed up for the evening's festivities on a cool night at the Jersey Shore. This show has been highly anticipated for months and all in attendance were excited for this one to get underway. Let the games begin!
Sweet Home Chicago's own Mungion got the party started. Forming in 2015, they are quickly becoming one of the rising jam bands with their unique improvisations and goofy on-stage antics. Composed of Justin Reckamp on (guitar/vocals), Joe Re on (keyboards/vocals), Sean Carolan on (bass/vocals) and Matt Kellen on (drums/vocals), these guys really know how to get the crowd loud and rowdy with their energy, virtuosic music abilities and funky rock grooves.
Playing about an hour set, they went through some of their live show staples, but a couple of tunes really stood out to me. One such song was "Nuthead". It had this outstanding jam that the band really let loose on which was definitely a fan favorite. Next up was "Bananaman", an acapella vocal tune with a barbershop quintet kinda vibe which the crowd ate up. Mungion ended their set with one of my favs, a Lionel Richie classic, "All Night Long". This got the crowd all charged up, singing along, and ready for the main event. Mungion is clearly a band to watch out for. These guys are stepping up their game and you would be doing yourself a favor by checking them out.
The headliners of the night, Magic Beans, hale from Denver Colorado and were primed and ready for an amazing set on Wednesday night. Since their inception in 2010, The Magic Beans have been pushing the boundaries, blending genres, creating mind-blowing improvisation, and blending old and new sounds through traditional funk, soul and electronica. Doing what they do is not easy, and it's one of the reasons that everyone is starting to notice of this amazing band. These guys don't mess around. It was my first time seeing them live and I was thoroughly impressed. The line up of Scott Hachey on (guitar), Chris Duffy on (bass), Casey Russell on (keys), and on Cody Wales (drums), tore the roof of the Wonder Bar with their infectious grooves and nonstop dance party. Everyone had their dancing shoes on and were getting down!
They opened the show with "Sucka Blues" and the dance party was now officially under way. Next was one of my favorites from the evening's set, "Handshake or Hug". This one was tight and you could immediately feel the groove come over your soul as this one unfolded. It was super funky and fans of all ages couldn't stop dancing. Continuing on, they went into "Inventor" and then a phenomenal cover of King Harvest's "Dancing in the Moonlight". Wow! Everyone was singing and swaying to this legendary groove. Scott has a smooth style and approach to his guitar sound. It's subtle, yet shredding, a style rarely seen in this day and age. This style melds so well with Casey on the keys. Along with his amazing vocal skills, Casey plays on a Hammond b3 organ which generates a killer, old school funky tone. The rhythm section were no slouches either. Chris's funky thunderous bass coupled with Cody's incredible drumming (including all those little fills) made for a unique sound blending old with new.
To end the show, the guitarist from Mungion Justin Reckamp was invited back on stage to join Magic Beans for one of their big hits "Here on Out". Justin's ridiculous guitar skills added so much flavor to such an outstanding song, and the jam really took off from there. Their improvisational blend of electronica, funk, bluegrass, and rock was on full display and the crowd was dancing like no one was watching.
Magic Beans has an amazing stage presence and is full of energy. Their rocking show at The Wonder Bar highlights why they are a band rising in the ranks in the jam scene and are only going to get bigger and better. Do yourself a solid and check these guys out the next time they come into your town. You won't be disappointed!
To listen to Magic Beans show at the Wonder Bar in it's entirety, click HERE
Bay Area thrashers, Death Angel, have been proudly inducing neck trauma and countless trips to the chiropractor for decades and this tour is no different. Bringing their ferocious legacy to Hawthorne Theatre in Portland, in support of their latest album, Humanicide, Death Angel has brought along Neo-Classical shredders, Exmortus as well as the Classic Thrash outfit, Hell Fire, to decimate cities all across North America.
