Live Reviews
Black Label Society / Wino
April 8, 2015
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Black Label Society Set List: Losin’ Your Mind, Suicide Messiah, Road Back Home, Spoke In The Wheel, House of Doom, Machine Gun Man, Sold My Soul, Angel of Mercy, In This River, Empty Promises, Throwin’, Blessed Hellride, Dying Time, Overlord, Stillborn
Electric Wizard / Satans Satyrs
April 1, 2015
Soundstage
Baltimore, Maryland
Coal Chamber / Filter / Combichrist / American Head Charge
March 31, 2015
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, Maryland
Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts / Stocklyn
March 13, 2015
Ottobar
Baltimore, Maryland
It was a rather calm Friday the 13th in Baltimore when former Stone Temple Pilot singer Scott Weiland performed at the 300+ capacity Ottobar in Baltimore.
HELL YEAH / Devour The Day / Like A Storm
March 3, 2015
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, Maryland
Hell Yeah Set List: Hell Yeah, Matter, Blood, Demons, War, Moth, Cross, BOB, DMF, Say When, Alcohaulin’ Ass, You Wouldn’t Know, Cowboy
Musically, all bands on this bill were diverse and “different” stylistically to a point where you had one part of the set which was nu-metal, one part was hard rock, and the main course was power driven, sample heavy, & symphonic.
ISLANDER / KYNG / SEETHER / PAPA ROACH
January 14, 2015
The Fillmore
Silver Spring, Maryland
On paper this billing makes very practical sense because the headliner has a 15+ year history of hits, the co-headliner is one of the more consistent modern rock acts out there, and the 2 baby bands on the bill fill in the gaps with solid guitar based rock n roll.
WATAIN
January 9, 2015
Soundstage
Baltimore, Maryland
Formed in 1998 and taking their name from a record by American Death Metal band Von, Watain have earned their place amongst the black metal legions through solid record releases and constant touring. Watain graced Baltimore with a 2015 tour stop and they never dissapoint when you see them live.
STEEL PANTHER / CHARM CITY DEVILS
December 31, 2014
The Fillmore
Silver Springs, Maryland
What better way to say goodbye to 2014 than rockin’ out with Baltimore’s own Charm City Devils & Cali’s last true hair metal band Steel Panther!
RED DRAGON CARTEL / ETHAN BROSH
December 20, 2014
Fish Head Cantina
Baltimore, MD
I was honestly surprised to see this club show packed because the show itself received very little promotion outside of what local openers Ghost of War did. The room was filled with a crowd that had probably see Jake back during the “Bark at the Moon” tour because no one was young there!
GWAR / CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
December 13, 2014
Soundstage
Baltimore, MD
Packed in like sardines on 12/13/14 in Baltimore, Gwar’s first tour since Oderus’ death was an overwhelming success despite the mood of the show being sad & depressing.
CHEVELLE / CROBOT
December 10, 2014
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
A sold out show in Baltimore, Maryland on a Wednesday night is a beautiful thing! Seeing a large club filled with rock n roll people reaffirmed that rock is NOT dead that it’s simply changed it’s form just a little.
DOPE / HED PE
November 30, 2014
Fish Head Cantina
Baltimore, MD
I was very impressed to walk into this show on a Sunday night and see it jam packed!
ALIEN ANT FARM / STARS IN STEREO
November 29, 2014
Fish Head Cantina
Baltimore, MD
CHARM CITY DEVILS
November 26, 2014
Soundstage
Baltimore, MD
Thanksgiving Eve is essentially the night before the turkey coma and that’s not a joke. In Baltimore, Maryland there is a tradition of having cool local bands play on this night and at Baltimore Soundstage Charm City Devils performed a rockin’ set for their hometown crowd.
SLIPKNOT / KORN
November 19, 2014
Royal Farms Arena
Baltimore, MD
Slipknot & Korn played the chicken box in Baltimore on November 19 and the term “Chicken Box” is a joke regarding the recent name change to the Baltimore Arena...worst arena name EVER!
POWERMAN 5000 / AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE
November 17, 2014
Soundstage
Baltimore, MD
Initially this tour was a joint run with Wayne Static & PM5K co-headlining together but sadly Mr. Static passed away just before the tour start thus making it a Powerman 5000 headlining tour.
SALIVA / FUTURE LEADERS OF THE WORLD
November 14, 2014
Fish Head Cantina
Baltimore, MD
Josey Scott was the face/voice of Saliva. Once he announced his departure from the band in 2012 I had personally written the band off because I had a hard time imagining Saliva without Scott. In 2014 Saliva is actually a stronger, more vibrant, and much better band than it ever was with Scott!
FASTER PUSSYCAT
November 10, 2014
Prime
White Marsh, MD
Prime is essentially the old House of Rock which has been fully remodeled and renovated....the club looks awesome and it’s lay out is more dance club than rock club. The new sound system is a big step up from the last time I saw Faster Pussycat play at this venue and the notable thing is that this was a FREE show!
RICHIE KOTZEN
November 1, 2014
Rams Head Onstage
Annapolis, MD
“It’s shocking that Richie was ever a member of Poison because he’s a million times better than every member of that band, Period!” That’s exactly what I was thinking as I witnessed Richie exude his brand of rock n soul onstage at Rams Head in Annapolis.
JUDAS PRIEST / STEEL PANTHER
October 24, 2014
Pier Six
Baltimore, MD
Judas Priest Set List: Battle Cry Intro, Dragonaut, Metal Gods, Devils Child, Victim of Changes, Halls of Valhalla, Love Bites, March of the Damned, Turbolover, Redeemer of Souls, Beyond the Realms, Jawbreaker, Breaking The Law, Hell Bent For Leather, You’ve Got Another Thing Coming Living After Midnight
DAISY BERKOWITZ
October 14, 2014
Bowery Electric
New York, NY
Daisy Berkowitz aka Scott Mitchell & Marilyn Manson aka Brian Warner created music which forever changed an entire generation of 90’s rock fans.
Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids were an eclectic band who’s sound was a tad amateur yet their looks made them stand out amongst the sea of grunge goons in the early 90’s.
KIX
September 4, 2014
PBR
Baltimore, MD
Set List: Stop Show, Your Gone, Blow My Fuse, Cold Shower, Girl Money, Cold Blood, Top Down
KISS / DEF LEPPARD
July 25, 2014
Jiffy Lube Live
Bristow, VA
Walking through the parking lot for this event I was immediately reminded of the movie “Heavy Metal Parking Lot” because this IS that same crowd from that movie; literally & figuratively! The documentary was filmed in Washington, DC and the fans that appeared in the movie would be around the average age range of the customers attending this show.
VERUCA SALT
July 21, 2014
Black Cat
Washington, DC
Set List: Get Back, All Hail Me, It’s Holy, Straight, Forsythia, Spiderman '79, With David Bowie, One Last Time (partial), Don't Make Me Prove It, Wolf, I'm Taking Europe With Me, Kiss Me Til It Bleeds, Venus Man Trap, Aurora, Celebrate You, Number One Blind, The Museum of Broken Relationships, Hey Little Ghost, Seether, Shimmer Like A Girl, 25; Encore: Shutterbug, Volcano Girls, Victrola, Earthcrosser
SEVENDUST
May 2, 2014 (Day #2)
Baltimore, MD
Soundstage
Set List: Trust, Prayer, Crucified, Xmas Day, Under It All, Skeleton Song, The Wait, Denial, Disgrace, Ass Drop, Gone, INTERMISSION, Come Down, Hurt (NIN cover), Karma, Got A Feeling, Angel Son, Edge of Seventeen (Stevie Nicks cover), Black
M3 ROCK FEST 2014
April 26, 2014 (Day #2)
Columbia, MD
Merriweather Post Pavilion
ALTERBRIDGE / MONSTER TRUCK
April 21, 2014
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Alterbridge Set List: Addicted, White Knuckles, Come To Life, Brand New Start, Ghosts, Ties That Bind, Waters Rising, Isolation, Broken Wings, Farther Than The Sun, Metalingus, One Day Remains, Blackbird, Open Your Eyes, Rise Today (with Paul Reed Smith)
ELECTRIC BOA / KILL BETTY / PURGE EFFECT
August 31, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
STYX / REO SPEEDWAGON
August 23, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Pier Six
STYX set list: Blue Collar Man, Grand Illusion, Fooling Yourself, Lady, Light Up, Man In The Wilderness, Miss America, I’m Ok, Crystal Ball, Too Much Time, Come Sail Away, Rockin’ The Paradise, Renegade
CANDLEBOX / CANDLELIGHT RED / SONS OF THE RADIO
August 13, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Soundstage
TAPROOT
June 29, 2013
White Marsh, MD
House of Rock
Animated, weird, wacky & ear wiggling....all words I’d use to describe the Tap Root show on June 29th at the House of Rock in White Marsh. The band was on fire when they performed the “Gift” record from start to finish and to my surprise they actually packed in a decent crowd...I say that primarily because the band went away for a bit and sadly they never truly achieved the success that their peers from the 90’s did.
MARILYN MANSON / ALICE COOPER / GWAR
June 17, 2013
Columbia, MD
Merriweather Post Pavilion
First there was the Rob Zombie / Alice Cooper / Murderdolls tour, then 2012’s Rob Zombie / Marilyn Manson tour and in 2013 the combination of Marilyn Manson / Alice Cooper / Gwar hit the road for a Summer Shock Spectacular.
BARONESS
May 25, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
“Baroness are the Stoner Rock equivalence of Dream Theatre”.....that’s how I described Baroness after witnessing their dynamic live show on May 25th, 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland.
BEWARE OF DARKNESS
May 20, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Soundstage
Formed in 2010 by Kyle Nicolaides & Tony Cupito Beware of Darkness have already made a mark in the music world by opening for Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots & Social Distortion in a relatively short period of time which is a big deal for a new band! Beware of Darkness rolled through the Maryland area on a warm Monday evening and sadly the show itself had just around 30 people in attendance. Regardless of the small turn out Beware of Darkness gave the audience a kick ass rock show that oddly enough featured the bands lead single “Howl” played 2 times in the set!
THE DARKNESS
May 16, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Power Plant Live
In Baltimore, Maryland the yearly Preakness Races happen during mid May and the week of Preakness is known as a party week in Maryland because there are random free events which lead up to the Preakness.
M3 ROCK FEST 2013
May 4, 2013 (Day #2)
Columbia, MD
Merriweather Post Pavilion
The night before Day #2 of the M3 Rock Fest I caught the Limp Bizkit concert at Rams Head Live and I’ll admit I partied a little too hard because I didn’t get in bed till after 5 AM & woke up around 1 PM so needless to say I missed a small chunk of the M3 show.....I arrived in time to catch the tail end of....
LIMP BIZKIT
May 3, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
When Limp Bizkit announced they were reuniting as a band the general consensus was, “Who cares?” because Limp Bizkit came & went in a blur...their cover of “Faith” by George Michaels was what propelled the band to fame thanks in part to MTV playing the hell out of their video’s which made Fred Durst a mogul in the rock world. Hit after hit Limp Bizkit were on fire for many years but band turmoil between Wes Borland & Fred Durst led to Wes exiting the band & eventually L.B. called it a day until they were able to patch up things between band members.
PAPA ROACH
May 1, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Otherwise & Escape The Fate opened this show but by the time I arrived Escape the Fate were mid way through their set.... I give the band credit for having a really clean audio mix for their set because you could clearly hear all of the guitar solos and overall the band’s live mix sounded great!
