August 2003 Show Reviews

MAD SIN U.S. TOUR:
MAD SIN
12 STEP REBELS
DRAGSTRIP DEMONS
THE SLANDERIN
LOBO NEGRO
JUNE 14, 2003 @ Showcase Theatre (Corona, CA)
By Aland Failde

First band to play was Lobo Negro. The band plays fast and aggressive psychobilly in the vein of Demented Are Go, along with a few slower, more rockabilly songs. The upright bassist was very impressive in his slapping skill, and the band managed to receive a lot of crowd participation. Watch out for this group in the future.
Next on the bill was a band by the name of The Slanderin. I own their latest release and really like it, so I was looking forward to the set. Their style is also very similar to that of Demented Are Go, but they are very distinguishable because not only because the singer has a very funny stage personality, but also because he is one of the biggest guys I have ever seen. The only negative to the style is that all of the songs start sounding the same by the end of the set. Otherwise, they're great!
Now it was time for Dragstrip Demons. The band followed the trend of sounding similar to Demented Are Go. The group did very well. Most notable was the upright bassist, who kept balancing on his bass. That was very impressive and really got the crowd pumped up. They played a short set, ending it with a cover of the Misfits song "We Bite".

12 Step Rebels next took the stage. The group hails from blazing hot Arizona. I felt that this probably was the most talented of the opening acts. Their style is very similar to that of Demented Are Go, but they are able to pull it off through a very energetic live show and great presence on stage. The psychobillys seemed to really go crazy for the band, which in turn made the group become even more energetic. I would love to see these guys play again.

Finally, it was time for the infamous Mad Sin. It was the first time the group has toured the U.S. in the 15 years that they have been around. This was history in the making. You could feel the tension in the crowd, everyone highly anticipating the performance of this legendary psychobilly band. Members of Demented Are Go and Nekromantix were among the crowd. The band went through each fast and pounding song without letting their energy slide. Through a thick German accent, everyone could understand one thing: Mad Sin was there to fucking rock! The best song played all night was "Speak No Evil", which was played with such intensity that the group could have left the stage right then and there and no one would have complained. They surpassed every expectation I'd had. The crowd went nuts for them. If you're into psychobilly and don't own any Mad Sin albums, all I can tell you is to go get educated. Their music had already made them legends in the scene, but now, with a U.S. tour under their belts, they have solidified their place in psychobilly history. The show was ended with a few encore songs for their loyal fan base, the last one being "Riot in Paradise"—but changed to "Riot in Corona Tonight".

X-FEST 2003
June 15, 2003 @ Coors Amphitheater (Chula Vista, CA)
By Annette Ovanessian

San Diego's popular alternative radio station 91X put together a great line-up of rock bands at this year's X-Fest: Staind, The Transplants, The Used, Finch, Hot Hot Heat, Slightly Stoopid, and Agent 51. I was really anxious to see all those great bands in one day, but was it really worth my two-hour drive? Well, let's put it this way: Would you like to spend $20 filling up your whole gas tank to get there and then have to pay $10 to park in a foot-high, weedy field—and THEN not be able to eat or drink anything at the venue because a small coke was $4? But besides those hassles, it was worth it. At least I didn't have to pay for my tickets! I don't think it would be worth it to pay $50 bucks to get in PLUS all the extra fees. You're looking at a $100 concert here.

The one thing I like about the Coors Amphitheater is the stage. It's big enough so that you can see the performers from anywhere you sit. Also, it is one of the few venues that provide two big screens on each side of the stage. If you have lawn seats, you can watch the performance without the use of binoculars. Using three different stages, the promoters separated the bands by popularity. They must have had to tally up each bands record sales to determine who goes on which stage.

I got there as The Used were almost finished, so I didn't get a chance to observe their performance. However, I did get a chance to witness a sample of their character as they signed autographs. They were really nice, and they posed for some pictures I was taking of them from the side of the tables. The line to get their autographs was off the hook, and this really told me that they have made a ton of fans really quickly in their game. Word had it that Kelly Osbourne was there, although I didn't see her myself. If she was, we all know why!

As Finch took the stage, I was ready to take pictures from the barricades. It was hard to get a good shot of the singer because he is the type of performer that doesn't stay in one place. I am not the biggest fan of the band's music, but I thought maybe their performance would tell a different story. However, I was not impressed. I guess I was more shocked that the singer of Finch is this really cute little guy who can continuously belt out screams and extremely high notes for a long period of time like his throat doesn't hurt. Besides my lack of interest in their music, I noticed that the singer had no interaction with his audience. His back was facing us the whole time he was prancing around on stage. Instead of pleasing the crowd in front of him, he spent more time singing in front of his drummer. This is a fairly new band, so hopefully they will take my type of criticism as learning tools for future performances.

Over by the East-stage, Agent 51 really impressed me. I heard that they were a San Diego band, so the show was like home for them. At least the radio station brought out a few local bands that are not as easily recognized as the rest. Agent 51 sounds like a stylistic cross of The Clash and The Ramones with a 21st-century twist. You could tell that they are a close-knit band that really spends time choreographing their performance. I will definitely check them out again when they head up to my town.

