A Hollywood Rock Deep Purple Experience

Deep Purple: Live in SoCal

Live Performance Review by Steve Amaon: Contributing Journalist and Entertainment Photographer

Deep Purple made a return trip to southern California this year; I made it out to both shows. The Pacific Amphitheater hosted on August 12 and Fantasy Springs Casino hosted on August 15. Deep Purple have been on a world tour for almost two years in support of their newest CD, Now What?!.

Ian Paice, Roger Glover, Don Airey and Steve Morse were all at the top of their game at both shows. Ian Gillan was in good voice, his silver throated screaming days far behind him, he stilled pulled off excellent versions of classics…old and new. They opened with Highway Star (surprise…NOT!) and got things cooking right off the bat. Excellent sound at both venues and the lighting was top notch as well!

Classic tracks from In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head as well as Perfect Strangers were offered as were tracks from Rapture of the Deep and Now What?! The two standouts from the new cd that I thought really worked were Uncommon Man and Hell To Pay. Steve Morse brought the house down with his stunning instrumental, “Well Dressed Guitar”. Perfect Strangers and Smoke had everyone on their feet….phones in hand…..Hush with some interesting tidbits thrown in and Black Night, were the encore. Excellent musicians performing excellent songs equals a good time!

Full Setlist:

• · Highway Star
• · Apres Vous
• · Hard Lovin’ Man
• · Strange Kind Of Woman
• · Vincent Price
• · Contact Lost
• · Uncommon Man
• · Well Dressed Guitar
• · The Mule
• · Lazy
• · Hell To Pay
• · Perfect Strangers
• · Space Truckin’
• · Smoke On The Water

 

Encore:

• · Hush
• · Black Night

Photo Credits : Steve Amaon

---

Technorati Tags: Deep,Purple,Live,SoCal,California,Pacific,Amphitheater,August,Fantasy,Springs,Casino,Paice,Roger,Glover,Airey,Steve,Morse,Gillan,versions,classics,Highway,Star,Excellent,venues,Classic,Rock,Fireball,Machine,Head,Perfect,Strangers,Rapture,Uncommon,Hell,Guitar,feet,Hush,tidbits,Black,musicians,songs

 

---

Xombiewoof Magazine as of today have gained the support of musical artists Rudy Sarzo, Bumblefoot, Joe Walla, Ronnie North, Parley, Black Valentine, 210ToLowell and many more.

Evolution Guitars, Custom Guitar Manufacturers has graciously added an incentive to this project. not so much a perk, but an added bonus to one lucky sponsor. Evolution Guitars will select at random from one of our sponsors to receive a Custom Guitar for FREE !!! - No Purchase Necessary - all you have to do is sponsor this project! But we have to meet our goal by 75%, so share this, help us get funded and you could possibly get more than expected.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/xombiewoof-records-black-winter-compilation/x/6868336#/story

Xombiewoof Magazine started bringing the music loving public reviews, interviews and stories about the musical world 7 years ago, then 1 year ago formed Xombiewoof Records, a small run boutique label to bring unsigned artists into the light of day, it's been great but now we want to do more for the world. We have done many fundraisers with great success to help children's charities, this year we, with the help of some fantastic Musical Artists, we will create the ultimate Heavy Metal Compilation Album!

With the help of Music Instrument companies, Promoters, and the bands themselves, as well as help from big name nationally known artists, we will bring out an arsenal of Heavy Metal Hits, 20 songs in total from 20 bands on 2 Vinyl albums that will get the earth shaking, all in the name of helping children with life threatening illnesses.

Childhood Diseases can occur at any time in a child's life, and often, the families do not have the resources to act in time, we look to change that with Black Winter, our Fundraising Album!

One of the many things we at Xombiewoof Magazine do is support charities that help children; the fact is childhood disease claims the lives of 1 out of every 100 children in America and the rest of the world in fatality and 2 out of every hundred in crippling or painful events that last a lifetime. Xombiewoof Magazine wants to help change that, we want to make it our goal, with your help, to make the future a brighter place for those that have been stricken with illness that, if detected and treated early, don’t have to be a death or living death sentence. So often do you get messages to donate but don’t see any reward, so we have come up with a plan to help them and make it a benefit for you. The “Black Winter Project” is where we get donations through the fundraiser, you get a premium for your donation and once we have produced the album, the proceeds from the album will be given to the charities we support. The premiums or “Perks” range from small gifts to a limited edition copy of the finished album. We have the support of artists all over the United States and several foreign countries that are donating a song to the album, 20 tracks for a 2 record set. You may ask why he title “Black Winter”, well because its METAL!, Heavy Metal is a musical medium with a message of hope, through the expression of the soul and it gets you motivated to do what you believe in, SURVIVE the hardships and be victorious!