ALL THAT REMAINS
April 29, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Support acts for this bill included local favorites Rome Apart & Sky Came Burning but sadly I arrived just towards the end of Sky Came Burning’s set...the openers started at 7:30 PM sharp & the entire show was over by 10:20 PM!
CRUCIFIED BARBARA / CRASHDIET
April 16, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Voltage
Crucified Barbara’s first ever tour of the USA was a rock n roll cock-a-whoop because the band of 4 females were sandwiched between an all male billing & to be honest with you the girls in Crucified Barbara played just as hard as the boys in the other bands and on a musical level I felt like Crucified Barbara were the superior band on this bill!
MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE
April 11, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Ram’s Head Live
Mindless Self Indulgence set list: Witness, Shut Me Up, It Gets Worse, Stupid MF, You’re No Fun Anymore, 1989, Issues, Fuck Machine, Never Wanted, Prescription, Bring the Half, Ass Backwards, Eveningwear, Tornado, Ala Mode, 7-11, Planet of the Apes, Faggot, On It, Bitches, Straight To Video
VOLBEAT / DANKO JONES
April 10, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Ram’s Head Live
Volbeat set list:
Intro / Goat, A New Day, Guitar Gangsters, Heaven nor Hell, Sad Man’s, Lola, Human, 16 Dollars, Hangman, Warrior, Mary / Slayer, Angelfuck, Another Day, Dead But Rising, Still Counting, Intro / Mirror, Fallen, Pool of Booze
Danko Jones set list:
Had Enough, Play the Blues, First Date, Just A Beautiful Day, Full of Regret, I Think Bad Thoughts, Lovercall, Cadillac, Mountain
BIG WRECK
April 3, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Soundstage
It’s ironic that Big Wreck are a Canadian based band yet were formed in Boston, Massachusetts by singer/guitarist Ian Thornley. The band garnered all of their success via the Canadian music scene and they rolled through the Baltimore area in support of their 2012 record “Albatross” on April 3, 2013.
FASTER PUSSYCAT
March 28, 2013
White Marsh, MD
HOR
When you go to see an 80’s hair band in 2013 you must realize that it’s nothing more than nostalgia and if you expect any artist to be exactly how they were nearly 30 years prior you will almost always be let down because no band remains the same in regards to sound, looks, or it’s actual original members after a certain point.
GARBAGE
March 24, 2013
Silver Spring, MD
The Fillmore
Set List:
Supervixen, Queer, Automatic Systematic Habit, Hammering in My Head, Blood for Poppies, Special, Why Do You Love Me, #1 Crush, I Think I'm Paranoid, The One, Cup of Coffee, Cherry Lips, Man on a Wire, The Trick Is to Keep Breathing, When I Grow Up, Only Happy When It Rains, Vow, You Look So Fine / Dreams Play (Fleetwood Mac cover), Stupid Girl,Push It, Beloved Freak
March 21, 2013
White Marsh, MD
HOR
Initially this show was supposed to start at 8:45 PM but for some reason it kicked off after 9 PM with Davey Suicide as the opener....the opening set by Mr. Suicide was a blur of baby powder, flashing lights & dark imagery which was sadly not backed up by solid music.
TOM KEIFER
February 28, 2013
White Marsh, MD
HOR
I’ve always believed that Cinderella’s over the top glam image from the 80’s was an albatross around the bands neck because the music they created really was a step above the other acts from that genre and if Cinderella came out in the 70’s or even late 80’s with a stripped down look that was more Aerosmith & less glittery I think the band would have been taken seriously & lasted much longer in the music business...sadly though the bands look was what lumped them in a genre that didn’t really define their sound.
DOPE
February 21, 2013
Springfield, VA
Empire
“We are not a metal band!” - Edsel Dope
That was a direct quote from Edsel when he began talking about music & someone from the crowd declared Dope were a metal band....Edsel was on fire this night with his jokes, random banter & his constant begging for weed throughout the night.
SHINY TOY GUNS
February 20, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Set List:
Intro, Carrie, Ghost Town, Somewhere To Hide, Ricochet, Le Disko, Don’t Cry Out, Rocketship, Major Tom, Speaking Japanese, Fading Listening, Rainy Monday, You Are The One
SHINEDOWN / THREE DAYS GRACE
February 19, 2013
Baltimore, MD
First Mariner Arena
The first BIG Arena rock show for 2013 in the Maryland area featured Shinedown with special guests Three Days Grace & POD serving as show openers.
I missed the POD set but arrived just in time to catch the Three Days Grace set....the great debate during the TDG set was “Is the new singer as good as Adam?”
DIZZY REED
February 16, 2013
White Marsh, MD
HOR
“I've Been Doing This Bullshit My Entire Life!” - Dizzy Reed
HANZEL UND GRETYL
February 15, 2013
Towson, MD
Recher Theatre
Hanzel Und Gretyl are uber-fukkin-tastic just incase you didn’t know and when their caravan o’ German-Sauer-Brat-Metal rolled through the Maryland area it was a no brainer that Rock N Roll Experience would be there to cover the show!
SPREAD EAGLE
February 9, 2013
White Marsh, MD
HOR
New York based Spread Eagle played Maryland for the first time in their 20+ year career & despite the nights headliner canceling the show went on as scheduled!
DEVIN TOWNSEND / GOJIRA
February 7, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Lofty, Atmospheric tones mixed with chunky power chords filled the air as we entered Rams Head on this night....the opening band was almost finished their set and their metal styled version of shoe gaze rock was rather boring and the main reason we made it a point to get there just before Devin Townsend took the stage.
SISTER SIN / DORO
February 5, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Soundstage
This show was listed as starting at 7 PM and my assumption was that if we got there later we’d miss the opening act & cut right to the core of the show with Sister Sin opening for Doro...
