March 2006 Live Reviews

(scroll down to read all of them)

AN EVENING WITH JOHN KRICFALUSI
January 9, 2006 @ the House of Blues (Anaheim, CA)
By: Marcos "the Pomp" Nevarez

If you are offended by poo, penises, retards, or chihuahuas fondling massive boobs, then please do not read any further. Lost episodes of REN & STIMPY, flash toons, music videos-these were all cartoons that your mother would have pulled out the paddle for if she had caught you watching them as a kid.

I've never seen so many boobs in a non-porn cartoon, let alone in a REN & STIMPY episode. Within the first five minutes of "Naked Beach Frenzy", there were topless girls, Stimpy in a thong, and Ren trying to grab as much hot toon ass as possible. Letting this pair work the woman's changing room only upped the sex and humor. Poor Ren had the toughest job in the world, lathering up breasts, shaving legs, and giving bikini waxes. Then in flew the Shampooo Masterrr, with his propeller hat and squirting spigot. The girls were all too eager to have Stimpy spew all over their heads with his handy pelvis-mounted shampoo dispenser. It was the cartoon that I loved as a kid with the sex I love as an adult.

Bjork's "I Miss You" video is a crazy trip down the surrealist bucket featuring Jimmy the Hapless Idiot Boy dancing with an animated Bjork. Crazy creatures, an amorphic Bjork, and naked Jimmy dancing make LSD seem obsolete. The video also featured a rubber-nipple scene that was too much for MTV to air.

I've never really thought about it, but ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS was an odd concept for a show. There's just something weird about a grown man who forces rodents to wear human clothes, form a band, then sing really, really fast. In THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MIGHTY MOUSE, John K pokes fun at this classic cartoon with his version Elvey and the Tree Weasels. Elvey and the boys are supposed to give a concert for the orphans of Mouseville, with the proceeds going to give all the orphans' parents after the show. The only problem is that when Mighty Mouse goes to get the parents, the plane that they're supposed to be on is filled with relish! So, what does a good superhero do? Why, he pairs up all the orphans of Mouseville with random strangers. Hooray for Mighty Mouse-and hooray for our zany adoption system!

"Stimpy's Pregnant" was a hilarious guide into motherhood. Telling your partner not to hit you in your condition is always a good way of informing them that you're pregnant. And if your guy responds with a coat hanger (as Ren did), then it's up to you to talk him into putting it away by exaggerating the potency of his seed. When the big day finally comes, remember that it's okay to drive erratically while shooting other cars, especially if you have police assistance. Once you arrive at the hospital, Dr. Professional should be able to deliver your little bundle and handle any complications...such as your baby coming out in smelly brown chunks. Remember that a good doctor will not disappoint excepted parents-and that, in lieu of a real baby, shaping poo into the form of a baby will do. And don't forget to cuddle your new bundle of poo while everyone gathers around and blows smoke in its cute little face.

Now, I'm somewhat mad at John K for giving away a secret that men have kept for centuries. That secret is WHAT PEE BONERS ARE FOR! Now women know that we use pee boners to get bugs off the ceiling, freak out old ladies on buses, and play that balloon game where you squirt into the clown's mouth. And shame on you, John K, for giving away our super secret guy greeting where you jump up and touch tips with your friend.

Why did the old Hannah-Barbera cartoon characters all wear only one or two pieces of human clothing? Wearing just a tie is not considered clothed. In "BooBoo Runs Wild", Ranger Smith diligently enforces rules such as these, which drives little BooBoo from cute and cuddly back to his primitive bear roots. BooBoo rampages in the forest, drooling, ripping bark from trees, and feeding the bears when signs clearly say not to. Even worse, BooBoo seduces Cindy Bear (Yogi's girlfriend), who is attracted to BooBoo's brute nature and reverts with him. Ranger Smith is torn between his love for BooBoo and preserving order in the forest. With his finger on the trigger, a brutal grappling match breaks out between Ranger Smith and Yogi. In all the commotion, little BooBoo is sent flying into a wall, which jolts him back to his senses and stops the brutal confrontation. In the end, order is preserved, and our friends all laugh hysterically while slapping each other's butts.

I laughed, I cried, I got a boner. An Evening with John Kricfalusi gave everything that it promised. Look for the REN & STIMPY ADULT PARTY CARTOON on DVD in coming months. John K also mentioned that, with your support, there's the possibility of more on the way. A sneak peek of concept work on the story of the Children's Crusade with cat Jesus looks to be some of the best REN & STIMPY yet.