The charities we support are St. Jude’s Hospital, The American Cancer Foundation, The Central Coast Diabetes Foundation, The Heartbeat4Kids Program and The Fender Foundation.

Black Winter is planned to be the biggest collection of independent hard rock and metal artists on one 2 record set, gathering music from the US and around the world, with guest artists from nationally known bands lending their talents, Black Winter will be the one to have in your collections. This album will be limited to 2000 copies on Black / White Marbled Vinyl with 8 x 11 mini posters from every band involved and a Black Winter T-Shirt.

Please visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/xombiewoof-records-black-winter-compilation/x/6868336#/story and donate today !

FEISTY PIRANHAS RELEASE CD / 2 DVD REMEMBRANCE OF LATE FRONT PERSON, PETER ALEX LUST

Paying tribute to the passing of Peter Alex Lust, onetime front-man, lead guitarist and vocalist of popular Los Angeles rock band The Feisty Piranhas, Alex's dad, Peter Lust, is overseeing the posthumous release of two DVDs ("Feisty Piranhas - The PIRANHA Experience" (and) "Feisty Piranhas  - Live In Lasers") and one album ("Evil Monkey") dedicated to the lasting memory of the younger Lust (Street Date: January 15, 2015).

The DVDs will contain ten bonus documentaries approximately three-ten minutes in length about Peter Alex Lust's life and performances before he passed.

Both the DVDs and CD will be available for sale at www.feistypiranhas.com. 100% of the proceeds will go to Peter Alex Lust's foundation, The Music Foundation For The Memory  of Peter Alex Lust III. The new album was mastered at the famed Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, California.

 

THE FEISTY PIRANHAS - SOME BACKGROUND

There’s no misnomer here, as the Feisty Piranhas lived up to their name in the music, stage presence, and personality.

A pop punk, rock, and reggae band hailing from Ventura County, California, Feisty Piranhas brought a vivacious and spunky energy to the music scene, both on stage and off.

Started by father/son drummer and guitarist duo Peter Lust, Jr. and Peter Alex Lust III in 2002, the band made quite a splash, winning numerous recognitions and awards –  “Showcase Artist of the Year” at the 20th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards, with Peter Lust also nabbing the LAMA's "Rock Drummer of the Year". They were selected a “Top 100 Unsigned/Independent Artist for 2008” by respected national trade publication, MUSIC CONNECTION, in their year-end December issue.

The high-energy band brought a hard, loud, and fast sound to the stage, favorably compared to groups as diverse as Green Day and NOFX, Rush, and even Pink Floyd. It's no wonder that the Feisty Piranhas were invited to play at world-renowned venues and opened for big name acts like punk stalwarts The Misfits and Dragonforce, as well as seminal rockers Blue Oyster Cult and The Tubes.

WHAT THE MEDIA SAID... ABOUT THE FEISTY PIRANHAS

VENTURA COUNTY REPORTER - “Feisty Piranhas are led on vocals and guitar by 24-year-old Peter Alexander Lust III and backed up by his father, Peter Lust (“Pops”), a spacecraft consultant by day and punk rock drummer by night. The show should make for an interesting audience mix as the more mature B.O.C. fans mingle with some feisty pop punkers in the pit.”                                

ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE - “Dark, moody, Socal punk/pop with unexpected flourishes."

VENTURA COUNTY STAR - “They bring so much energy...the band’s mix of blues-punk-hard rock guitar, progressive rock drumming, emotional vocals, and razor sharp clarinet harmonies creates a new breed of songs that are catchy but also have true emotion and musical attitude that are supported by Peter Alex’s lyrics".