BLACK VEIL BRIDES / WILLIAM CONTROL
January 18, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
The screaming little girls were louder than the band....that’s what I will remember the most about this show because up front it was a sea of black x’s when you looked at the crowd. The term “Black x’s” is what I refer to as underaged kids because that’s how they mark the underaged kiddies who can’t drink alcohol at shows in Maryland and they definitely out numbered the adults on this night...it was Hot Topic Gone Wild!
THE DARKNESS / HELL OR HIGHWATER
January 15, 2013
Baltimore, MD
Rams Head Live
Justin Hawkins is bringin’ rock n roll back!
HALESTORM
December 31, 2012
Baltimore, MD
Soundstage
New Years Eve in Baltimore....there were a few options in the downtown area BUT the only real rock show was Halestorm at Soundstage which was a sold out event that boasted 2 sets from the band. The show itself was a great way for the band to cap off 2012 because they were recently nominated for a Grammy, toured the world over, did very well at active rock radio, and in 2013 the band will continue to live on the road in support of their latest release!
JANE’S ADDICTION
December 28, 2012
Washington, DC
9:30 Club
This show was announced as a “Surprise” show & it sold out pretty darn fast....Perry and company took the stage after 10 PM this night with a set that comprised all the hits from the band alongside a newer song or 2....it was surprising to hear them play “Mountain Song” & “Been Caught Stealing” within the first 25 minutes of the show because those are 2 of the bands biggest hits amongst fans yet they rocked them early in the set & closed with an encore of “Jane Says” & then a drum circle finale!
TAB The Band
December 28, 2012
Washington, DC
9:30 Club
Brothers Adrian Perry (lead vocals/bass) and Tony Perry (guitar), Ben Tileston (drums) & Lou Jannetty (rhythm guitar) are the members of TAB the Band and when it was announced that they were opening for Jane’s Addiction on December 20, 2012 in my hometown I wasted no time in setting up coverage for the show because the bands recorded material impressed me and I was curious how they would pull their music off live.
SHADOWS FALL / KILLSWITCH ENGAGE / PERIPHERY
December 27, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Rams Head Live
A sold out metal show on a Thursday night in Baltimore, Maryland...that’s not a phrase you can say too often BUT that was the case when this tour rolled through town on a very cold December night.
HINDER
December 14, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Rams Head Live
Walking into the venue Nonpoint were already in the middle of their set & the first thing I noticed was the fact that they had a few new members since the last time I’d seen the band and they closed their set by asking the crowd if it was ok to play the song “Bullet...” despite the fact that a school shooting had happened on this very same day...the crowd had no issues with it & that’s how Nonpoint finished their set.
ASKING ALEXANDRIA
December 11, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Rams Head Live
I arrived 10 mins before Asking Alexandria took the stage and the crowd was a sea of under aged kiddies that clamored against the barricade in hopes of getting close to their idols....the irony is that the changing of the guards in the metal world was evident last night when Asking Alexandria were able to sell out Rams Head Live in Baltimore.... they’ve achieved a status where they can play sold out tours in the States and they are drawing in the next generation of “new” metal fans....the older bands are still around BUT a band like Asking Alexandria IS the future of metal music and how much you love them or hate them really depends on how old you are!
MISFITS
December 6, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
The only original member left is Jerry yet the Misfits remain one of the most influential & marketable punk bands of all time!
Blending 50’s rock with horror punk and songs that are barely 2 mins in length yet leave a mark without even trying...that’s the charm of the Misfits...they don’t waste time on banter & fluff...they do the job loud, fast & hard and before you know it they are all gone....that’s also the irony of the bands early days with Glenn Danzig because the original line up lasted briefly yet their legacy & iconic skull logo have lasted for 2+ decades!
X / Reverend Horton Heat / Not In The Face
December 5, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Soundstage
This one ended up being a last minute deal, I set it up on a whim and sometimes the nights you expect NOTHING special are the nights you see the most amazing players onstage & you walk away going “Wow!”
The temperature was slowly dropping outside on this eve and by the time I left the show just a tad after midnight it was cold as hell & windy yet inside the venue it was warm and a weird mix of old punk & rockabilly...this tour really should have been endorsed by Gretch guitars too because X & The Reverend use Gretch guitars exclusively which create that tone that makes both artists so distinct!
SCOTT WEILAND
November 29, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Rams Head Live
Set List:
Opening Jam, Crackerman, Paralysis, Killing Me Sweetly, Black Again, Tumble in the Rough, Mockingbird Girl, First Kiss on Mars, Do It For The Kids, California / Mountain Song, Can't Stand Me Now, Barbarella, Encore: Vasoline, Unglued
STEEL PANTHER
November 14, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Ram’s Head Live
“My Heart Belongs To You, But my Cock is community property.” That line from “Community Property” explains what Steel Panther is all about perfectly...the band is a real metal band that’s comprised of actual musicians BUT they put on a full comedy show and the best way I can describe their live show is that it’s like watching a live version of Beavis and Butthead....lotsa dick jokes, asking women to show their boobs, making fun of every hair metal cliché and overall just making fun of EVERYTHING in a very politically incorrect style!
CHARM CITY DEVILS
November 23, 2012
Towson, Maryland
Recher Theatre
A few months back I caught Charm City Devils opening for Seether at Pier Six in Baltimore and the set list that night was quite odd for the band because they played their biggest hit “Let’s Rock N Roll” early in the set and I made a comment in my review of that show that the band should always close with “Let’s Rock N Roll” simply because it’s the song that this area recognizes with the most & it’s the song that they are known for...well, on 11/23/12 they DID listen to me!
DIO DISCIPLES / WITCHBURN
November 15, 2012
White Marsh, Maryland
Dio Disciples are a DIO tribute act that’s officially endorsed by DIO’s estate & on the night I saw the band the line up was: Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Scott Warren, Oni Logan, Bjorn Englen and Ripper Owens with Ripper & Oni sharing vocals duties equally although I personally believe Ripper sang the best songs in the set!