ANTHRAX
January 11, 2006 @ Newport Music Hall (Columbus, OH)
By Chip Midnight

Though the classic Anthrax lineup splintered in the early '90s when singer Joey Belladonna was kicked out of the band and guitarist Dan Spitz left to pursue his dream of being a watchmaker (seriously), New York City's prodigal metal sons soldiered on with replacement members, including former Armored Saint singer John Bush. And just as bands like AC/DC and Van Halen lost fans when bringing in new singers, the Anthrax camp was equally divided between those who didn't care who was manning the microphone and those who refused to acknowledge a Belladonna-less Anthrax. But both camps were rewarded last year when Belladonna, Spitz, and bassist Frank Bello (who briefly stepped away from the band to join Helmet) came back home to guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante to tour in support of the CD/DVD retrospective, ANTHOLOGY: NO HIT WONDERS [1985-1991]. The reunion went so well that Anthrax continues to tour and have hinted that the classic lineup may go into the studio to record the first Belladonna-led Anthrax album since 1990's PERSISTENCE OF TIME.

Anthrax

As countless reunion tours (Motley Crue, Pixies, Duran Duran, etc.) have proven over the last two or three years, regardless of past bad blood, bands seem to be able to keep it together and put on a stoic face for longtime fans. Pumping out the classic hits doesn't seem to be a problem, and Anthrax sounded as good-if not better-in 2006 as they did during their heyday in the mid/late '80s. While some things may have changed (long hair has been cut short on everybody except Belladonna (who may be wearing extensions)), some things will forever remain the same. Anthrax entered the stage to the familiar sounds of the Blue Brothers anthem just as they did in the late '80s and quickly launched into "Among the Living". Putting it as bluntly as possible, the sound sucked during the first few numbers: Belladonna's microphone dropped out, leaving Ian and Bello to pick up the slack with their backing vocals. Visibly pissed off between songs, Ian and Belladonna exited the stage to give the sound guy an earful, and the problems were quickly resolved. Favoring material from the first two Belladonna albums (SPREADING THE DISEASE and AMONG THE LIVING), the band ripped through thrashing numbers like "Madhouse", "A.I.R.", and "Aftershock", and the no-longer-kids in the pit tossed around elbows and knees like it was 1990. Spitz, in his sleeveless Anthrax T-shirt, muscles bulging, was calm and cool as he shredded solo after solo with ease, while Bello bounced around the stage like a kid with ADD. And while Ian has come across as a jovial fellah when he appears on VH1 shows about the history of metal, he was all business on stage, the sweat pouring profusely from his bald head, arms pumping out sledgehammer riff after sledgehammer riff. It never struck me back in the day how much Belladonna had been influenced by metal singers like Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)-and maybe even showmen like David Coverdale (Deep Purple, Whitesnake)-but I finally realized that this is what made Anthrax different than West Coast peers Metallica, Megadeth, Testament, and Slayer: Belladonna's singing gave the metal songs a European touch.

Anthrax didn't try to pass off new material on fans (as other reunited bands have done); they stuck with the hits. And when launching into songs like "Caught in a Mosh" and "Indians", the crowd of about 1,000 (mostly males) went apeshit-particularly during "Indians", when Ian conducted the mosh pit from his place on the stage. But the evening was not without controversy. Following the slaying of Dimebag Darrell (Pantera, Damageplan) in Columbus in 2004, his good friend Ian had quite a bit to say about the security staff at the Alrosa Villa. A member of the security team that was working on that tragic night stood in the crowd, and during one of the numbers held up an Alrosa security T-shirt with handwriting that read, "Fuck You Ian." The guitarist definitely took note of the T-shirt but did not acknowledge it, and by the end of the song playing then, the T-shirt was no longer visible.

The only disappointment for me was during the band's encore, when they busted out the rap-rock original "I'm the Man". Though it was a favorite of mine when it was released (I remember staying up late to tape it off Z-Rock), it sounds particularly dated in 2006; and after an intense 75-minute set of thrashing metal, it was out of place. Even Ian looked to be uncomfortable performing it-but it's one of those songs that a band like Anthrax must feel obligated to toss into the set list.

All in all, it was a solid night of hard-rock classics delivered by one of the premiere bands of the heavy-metal genre. Only time will tell if this reunion lasts, but for pure nostalgia, it was a show to remember.

BULLET TREATMENT
WRECKING CREW
ANGRY SAMOANS
DEAD KENNEDYS
Jan 19th, 2006 @ The House of Blues (San Diego, CA)
Text by: Audiophile

What a great way to start the year off. This was a very fun concert and well worth the 90-minute drive down to San Diego. Now, just a bit of a forward for all you haters out there: I'm sick of you. Jello is gone, he's not coming back, and it's not fair, cool, or "punk rock" to bag on the rest of the band for still being a band. It's their livelihood, it's what they're good at, so fuck off. With that out of the way, on to the show.