ALL ACCESS MAGAZINE - "Feisty Piranhas have a very melodic but in-your-face sound that mixes punk, reggae, ska, and pop punk…at The Key Club the band were able to play to the crowd’s needs and gained new fans with their Sublime-ish/reggae-ish tone of music. Even the hard rockers were clapping to the band's groove, finishing it off with a solid cover of Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” 

WEST HOLLYWOOD PATCH - “The Feisty Piranhas came down from Ventura County to spread the concept of community and integrity throughout the independent music scene as well as to properly rock out an eight‐song set…the band put on a valiant display, serving as the perfect appetizer for FEAR's eight‐course beating.”

If he could speak from Heaven, the young Lust - a mere 24 when he unexpectedly passed away in January 2014 - might now be saying, "I come down to you though my father. Thank you for thinking of me.

I am alive in a different place and I am watching down on all of you. Keep your wills high, I am an angel now. An angel that is keeping over all of my friends and those who care and think of the spirit I left behind.

Do not for a second believe that nothing is here, it is bustling with sprints and Angels that care for all of you on what we call earth. God does bless you". 

 

Visit the following sites for more info and to pre-order when available:

www.thefeistypiranhas.com 

http://www.facebook.com/feistypiranhas

---

Technorati Tags: PIRANHAS,RELEASE,REMEMBRANCE,LATE,FRONT,PERSON,PETER,ALEX,LUST,tribute,vocalist,Angeles,band,DVDs,PIRANHA,Experience,Live,Lasers,album,Evil,Monkey,memory,Street,Date,January,bonus,documentaries,length,life,performances,Both,sale,foundation,Music,Bernie,Grundman,Hollywood,California

HOWARD JONES TO PREMIERE NEW MULTI-MEDIA PROJECT "ENGAGE"

NEW WAVE ICON HOWARD JONES TO PREMIERE NEW MULTI-MEDIA PROJECT "ENGAGE" FEBRUARY 27TH IN LOS ANGELES AT SABAN THEATRE

On February 27th, electronic music pioneer Howard Jones will have the United States premiere of his brand new multi-media project, ENGAGE, at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles.

Entirely fan-funded by PledgeMusic, ENGAGE is his most ambitious work to date, incorporating specially-commissioned visuals with music and an interactive live show.

ENGAGE is inspired by such diverse musical genres as electronica, contemporary classical and pop, fusing this audio mélange with other visual and literary arts such as ballet, modern dance and philosophy. The audience is invited to participate via smart phone apps, customized clothing and fluorescent make-up. To check out the official trailer, please visit www.howardjones.com .

Howard Jones commented, "I didn't want to think of just another studio album or another live concert DVD, I wanted to liberate myself from conventional song structures. I wanted cinematic textures, big sub-bass moments, and dramatic coordinated visuals." ENGAGE will be released commercially as a DVD/CD package later this year.

To purchase tickets for the Los Angeles premiere, visit www.howardjones.com .

The ENGAGE performance will be immediately followed by a greatest hits set.

Howard Jones first burst upon the contemporary music scene in 1983, with his very English songwriting and pioneering synthesizers. His first two albums HUMAN'S LIB and DREAM INTO ACTION were worldwide hits. HUMAN'S LIB reached #1 in 1984 in the UK and featured the hits "New Song," and "What Is Love?" In 1985, Jones then released the follow-up, DREAM INTO ACTION, which quickly became a Top Ten Platinum album in the United States and featured the smashes: "Things Can Only Get Better," "Life In One Day," "No One Is To Blame," and "Like To Get To Know You Well."

Howard Jones has sold over 8 million albums worldwide and continues to make new music and tour the world.

For more information, please visit www.howardjones.com

---

Technorati Tags: HOWARD,JONES,PREMIERE,MULTI,MEDIA,PROJECT,ENGAGE,WAVE,ICON,FEBRUARY,ANGELES,SABAN,THEATRE,music,States,PledgeMusic,visuals,genres,mélange,arts,ballet,philosophy,audience,trailer,studio,album,concert,song,textures,moments,tickets,performance,English,albums,HUMAN,DREAM,INTO,ACTION,Love,Platinum,Better,Life,Blame,million,information,howardjones

Colette Miller Giving the World Wings

 

Colette Miller Giving the World Wings

By Mike Ritchie

 

Colette Miller (www.facebook.com/colettemiller9?fref=ts) has been spreading her spirit and talent via the painting palate for many years. Creating her own work inspired by dreams, animals, life and other worthy causes she’s involved in. Since the early 90’s she’s painted animals on everything from bridges to walls to business trucks from Virginia to New York, California to Africa and Tanzania but the art that’s really ‘taken flight’ has been her signature angel wings https://www.facebook.com/colettemillerartist . There’s no bull in her ‘wings’, but they are in high demand across the world as everyone from tourists, locals, businessmen and celebrities want a piece of her brush stroke.