I ran over to check out the last few songs by Hot Hot Heat on the West-stage, and they just blew me away! The singer is what I call a damn good vocalist. That guy can really sing! He seems a bit conceited, but that didn't phase me a bit because the songs I heard were just incredible. Now I just might buy their album! Extremely vigorous and confident, Hot Hot Heat left the stage in flames.

I ran back to the East-stage to check out Slightly Stoopid. They are also a San Diego band, so they had their own local fan base there just to support them during the show. I saw a group full of girls who wore crop tops and wrote "Slightly Stoopid" all over their bodies. I thought to myself, "What a bunch of groupies"; but I saw myself in the barricades surrounded by all these girls, and I felt like one, too. Yes, the band members are good-looking guys, but foremost I appreciate their music. The Slightly Stoopid sound is on the reggae-rock tip, with a tremendous amount of influence of Sublime. Displaying extreme poise and self-confidence, they can turn the party out!

One of the biggest reasons I went to this show was to see The Transplants. I've seen them a few times before, but I just can't get over what an awesome collaboration of musicians are involved within the band. I mean, they have Tim Armstrong from Operation Ivy and Rancid, as well as Travis Barker from The Aquabats, Blink 182, and Box Car Racer. Can a band get any better than this? The Transplants performance was the unquestionable highlight of my night. They disport themselves on stage with incredible personality and a "free-ball" attitude, which allows the audience to get involved in the mix, creating the perfect mood for Staind to come out and slow the pace with some hardcore ballads.

I had never seen Staind perform. Although I really like Staind's music and I know that Arron Lewis (vocalist/guitarist) can sing really well, the only thing that bothered me was that I got a feeling from him that he didn't want to be there. It seemed like he wanted to get the show over with and didn't care that all the people paid big money just to see the headliner. They did a great job, but I thought that Arron could have been more appreciative of his audience. I think he said "thank you" once throughout his performance. However, he sings with much clarity and incredible strength, and that erases my negative impression.
In conclusion, I think it would have been better to have The Transplants headlining the show; but on the whole X-Fest was a fantastic mix of rock musicians to see in just one day.

THE STEREO
EVERYBODY ELSE
MIND DRIVER
TICKERTAPE PARADE
TREEPHORT
JUNE 19, 2003 @ Chain Reaction (Anaheim, CA)
By Aland Failde

First, allow me to start this review by thanking Jon at Chain Reaction for being a jerk to me at the show. Thanks, Jon, I really appreciated the attitude after driving an hour with the flu. Now that I've dispensed with that, let's start by talking about the band Treephort. The band's music consists of a wide range of styles, from hardcore to pop-punk to emo. The music is not what the band is about; it relies on its live show to wow audiences. From a keyboardist wearing nothing but a thong to a guitarist with a really bad haircut, the band is really funny live. The end of their show was spectacular, consisting of both the singer and the keyboardist chugging milk until they puked their brains out on stage. Seeing the faces of all those disgusted girls brought a smile to my face.

Next up was the band Tickertape Parade (from AZ). The band's three-guitarist approach gave it a solid sound. What the band lacked in energy was made up for in a very solid live sound. The music is modern emo-rock in the vein of The Stereo. Nothing really exciting happened during the set.

Next up was Mind Driver. I've heard about this band for a while and was wondering what all the hype was about. After seeing the live show, I've come to the realization that Mind Driver is the little brother New Found Glory never had...nor wanted. The band has managed to both mimic the NFG sound and the pre-teen female fan base. Once you get through the screaming little girls and highly unoriginal sound, you find a decent pop-rock/emo band with a tight sound and an energetic live show.

The fourth band to take the stage was Everybody Else. This three-piece plays a kind of Weezer-esque rock 'n' roll that you would hear on THE GREEN ALBUM. The singer/guitarist puts on a really great live show, while his bassist/sidekick does absolutely nothing on stage. Someone feed that guy some Red Bull before the shows, PLEASE. The drummer was very solid. The only thing I didn't like was that he kept standing up from his drum set and walking out in front of the crowd. At one point he even spit water on the audience, which leads me to the question: "Why do some drummers think they're so cool?" I would recommend seeing Everybody Else to anyone who is a fan of the O.C. pop-rock style. The band puts on a great show.

Last but not least was The Stereo. This group has been around forever, and I finally got a chance to see them live. They played some new material, which sounded great. Along with some old favorites, they played some acoustic songs, which set a nice mood. The Stereo is very energetic live and knows how to please the fans. Vocalist Jamie has a good sense of humor, and he was joking with the audience the entire night. At one point he even mumbled, "Your shorts are a little skort" to a few girls in the front. For being a vocalist, he had a little trouble formulating sentences that night. However, overall The Stereo were very enjoyable, and I recommend them to anyone who has an interest in solid pop-rock.