Bullet Treatment

Bullet Treatment, a band near and dear to my heart since high school, were up first-and they were shit-faced. Now, because they are such a great band (and used to playing while drunk, I'm sure), it really made no difference. It was funny to watch singer Richie stumble a bit and talk incoherently back at the couple of hecklers out in the audience between songs such as "Fucked", "Traitor, Liar, Fake", "Pathetic", and "What More Do You Want". Bullet Treatment even threw in one of my favorite local gutter-punk bands' songs, "Fuck Up" by The Nipples. That wasn't the only cover they did: they also threw Descendents' "I'm Not a Punk". Check Bullet Treatment out for yourself at WWW.Bullettreatment.Com.

I am only 22 years old, but Wrecking Crew and their following made me feel too old to be at this show. There is no such stink as the stink of a teenage male who isn't wearing deodorant who's been moshing. Thank you so much, Wrecking Crew, for bringing that much-needed funk to the show. These kids did a great job onstage, and the crowd dug them for the most part...but I just didn't. They were attempting to be original, with a keyboard in their "punk" band. Their lead guitarist wasn't half-bad. Their rhythm guitarist looked like Benicio Del Toro from FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS (and kind of hot, according to my friend Jeanne). They even had a sexy underage female bass player. But the end result was something bland. But hey, Wrecking Crew are still young yet. I'm sure they'll improve their sound; but they don't really need to improve their stage presence. For more on Wrecking Crew, visit WWW.Wreckingcrew.Com.

I LOVED ANGRY SAMOANS! Everyone tonight loved them. I'm sure there have been many, many people who have loved them through the years. They're that loveable-and that great to witness live. They were highly energetic, had an amazing stage presence; they were loud, fast, and at times hilariously offensive. With songs like "My Old Man's a Fatso" and "Lights Out", they enchanted us all. Or perhaps it was singer/guitarist Mike Saunders's short shorts that did the enchanting. Those cut-offs were something else, probably comfortable for his dancing and skipping (yes, skipping) around on stage. After their set, I went over to their booth and bought THE UNBOXED SET CD, and it was well worth my $8. To get your own copy, head over to WWW.Angrysamoans.Com.

Dead Kennedys

The crowd was restless, the security guards were tensing up for the onslaught of crowd surfing bodies, and the curtains opened to reveal none other than Dead Kennedys. "I Kill Children" started the set off and got the crowd moving, and they didn't stop moving for the rest of the night. DK played all the classics, from "Buzzbomb" to "Holiday in Cambodia" to "Nazi Punks Fuck Off". My personal favorites were played, including "Let's Lynch the Landlord" and "Halloween". Singer, the Jeff Penalty did a great job onstage, never stopping moving for even a second-not even in-between songs. He interacted with the crowd and got them going. Just before playing some of their more anti-racial songs, drummer D.H. Peligro made a nice little speech about how it's not one race but a mixture of all of us that makes us whole as a society. After "California Uber Alles", DK left the stage, then returned for TWO encores. The first started out with a little speech bagging on a magazine (not us) for giving them a bad write-up and how political punk was still alive and well. Before their second return to the stage, the crowd was chanting "DK, DK, DK." I could see that one of the security guards had a highly confused look on his face. I'd like to imagine he was thinking "Decay? I thought they were here to see Dead Kennedys." Go see DK for yourself sometime-it'll be an amazing experience. For now, check them out at WWW.Deadkennedys.Com. And to comment on this or any other review you see in SKRATCH, feel free to e-mail us at speakup@skratchmagazine.com.

ALEX'S BAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW:
THE RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS
THE SULTANS
THE DAYS END
January 22, 2006 @ Alex's Bar (Long Beach, CA)
By Brian Spiegel

A wise man once told me that punk rock has been destroyed by today's modern bands, who value image over classic punk values. Well, actually, it wasn't really a wise man, it was some drunk guy at a party who took offense to my Green Day pin. I nodded my head and went my merry way, ending up on a living-room couch, where I talked politics with a bunch of stoned people. He ended up throwing up in the bathroom. Ah, I miss college. In any case, the idea that image has nothing to do with "punk rock" is not only shortsighted but just plain wrong. These claims are usually propagated by youths who wear safety pins and patched jackets (not that they are trying to live an image or anything). The problem with trying to propagate a list of ideals for something such as "punk rock" is that "punk rock" really doesn't exist as a living, breathing, tangible entity: it's more of an idea (like communism) that is a great surface ideal but doesn't really work outside of a vacuum. If anything, "punk rock" is a scene that heavily relies on image, especially a stage image that can be either natural or artificial. And the good thing about punk is that artificiality is detectable from a mile away-especially on stage. What am I getting at? If stage presence and good music is everything, then The Riverboat Gamblers might just be the best live "punk rock" band walking god's green Earth right now.