The first time I stumbled upon Hell Fire’s latest album, Mania, I honestly thought I was hearing a band that I might have mistakenly skipped over in the 80’s speed metal at the local record store. When Jake Nunn, vocalist and guitarist of Hell Fire, hit that first pummeling riff from “Warpath” at Hawthorne Theatre I was transported to the heydays of thrash. Screaming dual-guitars, soaring vocals, and leather were the order of the day. They finished off their blistering set with the catchy sing-a-long anthem, “Conquerers” and I was overtaken with the same chills of hearing Kill Em’ All for the first time all over again.
Prepared for battle, the Neo-Classical Extreme Metal outfit, Exmortus, led by guitar virtuoso and vocalist, Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez, have never been one to follow convention. Being equally influenced by Extreme Metal as much as the Classical composers of the past, the band is widely respected throughout the metal world for the technical mastery of their instruments and brutality of their delivery, meanwhile keeping their feet planted firmly on the ground, unlike their frilly-sleeved contemporaries of the 80’s. Exmortus’ flawlessly executed an epic curated selection of their most aggressive sword-wielding favorites, including songs off their 2014 release, Slave to the Sword as well as their monumental, The Sound of Steel. Exmortus’ fearless leader was prepared to teach a lesson to the audience from the Classical masters of old. Conan called out to the audience, “Are you ready for some Beethoven!” And an unworldly flurry of notes blasted forth, unveiling a modern metal interpretation of the Classical master’s “Moonlight Sonata (Act 3)”. Exmortus’ love of instrumental re-imaginings didn’t end there. They continued with their own version of the theme from Beetlejuice, the beloved cult classic from the late 80’s as heard on their latest EP, Legions of the Undead.
The words Death Angel are synonymous with speed, intensity and unrestrained power. Their fan-base are relentless, dedicated and are unabashingly proud of their Bay Area Thrash heroes for all they have achieved. The band wasted no time getting straight to the point, like a runaway bulldozer pulverizing everything in its path, they opened with the song “Humanicide”, the crushing opening track off their latest album of the same name. Fans reminisced about the many times they’ve seen their heroes perform in the past and proudly showed their hero’s logo not just on their chest but permanently branded on their forearms. Veteran vocalist, Mark Osegueda, is still as fierce a front-man as ever. The smile on his face as he sang with his arm around founding member and lead guitarist, Rob Cavestany made it plain to see that this was not just a band, it was a brotherhood. Rhythm guitarist, Ted Aguilar, drummer Will Carroll, and bassist Damien Sisson headbanged relentlessly, rounding out the Death Angel lineup for the last decade. The opening of the band’s epic 10min instrumental gift to Thrash, “The Ultra-Violence” was played was such intensity, I put my camera to the side and was sent into a possessed frenzy, running in circles and slamming into the wall of fans that made up the exterior of the circle pit until I could barely stand. They played songs from every era of their prestigious career including 2016’s, The Evil Divide all the way back to their first groundbreaking album, The Ultra-Violence.
The Humanicide Tour is every hesher’s dream. An in-genius display of technicality and aggression that has come full circle with thrash veterans, Death Angel at the forefront, Exmortus pushing the boundaries, and Hell Fire guiding us to a new future that also echoes the past. Grab your leather jacket, and sign yourself up for a massage in advance because you’re not walking away without some serious neck trauma by the end of this tour.
Detroit Native Kash Doll first broke through with her track “For Everybody” in 2017 which has since reached over 10 million view on YouTube. Kash Doll has opened up for Drake on his “Summer Sixteen Tour” and Meek Mill’s “2019 The Motivation Tour” and has been featured on tracks like “So Good” by Big Sean and “Sociopath” by Pusha T.
Kash Doll was featured as one of the “10 Female Rappers You Should Definitely Know” by Consequence of Sound's article which was published on May 01, 2019. Since her breakthrough Kash Doll has been on top of her game and has finally released her most awaited first full-length Debut Album “Stacked”! Her Debut Album has singles: “Ice Me Out”, “Kitten”, “Ready Set” and “Mobb’n” and features artist Lil Wayne, Big Sean and Teyana Taylor. Stacked since its release has debuted No. 76 on the US Billboard 200.
