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REVIEW: The Big Four of Dayton Release Quadruple CD’s at Courtyard Lounge

August 14, 2014 By Mike Ritchie

(photo by Mike Ritchie)

It wasn’t a stadium or in Sofia, Bulgaria but any of the five bands that played Saturday July 5th could be considered in Dayton’s big thrash four debate. The crowd turned out in droves, jamming the cramped but cozy ‘by metal standards’ space of the Courtyard Lounge into a shroud of die hard, shoulder to shoulder black t-shirts sweating, screaming, yelling along, to Dayton’s ‘metal uniformed’ finest , spilling out into the outside lobby. It was a four band quadruple CD release party and birthday bash for a local guitar hero. Foul Stench’s Blood Orgy, Forces of Nature’s Dark Ages, Eooonmai’s The Witches Hammer and Engine of Chaos’ Uncover the Bones each had new tunes to indulge in while The Reefer Hut came to help kick ass and Horlet played a show off their The Keys of Life and Death release.

Reefer Hut (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The first collaborative-morphing/heavy mixing of Death Rot Productions and Zeently Productions brought a who’s who of the local scene, along with dedicated fans from afar and some from parts unknown in attendance including Shadows in the Hourglass, Killed By Art, Jebenezzer Law, local artist Sam Holliday who designed the cover art for Forces of Nature’s new CD, their reissues along with their new banner and Engine of Chaos’s new release. SITH’s Zack Ryan was also responsible for the blasphemous cover art on The Witches Hammer. Though his music wasn’t performed live, a few choice tracks between sets from TWH were hell spawned out in God defying black metal manor, giving all a loud satanic sample of the battle of inquisition between God, Satan and the witches. Enoonmai’s captured a dark, melodious feast of death, murder and sound torture fit for a midnight graveyard cult ceremony as the symphony of horror movie effects and the walking dead play.

The musical reefer was burning heavy as the thrashing began with Tomorrow is Calling. The personal/professional sacrifices one must make to the dedication and passion of music is a true tale of abuse as the military tank pummeling guitars shovel it out with Pantera sludge and blast beat breakdowns. Inner Pride’s an oldie, but goodie. No Turning Back was written when Adam Baumann was a bit skinnier with plenty of guitar hammer chugging and drum buildup. The Sepultura flavor of Moving Forward was about recovering from the bad times and getting on with it.

Foul Stench (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Dayton’s favorite Horlet’s of Nile meets King Diamond with Iron Maiden’s 666 foot flight above brought the keyboard ambiance along with tunes from their latest offering. From the Clouds started it off and Annabelle’s Curse was played in birthday dedication to one of the pillars of Dayton’s metal foundation Marc Godsey. Siren’s rang out, it’s still f’n hot but fall will soon bring the Signs of Winter and The Awakening followed by crowd pleaser Wings of Ariel, dedicated to a hardcore fan that made the trek from Pennsylvania to attend.

Foul Stench ripped open a set full of blasphemous odes to Dayton’s darker dwellers and places unspoken of, playing a diverse selection from their career catalogue featuring Orgy opener Razor Fist, a two minute slice and dice gusher splattering of serial killer friendly crimson to make Dexter smile with ‘more’ than a single drop of blood. We got a Fake rip and tear off The Bone, punk speed and style. The saw bone guitars of The Gash made way for the deep demon throated Blood Orgy as it slowly chugged, writhing along with a dirty, puritanical misanthropic motion and lust. They rung the five minute doorbell To Hell, recorded behind closed doors. We got Fukd by Eternal Rot and over ten tastes of blackened growled sonic thrash and death flavored assault. Along with the lung caterwauling and pig squealing growl of the King was the mobile and thrashing out Eric Nye with the crowd demanding an encore.

Forces of Nature are legendary in D-town, having played pretty much everywhere and continue to kick ass supporting the scene. They opened sending some love to the Dimebag-Nation with some Domination. Midnight came early with the evil witching sounds of Tate Moore’s unearthly screeching dark hole. A midsummer’s night tune came for those souls graveyard enchanted or so inclined. The Apocalypse came with twisting down the spine guitar riffs and just a generally beautiful uncomfortable feeling. The digging, devastating pummel of Magnus Lee played the picture of an evil hooded spell-caster’s hands hovering over the dark cauldron of mirk and mire. Rotten Tooth’s brutal, thudding pace proved a dentist’s drill is more bad-ass than a doctor’s scalpel. Mary Hates Herself but black metal clad Enoonmai hated her more with a brutal shredding.

A new banner debuted on Forest of Corpses. A.S.O.T’s a musical picture of the carnage and violence the old boob tube shows, while most of America watches the Kardashians and ‘reality’ shows. With high, hypnotizing flames illuminating some yummy looking icing Birthday Boy Marc was offered his ceremonial/sacrificial cake of sweet sin.

Engines of Chaos (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Engine Of Chaos came out with something a bit more or completely different. A set full of Black Sabbathy, rocky metal tunes with funky grooves from their new Uncover the Bones release along with some older stuff. Them ‘Bones’ got started with the CD title track as Scott Toops outshined on the opening of Change. The engine revs and roars as chaos ensued with Toops bringing out the holy rasping Halford. The slower, melodic Unknown slithered like a sweet serpentine alongside Scott’s snake leathered pipes. The guitar notes rippled the intrepid waters of the blues submerged with the Frogs in the Tug River as he blended the whisky-moonshine strong embrace of Dio, Udo and Dickinson. Nick Wheelers bass brought out the 7 Demons and told Lies of all-holy/hypocritical dictators and leaders. Toops and co finished with the Chris Cornel/Wylde wicked cry of the Deceiver.

It was a night of horns up plusses and gains for the local metal community showing the collective collaboration and unity of the scene. When everyone works together, we make s**t happen! The Dayton metal scene added another great stage to its list of venues that appreciate good, heavy, loud music along with the ews of Nielson Hixon reopening one of Dayton’s longtime signature staples, the newly renamed Oddbody’s.

REVIEW: Shamrock Athletic Club Host Benefit for East End Community Services

March 25, 2014 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Safe, engaged neighborhoods, stable, employed families and successful youth. Those are the goals and objectives of East End Community Services, a nonprofit organization formed in 1998 to help meet the needs of people living in East Dayton. They provide programs as part of a neighborhood transformation effort to help children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly succeed in becoming successful citizens, giving back to the community. Over 20 different agencies, donors, funders and neighbors along with AmeriCorps members and other volunteers have helped achieve these goals.