Her art has been influenced by many cultures including the Middle East, Europe, China, Tibet, Africa (where she painted a mural for an orphanage) and the Americas. She finds vast emotional, physical, mental stimulus and inspiration in the surrounding environment and her hand spreads the ideas across the canvas. She’s painted since childhood, making her designs reflect the peace of the composition’s subject and colors. The spiritualism used in its creation and found in its projection is a driving force in her desire to create a mystical remembrance.

Her angelic talent has caught the attention/interest of artistic minds from Kenya, West Virginia, Virginia, LA, Sydney and Washington DC with future work scheduled for New York and a recent trip to Australia commissioned by Arts Brookfield earned her seven spots at major properties in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney which were on display throughout October. A Nairobi Kenya boxing association named their team Koyale Wings Miller after her art.

The creation of her art can come from oil based mediums, or acrylic paint for the wings, on top of canvas, paper or wood with UV paint sunscreen, varnishes and sometimes placed on adhesive vinyl when pieces need to be removed. But there’s no limit to what she’ll use if there’s a need to expand. She also makes sure her work is durable so it’ll last outdoors against the elements.

She’s populated the world with around 30 pairs so far, from her current residence fittingly The City of Angels to the impoverished walls of Nairobi. She’s painted in some rough neighborhoods, intent to make her art instill feelings of safety and hope against the most barren and desolate backgrounds.

Her first pair was inspired from a need she saw in society to repel negativity in the spring of 2012 and by July she’d completed them. The collective message of each pair in part says “we can be angels in this world and the good in humanity.” They are at face value and in detail nice, pleasant images, unique to look at and full of abstraction and real symbols of peace. Life sized so people can stand between them and feel good about themselves, angelic, protected or all three. Her first two creations were graffiti art, though illegal, garnered positive attention from the community inspiring many to take spontaneous pictures with them and as more were made posting pictures on social media. After taking a movable pair to the Autumn Lights Festival and exposing them to a larger audience she was granted permission for a Main Street display by mutual friend Joe Moller via TK Nagano. She also received attention from the LA Mayor who came out, took photos and became a supporter.

Her animal art comes from oils and canvas and a meditative compensation she receives from her mind and life experiences as an impressionist. She characterizes herself as a colorist, letting the different shades harmonize with themselves. Her pieces include Alien on a Plane with Crows, Crows on a Fence, Flying Pink Pig, and China’s Hungry (Panda in a Bamboo Forest).

She’s also looked into the camera’s eye veering into editing and producing for projects on water shortage in Burkina Faso, eco-news in Tibet and sustainable fishing in Alaska. Also presently in post is a film on corruption in Kenya. She also paints sets for TV and movies in LA.

For those familiar with the band GWAR, Miller has early musical ties to the band of dressed up monster players and gore-fed, spewing noise makers. From 1986-87, she embraced playing Amazina aka GWAR Girl, after sharing the stage briefly with Heather Broome aka The Temptress, who left in 1986, she was the sole female in the group in the early days of the original band performing on stage. Working construction to survive, enduring mother-nature’s wrath and cold showers while the band was living in the old dairy plant turned warehouse, the Milk Bottle, in Richmond Virginia she studied/worked on art, attending VCU. While attending university she also played keyboards in MILK, a spontaneous performance art band with Jim Thompson, Ron Curry, Tom Harris, Mark Linkous and Dave Brockie aka the voice of GWAR, Oderus Urungus. Miller along with the others did double duty a few times when Milk opened for GWAR putting the GWAR garb on directly after. Later on in ‘87 personal differences caused Miller to leave.

Earlier this year in March Brockie passed away from an accidental heroin overdose closing the 50 billion year run of his alter ego and the sole original member, ending an era and leaving the bands future unknown. A private service was followed by a public memorial held at Hadad’s Lake in Richmond with fans, friends and former band members including Miller paying their respects, ending with a Viking funeral send off to the Oderus Urungus costume and character. Miller recently created a pair of wings for the GWAR tribute show in LA featuring rare footage, drawings, costume designs and band tour shirts covering the 1990-1994 era(Miller was in South Africa during that time) with photos by former slave pit girl Melanie Mandl.