Whether or not you follow me, The Riverboat Gamblers performance at Long Beach's Alex's Bar anniversary show in late January should not only be a manual for young garage bands on how to conduct a live show in a small club, it was a study on how to make a live show so seamless that thinking seems less important than just enjoying the spectacle of it all. The band's 16-song/50-minute set was so smooth and fast-moving that it didn't give you a chance to diligently study any chords or lyrics; rather, you just sat back and became enthralled with the band's onstage intensity, especially lead singer "Rookie Sensation" Mike Wiebe's (formerly known as Teko) split-second decisions to enter the crowd, climb on the bar, and (of course) breakdance a papier-maché doll on a door overhang (an obvious ode to Andre Rieu's live shows). Even more impressive than the band's ability to take over every single wide eye in a venue is how surprisingly mature the band's new songs sounded. They debuted several new tracks from their soon-to-be-released new album TO THE CONFUSION OF OUR ENEMIES (due April 26), songs that match every single breakdown power chord with a melody that takes you not only by surprise but smashes anything the band did previously to pieces. The three new songs they previewed not only sounded more substantial (lush, even) but also drove the catchiness quotient up a three-fold. "Walk Around Me" might be the best new song I've heard so far this year. If their upcoming release and subsequent Warped Tour appearances don't make them stars on at least an underground level, then America's resistance to last year's "Crazy Frog" phase will be for naught.

The great thing that about Alex's Bar is that the venue's cozy yet non-abrasive atmosphere (you know, the opposite of, say, the Roxy or the Viper Room) allows you to focus on sweaty guys on stage and not so much the fat, sweaty guy wobbling next to you. This makes you more likely to have a likeable impression of the opening bands-in the present case, the impressive simplicity of The Sultans and the all-too-short and under-appreciated set of by The Days End.

The Sultans are the newest band from John Reis, former lead singer of Hot Snakes and quite possibly the most underappreciated American band of all time, Rocket from the Crypt. The band's sound is best described as simplistic garage rockabilly with a chaser of punk and an olive of Reis's onstage patter (which fluctuates between charming and excessive).

This year's Alex's Bar "Low Self-Confidence Award" (last year the title went to Tijuana Knife Fight) goes to The Days End, who, frankly, didn't get any help from a shockingly uninterested audience (never mind the equipment problems). The band never seemed to give themselves a chance, as was evident from the second they walked on the stage. The funny thing was that their two-song, Mars Volta-meets-Sonic Youth set was very, very good-and not just good in a "dive-bar opening act" way. The music was complex (in a good way), and the band was reserved in one of those cool, introspective ways. With very, very little in the way of vocals, the sound wasn't cluttered by emoish lyrical longings. This is not only a band to watch, but a band to go out and discover right now. Seriously, get off the fucking couch. To comment on this or any other review you see in SKRATCH, feel free to e-mail us at speakup@skratchmagazine.com.

HEAD AUTOMATICA
MORNINGWOOD
ROCK KILLS KID
WE ARE THE FURY
EVALINE
January 27, 2006 @ the Roxy (Hollywood, CA)
By Aimee Curran

After complaining about expensive beer prices to my friends, I settled on a 22-oz. Tecate out of a purse, which I consumed in the girl's bathroom. That was fun. Shortly I realized that a band was playing, so I went out to the main room and stood there for a couple minutes. "What the fuck is this shit?" I said. Evaline-I'm not a fan. Their uninteresting melodies and unmemorable lyrics were making me wish I were back in the bathroom drinking more Tecate...which I did when the dudes went a capella. I wondered about their management. Who told them this was a good idea?

The beer was gone, and We Are the Fury was taking the stage. I was so fucking excited. They were my reason for coming to the show. At this point, the floor was full. We Are the Fury opened with "Turn the Pages", and my heart fuzzed over in happiness. They are a fantastic band who make me feel like the music is shooting me with an electric ray gun and kicking my ass into a music utopia. I was grinning ear to ear, but looking around, I saw that the crowd hadn't been exposed to We Are the Fury before (that, or they were still trying to recover from Evaline's crappy performance). It was a slightly shaky start, but about two songs in, the entire mood changed. I saw a pocket of girls squealing and wriggling like puppies at their mother's nipples, sucking in as much of the music and energy as they could. I saw dudes hitting each other and screaming lyrics to singer Jeremy Lublin, who took his magnetic stage presence to town, bringing out unabashed surges of swaying, singing, and pumping fists. Of course, as with many awesome bands, the set was too short, and after six songs (including, "Anesthetic Parade", "Better Off This Way", and "Nation Forgive Us"), the band closed with "Soap Opera" to a cheering crowd.