“Mobb’n” opens up with this sick trap beat, and Kash Doll rolling up in a Range Rover and taking over a Liquor store. Kash Doll's opens the song with her boldness and confidence of being one of the best female rappers to-date. With lyrics like "Ever since I came into this rap shit, I been killin' shit, All these bitches copy what I do, I might as well build a bitch". As the video continues Kash Doll appears to challenge the nay-sayers and those who’ve doubted her to “knuck if you buck, If you say you with it, why the fuck you ain't pull up?” as her and her crew show the wold what she is capable of.
Written by Elsie Hernandez
Living in California, you develop a love-hate relationship with driving. Some people hate driving, even for 10 minutes, while others love the prospect of getting behind the wheel. I happen to belong to the latter. For me, It’s a little bit of peacetime for myself; therapy if you will. This past Saturday I was afforded over 2 hours of alone time in my four-wheeled bubble. I was driving from Orange County to Agoura Hills to see one of my boyhood heroes, former KISS Lead guitarist Ace Frehley in concert. I spent most of the two hours re-familiarizing myself with his music; the oldies from the ’70s and of course his solo efforts. Some of the memories that his music conjured up for me were those days in my bedroom listening to their live album, Alive II, staring at the gatefold for hours and imagining myself in the crowd watching the spectacle that was KISS.
I distinctly remember back in those times that I always thought he was the coolest of the four . Oh sure, Gene Simmons spit blood and blew fire across the stage, and Paul Stanley presumably could snap his finger and be adored by every female in the crowd. But Ace was just cool. Oddly, as crazy as he was, he always seemed like the most normal of all of them.
Since his exit from KISS in the early ’80s, Frehley has enjoyed a decent career on his own. He’s put out a few albums here and there which seems appropriate because while onstage he always appeared to be the reluctant frontman. A bit shy perhaps. Free to continue his career at his own pace, I get the feeling that he just wanted it to be about the music and he wanted to play guitar. Again, every-man's rock star.
When I finally entered the show this very distinct feeling washed over me which felt like I walked into a room full of friends. Everybody was smiling, polite, and just plain enjoying themselves. The night began with a set by a band called Like It. Out of New York, these four guys played a pretty decent set of originals and mixed in a little bit of comedy, keeping the whole evening very light and loose. You probably won’t hear any of their stuff on the radio soon, but they were a boatload of fun just the same. Looking back a perfect band to open the night.
Finally, the stage crew was finished and the band members each took their position one by one. The crowd let out a massive roar when Ace made his way to center stage. He worked the crowd up a bit more, then finally belted out his patented 1-2-3-4 and there it was, the first notes of the classic, “Rip it Out”. I immediately felt they were on point and this show was going to be something special. The sound was loud and clear, the guitars big and clean, drums rattling the remaining glassware from dinner. Bottom line, we were off and running! Finally, Ace broke into the first line of the song and that was the cherry on top. Holy crap this was phenomenal!
The second song, “Parasite”, for me has one of the most devastating riffs you’ll ever hear in rock and roll. It came early in the set on this night. Originally sung by Gene Simmons when this song came out (apparently because of Ace’s lack of confidence in his singing voice). Ace has embraced this classic and delivered it with every bit of confidence and quirkiness he could muster. The band that Ace has surrounded himself with were no slouches either. They uncorked “Strange Ways”, “Shock Me”, “Cold Gin”, and "Hard Times” as if they were their own. Truly outstanding performances one and all. Also included in the evenings mega-set were “She”, “Rocket Ride”, and “Rock Soldiers”. Each was delivered perfectly and shook the Canyon to it's core.
This tight-knit, professional unit blasted through their set with precision and ease. Just like every other great show, you leave thinking they could have gone on for another hour. This was truly a show to remember for years to come and a true bucket-list performance for sure. Ace Frehley and his band-mates succeeded in transporting me back to my room in the ’70s on this night and gave me plenty to ponder on my 2-hour drive back home.