ONELINEDRAWING
CARDIA
BLEU
ACCEPTANCE
July 9, 2003 @ The Knitting Factory—Tap Bar (New York, NY)
By Davie Kaufmann

If only Jonah Matranga (ex-Far frontman and current creative maestro behind Onelinedrawing) knew the irony of his opening number. Preceded by a lone R2-D2 toy blaring Khia's "My Neck, My Back", the latest oral-sex anthem to dominate mainstream airwaves, he took the stage and launched into "Bitte Ein Kuss"—the latest oral-sex anthem that will NEVER dominate mainstream airwaves, stopping midway during the song to wax philosophical on what seemed to be his favorite sexual tenet for the night: "If you don't give it, you're never going to get it." It was supposed to be fun and lighthearted, and he garnered a generous amount of giggles from his audience. The stark contrast between the Clear Channel-approved sex song and Matranga's own, however, brought to mind an entirely serious concept: how completely pathetic the existence of the novelty song is in our already-bland and oversaturated popular-music culture. If only songs like the light and breezy "Bitte Ein Kuss" (which is from his most recent album, VISITOR) had a chance. But don't feel sorry for Matranga: he has spent the better part of a decade rocking out with an audience that is happy to learn and grow with their pied piper; and as he manages to make every show feel like an intimate living room affair no matter how large the venue, his TRUE success is very, very apparent.

The set was diverse (and long—almost two hours), spanning all of Onlinedrawing's existence (splits, EPs, and an LP), the earlier stages of Matranga's career (Far), and even borrowing from the careers of others (his vulnerable yet controlled yowl, for example, is a natural fit for covering a Sugarcubes number). No doubt that voice is his most valuable asset. It is the instrument that made songs like "14-41" click. Nothing sounds or feels better than an inter-song clash between Matranga's heavenly falsetto and hell-raising hardcore scream.
As for the opening acts, all three could stand to learn a thing or two from their headliner. Most embarrassing was Acceptance's multiple (yes, multiple) pleas for additional applause. News flash to the band: deviation from sugar-coated mall-core emo could have greatly helped your cause. Cardia, for all their talent, didn't seem to be having any fun at all. And Bleu's slow-motion scat and tacky choruses? Pass.

Closing the show with an a cappella version of "Crush on Everyone", his eyes half-closed and a hand on his chest, Matranga sang with all the gusto and genius of his generation's great voices (Jeff Buckley, Bjork, and so on). Never one to take himself too seriously, however, he made time to trade jokes with the crowd (hecklers included). "Music belongs in folks' lives," he had said earlier that night. The statement was simple, poignant, and smacked of unpretentious truth…just like his music. (www.onelindrawing.com)

Curl Up and Die
Taken
Darkest Hour
Foresight
June 15, 2003 @ Hogue Barmichaels (Newport Beach, CA)
By Jon Paul Uritis

There is no other way to say it: this was a good concert, an exemplary display of music in a live environment. Foresight wasn't any good, but both Curl Up and Die and Taken were amazing. And Darkest Hour, though not really my style, was impressive. Overall, it was a very good night for music.

The first band to play was Foresight. The first thing I noticed was that they were all pretty ugly guys (not unlike myself)—so my first assumption was that they must be talented, because ugly people usually have to compensate for their physical shortcomings. I presume that they must be talented in other areas (maybe sculpture), because music wouldn't seem to be their strongest area. They are the perfect example of typical West Coast hardcore. They sounded like they were playing Poison the Well's THE OPPOSITE OF DECEMBER in the wrong order and without the difficult parts on guitar. The singer sounded like he was constantly clearing his throat, and in between songs he kept telling the crowd to circle pit. Thank god only a few idiots actually did it.
I couldn't have been happier when Foresight ended, but I was a little worried that the whole show might be equally as poor. Was I ever wrong! The next band up was Taken. Taken was exceptional. They blew my mind. Every member of that band was extremely talented, but the whole was far greater than the sum of its parts. I was awed the entire performance. Their style reminded me of Cave In, but was notably different. They are great performers—you can just feel the energy and passion. Everything they performed showed the commitment that they had to bringing everyone the true meaning of the music. The crowd had started to grow, and with it came a nice circle pit. The songs held my interest, and each was unique in its own way. To put it simply: Taken = good music.