On Saturday January 24th, the Shamrock Athletic Club hosted an evening of art and entertainment featuring the music of Dayton scene icons Evil Eye Gypsy and rapidly rising hometown favorites Curse of Cassandra played sets to raise community awareness for East End Services. Local artists William Green and Katherine McClelland also showcased their work which can be seen at future shows and conventions.

Curse of Cassandra (photo by Mike Ritchie)

COC opened with their renowned sound of goth, industrial, punk meets new-wave, trying out a few different versions of songs off their debut EP and a new tune, Not Your Crush. As the curse of cold bad weather, ice and snow blanketed the outside we start off hot getting slice and diced pricks by Pins and Needles. Alexas Machine starts out cuing her Lennox charm over the crowd making seductive, strong eye contact with several focused male eyes and blushing smiles. Drums and keys gave an electric stinging embrace. Cassandra’s not satisfied till we’d been Satiated as Miss Electra complexed us all with a piano played masquerade of sound-lust and fetish.

COC’s Binding for control with its Eurythemic charm and strapping satisfaction. Next is a piano played Stardance rhymed in astral alignment with a somber ending. Every Time I Feel Alone is visceral in industrial mood swings. I’m not your fairytale, not your fling, not your on-call booty and definitely Not Your Crush. The One I need and I Miss You finished the set.

Evil Eye Gypsy (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Evil Eye Gypsy started their show with a slow seven minute drive through the Mojave. The sun and temperature play tricks with the senses. It was biting cold outside but it’s always blazing in the desert. The guitar’s playing towards that stimulus, giving hallucinations of sifting through the sands with weather beaten hands with harsh thirst swept up in the mysteries of the gypsy’s allure on the wind. If the desert doesn’t kill you, the Purple Haze awaits, all around, whatever the lady of the sands did, put a spell on me. Next we rocked n rolled, drank and partied all night having a Good ole Time with the friendly Miss Neighborhood service girl.

We get some down and dirty gritty rock with All I Had to Say then despite all the world’s problems and who’s hanging out with who, there’s always a Silver Lining.

The show was a bit of an experience for the band. Their original drummer was out of commission, and their replacement had a last minute issue so Curse of Cassandra’s Wolfgang stepped in and did double duty for a few tunes. The Names of those lost are written on the wall of life as well as in our minds and memories. We get a funny little song about Love then close the show with the iconic War Pigs with Wolfgang shredding on the skins.

East End provides programs helping over 300 children and teens in afterschool activities including the Miracle Workers program, as well as support for parents and caregivers through monthly Community Family nights. East End also provides crucial support to children and adults through housing development, community building, afterschool and summer programming, educational initiatives, teen services, services for parents, single adults and seniors reaching more than 3,000 people a year. In addition, they help expecting parents with child development education and what babies, toddlers and young children need to know about kindergarten, with programs supporting them through to college.

Job assistance, readiness, interview skills, resume building and online job searching, securing housing, health care or other crucial services, are provided by bilingual and trilingual staff. 1,400 households living in Twin Towers benefit from activities that improve the quality of housing and life in our neighborhoods. They are working on a project to improve 25% of the housing stock. 40 new green, energy-efficient homes have been built in 2010 and 40 more were built in 2013. Neighbors receive training on financial literacy and a range of other topics. Cultural events and festivals reach hundreds of persons at each event.

East End is also part of the Welcome Dayton initiative and provides services to assist in the resettlement process of immigrants who’ve chosen Dayton as their home including a bilingual, English-Spanish speaking and trilingual, English, Spanish and Arabic staff-assisting those with finding the right job for their skills. East End has served an array of nationalities, including Latinos and refugees from several countries including Russia and Iraq. East End also provides critical services to the elderly to help them live in their own homes, independently as long as possible including case management, chore support and better home accessibility.

To learn more about these services, call 937-259-1898. Their work’s been recognized by: the Better Business Bureau in 2005, the Access to Justice Award from Legal Aid in 2006, the Governor’s Award from the Ohio CDC Association in 2010, the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations Excellence Award in 2012 and received a national ARAMARK and the Together for Tomorrow Award from the US Department of Education and Corporation for National and Community Service in 2012.

REVIEW: Mushroomhead Bring 20 Years of Halloween Havoc to Dayton

November 15, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

What’s cooler than one of Ohio’s own, Cleveland’s masked men playing doomsday in December last year coming back the following October and playing Halloween night? Dayton was the third to last show on Mushroomhead’s 40 date fall tour with returning vocalist JMann. Though mother-nature brought the rain and winds of fury, postponing several little demons and dragons’ stroll through candy land and once again darkened a few house lights, McGuffy’s House of Rock was packed and celebrating All Hallows Eve under the influence of Mushroomed metal.

Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Pagan New Year, Samhain and the night before All Saints Day. The harvest is over and the winter/darker half of the year begins. The name meaning ‘hallowed’ or ‘holy’ evening has origins in both Christian and Pagan history. To any devout horror or heavy metal fan, the 31^st is definitely the scariest day of the year and deserving of all day worship. Even mask-wearing, heavy-breathing, knife wielding, silent fictional slashers deserve their own day too.

Forces of Nature

Dayton hometown heros Forces of Nature started the hallowed evening. Last year’s lone Armageddon playing partner to the headliner. Notwithstanding what mother-nature was doing outside. Forces played their patented Pantera meets Slayer mid-pit stomp pounding the piss out of each other sound, ripping open the metal kegger with the face smashing Magnus Lee. Tate Moore’s voice has the devil sandpapering his vocal chords. Since the Apocalypse didn’t happen on schedule last year, they decide to court global danger and play a heavy, angry, defiant song about it with a few guitar licking tastes of Morbid Angel for extra heavenly hierarchal rebellion.

ASOT (As Seen On TV) rips out Udo Dirkschneider’s soft vocals ramming them down Tate’s hoarse, coarse throat, and together they make beautiful music along-side Marc Godsey, Jimmy Rose’s ripping guitar-flesh playing and Johnnie Wallace’s vampiric bass blood wallop. Of course any foursome of metal beasts are lucky to have a fair beauty among them, and the drums are pleasantly hammered by metal matriarch Shannon Godsey. The Godsey’s were also celebrating their 23 year anniversary.