Miller has very cherished memories of Brockie and the bands beginnings. Each era of GWAR had chapters and hers was the most vintage and less raunchy and bloody. She joked “I was in the rated G version” if that’s possible. She’s seen the evolution/reinvention of characters that have kept the band and its legacy going strong. He was and still is very popular and fondly remembered in Richmond as he is around the world. Thirty years later, she’s happy to see a female member take an active front stage, vocal position. Michael Bishop aka Blothar was chosen as Urungus’s successor accompanied by the first female presence since 2000, Vulvatron aka Kung Fu Dyke Kim Dylla. Miller saw the band for the first time in years earlier this month at the House of Blues and was impressed with the costumes and music. She also has a pair of wings in front of the venue.

Vulvatron and her large prosthetic blood spewing breasts made their debut this year at Riot fest in Chicago. The slave pit will never be the same. Though the two represent complete different era’s, Vulvatron as a strong, empowered female role showcases the ascension and prominence of women in the once all male dominated world of metal. It remains to be seen if all the scumdogs of the universe accept an Oderus-less GWAR and their new gor-i-fied reigning queen. Miller will always hold dear and sacred the original inspiration and spirit of what a ragtag bunch of art-school students started as an oddity in the mid-eighties in a cold milk bottle shaped warehouse that spawned and spanned a 30 year history.

Miller’s wings have become her trademark, recently transcending mediums into stained glass. Her next upcoming project will be a trip to Juarez Mexico for four pairs promoting messages of hope for humanity and it’s revitalization against drug cartels and violence. She’ll continue making them as long as there’s a demand, desire, need and a personal calling to create them while giving the world hope.

www.colettemiller.com

First posted here http://www.shortandsweetnyc.com/2014/12/colette-miller-giving-the-world-wings/ on www.shortandsweetnyc.com

---

Technorati Tags: Colette,Miller,World,Wings,Mike,Ritchie,talent,palate,life,trucks,Virginia,York,California,Africa,Tanzania,signature,angel,bull,tourists,locals,businessmen,celebrities,Middle,East,Europe,China,Tibet,mural,orphanage,Americas,stimulus,inspiration,environment,canvas,peace,composition,creation,projection,remembrance,attention,Kenya,West,Sydney,Washington,Australia,Arts,Brookfield,properties,Perth,Melbourne,October,Nairobi,association,team,Koyale,mediums,paper,wood,adhesive,vinyl,residence,Angels,neighborhoods,backgrounds,message,abstraction,symbols,creations,graffiti,media,Autumn,Lights,Festival,audience,permission,Main,Street,friend,Moller,Nagano,Mayor,photos,supporter,compensation,impressionist,Alien,Plane,Crows,Fence,Pink,Hungry,Panda,Bamboo,Forest,shortage,Burkina,Faso,news,Alaska,Also,corruption,movies,band,GWAR,players,noise,makers,From,Amazina,Girl,Heather,Broome,construction,wrath,warehouse,Milk,Bottle,Richmond,performance,Thompson,Curry,Harris,Mark,Linkous,Dave,Brockie,Oderus,Urungus,Later,differences,Earlier,March,member,bands,Hadad,Lake,funeral,costume,tribute,footage,drawings,shirts,South,Melanie,Mandl,memories,beginnings,chapters,version,evolution,legacy,Michael,Bishop,Blothar,successor,presence,Vulvatron,Kung,Dyke,Dylla,House,Blues,costumes,music,venue,blood,debut,Riot,Chicago,Though,role,showcases,ascension,prominence,women,universe,students,history,trademark,Juarez,Mexico,messages,revitalization,drug,cartels,violence,facebook,slave,shortandsweetnyc

Album Review: Rosa’s Lounge by Howard and the White Boys

Howard and the White Boys: Chicago’s favorite Sons, a Cool Breeze in the Windy City.