Curl Up and Die was co-headlining the show, and they were the next band to perform. If you don't know anything about them, this is all you need to know: they are from Las Vegas, they have a lot of energy, and their music kicks ass. When they got on stage, they were very quiet and focused; but the second they started playing, everything changed. It was like spontaneous combustion; they just started going crazy. You can tell that everyone in the band cares a great deal about what they are doing. They just show it in the little things they do—for example, a riff that used only guitar harmonics in the third song, or the way the band worked the crowed in between songs. They were just an all-around good band, from the clothes they wore down to the Refused sticker on the bass. The best part of Curl Up and Die's performance was the way it ended, which was like throwing a match on gasoline. The singer was in the pit, partaking in an act of lunacy: he was acting like a chicken with its head cut off; the bassist was on top of the P.A. speakers putting his two cents in; the guitarist and drummer stayed in pretty much the same place but with their bodies moving such that it didn't seem like it. All in all, it was an exemplary performance.
The final band to perform was Darkest Hour. I have to be honest: I am not a metal fan in any way, but Darkest Hour really impressed me. I don't know if it was the huge drum set, the tattoos, or the fact that ear protection was a much-valued accessory—but Darkest Hour was really good live. They started out by announcing that they were Darkest Hour and that they were from Virginia. Then they began, and I wasn't ready for it. They played loud and fast. Except for the drummer, every member in the band was all over the stage. Their singer was pulling moves like Robert Daltrey, spinning the microphone around and just going nuts. The guitarist was doing things like using his guitar as a machine gun and jumping on the P.A. speakers. At a certain point during the show, somebody picked a fight, and the singer decided to let everybody know that "this tough guy shit has got to go." He continued on giving a small speech about how that if the concert continued on like this, it would eventually just end up being a football practice. I couldn't help but notice that on the television in the background Nascar and basketball were on. I realized that elsewhere in the world people were wasting their minds watching these professional sports, while I was here watching American culture live. It made me pause and think. Darkest Hour recently got a new guitarist, Chris Norris. He was doing a good job. I would say that "Happy Ending" was my favorite song, even though "Messiah Complex" probably had the most action. During "Messiah Complex" some kid in Adidas shorts got totally messed up. He sat down for a moment, but 10 seconds later he was right back in the pit. For the last song, the lead singer commanded everybody to create a circle pit. Needless to say, it was the craziest pit of the night—and a perfect way to cap off the evening. All in all, it was a very good show.

International Pop Overthrow:
The Waking Hours
Army of Freshmen
Copperpot
Addison
Agynst
Big City Rock
Math & Science
July 18, 2003 @ the Knitting Factory (Hollywood, CA)
By Kathleen Rivas

I must give David Bash, the mastermind behind each of the past six International Pop Overthrow events, my respect for coordinating about a month full of the wrongfully-overlooked pop/rock music. According to Bash, "Rock is pop, and pop is rock." The IPO helps give struggling bands some well-deserved recognition in the L.A. music scene. Since each band only had about 25 minutes to perform and there was just five minutes between sets, the IPO also forces bands to set up their equipment faster than I could have ever imagined.

To kick off the first night of the 24-day event, Math & Science—consisting of frontman, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, bassist, and vocalist John Wolf—took the stage to perform his strangely entertaining act with the help of his guitar, voice, four-track, and wit. Performing songs such as "Soundbite", "Disguise", and a charming rendition of The Beatles' "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" showcased his unique on-stage presence, as well as his ability to create genre-blurring music that can be loosely categorized as eclectic, lo-fi rock.

Next up was L.A.-based quartet Big City Rock. With crowd favorites such as "Do You Know What You Want" and "Only If You Want Me To", BCR's energy-driven set had fans both clapping and singing along. Frontman Nate Bott's crazy on-stage antics (such as pumping his fists in the air for a good minute or so, compulsively swaying his head from side to side, and never staying in the same spot for more than two minutes) greatly contribute to BCR's trademark style. The show wouldn't be complete without keyboardist Frank Staniszewski (go ahead and try to pronounce that) and his '80s-inspired keyboard rhythms and flopping afro. Drummer Jeff Conrad maintained the group's well-rounded sound with energetic, powerful drum beats; and Tim Resudek offered his bass skills to close the deal.

The night's third act consisted of a clean-cut young band called Agynst, a clever acronym for "Always Giving You Nice, Sweet Tunes." Despite a few technical difficulties, enduring the tedious flight from hometown Summerville, SC, to Los Angeles paid off for Agynst, as the band received a positive response from the crowd. Delivering refreshing, sweet melodies mixed with a little psychedelic pop, lead singer/rhythm guitarist Scott Gould, lead guitarist/back-up vocalist Drew Reindollar, bassist Kenny Varner, and drummer Matthew Reindollar made their trip to L.A. worthwhile.

Ambitious quartet Addison delivered a sweet taste of pop-energy bliss, keeping the IPO night's musical flavor in full motion. Among favorites such as the sing-along "Off the Wall" and transition-filled "Fire in My Heart" was a fresh, new song with no ending entitled "Tear Me Apart". What makes this band's live show appealing is not only the fluidity of bright-eyed harmonies throughout each song, but also the fact that they rightfully shy away from developing lyrically-arrogant and trendy, testosterone-fueled songs. Addison also proves that songwriting isn't limited to lead singers anymore, as drummer Kenn Shane composes every song—into which vocalist/rhythm guitarist Josh Quinn, lead guitarist Matt Star, and vocalist/bassist Craig Wahl blend their musical abilities to create what is simply good, fun rock.

Kicking off their West Coast tour in L.A. was Rockaway, NJ's Copperpot. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jarrett Randazzo may sing about unavoidable topics such as infatuation and heartache, but somehow he does so in a more unique, structured form than others. Copperpot is full of surprises. They would start off what seemed like a slow song, but then would lash out an echoing guitar hook and infectious drum beat at just the right moment, giving the song a well-rounded, polished appeal. With the support of enthusiastic fans itching to see hear their favorite band's catchy, musically diverse groove of their songs, Copperpot's craftsmanship will definitely not go overlooked much longer.