Up came Rock Kills Kid. I had never heard of them, but I thought they were R to the A to the D! Their song "Hide Away" was one of those songs that hit me so hard that I just stood in the middle of the fog, black sweatshirts, and moppy hair, trapped in a state of musical joy. I started thinking, "Wow, this song could totally be on THE O.C."-which it was two nights later! The band manages to unearth all the indie-psuedo-emo feelings you are afraid to cop to in one fell swoop of vocals and guitar. I think fog machines and moody lights can make any show somewhat romantic and help any showgoer fall in love with any band.

Morningwood was up next, and for some reason I kept comparing the lead singer to a circus ringmaster. The way she moved around the stage commanded attention, but not in a way that appealed to me. She was stomping around and telling everyone that she was the only girl on the tour. Well, that's awesome, but I didn't like their live show. The music reminded me of a beating heart after a run: hot and excited but a little tired. One amazing part of their show was when they performed "Take Off Your Clothes": the band pulled a guy up on stage and stripped him down. That was definitely entertaining-but nothing to change my mind that their CD is amazing but their live show was not my favorite of the evening. They closed their set and cleared the stage for the evening's main attraction.

Head Automatica is fucking AMAZING! They play one note, and the whole crowd goes ape shit. The room became a high-energy sweat ball. Alcohol consumption had reached its peak and was spontaneously combusting into fireworks of singing and dancing. I was up in the VIP area with a couple friends and could not stop dancing, smiling, and loving every song. "Please Please Please (Young Hollywood)" was my personal favorite, and I enjoyed every second of frontman Daryl Palumbo's unusually attractive and emotive vocals. He makes it all look so easy. Fan favorite "The Razor" closed the show, with Lublin joining Daryl on stage to sing. Icing on a well-baked cake. The energy was so hot that it would have made Kevin Federline yell, "Fire!"

If you would like to comment on this or anything else in SKRATCH, please e-mail us at speakup@skratchmagazine.com.

Breakthru Fest 2006
January 29, 2006@ the Galaxy Theatre (Santa Ana, CA)
By Brett Powell

As soon as I attended Breakthru Fest in sunny Orange County on a hot Sunday afternoon, I grabbed my cell phone and wallet and immediately called AAA, because I had a hunch that there were going to be a bunch of breakdowns. I felt like I was back in high school with all the 14-year-old scene girls occupying the packed venue. May I remind you that the reverse mullet is still in fashion? There were two stages, two-stepping, 26 bands, and plenty of breakdowns to go around. If it were up to me, I would have named the event Breakdown Fest.

The show was packed from 11 in the morning till 11 at night. The one-day festival was well promoted, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves to the fullest extent. Some notable locals who played were G7SD, Soldiers Die Saints, Into the Breach, Unite & Conquer. But everyone was looking forward to the headliners, of course.

A Dying Memory kicked off the evening portion of the event, showing everyone who the toughest band really was. Their frontman dominated the Galaxy and got the crowd moving more than it had all day long. Not even the shear brutality of the crowd could be tamed by security guards. This band's attitude and professionalism impressed me, as well as the 700+ others in attendance at the main stage. Their breakdowns were so ferocious that they scrambled my brains. After their set, a friend asked me who had just played: I was so lost for words that I called them "A Mying Demory".

The next band to take the stage was Stick to Your Guns from Rancho-Santa Margarita, CA. These guns made it out of their holsters and fired a heavy artillery of breakdown assaults! The crowd chanted in a frenzied fashion reminiscent of the tantrums caused by after-school detention. When their set ended, Breakthru Fest's main promoter and creator Eric Dill rushed the stage and demanded an encore! Their .44 caliber performance outdrew the rest!

Cold War kept the crowd going by playing a very solid set. Their singer is a madman! After a request from the crowd, he took off his shirt and revealed many chest and back tattoos, which added even more to the intensity of their live show. Cold War were definitely one of the more experienced bands there, proving this with a blistering, mind-blowing performance. I definitely expect this band to continue making quite an impact in hardcore for the next few years.

Hoods is one of hardcore's biggest names right now and was probably the most anticipated band of the day. The only thing that stood out to me about their set was when frontman Mikey Hood shit-talked the entire genre of emo music and fashion. I think all he was really trying to say was that he doesn't like bands like Hawthorne Heights or kids who wear girls pants. Hoods was even sporting a T-shirt design at their merchandise table that proclaimed "punk is dead, emo is next." If hardcore bands keep on talking shit and starting fights for no reason, THEY will surely be the next to go. But in the words of Mikey Hood, "If you don't agree with me, then you can go f@#*! yourself!"

Breakthru Fest kept me high-kicking all the way home! It was surely one of the most successful hardcore festivals Orange County has ever seen. Surely some of the locals of the day will be headlining the annual festival next time around. All hardcore bands in the area should definitely contact www.breakthrushows.com to get on shows and festivals alike in the near future!