Album Review by Joseph Timmons: Xombiewoof Magazine

Howard & the White Boys, founded by Howard McCullum (Vocals, Bass), Jim Christopulos (Drums), Rocco Calipari(Guitar), Pete Galanis (Guitar), was formed in 1988 and began jamming together just for fun, but their fast-growing popularity soon convinced them they could make a career of it. Their reputation grew in Chicago and after a short period of times, and many great gigs, they got their first big break by opening for B.B. King. Soon after, they began performing with the biggest names in blues: Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Albert King, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry. Howard and the White Boys sing the blues and live a musically charmed life to a loyal fan base that grows with every performance they play.

Rosa's Lounge, the most recent offering, is named after the legendary Chicago club where the band's new CD was recorded. Captured live on one of those magical nights where the crowd and band are both fueled with energy and passionate revel. Howard and the White Boys play one of its best sets ever, proving they are one of the best live Blues bands to grace the nighttime stage.

Rosa's Lounge has been touted as a favorite of many music critics and those in the know, The Chicago Sun-Times recently said "You can't see this high-energy, good time band at a club without leaving with a smile on your face." The band is now focusing on touring to support the new CD and working on material for their next one.

Rosa's Lounge is an expression of human experience, songs of love, loss and all that lay between, Howard and The White Boys hit the nail on the head with this album, precision performance and a creative composition that makes this a great Live album to not only listen to, but you can’t help but want to sing along. This album is captivating and solid, with reverence to the Blues but a thoroughly light hearted approach. Rosa's Lounge speaks volumes in every song, from the powerful opening track Heat Seeing Missile to the 11^th track That’s Alright, Rosa's Lounge is pure live excitement, Howard and the White Boys have certainly made their soft feathery bed of impassioned harmonious bliss, the Blues have been good to these fortunate sons of the Chicago music scene, in this “City on the Make”.

Check out their web site http://www.howardandthewhiteboys.net for more info, engagements and where to get their music, you can also find them on Facebook

---

Technorati Tags: Album,Review,Rosa,Lounge,Howard,White,Boys,Chicago,Sons,breeze,Windy,Joseph,Timmons,Xombiewoof,Magazine,McCullum,Vocals,Bass,Christopulos,Drums,Rocco,Calipari,Guitar,Pete,Galanis,reputation,gigs,Soon,blues,Koko,Taylor,Otis,Rush,Albert,Junior,Wells,Lonnie,Brooks,Luther,Allison,Diddley,Chuck,Berry,life,performance,band,nights,energy,bands,music,critics,Times,songs,precision,composition,Live,reverence,song,Heat,Missile,excitement,bliss,Make,Check,info,Facebook

Ninth Annual JDRF Benefit Weekend for Sonny at Club Panama

From The Pit – Music and Show Reviews

By Mike Ritchie

October 4th and 5th Club Panama hosted the annual For Love of Sonny tribute fundraiser to help raise funds and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes treatment and research.

This year’s local supporters included Simply Delicious, Schaeffers Amusements Co, Janeen and Joel Naugle for bringing the sweet stuff, Rudy’s Smoke House BBQ, Keg & Cork and Letters to the Blind for CD donation. Other area sponsors included Fazolis, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Roosters, O’Charleys, Frickers, Chucky Cheese, Cracker Barrel and Golden Corral with all proceeds going to the JDRF. Not only was this the ninth year for love of Sonny but it was also the 25th year anniversary of Panama bringing metal through the door. In ’89 Susie Maynard put her foot down and welcomed the headbangers.

Friday’s show included Mike Defendant, Fletcher Munson, From Silence to Violence, Abrade the Regal and The Reefer Hut.

Columbus transplant Mike Defendant brought the acoustic acolytes back to Springfield opening the ninth annual weekend fresh off a tour with Dead Kennedy’s and TBH. Like last year he brought the hardcore punk and acoustic fury out of his six strings. Plus drinking since 10am helped the creative improvisation flow better. He warned or depending on your POV guaranteed this would be the best or worst thing you’ll ever hear, at least for that night anyway.

Acoustic tunes with speed metal plucking include religion, imaginary friends (his are better than yours and better connected) and a tune about the joys of radio friendly smash hits that never get played. If there’s anything the road’s taught him it’s that there was absolutely no nutritional value in early morning alcohol. He continued with the off the cuff, chaotic, falling off the limb with slight irreverence stepping forward backwards, pacing between the left and right hand paths performance only he could do. Bringing the electricity out of the acoustic he sung a pretty song about having phone sex with your mother. The question was who hangs up first? His music obviously inspired by SOD and Napalm Death run the length of a few of their old school tunes.