Ventura, CA's Army of Freshmen are truly in a genre of their own. The group's six members, all overflowing with energy, took the stage and performed a roller-coaster of a set. An undoubtedly optimistic group, I must point out that Army of Freshmen lacked a tight-knit sound. It must have been because of the increasingly fast tempos of their songs that they couldn't always seem to hold it together. This band seemed a little out of place, simply because they were faster and employed less harmony than the other bands. Even though Army of Freshmen are a popular band, their style wasn't appealing enough to suit the musical taste of tonight's crowd.

To close the night, The Waking Hours performed an impressive set—as usual. But I didn't hear my favorite songs, "Hearts" and "Jade", tonight. Better luck next time. The Waking Hours debuted three new songs—"I Got You", "Stand Up", and "Uptown"—all of which had at least half of the crowd dancing and jumping non-stop. The band never forgets to include the song "Sunshine" in their set list, which never fails to have people singing along while making the sun and rain gestures that accompany the song's lyrics. The Waking Hours are always a fun band to see live, and they always seem determined to deliver a great performance to their growing fan base.

Reggie and the Full Effect
Midtown
A Static Lullaby
Motion City Soundtrack
July 19 @ the Glasshouse (Pomona, CA)
By Rich Balling and Charlene Rogers

The evening brings with it a whirlwind of the current melodic scene-definers, a melting pot of good hair, envelope pushers, and a sizzling array of sounds from the unlikely mixture of bands ready to be fed by the Glasshouse into the mouths of the starving young ones eagerly awaiting. All will live their rock-star dreams vicariously through the all-star cast scheduled to take the stage. The players: Motion City Soundtrack, A Static Lullaby, Midtown, Reggie and the Full Effect.
Industry flavor of the week Motion City Soundtrack took the stage first to an already sweaty, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Hailing from Minneapolis, MN, the band's new CD, I AM THE MOVIE, was produced by Ed Rose (Getup Kids, Coalesce, The Appleseed Cast) and had all the heads in the industry spinning, Epitaph finally signing the band. Live they sounded exactly like their CD: tight and full of hooks. The hooks were aiming for sea bass, but must have caught the first Getup Kids EP instead. For fans: you name it, they played it. Full of energy, but a bit stale in style. If you have a soft spot for Moog-induced bubble gum, then visit www.motioncitysoundtrack.com to see what all the hype is about.

Next up, Chino, CA, heroes A Static Lullaby. Touring non-stop is the best thing this band could have done. They are one of the newest additions to the Ferret Music Corporation label (a hardcore safe-haven known to produce such bands as Every Time I Die and From Autumn to Ashes). Tighter than ever, they rocked it all to an aggressive crowd of ninjas who seemed very happy to see the boys home. Members Dan, Phil, and Joe all sharing vocal duties made for an impressive platform of textures. Good people, good music, and good hair—what more could the dreamy-eyed audience ask for? Overall, this band sets themselves apart from the ever-forming herd of scream scream scream with their intense brand of mic-swinging, hard-to-the-core, abstract prose. The band's debut release …AND DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE shows inventive production from master knob-turner Steve Evettes (Snapcase, Saves the Day) and is well worth checking out. You can download the crowd favorite, "The Shooting Star that Destroyed Us All", at their Website (www.astaticlullaby.com) and be equipped to join in the sing-along at their upcoming headlining show at the Glasshouse on September 12 (with No Motiv).

Midtown. It was incredible to see this band back on the West Coast. Showcasing new material and shelling out all the classics, Midtown brought their arena-rock punk to the indie platform with ease. Midtown brought the concept of three vocalists to the current indie-punk arena and continued to show why they hold the title. They also came prepared with two very large racks of guitar-effects pedals, one in front of both guitarists Tyler and Heath. These new toys added extra textures to their new songs not heard in the old ones. "Become What You Hate" and "Just Rock and Roll" are two examples of the many Midtown faves executed in the set. The new songs were excellent, and the hair was looking better than ever (hair—are you beginning to see a theme here?). Hands down one of the highlights of the night, week, month. Both albums make me want to go out and get a tattoo of this band—seriously. Haven't seen Midtown? Do yourself a favor….
Reggie and the Full Effect was the show's main act. Cheese never tasted so good—especially on the nachos Reggie himself ordered at the snack bar in the back while continuing to sing the song "F-O-O-D" (from their latest album UNDER THE TRAY) on his cordless microphone. These mustachioed, mullet-wearing hunks put on by far the most entertaining live show this year. Behind the dancing, antics, and costumes that had these six young rockers (in their best Ron Jeremy) were members of Getup Kids, Coalesce, and Hot Rod Circuit, making the mystery surrounding Reggie all the more worthwhile to take in. The GREATEST HITS, PROMOTIONAL COPY, and UNDER THE TRAY albums were all equally represented in 60+ minutes worth of set time. Teenage hearts continued to flutter as Chad from New Found Glory took the stage...in a big bear suit. Later, our beloved dancing bear came back out—now stripped of his fur—and added an aggressive scream to the already-blistering rock that kept every body in the room moving. Reggie could be upstaged only by Common Denominator and Fluxuation, who ended the show. Fluxuation came out on roller blades wearing a powdered wig and full British attire. Fun. The act that upstaged it all was the Finnish black-metal counterpart to Reggie, Common Denominator, who closed the show in black cape and face paint with the now-infamous classic "Dwarf Invasion". Go see Reggie and the Full Effect as soon as possible.