JACK RUSSELL’S GREAT WHITE
November 9, 2012
White Marsh, Maryland
I went into this show expecting a complete train wreck based on what I’d heard from others and to my surprise the show was actually pretty good considering it was Jack Russell with a completely new band that called itself “Great White”.
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR / NEW YEARS DAY / DAVEY SUICIDE / JEFFREE STAR
October 28, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Soundstage
I hate it when the listed times change for a show because this concert was listed as having a start time of 8 PM yet the actual start time was 7 PM so fans who arrived assuming the listed set time was correct had a harsh surprise in store when they arrived at 8 PM to see New Years Day finishing up the last song in their set!
SCARS ON BROADWAY / DEFTONES
October 26, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland
Rams Head Live
Life is like a weird dream sometimes....the blurry images of a random night of rock n roll debauchery that you might see in some 1/2 assed pop culture movie DO happen just like that sometimes and this night the backdrop for that scene was Rams Head Live in Baltimore and the bands lending their music/live performances were non other than the Deftones & Scars on Broadway featuring Daron Malakian from System of a Down.
MICHAEL SCHENKER
October 24, 2012
White Marsh, Maryland
House of Rock
Looking like the bastard child of Johnny Winter & Gary Busey, Michael Schenker took the stage at the House of Rock in White Marsh, Maryland with a backing band that held each song together tight yet the odd thing was Schenker pretty much anchored the right side of the stage & his interaction with his band members were limited till the end of the show where he finally started to interact with them just a little.
GEOFF TATE
October 22, 2012
White Marsh, Maryland
Geoff Tate IS the voice of Queensryche and when he was abruptly dismissed as leader of Queensryche in early 2012 the man wasted no time in setting up a tour to keep his name out there & the tour is also a teaser for his new solo record that will be released in the Fall of 2012.
THRILL KILL KULT
October 20, 2012
Towson, Maryland
Recher Theatre
Groovy Man & Thrill Kill Kult came back to Maryland for their 2012 tour on October 20 and to the bands credit I give them props for constantly changing their live show year after year.
MARILYN MANSON / ROB ZOMBIE / DJ STARSCREAM
October 19, 2012
Camden, New Jersey
Susquehanna Bank Center
This tour sounds great on paper but when you actually check it out, atleast on this particular night, you realize how different the 3 artists on the bill truly are....
MUTEMATH / CIVIL TWILIGHT
October 6, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
Mutemath is a band who’s roots are scattered amongst indie rock & alternative rock equally....they limit the heavy guitar tones and favor a heavy rhythm & intense beat which is the essence & back bone of what Mutemath do.
POWERMAN 5000
September 29, 2012
Soundstage
Baltimore, MD
Setlist:
Show Me What You’ve Got, Nobody’s Real, Stars Revolt, Automatic, How To Be A Human, Action, Free, Super Villain, V Is For Vampire, Time Bomb, City of the Dead, Horror Show, Bombshell, Supernova Goes Pop, They Know Who You Are, Hey That’s Right, When Worlds Collide
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT / KATATONIA / PARADISE LOST
September 24, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
Hevy Devy & co. were back in Baltimore for the last night of the bands 2012 US tour and naturally the night featured a few cool end of tour pranks during the Devin Townsend set but more on that in a moment.
SEETHER / KYNG / SICK PUPPIES / CHARM CITY DEVILS / YOUNG GUNS
September 22, 2012
Pier Six
Baltimore, MD
The first official day of Autumn for 2012 happened on the same day that this great outdoor rock show took place in Baltimore which was headlined by Seether. It featured 5 kick ass national acts as well as one local opener with the only flaw being the start time of 4 PM which was a tad early for a rock show.
UPROAR TOUR 2012
September 2, 2012
Jiffy Lube Live
Bristow, VA
The 2012 Installment of the Uproar Tour featured the best of the best in terms of main stream active rock with Godsmack & Shinedown as the nights headliners.
SPONGE
August 31, 2012
Recher Theatre
Towson, MD
Sponge was a band that made it’s mark in the 90’s via 2 major radio hits, “Plowed” & “Molly” which still get airplay to this very day....the band bridged the gap between pop music, punk & Seattle grunge with guitar tones that varied from drop D heaviness to standard tuning brightness while Vin’s vocals added flavor & a touch of glam to the overall appeal of the music.
LA GUNS
August 23, 2012
House of Rock
White Marsh, MD
Phil Lewis & his version of LAG rolled through town on a mellow Thursday night and the interesting thing was the previous night Crashdiet played the same venue but sadly the Crashdiet show had way less attendance than the LAG show did. If I had to compare the Crashdiet show to the LAG show I’d say hands down Crashdiet was far superior to LAG but here in the States LAG is a brand that’s know whereas Crashdiet are still struggling to be heard.
CRASHDIET / MODERN SUPERSTAR / SIN4SIN
August 22, 2012
House of Rock
White Marsh, MD
Swedish Glam Giants Crashdiet did a 4 date US tour and it was a tad shocking when they announced a Baltimore, Maryland date simply because the state of Maryland is NOT a rock n roll town...it’s more of an urban environment where “radio rock” is popular & hip hop/R&B are sadly the flavor more people go for.
OTEP / BUTCHER BABIES
August 21, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
This night was plagued by bad situations and I was fortunate enough to arrive in time to check out the Butcher Babies who’s set is best described as a proper mix of boobs & blood!
Butcher Babies refer to their music as Slut Metal & I don’t know if that term is proper or not because music is 2nd to the bands boobs & blood which is all you’ll remember if you ever see Butcher Babies live show.
CINDERELLA
August 17, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
Cinderella made their mark in the music world when glam rock was popular in the 80’s and sadly the musical prowess of Cinderella was overshadowed by their looks.
Tom Keifer is an extremely talented musician who’s vocals are as amazing as his guitar player yet his talent took 2nd fiddle to his looks because in Cinderella’s prime they were all about big hair, glittery clothes & heavy make-up which made the bands music take a back seat to their appearance.