To comment on this or any other piece you see in SKRATCH, feel free to e-mail us at speakup@skratchmagazine.com.

SCARLET
CALICO SYSTEM
THE ESOTERIC
FIGHT PARIS
February 2, 2006 @ the Whisky a Go Go (West Hollywood, CA)
By Brett Powell

The night was fresh, the anticipation of the weekend was in the air on a brisk Thursday night in West Hollywood. On this particular night, the turnout wasn't that great, but these young bands played their hearts out as if it were their one chance to impress one of the music marketplace.

Fight Paris was glistening with sweat, and blowing the audience's ears out when I entered the club. A certain arrogance was spouted with each line of speech in between songs from the pompous singer as the set was nearing its end. The stage was lit up with huge green lights illuminating the initials "F.P." The crowd didn't seem to enjoy the band very much, but that didn't seem to touch F.P.'s ego at all. Their overwhelmingly loud and obnoxious set ended shortly.

This was my third time seeing The Esoteric live. This band put out a kick-ass record on Prosthetic Records last year, and it was great to see them return to the Whisky. They definitely seemed worn out from touring nonstop in 2005, as they displayed a lot more energy and youth when I saw them at the Whisky opening up for The Agony Scene and Scars of Tomorrow three months earlier. Luckily, they played my favorite track off their record, "This Is Dedicated to the Prettiest One...". Hopefully the next time return they will be fully charged with more charisma and new material to play.

Calico System was next up. By this time, the crowd's energy was beginning to die down. People in attendance desperately needed a band to win back their interest. Calico System has a great frontman with a lot of confidence. He owned the crowd and was able to stir up some movement in the pit for the first time all night. Their music and live set is very generic and could be compared to any hardcore/metal band with singing hooks and choruses-but I enjoyed their set nonetheless.

Headlining the show was Scarlet. I had heard a lot about this band before this night. Ferret Records seems to be doing quite well with hyping their bands. Their name has been everywhere lately, and they seem to be making quite an impression amongst scenesters. Once again, they proved to be another band that could be compared to any hardcore/metal band with singing hooks and choruses...and I was not impressed.

The overall feel of the night was very boring and tired. The audience didn't seem to have enough energy themselves to give back the support to the talented bands that played. The bands all played well and showcased themselves the best they could...but without much crowd feedback, a perfectly solid live set can seem like a band's worst set. I would love to see these bands at a bigger, more energized show.

To comment on this or any other piece you see in SKRATCH, feel free to e-mail us at speakup@skratchmagazine.com.

STARS
THE ELECTED
February 9, 2006 @ the Aladdin Theater (Portland, OR)
By Chris Miller

If someone was to tell you they went to a show in which the opener was a former child actor and both acts were side projects, would you believe them when they told you it sold out? Well, when those artists stem from greater and more-renowned bands, then, of course, you should. Stars (a group composed of artists from Broken Social Scene) and The Elected (led by Rilo Kiley guitarist/co-songwriter Blake Sennett) played for a crowd of almost 600 at the Aladdin Theater. A venue better resembling a 19th-century opera house than a rock venue, has designated seating, the Aladdin found its aisleways and stage front being bombarded with fans looking to get a close view of the groups whilst dancing about to the buoyant sounds that flooded our eardrums all night.

Because his presence, vocals, and guitar skills speak for themselves, it's hard to grasp the fact that Sennett was once Pinsky on the Nickelodeon series SALUTE YOUR SHORTS. The Elected played an eight-song set composed mainly of tracks from their new release, SUN, SUN, SUN, but also threw a couple in the mix from ME FIRST, their 2004 debut. One highlight of the night was "Did Me Good", which starts out as a whispery blues song of old and quickly escalates into a dynamic acoustic rock song that had Sennett as animated as ever and twirling around while wailing on his guitar. But it seemed as though the song in which we all wanted to hear wasn't going to be played. It took a fan to yell it out for Sennett to acknowledge the fact that we all wanted to hear "Biggest Star". "Alright, already. If you look at the set list here" (holding it up for the audience to see) "it's #8, just below #7, which is coming up now." Finally, "Biggest Star" was played, and the crowd screamed like undomesticated beasts while listening to a track that underscores the rest of the new album.