SIXER
TURBO A.C.'S
HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS
July 24, 2003 @ the Green Door (Oklahoma City, OK)
By H. Barry Zimmerman

Me and my people (a bunch of middle-aged punks) hooked up at the usual pre-gig pad. We drank beers for peace and tequila shots for war. (The smoke was for neutrality.) We loaded up and got on the road. It's 25 miles from Norman (where we live) to OKC and the Green Door. We listened to CCR and All as we sliced through the ultra-familiar. And then we were there. We parked in back.

I could hear High School Hellcats from the alley that ran between the Green Door and Size Records. We motored on down the sidewalk, and we were in. By the time we weaved through the crowd, got a round, and made our way to the band, High School Hellcats were breaking into their final number of the night. It was a really "right on" version of the mighty Motley Crue's "Kickstart My Heart". The audience howled. This is Motley Crue country. Boom—and they were done.

The Green Door had cleared all of the speakers from the floor. This bit of housecleaning opened up the floor's checkerboard design to mingle with the vertical stripes along the skirt of the stage in a highly trippy pattern shift. A very effective, cheap 15 seconds worth of entertainment. Wow. This also made the stage seem longer. A very constructive use of space. Bravo. And it's time for more drinks. It's all the free-flowing space—makes me extra thirsty.

The lights went down, desert music came over the speakers, and a voice repeated "Can you dig it?" over and over. Then, New York City's Turbo A.C.'s turned it on. The big, scraping, metallic sound of guitar picks sliding up the neck of revved-up axes and pulse-pounding drum brutality swallowed the room, and Turbo A.C.'s launched into the first song of a gung-ho, pedal-to-the-floor set from hell—a real power trio punkin' out with classic-rock sensibilities. Rocking way too hard for it to be a one-night fluke, Turbo A.C.'s have got it. My entire crew was floored. This was why we came. The band did mostly songs from their latest album, AUTOMATIC (on Gearhead Records and recorded by the legendary asshole Blag Dahlia of The Dwarves), including "Nightmare" and "Way of the Devil". The last couple of songs seemed a little less intense. I think that they just ran out of gas. Sometimes you have got to know when to quit. Outside of that, God damn it, they tore the shit up! Seriously, I was completely blown away.

" Coming up next is Sixer...the greatest band in the world," the Turbo kids shouted as they cleared the stage. I thought, If that band that just rocked it that hard is saying that, man alive! I strapped myself to my seat and waited with massive, throbbing anticipation. Soon, the lights faded, and Sixer fired it up. Sixer was good. I wouldn't say that they were the greatest band in the world; I wouldn't even say that they were the greatest band on the bill; but Sixer rocks. This West Virginia quartet sounds a lot like Social Distortion—a hard-edged version of porch music. Sixer's energy was good. The band maneuvered around the stage like Mexican jumping beans on low-grade catapults. I didn't think that Sixer was boring, but I did find them a little typical. I enjoyed a lot of their songs, including a country-tinged romp called "Can't Seem to Find My Way Home". But my red light went off when I saw how much of Sixer's merchandise incorporated the Dixie flag. When I see that flag, I don't get Southern pride, I see the KKK. I'm not accusing Sixer of being Klansmen or bigots, I'm just saying that that flag has been hijacked and used as a symbol of evil by evil—and so, no matter how badly some want to hold on to Jefferson Davis and the so-called glory of the South, that flag will forever be associated with the likes of David Duke. Sorry, Sixer, I couldn't buy a T-shirt.

Overall, it was a rocking night. The Turbo A.C.'s have become one of my favorite bands of the moment. Wow. And Sixer and the High School Hellcats did it up. Keep your axes in the air and the volume through the roof. Cheers.

MISFITS FIEND FEST (PROJECT 1950):
THE MISFITS
THE DAMNED
THE DICKIES
AGNOSTIC FRONT
BALZAC
DI
July 27, 2003 @ the Grove Theatre (Anaheim, CA)
By Marcus Solomon

The Damned was the best and by far most enjoyable band of the evening. Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible are a tough act to follow. Despite the prevalence of so many Misfits fans, The Damned played the best music and generated the greatest crowd response. If it were up to me, I would have re-ordered the band line-up as follows: 1. The Damned, 2. The Dickies, 3. "The Misfits," 4. Agnostic Front, 5. DI, 6. Balzac. Even though headliner "The Misfits" came across as more of a tribute to the original band, I strongly encourage everyone to attend this tour. This is as close to The Misfits as you will ever get (unless you were lucky enough enjoy the original incarnation), and all the bands on this tour kick some heavy ass. Well, I don't know about Balzac….