The second showing of local support comes from Dayton’s self-made Moshpits & Lighters creators, In The Cut, led by event marketing mastermind Daniel DeDoncker. Breaking right into Killswitch Engage’s Until the End, they’re each a silent army of one and collectively sold out McGuffy’s with all local talent.

They play a song about all the assholes, particularly the ones out on Halloween doing stupid sh- (present company excluded). Here’s some Hatred Divine. Aaron Noble poured out the power on keys with the black eyes of Alice. He also broke out the skull and bones keyboard decor using two freshly pulled spines courtesy of one ugly motherf-….. They finish with a fun, fan friendly dip into the 80’s rock power ballad vault singing Separate Ways. There were a few zombies onstage that just happened to be in the band and the night couldn’t end without a cute and innocent love bite amongst monstrous brothers. The end also marked a first time event as DeDoncker stopped mid-song announcing McGuffy’s owner Julia’s birthday.

The Xmembers

Next up, from the birthplace of the Mushroom, comes the answer of what Quentin Tarantino in a heavy metal band would sound like. The X Members are birthed in musical freedom, bathed in whiskey and bred to destroy. Self-described as a beautiful train wreck of punk, rockabilly, metal, swing and hard rock, they’re greasy, mean and good at it too. Comprised of current and former members of Cleveland talent Pitch Black Forecast, State of Conviction, The Missing, Keratoma and Horror Madonna, they’re equal parts Astro-Creep mixed with Horton Heat.

They opened with the fast, twitching high impact Swinging Neckbreaker. Whether demon alcohol fueled or play acting, singer Elliot Barry does the zombie stagger a bit too realistically. The musical head-bobbing concussion begins with a trip down the devil’s highway burning up the whisky fueled roadster. It’s Quarter To Three and time for some Seltzer’d rockabilly metal and a few hotrod smoking streaks from Ministry with the hard crunch of oiled up bike chains and greasy gears. Ladies, in the sweetest of southern (Cleveland) sincerity, they want to see your special F Hole, and they’re willing to play with hardcore punk speed, serenading with the most mosh friendly tune a bunch of cowboy hat wearing, slick styled, metal hillbillies from up north can play on Halloween, if you’ll be so kind to oblige. Just like Anthrax, they’re startin’ up a posse. Indrid Cold is a hard hitting, bass thump’n return home if Slayer, Buck Cherry and The Black Crowes were born in the same place.

Nothing More (Than a Dream) cruises down the road with a silver skull on the shifter, slick backed hair in the wind and a cigarette smile heading to the Black Flag show. It’s a windmill mosh pit come to life. Antemorten Overdrive cranks out the smoke induced haze with some skeletons from the closet riding shotgun in the Jesus built hotrod. Everyone’s got a Dirty Little Secret, they just choose to scream about theirs turning it into an amped up merry go round of punk chain fisted southern charred horse power.

The X Members are a blood drenched wild-west biker gang movie on stage. From dusk till dawn, they play their mosh pit twang faster than a hole in the wall one night stand in the making can pound down Jager, Jack and Jim and feel coyote ugly in the morning. They were also celebrating their tenth show in ten days with Mushroomhead.

Xfactor1

Columbus’ XFactor1 is American blue collar passion and intensity with a second to none with do it yourself attitude and an unquenchable desire for success. They open with Break You. Singer QBall is dressed for the evening in metal surgical scrubs ready for the scalpel and some bloodshed. With a sound combination of Hellyeah, Seether and Shinedown with hints of Staind and Creed, they Bring It On with every show, with deep dark powered background vocals, clean strong lead vocals and a muscle bound hard rock sound stringing the metal carrot at the audience.

The rap rock POD power punch of Parasite could blare over any PA system as a fighter walks toward the octagon. They finish with a classic cover because everyone wants to be like the Rolling Stones and Paint it Black.

Austin based co-headliner One Eyed Doll arrived onstage with the evening’s playful animated playmate, skeleton boned Kimberly Freeman. She’s your friend to the end, but ‘she’ won’t kill you…yet. Formed in 2007 with Jason ‘Junior’ Sewell on drums, they’ve toured the country playing a unique brand of rock, punk, metal with vaudeville humor and stand up slapstick encompassing an all-around entertaining show. Freeman and Sewell have released five OED records with creepy comedic videos for You’re a Vampire, Envy, Committed and Be My Friend along with a special 90 minute gonzo tour rockumentary on YouTube. Freedman’s been featured as Revolver’s hottest chick in Hard Rock in 2011 and 2012 and is listed in Guitar Player Magazine’s top 20 most extraordinary female guitarists. She also has four solo albums under her name with Sewell producing and is a real life character in the game Adventure Quest Worlds.

One Eyed Doll

Alanis Morissette with the dark side of Smurfette and a twitter of Tinkerbell, Freedman resembles a sweet swirling mixture of what made Babes in Toyland, L7, Courtney Love and the Cycle Sluts from Hell so alluring to kids and enduring to concerned mothers everywhere. With a raw performance style of The Great Kat and voice ranging from high pitched innocent girl next door to loud feminine roar, she’s her own switchblade banshee donning many hats on stage, including a cowboy and the pope. The demented dolls open with Committed. Freeman, the Chelsea grinned painted princess playing the bad seed asylum escapee roaming the empty roads and backwoods churches in search of her sanity. She could be a sideshow freak or a lost child of the corn.

Unbeknownst to many but the few they’re secretly an easy listening, smooth jazz, hip-hop, contemporary Christian, Kenny G inspired band. In fact the next song was covered by Celine Dion and Michael Bolton also appearing on the soundtracks of Titanic, My Little Pony: The Movie and Passion of the Christ. Crowd chants of Hail Satan were acknowledged but not endorsed by Freeman. So in honor of these musical/movie influences they get ‘Dirty’ with the Black Sabbath/Slayer inspired Plumes of Death.