Fletcher Munson was next playing a set of originals with a few varied covers. Not many bands played GWAR and Neil Young in the same show. With a blend of blues, rock and metal inspired with a jam groove they opened with a tribute to the late Oderus Urungus, as we traveled on the Road Behind. They get original on the Vicious Cycle and Crystal. It was a time warp protest trip back to 1970 and Kent Ohio, courtesy of the Crazy Horse. There’s some sort of Mental Delay, in the music they love to play, could be due to the love of ‘the drop’, Raging Alcoholic’s fuel their stomp. It was no secret they came off sounding a bit Wooden but it’s all for the love of those Butthole Surfers. There’s a certain Hypnotic element to Fletch, maybe it’s the punk rock blue grass attitude of Growing Marijuana.

Troy’s From Silence to Violence started Halloween early with Phil Rindler opening the show in animated ninja attire. The first of the weekend ‘heavies’ busted open an early can of screamin’ hardcore, metalcore with a few sung verses of reality based tunes about partying and the positive/negative aspects of life. Don’t go trick or treating with them, you don’t know What’s in the Bag. Started in late 2012, they’ve opened for Dead by Wednesday and Bobaflex and a video for What’s in the Bag is upcoming.

Abrade the Regal always brings the infectious groove and the ‘table top’ musicianship. Finding that happy balance between rock and metal without being in mosh territory but heavy enough for a ‘good head bang dance’. Like any band that’s ever played a loud riff they scream at the World and everything that pisses them off.

The Reefer Hut finished the evening metaphorically putting blood on the wall with a full frontal thrash party and a small but dedicated pit. Mosh pit stompers included the tattooed, metal and proud Inner Pride. Don’t judge a man with a guitar, a black t-shirt and a mic unless you’ve read his lyrics or carried his gear. It’s a Pantera pummeling and there’s No Turning Back from the eardrum Abuse as the guitar chords of Sleep Dred did more damage than Freddy’s glove. They concluded night one with an inspirational neck wrecker about Moving Forward from bad situations and negative sh#@. A politely yelled, screamed encore was requested.

 

Saturday Oct 4th

The second evening gave us Blackout Method, National Headcase, Chronic Aggression, Legbone and Letters to the Blind, and as the evening progressed everyone in the Springfield metal scene came. It was a claustrophobic but friendly crowd, with beer and shots flowing with a long sometime short list of raffle ticket winners growing with several earning ‘repeat offender’ status. Saturday could also be the first time someone won a Chuck E Cheese prize in a bar. Winner was subject to height check.

Blackout Method covered the early evening with a set ranging from early Sabbath/Manson to modern day heavy metal Elvis. No better way to start then with some Dumb Luck, Red Line Chemistry style. If only Alice in Chains and Scott Weiland had joined forces. We all went Down (under) with the Sick Puppies, Face to the Floor courtesy of Chevelle. We heard the face painted Warriors Call and got ready to rumble with Volbeat. Rage poured with the Bulls on Parade. We got Sap and we liked it courtesy of Got Me Wrong. They went as old-school as metal goes to the original ‘nativity’ then went a few years forward paying respect to the holy ‘horned one’, on and on, it’s Heaven and Hell. Sadly a crash course in brain surgery had to be postponed but they ended on a trippy note and the death of the 60’s, it’s coming down fast, it’s Helter Skelter.

If you took snake bit blood from Down, COC and Crowbar, spliced it together just right then had something go horribly wrong at the last minute, you’d get the loud, striking serpents tongue in the ear of National Headcase. Playing with two turbine steel ripping guitars, they’re kinda like a metalheads Rush, with a few prog face smacks.

They sliced the crowd open with the razor sharp swamp water riffs of Welcome to the Fallout. The well Worked Over walls of Panama shook with the good heavy vibrations of Brother’s Keeper. The fast galloping drums and guitars on This Sacrifice Endures played the tale of any and all sacrifices made in life.

They played the prophecy of the Oracle, with its early-priest-like opening. Digging riffs down deep into the lower depths of long buried darkness. Don’t dig up what’s not meant to be found. It was a seven and a half minute plus monster chugger fueled by that special made swamp gas. Vultures ended with a tool kit of instrumentalization, thrash vocals with a Chrome Division shine and COC non-conformity.