Arriving uncharacteristically early, I was denied entrance at the box office because the Grove Theatre did not receive a one-week prior notice. Fortunately, The Dickies' guitarist Stan Lee just happened to be passing by, and he graciously put Heather and me on the list. (Actually, Stan had his REAL name on the guest list and gave us the two tickets allotted for that particular name. "If that guy shows up, you will have to deal with him," Stan said. I did not get the joke until later when Heather pointed it out to me. Duh.)

The Grove Theatre is another of those venues that is a bit on the fancy side. Located next to Angels' Stadium, this Disney-owned enterprise caters primarily to the upper-middle-class. Fiend Fest was no exception. I observed that the majority of those in attendance were clean and manicured white people who arrived in nice cars. It was amusing to see so many punk kids primping in the bathroom mirrors while punk-rock parents waited patiently in the hall. The genuine politeness of the security personnel made me feel genuinely welcome and effectively quashed any feelings of being out of place.

Balzac and DI performed while I was outside trying to get in. Why not just buy a ticket? Because I never have any money. Enough said. As we entered, Agnostic Front was tearing it up with that brand of East Coast palooka punk that I also call "melodic testostercore." The nice security guy told us we were not allowed to stand in front of the stage because we did not have the proper wristbands. Whatever. The audience viewing area is divided into several sections of ascending levels, so it is easy to see the band from anywhere in the room. It was strange to see this standing-room-only crowd simply nodding and pumping fists into the air during Agnostic Front's set; nobody was slamming at all! Here we had REAL NYC street punk—complete with tattoos and Doc Martins—and the crowd basically just stood there. In this writer's judgement, Agnostic Front put on a damn fine hardcore show infused with the spirit of unity for the day-to-day struggles of the common person...while the (mainly) lackadaisical crowd let the band down. However, one AF fan lost his mind and barged past the bouncers and the barricade to sing on stage with the band. He was literally dragged from the show while clawing at the floor trying to get back. That was great and drew a considerable measure of applause. AF's new release is called DEAD YUPPIES. Get it from Epitaph.

My favorite band in the world is The Dickies. Sorry. This band is old, weird, and good at what it does—just like me. Someone outside said, "Singing through puppets and making stupid jokes is not punk." Laughing, I threw a handful of grass on his head and said, "You're a dumb little boy." The set was shorter than usual, apparently streamlined because of time constraints. Regardless, guitarist Stan Lee led the power-chord charge to Leonard's outrageous croons of silliness and mirth. Now the crowd finally started moving. A small slam-pit started during the band's amped-up version of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid". Stan played like a friendly demon, with plastic devil horns on his head while pointing his yellow Spider-Man guitar like a gun at the crowd. Leonard kneeled and bowed in reverence. Favorite songage included "Stuck in a Pagoda with Tricia Toyota", "You Drive Me Ape", and, of course, "If Stewart Could Talk". It was good to see so many people—both young and old—get such a kick out of the show (and giant penis puppet Stewart in particular). Notably absent were Travis Johnson (drums) and Rick Dasher (bass). Both were replaced by two fine musicians who must go nameless here, as I have no idea who they were.

Following The Dickies was the illustrious, infamous The Damned! Say it with me now: DAMNED DAMNED DAMNED! Goth enough to be sexy, punk enough to be offensive, and (once again) the best band at this show. Captain Sensible is one of the greatest rock guitarists of our time. Hyperbole? Hell no! If you do not like The Damned, please turn in your punk-rock credentials and go die. Dave Vanian and crew opened this stellar set with "Ignite". Perfect! My favorite song from this band ever since I bought STRAWBERRIES in 1982. Next came the renowned "Just can't be Happy Today". The place was going nuts! Mr. Vanian was devilishly sexy in his tight tuxedo-like outfit (complete with his notable package clinging to his inside left thigh). His voice is the perfect blend of deep and smooth, thus ensuring that he gets laid at the snap of his fingers. Captain did not put on his tutu and blond wig, opting instead for a cut-off "Mc-Shit" T-shirt and his trademark beret and spiked dog collar. His punk-metal-blues solos are some of the greatest creations ever to drip from an instrument! Bassist Patricia Morrison (formerly of The Bags) was more to my hetero stylings with her "Elvira done right" look. Her bass skill and style ensure a perfect fit for this archetypal dark-punk genre. Keyboardist Monty Oxy-Moron looks and behaves like a pumped version of Richard Simmons on happy-meth. He plays with smiling abandon while jumping around in some sort of spastic and exultant dance. Drummer Pinch did not miss a single beat and kept the pulse steady throughout the set. Looking around, I could see many people dancing and many others slamming, the whole arena alive with the spirit of The Damned. Other great tunes played were, "New Rose", "Neat, Neat, Neat"; and some new ones, such as "Amen", "She Knows", "Obscene", and "Song.com". Before playing "Democracy" (another new one), Mr. Vanian dedicated it to the fascist liar G.W. Bush, as the lyrical content deals explicitly with the illusions created by governments and the falsehood of democracy itself. "Revolution changes nothing / And voting changes even less / Did you think for a moment they were giving you / Democracy?" Damn! Check out this tour—even if it is just for this band alone. Pick up the latest release, GRAVE DISORDER, at www.officialdamned.com.