Crowd participation from Dayton, Texas was needed and politely demanded for the next song. They brought out fellow misunderstood friends Michael Myers and some dead guys borrowed from The Walking Dead. Their show and message is all about friendship and just like touring bands and axe murderers, serial killers are people too. “If you take away the voices I’m just like you. I’ll hack you up and bury you in my yard. So why does making friends have to be so very hard?” She led the crowd though the hardcore metal, country twanged Yee-Haw sing along first verse. The second verse conversed about religion as Freeman sported His Holy Eminences’ head gear proclaiming our two choices (you’ll be forced or converted either way) Amen or….Hail Satan (despite the crowd’s heavily biased dark side, only half-heartedly endorsed by Freeman).

They finish as she proclaims her true calling and identity as a dedicated woman of the metal law threatening to arrest anyone (with a show of horns in the air) who wasn’t metal. It was time to Break… the law One Eyed Doll style with slow motion hard ramming speed. She finishes crowd diving, surfing her way back to the merch booth.

Next, the Cleveland masked men return after playing and escaping the Mayan apocalypse to play Halloween celebrating 20 years of shroom-influenced metal. They open playing heavily from XX and XII, going straight in for the keyboard lobe shattering mind hemorrhage and religious confusion playing like dog faced gods. The leeches and the lepers in the crowd start to salivate as the predator stalks its prey preparing to Kill Tomorrow.

We take a mind expanding music tablet trip and get Bwomp’d on history’s leaders and who’s trying to control us. Would we be better with the convicted maniacs in charge, creepy crawling the country forward? Ever been offered candy by a water drum playing human Borg reindeer? Only on Halloween.

Mushroomhead

Mushroomhead count their blessings, being around/fan supported for 20 years and counting. They’re fed up with the status quo and ready to fight and kill for what they believe in. Do you really wanna f- with a band that looks like that tonight? The Sun Doesn’t Rise at all until the past is put behind.

We take a slower ballad like breather as they Save Us from the flawed masterpiece of humanity. There’s only one way, forward. Inner torment, pain and memories fester inside bleeding your life away, Never Let It Go. Everyone has their own cards to play in life and the inner struggle of good VS evil, right and wrong and what you choose to self-deal.

Everyday life takes its toll on the road, Becoming Cold, missing home. They dedicated The Dream Is Over to lost friend and original guitarist JJ Righteous and called for a pit in his honor.

They encored, changing faces to pumpkin grins and maniacal cut out smiles filling the empty spaces on the floor with some Floyd, proving that every successful band with staying power is Born of Desire.

Forces of Nature photos courtesy of Tom Wilson.

All other photos courtesy of Nikki Forte Design & Photography.

REVIEW: Curse of Cassandra, Evil Eye Gypsy, One Day Steady Rock McGuffys

September 24, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Saturday the 14th, the day captured in comedic horror parody in the early 80’s, brought the locals to the McGuffy’s stage and one extended Cincinnati local to play a unique variety show of inspirational/experimental tunes. Instead of the oft-accustomed loud thrash head-banging and mosh pits, the audience got some hot club swinging electronica, some southern rock n blues and some quirky-edged modern rock.

Curse of Cassandra (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Opening the show was the new, new-wave dark ambient foursome Curse of Cassandra, electronic gothic rock with haunting vocals and enticing dance beats weaving songs from the synth, drums and keys about obsessive dominating relationships strung whip tight. Formed earlier this year, they’ve already gained considerable attention coming in second place garnering over 500 votes in the June’s featured band/artist of the month contest on Music Connection Dayton. C.O.C., not to be confused with Corrosion of Conformity, is a nostalgically fresh wave of dance floor domination and deviation harkening back to the downtown Goth/industrial era mecca of the 1470, Asylum, Foundry heyday. Their musical muse brings back black nailed, opaque memories of dancing in euphoric bliss till dawn then retiring to your sheeted coffin or rafter. In Greek mythology, the beautiful Cassandra was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo but after refusing his seduction, he cursed her so that no one would believe her predictions, a female Nostradamus of sorts.

They open the dance floor metaphor with the cold sweetened pain pricks of the Pins and Needles. Asher Black plays the first longing notes calling out to sweet, sweet Aurora, her soft daybreak eyes sparkle with twilight bringing the sun behind her. The classy burlesque clad tattooed Alexis Machine straddles the mic like a personal plaything, fondling its cold rail as she sings a low lunged serenade of Satiation. Electra’s Complex gives a hard boot-licking smash on keyboards so we can feel the deep, dirty throbbing moan of the bass. Alexis prances the stage playing nice on some tunes then getting right in the faces of her hordes of willing subservient followers. Their performance could be described as a husky voiced, musical striptease of sound encasing the cold fanged embrace of midnight and the warm slumber of dawn. We’re immersed in the mysterious presence of the Unknown Woman as we watch her Stardance with a heavy bass groove down the rainy streets of London after midnight. You Complete Me’s robotic heaviness accompanies its techno, Goth, industrial brethren creating landscapes of all night bliss and lyrically obsessive romances.

Everytime I Feel Alone is a slow moving slice and dice of the heart with a wet butcher knife stained with some NIN self-loathing and disdained hope. Alexis pulls out some Maria Brink making it her moment under the smoky spotlight in her lounge singing salute. Dead of Night brings out the slinking serpent tongued Arabian delight reminiscent of The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove. Next we enter into a heavy breathing Binding relationship as Cassandra offers us an addicting taste of the whip and the accompanying pain, pleasure and ecstasy found within. Miss Machine compliments her eurythmic presence with the vocal aura of Grace Slick, Jem, Christa Belle and Siouxsie spreading the curse for the rest of her banshees.

Evil Eye Gypsy (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Next Dayton’s Evil Eye Gypsy protects us from the Maloik bringing its seven members onstage for its fifth trip to the house of rock. EEG resembles a family more than a band with three guitars, bass, drums, five guys, two women, four microphones, tambourines, morocco shakers and a good ole fashioned thunder-stick for effect. They play a unique version of psychedelic blues, alternative, hard rock and folk music. It’s Skynyrd meets Fleetwood Mac with some Credence in the Clearwater for this funky, southern prairie jamboree revival. They play the musical gospel that makes the body move.

Bitter Comedy plays like a surreal desert trip acid nightmare driving down the long dehydrated highways of discarded dreams hoping to meet the sun face to face as beautiful haunting voices remind you of your past life. All I Had to Say breaks out the lyrical attitude alongside some journeyman blues. Mojave’s introduction leaves us deserted, dry and stranded staggering in the sand under a scorching sun in a barren Pink Floyd landscape. Two minutes until the end we delve further and further in letting the desert plains tell us its deepest secrets and memories.