AGENT ORANGE / THE QUEERS / FLAT TIRES
August 9, 2012
Recher Theatre
Towson, MD
CARNIVAL OF MADNESS 2012
Featuring: Evanescence & Chevelle
August 7, 2012
Pier Six
Baltimore, MD
Evanescence Set List:
What You Want, Going Under, The Other Side, Weight of the World, Lithium, My Heart Is Broken, Whisper, The Change, Never Go Back, Made of Stone, You Star, Lost In Paradise, Sober, Imaginary, Bring Me Back To Life, Disappear, My Immortal
“If I Must Be Lonely, I Think I’d Rather Be Alone.” Lyrics from the song “Save Yourself” by Stabbing Westward and a song that The Dreaming closed with when they opened for 12 Stones on this night.
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MAYHEM FEST 2012
July 29, 2012
Jiffy Lube Live
Bristow, VA
Rockstar Energy Drink’s Mayhem Fest 2012 featured a variety o’ metal acts that covered the new breed of metal (Asking Alexandria, As I Lay Dying, White Chapel) as well as classic metal (Motorhead, Slayer, Anthrax) and the headliner of the evening was none other than Slipknot.
FILTER / FUEL
July 24, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
Fuel & Filter on the same concert billing in 2012 is interesting because both bands consist of only one original member in each band & that original member happens to be the lead singer.
CHARM CITY DEVILS / NIKI BARR BAND
July 22, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
Maryland’s own Charm City Devils played a hometown show on July 22 and this show was special because in many ways it was like a record re-release party and what I mean by that is they released their sophomore release “SINS” via an indie label and they were recently signed to a major label (E-1 Entertainment) which will re-release the “SINS” record with slightly different packaging & 3 bonus tracks not on the original release.
KISS / MOTLEY CRUE
July 20, 2012
Jiffy Lube Live
Bristow, VA
“You....You Got the Best, The Hottest Band in the World, KISS!” That’s how the KISS set started & it was a reminder that the human element of mistakes & flubs were bound to happen on the opening night of the tour.
VOLBEAT / HELLYEAH
July 19, 2012
Rams Head Live
Baltimore, MD
Timing is everything and on this particular night I walked into the venue just as Hellyeah had started their first song which immediately made me wonder, “What the hell?” because I was under the assumption that the show started at 7 PM which is what was listed on the venues web site BUT the show actually started at 6:30 PM so by the time I arrived I had already missed Killinger & Iced Earth.
10 YEARS / KYNG / FAIR TO MIDLAND
July 10, 2012
Ram’s Head Live
Baltimore, MD
I’ll give it to whoever put this tour package together because the 3 bands on the billing define totally different genres of rock that somehow mesh quite well when you put these 3 bands/styles together!
D GENERATION
July 3, 2012
Johnny Brenda's
Philadelphia, PA
Jesse Malin, Howie Pyro, Richard Bacchus, Danny Sage and Michael Wildwood; The wait is over, the hiatus has ended - D Generation are back and giving rock n roll a much needed shot of adrenaline!
On this particular night Jesse made a statement midway through the set that the band had been writing new material for a new D Generation record & they treated us to a brand new song which was a fast paced rock n roll anthem that blended punk rock energy with hard rock aggression; it’s the typical sound that D Generation fans love and what’s really missing from the current rock scene at this point. I’ll admit I was very pleased to hear Jesse tell the crowd that the band is still a “band” and the recent reunion shows were not just cash grabs which many bands do when times get hard.
Joan Jett took the stage at 8 PM sharp opening with a brand new song called “TMI” & it was cool to see Joan opening with a brand new song which was typical JJ & the Blackhearts material...simple 3 chord rock n roll played loud & aggressive.
Joan was decked out in a one piece unitard that was in the style of Ziggy Stardust and new bass player (former Dope/Murderdolls member) Acey Slade is a good addition to the Blackhearts.... he brought the New York sleaze rock style & attitude to the stage. ”Cherry Bomb” was the 2nd song in the set & that was when things kicked into high gear because it was the first familiar song of the night ...
KYNG / THE SWORD / RED FANG
June 21, 2012
Sonar
Baltimore, MD
This was a hard rock show BUT I’d describe the smell as Funky!
It’s a shame I can’t offer up the heat & smells from this show because the show started out ok but progressively things became hotter & stinkier as the night went on. Kyng’s set started just around 9PM and the band set up their own gear, tuned their own guitars & checked their own stuff just prior to starting their set.
Kyng played a very tight & rather sweaty 27 minute set that had no filler and rocked hard from beginning till end. This would be the only part of the show that I managed to get up close for.
Leaving this show I walked away feeling exhilarated. I had just seen a multimedia counterculture explosion set to music and it was the primary brain child of that Alien who sings for both Tool & Aperfectcircle, Maynard Keenan! You might ask yourself why I called Maynard an alien & it’s a partial joke which I’ll explain like this:
If you ever watch the Fox cartoon “American Dad” there’s a character on the show named Roger who essentially is a character that’s based loosely after E.T. & Maynard. I realized the Maynard connection when I witnessed the Puscifer show this night because Maynard created many different characters which make the Puscifer experience a reality. Maynard wears numerous costumes, wigs, etc., and throughout the show you see movies shown on numerous screens which portray Maynard as everything from a redneck to a woman and he sells each role with a very tongue in cheek, dry sense of humor that’s identical to what the character Roger on “American Dad” does in every single episode!
Walking into this show I primarily knew a hand full of the Fleetwood Mac catalog and I knew none of Lindsey’s solo material...I left the show shocked at just how talented Lindsey Buckingham is because what I saw this night was a one man show. It was simply Mr. Buckingham and his guitar(s) on that stage and the man can play anything that ranges from hard rock to folk music!