Stars

Stars took the stage with such presence as the fog cleared that their appearance seemed to be one of a mythical hero who you were catching a glimpse of for the first time. Performing a handful of songs from past albums, as well as many from the recently-released SET YOURSELF ON FIRE, Stars managed to keep the crowd of rabid fans alive for nearly two hours. By this point in the night, it seemed everyone had had one too many drinks, but more than half the crowd was made up of underage kids, so it couldn't have been that. In any case, it was apparent, that the over-dramatized showcase put on by lead singer Tranquil Campbell at times took away from the rest of the Stars gang. The second half of the set got better (though it should be noted that the first half was by no means bad). "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" was a song pulled along by beautifully-played brass instruments and fuzzy guitars and backed by call-and-response vocals of Campbell and Amy Millan. This heartbreaking tale of lovers gone wrong turned the crowd into mourning idiots who you could see were all telling their neighbor about some guy/girl who had hurt them recently. Following this desperate display was a three-song encore that I am guessing was around 20 minutes long.

Generally, going to watch a show in which the opening act is a former child actor that I once watched and poked fun at isn't a brilliant idea-but there are exceptions. Any band that has been formed from Broken Social Scene will put on a good show. I recommend both bands to all friends-and anyone else who is willing to believe this crap review.

INVISIBLE SLIDESHOW TOUR:
ARMOR FOR SLEEP
BOYS NIGHT OUT
CHIODOS
ACTION REACTION
February 18, 2006 @ the Glass House (Pomona, CA)
By Michelle Li

My laziness caused me to miss the very first band of the night, Action Reaction, so I do not have much to say about this band, except that when Armor for Sleep was thanking all the bands on the tour, Action Reaction received a decent round of applause, not a wild and super enthusiastic one.

I entered the triangular venue as Chiodos was setting up. After a few minutes, the lights dimmed, and a man in a black coat wearing a mask with a long, grey beard walked on stage. With creepy orchestra music playing and a little bit of dry ice floating around the bottom of the stage, the Merlin wannabe croaked in a high-pitched voice, "Welcome to Hell." Yes, their entrance was dreadfully eerie, yet enchanting. These six guys from Davidson, MO, took the stage and dominated it. The restless crowd became extremely excited and vivacious as Chiodos began their set with "There's No Penguins in Alaska". Don't let their songs' subtle introductions and beautiful keyboard parts fool you: Chiodos stays true to their hardcore roots. Lead vocalist Craig Owens's whiny voice complements his rageful screaming. With lyrics like "She loves me / She loves me not," Owens got the crowd riled up, and they clapped and sang along with him. Keyboardist Bradley Bell had my attention throughout the set as he danced and ran around during a couple songs. During the last song, "Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on the Creek", Owens dove into the crowd-but instead of crowd-surfing, he was walking on the audience, something that I have never seen before. Chiodos exited the stage to the incessant chants of "one more song." Their sound might not be very original, but Chiodos are very good at creating their genre of music. And it was the best performance of the night. Chiodos should definitely be the newest addition to everyone's music list on Myspace.

Boys Night Out

Everyone who has listened to Boys Night Out's latest album, TRAINWRECK (released last year), knows that the very first track is of the doctor talking about his patient. This sets the stage for the desolate tragedy that happens to the patient in Boys Night Out's concept album. This monologue is also how the boys (and the girl) from Canada decided to open their set. I am an avid Boys Night Out fan, but oh, how they let me down tonight. Yes, I know that "Waking" is supposed to be a fast-paced dance number, but they seemed to dance through this song way too fast. It was rushed, and the voices of Connor Lovat-Fraser and keyboardist Kara Dupuy just did not mesh well. The arrangement of the singing in many songs were altered, and Dupuy's voice was heard much more tonight than on the album. Also, Lovat-Fraser's vocals could barely be heard when he was singing in softer tones. (I suppose you could blame that on technical difficulties.) In between songs, Lovat-Fraser announced to the venue that he is pervert and asked the crowd, "Who loves fucking?" To the disappointment of many (including me), they rejected the suggestion of playing songs off their older albums. The audience did not seem to enjoy their performance that much, seeing as there was not much going on in the pit. Their set was just-it hurts me to say this-lackluster. It wasn't horrible, it was just (for lack of a better word) okay.

Armor for Sleep

Since Armor for Sleep's debut on MTV's 10 Spot (yeah, I watch that shit, too), their popularity seems to have soared to new heights. Honestly, I don't see what's so special about them. Yes, they are a polished rock band, but so what? There are countless polished rock bands out there in the world that all sound the same, and Armor for Sleep is just one of them. Ben Jorgensen was greeted on the stage by a slew of screaming girls (who seemed to be screaming right in my ears). The four-piece band from Teaneck, NJ, decided to open their set by Jorgensen playing on the keyboard and serenading all the screaming girls. Later, the rest of the band joined in to finish the song, and there was another round of screaming. They played a couple songs off their older album, DREAM TO MAKE BELIEVE, which were dedicated to the kids who have watched them play at Chain Reaction. Jorgensen also broadcasted that they have been writing new songs, demos of which have been posted on purevolume.com. So, if you like Armor for Sleep, you should definitely go there and check those babies out. I must say that, even though the band does not appeal to me, the singing was good and the instruments were played well. Of course, they executed the ubiquitous tradition of playing the "last song," only to return to play the real last song, which in this case was "The Truth about Heaven". Their performance was pretty decent, and their fans seemed to savor every minute of it. I will admit it was better than Boys Night Out's set...but the winner of the night was Chiodos.