They played a nice lullaby to the tune of War Pigs possibly opening the first ever ‘dance pit’ for worshipping the Sabbath. Playing three tunes off the Dirt Roads CD and a few new unreleased tracks they gave us something to look forward to hearing. Their music is available for free download on www.evileyegypsy.com.

One Day Steady (photo by Mike Ritchie)

From Cincinnati One Day Steady (we’re only the same for one day) starts Slurred and ready with an alternative, modern rock sound rocking the cradle with some punk tasting rockabilly and a 50’s greaser throwback style. The Dave Song’s a weird mixture of Dave Matthews and the Traveling Wilburys hanging out on the right side of the tracks waiting for the train to flatten pennies. They played a collection of new unreleased tunes and a heart breaking cover of Cold Hard Bitch. They Drove Through has a nice surprising Sabbath-like end breakdown and unique lyrical inspiration coming from rhythm guitarist/vocalist Ryan Peters bizarre dream of helping a stranger get revenge on their boss, then waking up and writing the song in three minutes. Break Break’s a twangy, stringy breakup dance after an impassioned phone message. Just over a year old, the band’s earliest roots begin in 2008 with a band called Drop From the Top. In 2010 what would become ODS was formed, and they’ve already played with a list of accomplished musicians in the Cincinnati and Cleveland scenes and are ready to go anyplace, anywhere.

REVIEW: SITH, Horlet, King Stench, Zuel Bang Heads on Friday the 13th

September 22, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Horlet (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Friday the 13th has been associated with many bad things for a long time. Historically, theories suggest the combination of two superstitions claiming 13 as an unlucky number and Friday as an unlucky day are partially responsible for its original bad reputation. In numerology 12 stands for divine organized arrangements and completion (12 months, 12 hours of the clock). 13 is thought of as irregular, offsetting the pattern. There’s also a superstition possibly derived from the Last Supper that having 13 guests at the table meant the death of one, and Friday was the day of the crucifixion. Historical references are almost non-existent before the 1907 novel Friday, the Thirteenth where a shady broker takes advantage of the superstition creating a panic on Wall Street. There’s also a fear of Friday the 13th called friggatriskaidekaphobia, if you can pronounce it.

The most popular version of Friday the 13thaka ‘Jason Day’ began at the dawn of the early 80’s slasher era, introducing the world to one of the longest running film franchises in history, the creepy effect of two whispered one syllable sounds and the craziest mother since Norma Bates. According to some die hard horror fans, Friday the 13^thshould be a national holiday worldwide and with a proven track record that nothing goes better with horror than heavy metal, a metal show on Friday the 13th is a machete to the head no-brainer.

SITH, Horlet, King Stench and Zuel fit the blood soaked bill delivering loud, killer performances providing the music for any screaming chase scene.

Shadows in the Hourglass take the stage at Blind Bobs opening with the eerie ambient trance of bass and drums. Zack Ryan plays bass like a lead guitar with effects pedals making it the center of attention and conversation, his fingers spelling out the intelligent intricacies of the strings. Cliff Burton would be proud. The Lovecraft-inspired Behind the Veil of Sleep is a high neck, frantic sounding interpretation of an MMA fighters walk to the cage. Illusions of Serenity pour schizophrenic sweat down the face of a deep dark jagged cliff starring into the dark mirror of water below. Ryan turns his bass into a dark voiced reverberation of a tortured soul’s inner turmoil as drummer Travis Abling hits the skins providing the musical canvas for the two man tapestry of sound. They finish with namesake SITH, as Ryan plays the dark lord on bass.

Death metal lovers of Egypt, Horlet play next, promoting their new CD The Keys of Life and Death. Starting with the musical pile-driver Wings of Ariel, we walk through the hallowed Halls of Amenti. We’re Taken to a place where Iron Maiden and Amon Amarth coexist on the same stage at the same time. Next is the potential ‘CD single’ and hit Annabelle’s Curse, which might conjure up visions of evil but has nothing to do with raggedy dolls. We get a warning From the Clouds then they finish with their own special heretic anthem Children of the Light. The band played as loud as Allen D. McCowan’s neon green bass strings.

Zuel (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The stench has arrived, worse than any bottom of the lake drowned body or stalking masked corpse. King Stench has come with their working class black/death metal legions. Hell Gates open with the hellacious blast beats of the hammering Eric Barnes with Slayer solos bringing the crowd up front and necks rapidly mobile. They deliver the electro shocks, shrieking notes of False Prophets and the down in the dirt on the knees riffs of Fight. They unleash the army of hungry, fanged mongrels on Hell Hounds. Visions of Death bring the violence of the battlefield to the stage. They finish with a Behemoth sized cover of Ov Fire in the Void.

Intelligent, instrumental thrash and pound masters Zuel headline starting with the neck power-bombing Facemelter giving out fast secondary beatings with the grunting, thudding concrete wallop of the S—thammer. Rapture’s heavy mechanic, destructive, industrial sound captures the human panic of a world without mobile technology, texting and computers for a few days. There’s a nice guttural mixture of Godflesh, Meshuggah and Morbid Angel without evil/violent vocal intentions. Though, lyrically silent Zuel showcased a healthy experimentation with the elements of the periodic metal table, finishing with the five minute chug juggernaut Johnny.

REVIEW: Slutfest 2013 at Screamin Willies

September 20, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Five Finger Donkey Punch (photo courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions)

Saturday August 24th marked the third annual local showcase of unsigned talent. Bands from around the state trekked to Columbus to play the coveted Slutfest stage. Though the morality of a musician can be called into question at any time, the local event is promiscuous only in title. Supporting Local Unsigned Talent is the brainchild of Oldschool Promotions’ Aaron Snyder. A current member of Five Finger Donkey Punch and former member of Severed, Snyder organized the all-evening, 12 band, nine and a half hour music fest bringing several genres together under one roof: hard rock, rap/hip-hop and various forms of metal. There was also a charity raffle, won by Oliver Chainsaw Gemmel, for an electric acoustic signed by the bands, a SLUT sign and other memorabilia held for O’Shecky’s staff member David Sheets to help cover medical bills for a kidney transplant.