Springfield’s had a chronic case of loud aggression since December 1999 driven by the raspy vocals of Joe Stafford and the Accept meets Overkill sounds of Chronic Aggression. The thrash of the New Jersey stomp was brought forth and hither with the Neighborhood Dispatch. They brought the crowd to the front including house security for the crowd pleaser sing along Balls to the Wall, Udo would be proud.

The Legbone’s been hit, popped, cracked and knocked out of socket a few times since the early 90’s but the Dayton based punk veterans keep on playing bringing the crowds up front surrounding the stage in an old-school punk gathering. Watching the group of fans boxing in the stage, getting uber close you couldn’t help but remember the days predating mosh pits when punks and kids just came to a show and bounced up and down with spikes (on the wrist, hand, hair or elsewhere) in the air.

They’ve played with hardcore legends DRI, Gang Green and the Casualties. They played tunes about beer, partying and of course, more beer that have kept them going. They’re newest CD It Leads to Poverty is available now.

The Ninth Annual weekend closed with Letters to the Blind, the only band to bring electric drums. Playing their fourth show ever they began with “Once”, painting a progressively heavy picture with power and death metal elements. Though they have a short scene history their members date back to the Biogenesis days. Throughout the set guitarist Blaine Gordon showed of Satriani like skills, As Color Fades casted a Dream Theater like quality over the club. They talked about the drones in line following the status quo indulging the late night stayers in a few more new tunes. Their five track EP is available at shows and online.

Club Panama thanks everyone involved in this year’s benefit, all the bands who played and everyone who came and rocked out for Sonny.

From Silence to Violence, Abrade the Regal, Letters to the Blind, Chronic Aggression and Legbone images courtesy of Joel Naugle .

All others by Mike Ritchie

Read more from the pit articles and reviews by Mike Ritchie on his web site www.coveringthescene.com

---

Technorati Tags: Ninth,Annual,JDRF,Benefit,Weekend,Sonny,Club,Panama,From,Music,Reviews,Mike,Ritchie,October,Love,tribute,fundraiser,Juvenile,Diabetes,treatment,supporters,Delicious,Schaeffers,Amusements,Joel,Naugle,Rudy,House,Cork,Letters,Blind,donation,area,Fazolis,Lobster,Olive,Garden,Roosters,Charleys,Frickers,Chucky,Cheese,Cracker,Barrel,Golden,Corral,anniversary,door,Susie,Maynard,foot,Defendant,Fletcher,Munson,Silence,Violence,Abrade,Regal,Reefer,Columbus,acolytes,Springfield,Dead,Kennedy,fury,Plus,improvisation,Acoustic,religion,joys,radio,road,alcohol,limb,irreverence,paths,performance,song,Napalm,Death,length,originals,bands,GWAR,Neil,Young,blues,Oderus,Urungus,Behind,Vicious,Cycle,Crystal,Kent,Ohio,courtesy,Crazy,Horse,Mental,Delay,Alcoholic,Wooden,Butthole,Surfers,Hypnotic,Fletch,attitude,Marijuana,Troy,Phil,Rindler,attire,heavies,verses,aspects,life,Bobaflex,band,World,blood,Mosh,Inner,Pride,shirt,lyrics,gear,Pantera,Back,eardrum,Abuse,chords,Sleep,Freddy,neck,Forward,situations,Blackout,Method,National,Headcase,Chronic,Aggression,beer,ticket,winners,offender,status,Chuck,Winner,Sabbath,Manson,Elvis,Dumb,Luck,Line,Chemistry,Alice,Chains,Scott,Weiland,Down,Sick,Puppies,Face,Floor,Chevelle,Warriors,Call,Volbeat,Rage,Bulls,Parade,Wrong,Heaven,Hell,brain,surgery,Helter,Skelter,Crowbar,serpents,tongue,Rush,Welcome,Fallout,Over,vibrations,Brother,Keeper,Sacrifice,Endures,tale,prophecy,Oracle,priest,Vultures,tool,vocals,Chrome,Division,December,Stafford,Accept,Overkill,Jersey,Dispatch,Balls,Wall,socket,Dayton,veterans,hair,Gang,Casualties,Leads,fourth,Once,Though,history,Biogenesis,Throughout,Blaine,Gordon,Satriani,skills,Color,Fades,Dream,Theater,stayers,Read,guitar,guitars