ROCK 'N' ROLL SOLDIERS
A WILHELM SCREAM
LESS THAN JAKE
February 20, 2006 @ The House of Blues, (Anaheim, CA)
Photos and text by Todd Markel

It was a chilly President's Day at Downtown Disney and as I wound my way past the tourist to my favorite venue the local Peruvian folk band, Alturas, was getting hot and heavy with a large crowd just outside of the ESPN zone. Although the sign taped to the box office window announced that tonight's show was sold out, it was still a far cry from a full house when I entered the main floor and worked my way towards the stage. Very soon the lights dimmed and the familiar patchwork curtain parted to reveal the opening act, Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers. They are self-proclaimed childhood friends from Eugene, Oregon, who play a high-energy, pop-punk brand of rock 'n' roll. With catchy songs like "Funny Little Feeling" and "Money Well Spent" they had most of the crowd revved up and in the mood to party. At one point lead singer and heartthrob, Marty Larson-Xu jumped into the crowd while playing his guitar, much to the delight of the teen girls in the front row. Check them out at www.rnrsoldiers.com and look for their debut album entitled SO MANY MUSICIANS TO KILL on Atlantic Records.

Boys Night Out

A band that's been generating a lot of buzz recently with their punk rock meets heavy metal sound is New Bedford, Massachusetts' A Wilhelm Scream. Recently their bass player up and left them in the middle of the tour and Nick Danger of The Swellers has been helping them out and will be playing with them for most of this tour. The crowd gave the band a warm reception as they played songs like "Famous Friends And Fashion Drunks" from 2004's CD, MUTE PRINT and from their latest CD, RUINER "The Soft Sell" which begins "No matter where we run / it's only a car-length away". I was surprised by how familiar the crowd was with their material as they sang along with most of the songs including their hard rocking anthem, "Anchor End".

A Wilhelm Scream

Less Than Jake originally won me over back when I saw them play at my first Warped Tour in 1999. I haven't followed them in recent years and this would be my first time seeing them in quite a while. The crowd seemed anxious for the show to begin, but the chanting of Less Than Jake didn't get the band on stage any sooner. When the curtain did go up, they kicked it off with two songs from their most recent release, ANTHEM "Short Fuse Burning" and "The Ghosts of Me and You". Next up from HELLO ROCKVIEW was "History Of a Boring Town" and its opening line of "Just talked to this girl / who used to live on my street" The crowd knew every word as they sang along. Continuing with fan favorites, the pre-recorded intro to "All My Best Friends Are Metal Heads" had everyone reciting the pledge "This is a fair request, / and I promise I will not judge any person only as a teenager…" Chris and Roger informed the crowd that "they know that everybody wants to hear the old songs and that if everyone goes crazy for a new song" off of the soon to be released CD, it would be the only new song they would play. It was called "Overrated (Everything Is)," and the crowd went nuts and as promised it was the only brand new song played. After Chris made some jokes about the balcony section, I noticed that Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise was up there, front and center and enjoying the show. Dreadlocked bassist Roger came to microphone and sang their radio hit "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" when this song first came out, I wasn't sure if I really liked it, it just didn't sound like the Less Than Jake that I knew and loved. But with time it's grown on me and is now one of my favorites and really sounded great tonight. They played a medley of tunes from their past, starting with "Automatic" and including such favorites as "She's Gonna Break Soon" and "Dopeman" From 1996's LOSING STREAK. The classics continued with songs from the bands early days such as "How's My Driving, Doug Hastings? " and "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore" Chris announced that "he always wanted to be in a 80s cock rock band" and that he wanted "everybody to give it up for his big guitar solo" He played a blazing solo and canons shot red, white, and blue confetti into the crowd as played their homage to their hometown "Gainesville Rock City" from the CD, BORDERS & BOUNDARIES. After saying good night they came back for an obligatory encore that consisted of the songs "Plastic Cup Politics" and "Look What Happen" as machines blew artificial snow/soap bubbles into the crowd and directly into the faces of some kids in the front row. I was a little disappointed in the selection of songs for the encore, as it seems were some of the crowd as they continued to shout for "Johnny Quest" long after the show ended. Look for Less Than Jake's new CD to be released on May 16 called IN WITH THE OUT CROWD and catch them live on the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

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