Tonight was the last show in the venue’s history as Screamin Willies, ending its long 38 years of bringing the best local/regional acts and national artists in rock, metal, country and blues. The building will continue under a new name and management continuing to bring Columbus the best entertainment, including stand-up comedy, rap and hip-hop.

Main sponsors Lost or Forgotten Photography brought their unique art and images to help the show, including stylistic group shots for all performing talent. Bands from Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, Canton, North Lewisburg and Newark earned their spot after being voted onto the show by fans out of over 200 Ohio bands that entered. This year’s hot SLUTS included Five Finger Donkey Punch, Second Sight, The Factor Project, Destracore, Padded Room, FHSP, Killing Khaos, Infidel, The New Black Jesus, Impending Lies, Cross Solder and Error 504.

To make sure everyone got their money’s worth, as soon as doors opened FFDP started playing a set of cool acoustic covers of the catchiest, recognizable rock tunes and radio friendly hits of today.

Second Sight (photo courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions)

Columbus’ Second Sight started the early evening noise at 5:45pm, dinner time for normal folk, early breakfast call for the all-night partying rockstar. Starting with some serial crunchy guitar riffs, guitarist/vocalist Ben Robinson delivers a sincere Scott Stapp sound without the annoying ‘wharling’ but with a little gnarly snarl. Come Whatever May opens Slutfest. Heaven can’t save them and hell won’t take them but with the gift of the second sight they already knew that. Second Sight play with the ingredients of grunge, employing the darkness of Alice in Chains with angry/aggravated breakdowns and that gritty sound and hunger that takes bands from the basement to the arena.

Newark’s The Factor Project handled the sophomore set with their own self-made brand of rock-poetry fusion blending elements of punk, rock, blues and countless other inspirations. They start Buried Alive in their sound going from the garage rock noise of what Nirvana might’ve sounded like in the beginning to the sunshine punk vibe of a tattooed surfer riding the waves in and coming out a half-eaten brain-dead zombie. The mid-tempo blues burner Ten Thousand Voices messes with the brain. The Factor Project captures the angst of Cobain, the melancholy moodiness of Tool and the sun drenched water spray of a beach hazard.

Destracore represents for the Dayton scene, bringing their screeching thrash and heavy groove up north to the capitol. The fury of The Beast is unleashed in the Hatebreed yell of belter Mr. Potter. Next the thick stringed, heavy bass groove, melodic Armageddon tale of the Final Act, followed by their loud, fast Reprise. What humbly started in a New Carlisle kitchen has come to the Columbus stage tonight.

From Canton comes the Padded Room, a band with enough hard, heavy groove and energy for an all-night one person mosh pit, slam dancing into the lining of a private cell. Padd Room is made up of five dedicated musicians who found a formula that works for their brand of stage rage, like the Chili Peppers on ‘roids with Fred Durst at the helm. Performing cuts from the Time Tells disc, they play with the soft sentiment of being wrapped in barb wire on the tracks with the train speeding at your face on Cry, Cry, Cry. Steve Chaney creates a unique mixture of growled words and soft spoken sighing with searing inner turmoil. F’n Sick starts with a POD riff and an impressive vocal range between Serj Talkin and Mushroomhead. Then comes the hard crunching meaty guitar/vocal hook of Natural Disasters. The rap, hip hop groovy mosh-friendly Room 3 is a well-organized cathartic blend of rapid revolving influences hitting you hard like a stage-flung body into the pit. They’re new school enough to keep the hip kids coming back and play old school showing respect to their forefathers. Their sound is best described as an unclassifiable guitar chug keg party which may be the best label a band can have.

Killing Khaos (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The tag team rapid fire rapping lyricists F.H.S.P. took over the space, hitting club goers with danceable beats and a different kind of hardcore style showcasing the diversity that Slutfest is known for. They delivered a high energy, sweaty, tattooed performance rivaling the surrounding metal adrenaline around them. Winners of multiple local talent showcases, they open up with H.Y.F.R. Kaine and Regal start the insane amount of rhymes they’re able to spit out before inhaling. They can flow as fast as any ferocious blast beat. The dark cape crusader comes out Eminen style on I’m the Batman. They slow down the vocal speed and make most words audible and get modified, ending with some fast guitar on Power up. They gave respect to the US armed forces welcoming guest mic master J-Rush returning from a tour in Korea adding some extra energy to the ultra-sped up words.

North Lewisburg’s, Killing Khaos bring out the War Inside Your Head. High pitched, high octane yelling connecting like a chilled ice pick to the head, Joe Everhart has some Schuldiner inspired death screeching vocals. Drummer Ben Holtsberry has listened to a few Skipknot records a few times. They get out all the nasty anger and stress the healthy way in the Fight Song. With music played this loud and heavy some emotions are best left unspoken, channeled through the music and released on stage. A fan was quoted as saying “one small step for a band and one huge step for heavy metal.”

Battle for ROTR alumni Infidel took stage next bringing some of the tunes that got them there including Hanging By a Thread and the dyslexia murder anthem Redrum. They got the first pit of the night but since it was an all ages show, everyone had to play nice. Larry Coake’s pit fighter yell threw him into the crowd, rubbing elbows and banging heads (not literary) with the gang. Playing everywhere they can, their star’s on the rise.

The New Black Jesus (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The New Black Jesus, the sound of urban noise, brought the hard living spirit of the street to the stage. Lazaar Williams brought the sleazy, mean and dirty riffs bringing the spirit of Jimmy with him playing tunes from 2012’s Ghetto Democracy. Think Suicidal Tendencies with Burton C Bell/Chad Gray on vocals. Over My Dead Body opened its military march pace with guitar battle siren riffs about living the life of access and paying the price. The hungry undead creatures of the night come out for a shotgun blast Dance of the Dead. They bring out the goddamn electric on God Damn Its frenzy filled riffs that make you want to run the other way. The Gangster Soups poured into the dirty bowl, seasoned with meaty guitar gristle and tasty rusty chord crackers. They’ve put in five years playing (H.A.M) Hard as A Mother…and the meat just gets tougher, harder and tastier.