Headliners The Misfits finally took the stage, but I could not help but notice the crowd had already thinned considerably. Having seen both Samhain and Danzig back in the day, I was very curious as to how this current manifestation was going to come off. Jerry Only (vocals and bass) had recruited the services of Marky Ramone on drums and Dez Cadena (formerly of Black Flag and Red Cross) on guitar. The band did songs from all three of the major groups collectively represented by the band members. On this evening, we were treated to "Misfitted" versions of "The KKK Took My Baby Away", "Lobotomy" (The Ramones), "Rise Above", "T.V. Party" (Black Flag), and many more. The remaining audience was elated, to say the least. A nice little slam pit was going, fists were pumping to the numerous chorus calls, and I was swept up for a time in "Misfit mania." The stage was adorned with a huge, black backdrop, upon which was painted a very cool drippy-droopy skull face. At each side of the stage were two very cool skull-topped pillars, each about 10 feet tall. One was a giant skull atop twisted vertebrae, the other a huge, realistic skull atop a pier made of various smaller skulls. Fake flames flickered out of the tops of each column. It was a lot of fun...but the novelties ran thin after some time, and I became bored. Each song seemed to blend into the next. Let's face it: "The Misfits" is a CONCEPT that is accentuated by a band. The titles of the songs are often more creative than the music itself. The title, "I turned into a Martian" sounds so cool, but I can only sing along with so many "Whooo-ooooas." Even the Black Flag and The Ramones covers became annoyingly homogenized into a "Misfits" blend. Sorry. Even so, you owe it to yourself to check out this tour because overall it is well worth it to see so many great performers in one place. Also, you will never see the real Misfits, so at least get close. One last whiny, bitchy question: since this is the FIEND FEST, where the hell is Penis Flytrap and Order of the Fly, dammit!?

OZMA
PIEBALD
MAE
THE FORMAT
July 31, 2003 @ the Troubadour (Hollywood, CA)
By Tiffany Chow

It seems to me that the predominant color scheme I most commonly encounter at shows I attend is black, black, and black. So it is a pleasant change to attend a show where there were actually colors. I don't feel so much that I am living in black-and-white times, but rather in the Technicolor, modern world. As the colorfulness might imply, this show was just plain cheerful. All of the bands played poppy, happy tunes, and the crowd was youthful and enthusiastic. In addition to the general attitude of the crowd and music, the amazing sound at the Troubadour also enhanced the atmosphere. If you are trying to envision the night, picture bright colors, lots of hand claps and dancing, and happy people. Besides the joyful nature of the evening, there obviously were other aspects that added to my pleasure…like the actual performances of the bands. Imagine that!

After having been denied access at the door and then by a stroke of luck allowed entrance, I arrived shortly after The Format had begun their set. Fortunately, they had just started playing "The First Single", which, as the name implies, is a song that embodies an incredible amount of potential to make this band huge. The Format was originally just two young men from Arizona performing and compiling all of their music into their first EP. Acoustic guitar dominates these first five songs, and, for being their first release, it is an awesome display of talent and catchiness. For their tour, they had acquired a full band. Their live show was just as energetic and fun as their music. It was obvious that the crowd liked the seemingly-unknown band. I highly suggest you look into this band before they blow up.

Next was Mae, who seemed to have drawn a massive portion of the crowd. It is incredible to see a relatively young band (recently having released their first full-length on Tooth and Nail) obtain such a huge and loyal fan base. I was surrounded by people singing every single word—and I was singing along myself. They did not disappoint one bit. They were every bit as energetic and mobile as the first act—and sweating a lot more. Just by watching the band perform together, you got the feeling that they really enjoyed the music they were playing. They looked like they were having an incredible amount of fun—as was the crowd.

It might be hard for you to find a band that works harder than Piebald. I was excited to be able to finally witness them play. The crowd was pumped up for them. Piebald has this sort of sound that really requires movement and enthusiasm. The songs themselves are loaded with energy. It was obvious from the crowd involvement that the place was filled with very loyal Piebald fans. I was probably most excited when I saw a random person come on stage and play along to a song with a cowbell. What tops off the whole act was the fact that members of the other bands of the tour were singing along.

Lastly, Ozma came on stage. This band, a stalwart of Orange County's indie scene, also encompasses the attitude of the night: energy, fun, cheerfulness. There was a buzz of anticipation that filled the room. The place had emptied a bit, but there was still a solid group of people that stuck around for Ozma. Their equipment was set up mostly by a crew. After it had all been assembled, it was left unattended for quite some time to build up the excitement. Finally, the band lined up at the top of a staircase that led onto the stage. The crowd started cheering when a few fans spotted them atop the stairs. Ozma came on stage and moved right into their first song. Maybe the reason they acquire so many loyal fans is because they appear so average. They look like they belong amidst the crowd, not as rock stars on a stage. Well, this might be part of it, but I am positive that a huge amount of it is due to the pretty keyboard player, Star. Ozma was a perfect way to end the night.
I hope I get the opportunity to attend more shows like this one. It seems that this was the place to be if you were a happy indie kid (which we need a lot more of). I mean, why can't we all just get along?

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