Lindsey’s gear was quite shocking for this being a primarily unplugged show because he had numerous acoustic amps stacked behind him and he had easily 10 different acoustics setting behind him onstage. He carried an arena rock amount of gear for what was primarily an intimate club show.
The Cult are not a nostalgia act...they have a new record out in 2012 and when they started their US tour they added a handful o’ songs from the new record alongside their greatest hits of the past such as “Wild Flower”, “Fire Woman” & “She Sells Sanctuary”.
I’ll preface this review by stating that Glenn Danzig asked that NO photos be taken of him during his live performance and while part of me felt like being a bad ass & snapping a photo just because he said not to I decided to play by the rules and do as requested. Once Glenn left the stage it was ok to take pics of John, Tommy & Steve so the pics in this review are “officially” approved because Kyng gave me photo access & the Danzig backing band were fine with photos being taken.
GARBAGE
May 23, 2012
9:30 Club
Washington, DC
Set list:
Automatic Systematic Habit, Temptation Waits, Shut Your Mouth, Queer, Metal Heart, Stupid Girl, Why Do You Love Me, The World Is Not Enough, #1 Crush, Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!), Blood for Poppies, Control, Milk, Big Bright World, I Think I'm Paranoid, Bad Boyfriend, Only Happy When It Rains, Push It, Encore: Supervixen, Special, Vow
The Annual Preakness race is a big deal in the state of Maryland and during the week of Preakness the state has a traditional week long celebration to get everyone hyped for the big race.
On the Thursday before Preakness 98 Rock always sponsors a free multi band national rock show and this year the 2 featured acts were Foxy Shazam & Buckcherry.
Changing trends be damned because the Lander sisters managed to keep Kittie going via constant touring and fan support....they never gave up on their goals & dreams and they made it work. Kittie made a tour stop in Baltimore, Maryland on May 15, 2012 and this version of the band featured the return of Trish on bass while the core 3 of Morgan, Mercedes & Tara remained the constant in the band.
Burton C. Bell & Dino Cazares ARE Fear Factory & it’s interesting to note that I used to always view Fear Factory as a band until the band went through a few line up changes and became what it is today.
I remember when Dino left the group initially & Christian switched to guitar the band seemed to go in a darker direction and I almost felt like they touched on goth elements a bit whereas when Dino came back into the fold the music went heavier and oddly enough the original rhythm section was dismissed for totally new guys and to be serious with you, you can’t even tell there’s a new drummer & bass player in Fear Factory because the key elements soundwise in Fear Factory ARE Burton & Dino!
featuring: Behemoth / Watain / The Devils Blood May 5, 2012
Ram’s Head Live
Baltimore, Maryland
Behemoth Set list:
Of Fire & The Void, Intro, Demigod, Moonspell, Conquer All, Intro, 1000 Plagues, Alas, The Seed of I, Decade of the Theron, Intro, At The Left Hand of God, Slaves Shall Serve, Chant For Ezkaton, Intro, 23, Lucifer
Mean Bone, Dirty Little Thing, Ghost, Nightrain, Rocket Queen, Back from Cali, Sucker Train Blues, Standing in the Sun, Fall to Pieces, Dr. Alibi, Speed Parade, Watch This, Starlight, You're a Lie, My Michelle, Just Like Anything, Sweet Child o' Mine, Slither, By the Sword, Paradise City
The doors were scheduled to open at 7 PM but for whatever reason they didn’t open till 7:30 PM and the line waiting to get into the venue went probably 2 blocks or more down the street! Seeing the crowd in daylight hours was interesting because you had some very normal looking people in jeans & t-shirts there who were a bit older, then sprinkled in the mix were the mall goths, the old school MM fans who dressed the part, and at this show there was a surprising amount of bimbo groupie girls who felt like because they had large fake boobs they had the right to be a bitch to everyone around them......
The Art of Dying set was short & they made sure to do their trademark “Jack Daniel's bottle swing” just before they ended their set which was a tad over 30 minutes in length.
Adelita’s Way was up next & I didn’t even bother to watch their set because I’ve seen them several times & they bore me to tears. I did however watch the last few songs of their set in hopes that maybe the band could validate themselves a bit & prove me wrong....sadly they still did nothing for me. Their set was lackluster and their music was simply generic. The only thing I can say about Adelita’s Way is that their singer could be Corey Feldman’s brother and even that fact doesn’t hold much clout these days!
Charm City Devils kicked off their 2012 SINS US tour on a Saturday night in Towson, Maryland and the show itself also served as the official record release party for the bands new cd “SINS” but sadly there was a tragic event that changed the mood and feel for this evening.
Four days prior to this show former Child’s Play singer Brian Jack passed away and Nick Kay & John Allen from Charm City Devils were founding members of Child’s Play so it was bitter suit to celebrate the release of the new Charm City Devils record while still celebrating the life of Brian Jack. The entire evening was dedicated to the memory of Brian Jack.
It was announced today (4/17/12) via his family that former Child’s Play singer Brian Jack has passed away.
No further details were officially announced.
Brian Jack was an integral part of Child’s Play & performed lead vocals/guitar on the bands only major label release.
Brian last performed with Child’s Play back in December of 2011 at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore for a holiday reunion show...this would be Brian’s last onstage performance.
RIP BRIAN JACK
It is funny that Katie White is the singer/guitarist for The Ting Tings because she shares no relation to Jack White who’s also best known as the leader of a 2 person band.
Every song in the bands set on this night truly sounded different and not identical or similar in genre or style. The show started off with an epic synth driven stretch that had Jules and Katie stripping things back to basic backing tracks, live drums & vocals...this was the part of the set that delved into Muse/Coldplay material and it’s what really threw me when they started their show because I was expecting fluffy pop music and they came out being serious!
When you go to see Tragedy you can expect boat loads o’ glitter, spandex, loud guitars & fun music that has less to do with disco and more to do with just having a good time!