Straight from Cleveland Impending Lies bring a hard rock, melodic sound balancing a sound reminiscent of Disturbed adding background hints and winks of atmospheric industrial Fear Factory noise. James Skrtich’s vocals are a stained mixture of Dramain and Lewis. Earlier this year When the Lights Burn Out was released, and with a new lineup they’ve hit the road ready to go wherever the gig takes them. Starting with the lead mic sung/background vocals yelled Scream to Whisper. They make beautiful noise out of the Chaos they bring. Their sound shares musical influence and echoes with Linkin Park and Godsmack. Bringing the only songs truly song, showing that pain, anger, grief, sorrow can be translated through soft spoken lungs as much as guttural growls and screams. The melodic hooks of In Time take you to an almost spiritual place of salvation. It’s no accident their sound is unforgettable. They also gave a big 80’s shout out to Journey performing Separate Ways; the loudest and heaviest it’s probably been performed in Columbus.

Cross Solider (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Lancaster Battle for ROTR alumni Cross Soldier played next with top gun looking Chadd Lunn ready to Light Up the Sky with some old school Megadeth meets Metallica vocals and guitar work. Lunn carries the youth and aggression of Mustaine and Hetfield with a hard rock energetic bluesy formula. Playing their own metallic symphony, they bring out new tune Devil’s Eyes then What I believe from their first EP. They played Shameless and the new accompanying video can be seen on Facebook/Reverbnation.

Battle for ROTR winners and ROTR openers Error 504 came on stage around 2am ready to kick ass and show why they earned the coveted Jager spot at Crew Stadium, playing mid-tempo thumper Give it Away, the deep growler Little Red and Devil’s Angel. Unfortunately this wasn’t an all-nighter and the word/long arm of the law came down with last call, making the band’s set unexpectedly short. Though everyone who’s seen them play knows what the 504 can deliver when the spotlights on, the show had to end at the scheduled time but Snyder announced that next year’s Slutfest would be 2 days of performing bands. Check the Slutfest 2014 message board for more info and updates.

Five Finger Donkey Punch and Second Sight photos courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions.

REVIEW: Geoff Tate Brings Mindcrime to Columbus

August 8, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Wednesday June 19 the original voice of Queensryche, Geoff Tate brought the 25th Anniversary of the epic 1988 concept record Operation Mindcrime tour to Newport Music Hall for a night of Queensryche classics and the Operation Mindcrime experience start to finish.

Something Unto Nothing opened the show.

For his version of the Ryche, Tate enlisted former Ozzy, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake and Dio bassist Rudy Sarzo, AC/DC, Something Unto Nothing skinsman Brian Tichy on drums, guitarist Kelly Gray of Queensryche/Myth fame, Hurricane’s Robert Sarzo, and keyboardist Randy Gane of Myth to help spread the Mindcrime to thousands of adorning fans across the country. LA’s Something Unto Nothing and Ireland’s The Voodoos warmed up the crowd.

S.U.N. opened the show proving that loud sound and intense musical power can come from two people with only a few instruments. The blond dancing swaying bayou queen Miss Sass Jordan came out to the beat of a Cajun groove, pouring her whisky strong voice into the mic over the crowd, like a mystic enchanting spell carried by silent swamp water. If Janis Joplin got in a cat fight with Grace Slick, Miss Jordan’s voice would be the winner. By the time they’re done, she’s Burned her image and performance into our minds and ears. She takes us on a trip down to Uncle Tom’s cabin to be Razed voodoo style with a little help from Zeppelin. Drummer Tichy can make thunder come out of one large kick-drum as the two person band make incredible music come out of a drum, cymbal, acoustic guitar, tambourine and Jordan’s voice. An electric acoustic never sounded so heavy. Jordan’s a tambourine shaking flower child as she foot stomps through tales of the mighty backwater river and the mysteries buried deep in the swamp muck. Once they go down that one way road over sacred, burial ground there’s No Way Home for these traveling Nomads. Tichy’s first show was Kiss’s Dynasty tour at age 10 inspiring him to hit the drums. Making a surprise early appearance the Ryche’s Kelly Gray came out to play Maybe I’m Amazed.

The Voodoos

From Ireland comes a special kind of electric voodoo played by the five-some from Cork known as The Voodoos. Mark Daly brings a Dave Grohl/Chris Cornell look to his stage presence as they sprinkle some old fashioned rock n roll dust on the audience blending bluesy angst ridden rock with a jam band experience. The band opens with those sinister Black Walls, telling the audience there’s two sides to every story but there’s Nowhere to Run. Daly pulls out the Cobain anger and sorrow as his hearts Torn Apart. They finish with Don’t Listen.

Queensryche’s third record, considered both a concept album and a rock opera, follows the story of a drug addict who becomes disillusioned with the Reagan led society of his time and reluctantly becomes involved in a revolutionary group as an assassin of political leaders. In January 1989, it reached No. 34 on Kerrang magazine’s 100 greatest heavy metal albums of all time, certified platinum in 1991. I Don’t Believe in Love was nominated for a Grammy in 1990. During the Empire tour, Mindcrime was performed in its entirety with video footage, animation and a guest singer as Sister Mary and was released as Operation LIVEcrime. The story was also explored in a series of video clips that aired on MTV and in the 1989 VHS, Video: Mindcrime. It was re-released with bonus tracks in 2003 and as a box set in 2006.

Operation Mindcrime underway on the Newport stage

The album begins with main character Nikki laying catatonic in the mental ward unable to remember anything from his past but snippets. In a moment of complete realization, everything floods back as he remembers being a heroin addict and political radical in the making manipulated into joining a secret new world order organization dedicated to starting revolution and used as a pawn for political assassination. Lead by the devious Dr. X, Nikki was manipulated by his addiction and brainwashed by the ‘good’ Dr., becoming his murderous puppet whenever he spoke the word ‘mindcrime’. Through one of the doctor’s associates, Father William, Nikki’s offered the services of Sister Mary, a prostitute turned nun. Through their association Nikki begins questioning the true nature of what he’s doing. Dr X notices, seeing the threat of clarity Mary represents he orders Nikki to kill her and the priest. Nikki kills the priest, and confronts Mary but doesn’t kill her after they both decide to leave the organization. He tells the doctor they’re done but is reminded that only he can provide Nikki with his fix. Nikki leaves to find Mary dead. Unable to cope with the loss or the unknown possibility that he might have done it under ‘mindcrime,’ insanity creeps in. He runs through the streets screaming until subdued by the police. A gun is found and he’s taken in under suspicion of the Dr. X murders. Suffering complete memory loss he’s placed in a bed until seeing a news report of the spree jogs his memory.