The members of Tragedy all dress like they went to a yard sale Paul Stanley from KISS was throwing....most of their costumes have sequins & stars and the lead guitarist even wears feathered arm warmers like Paul Stanley did back in the 70’s! The only thing the band is actually missing would be the platform boots.
If I had to use 2 words to describe Pop Evil they would be "Tragically Forgettable" and the reason I say that is because the band has potential and they are decent players.... they have a major label record deal, they get radio airplay, they've been a part of some decent tours and YET the band falls in a rut where they have yet to find their true identity.
Before you read this review, if you're not familiar with the book "The Last Living Slut" by Roxana Shirazi I'd highly advise you to read my review of her book:
The Last Living Slut - Roxan Shirazi
Knowing about that book will make the last part of this review make sense.
Then a little band came along that forged the best of Hanoi Rocks, Iggy Pop, The Rolling Stones & all that was decadent. The band had 5 members who each stood on their own & the core sound the band created was a blend of bluesy rock n roll with punk rock energy..
1. It's the title to a classic Deep Purple record
2. It's a hit single by the band Bush
3. It's a metal band fronted by Robb Flynn that blends hardcore with heavy metal.
I had to start this review off by stating that & it's something I say based on what I saw at this show....Cristina's presence, her performance & her overall appeal is spot on and totally flawless!
Stars and The Sea blend indie rock with elements of aggressive rock to create a swirl of music that mixes Urge Overkill, Elvis Costello & Sonic Youth with Jeff Buckley while still maintaining an original vibe & sound that's all their own!
Part two of the show was Corey reading a passage from his book.
Part three was Corey taking questions from the crowd.
Part Four was the "performance" part of the show and the set list for the musical
The stage Monroe & his band played on was tiny but it was the perfect fit for a rock show that I'd best describe as a pure rock n roll orgy of sound & energy...the energy on that stage bridged the gap between punk rock & excessive sleaze rock & what I am getting at is that there's few artists in this era that deliver such a strong, kick ass, in your face performance like Michael Monroe & his band did on this night!
The Third installment of the M3 Rock Fest was a 2 day even which featured an interesting assortment of bands that defined the genre of hair metal although there were a few bands on this bill that made bigger marks on the genre than others.
Volbeat's music is an interesting mix of roots rock combined with blues, punk & straight up metal riffs...imagine mixing Social Distortion, Johnny Cash, The Misfits & Metallica all into one clump o' rock and that's how I'd describe the overall sound & mesmerizing charm that is Volbeat!
What was interesting about this particular billing was that Bad Religion opened for Rise Against & it was just a few short years ago that Rise Against were opening for Bad Religion!
Buckcherry brought old school hard rock ala The Rolling Stones meets Guns N Roses, Hell Yeah brought their brand of redneck metal, All That Remains served up a healthy slab o' metal-core & The Damned Things brought out a unique supergroup that features a few guys from Anthrax, Fall Out Boy & Everytime I Die
"Is that band REALLY big enough to fill an arena?!?"
I found out that answer on January 23, 2011 when the band brought their current tour to my neck of the woods...it's a very simple YES!
Billy Duffy & Ian Astbury were the bands life blood & the 2 personalities that are Ian & Billy are what flavored the bands sound so distinctly...Billy's guitar riffs conjure up AC/DC styled rock n roll while Ian's flavor is an interesting mix of electronic music & indie rock.
HALLOWEEN HOOTENANNY
featuring
Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Murderdolls, Black Label Society, Children of Bodom, Clutch, 2Cents
Alice in Chains opened the show & more or less got booed throughout their entire set! Irony is that Alice in Chains would go on to be bigger than all of the headliners on that bill!
What I remember about the Clash of the Titans tour was that it was non-stop metal, all the bands were heavy as hell & the arena was PACKED with metal heads!
When you see the current Bret Michael's crowd outside in the direct sunlight you observe the following:
Sun Spots, Grey Hair, Housewives, & I heard the phrase, "This is Mommies Night Out!" more than once while I waited to get into the concert area!
I literally looked at Corey for a few seconds then glanced away, because I felt like I was looking into the eye of the storm, seeing something I shouldn't be, so literally seconds after that moment, the house lights went down, the curtain was raised like an old time movie & the band was there, allowing the mood to build as the bands intro track rolled & the masked members of the band stared at the packed venue...Joey had these weird things on his hands that kinda made him look like a tree or something & after the odd little intro, all hell broke loose as the band ripped into their non-stop, no holds barred, full on metal attack!
Ok, so this show was the first that Wes Borland & Black Light Burns have played since the press release was sent stating that Limp Bizkit was doing a full scale reunion tour & a new record. My first thought was, wow, I wonder if that news will force Black Light Burns to drop from this tour so Wes Borland can jam with Limp Bizkit & get things together for that project? Then my other question was, "Is Wes still a part of Marilyn Manson now?" To set the record straight, I talked to Wes directly after his set & I had the opportunity to interview him a year prior when he played the same club on a headlining jaunt to promote his debut Black Light Burns record.
Ok, so on July 9, 2007, it was rather hot, the temperature was close to 100 degree's, & the image I have stuck in my mind was, as I drove past the Recher Theatre, it was scorching hot outside, & there was a line of fans, dressed in make-up, eye liner, platforms, & the standard modern goth attire, & the first thought that came to my mind was, man, it's so hard to try & look cool in this heat, because you almost feel like you're melting in this sorta weather, & to even try to dress up is a gamble, because it's just hard to look cool when you have to deal with that kinda heat!
Ozzfest is always the ultimate metal concert for the summer...you basically get to see the top metal acts in the USA on one bill & as an added bonus, you get to see the Granddaddy of Heavy Metal, Mr. Ozzy Osbourne! This Summer however, the Ozzman decided to only play a few of his namesake shows, & the very last show he was playing on the tour was the one I was lucky enough to review!