The lights go out as the crowd roars and the sounds of the disinfected, sterile, bland mental hospital room blend with the anticipation and tension of the crowd awaiting anarchy, revolution and mindcrime. Nikki is sufficiently sedated by the disgusted nurse leaving him to his tidal wave recall. His memories come through the speakers through Tate’s voice as he remembers how it started…

Master of Mindcrime ceremonies, Geoff Tate

Gray and the Sarzo brothers start the soaring guitars as Gane hits the keyboard background, and Tichy marches the drumbeat bringing out the music of Anarchy-X as the doctor yells impassioned propaganda at the Columbus crowd from his loud audio podium. The guitars slowly build toward the entrance/appearance of Mr. Tate as Revolution’s Calling. The bald, goateed voice of the Ryche since ‘82 comes out eyes mysteriously hidden by trademark shades, decked in leather to speak the truth the media won’t tell us. For a price he’ll tell us the story, and we give him a pretty good cause. The years/decades may change but the cynicism and corporate/government greed stay the same, who do you trust when everyone’s a crook? The phone rings, Dr. X starts Nikki’s Operation:Mindcrime telling the drug riddled puppet it’s time to change the system and kill for the underground revolution with the sinister sounding guitars playing an early painting of the dramatic violence to come closing with Tate’s sorrow filled wail and the mob growing restless. Several months in, Nikki’s become the doctor’s most valuable colleague; his missions of murder/assassination have given him a godlike ego and he believes himself to be a one man trigger happy messiah of world change, disparaging the old system, completely submerged in Dr. X’s new global empire. The guitars speak of Nikki’s new life mindset/determination to ‘make a difference’ in his own way with their fast paced speed and heaviness while the bass underlines his new found power. Speak the word: the word is revolution, it’s all of us. Speak! After Wright’s killer drum solo, they introduce former working girl Sister Mary into the story. She was pulled from the dead end nightly street walks by Father William who saves her and ordains her as a nun, seemingly freeing her from Spreading the Disease but soon after his true colors emerge, taking favors from her in payment for giving her ‘salvation’. The music has a treacherous feel as it’s played over dirty lyrics of sex and greed used to infect the masses. The pattern of love, sex and betrayal continues as it’s revealed that the good father is a close friend and supporter of Dr. X who offers Mary as a fringe benefit for Nikki’s loyalty. The Mission begins months later with Nikki sitting in his room, watching TV in the darkness, the evil of his deeds and guilt in his conscience catching up as the adrenaline and high of the kill have dissipated. Moving illumination flickers from the victims’ candle light shrines he’s made in despair. Father William preaches as a bullet shatters the TV, starting a beautiful guitar melody as Tate’s vocals pour out pain and sorrow like rain shadowing the voices of Nikki’s victims then turning into the voice of his psyche. The guitars sear solos of his hopeless anguish. His humanity is slipping away, the only thing keeping his emotions alive is time spent with Mary. He is slowly falling in love with her. Doctor X decides that Suite Sister Mary and the priest are weak links in his plans and instructs Nikki to do the deed. More haunting melody as the Latin chants of judgment sound off in the background. New found clarity and morality conflict with obedience/obligation to his father figure. Tate’s voice serenades high telling Mary’s story. He confronts her and realizes he cannot kill the only happy thing in his life. He confesses why he came. Sass Jordan returns to the stage singing as Mary telling Tate/Nikki she wants to die for her sins yet he still can’t pull the trigger proving his true love and they share themselves on the altar as the thunder and rain pour outside. The Needle Lies to every addict, and Nikki’s no exception as he goes to assassinate his final victim, Doctor X and start a new life with Mary. Unfortunately their experience left Mary struggling with the memories of Father William’s sins and she falsely sees Nikki as just another man who used her. The doctor holds the power of Nikki’s addiction over him and he leaves defeated, returning to the church to find Mary dead in her room.

The story never tells the specifics of Mary’s demise and remained an intentional mystery, with fans surmising their own theories, until the secret was revealed on 2004’s An Evening with Queensryche tour. A quick Google search will yield both the “official” story and lots of fun fan theories.

Sass Jordan joins Geoff Tate onstage to sing the part of Sister Mary

Her Electric Requiem begins as he stares down at her body, the keyboard pouring dark waves of panic, shock and anger. High pitched guitar notes crack in his brain, slowly crumbling his sanity into the gutters. As madness seeps in, he runs through the streets screaming her name, his mind a flood. With his frantic mind Breaking the Silence and psyche crumbling, he makes one last trip back to the church to try and find answers only to be swarmed by police. He’s connected to the political assassination they don’t know he’s guilty of yet and Mary’s murder which he’s presumably innocent of, his belief in love gone. He’s booked and convicted as the haunting guitars play a beautifully simplistic duet of Waiting for 22. He sits in his Empty Room, his mind weaving in and out of rational sanity trying to figure out what happened to Mary, his last moments of clarity and what used to be his life. He looks up at his reflection in the TV staring into the Eyes of a Stranger, his fate, repeating these memories over and over.

The band finishes the performance, leaving the stage in darkness and the crowd screaming for more.

They reappear after the livecrime to comfort with some Silent Lucidity, the best they can. They pull out a surprise new song from Frequency Unknown bringing the Cold. I’m American from Operation Mindcrime II ending with the Jet City Woman flying over the Empire Tate helped build since ’82.

REVIEW: Paws Benefit Show At JD Legends

July 15, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

The 725 Band (photo by Mike Ritchie)

On Saturday May 18 the Paws benefit was held at JD Legends in Franklin featuring Jadis, 725 Band and Clockwork Soul. The benefit organized by Jadis’ Dawn Rose was to help raise funds for PAWS, a no-kill non-profit animal adoption center serving the community for 32 years. Don’t shop, adopt! All donations are tax deductible. The Progressive Animal Welfare Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization which, through community help, finds good loving homes for shelter animals. Funds to help support PAWS can be donated through Network For Good; you can set up PAWs as your Kroger Plus card chosen charity, join Dorothy Lane Markets Good Neighbor Program or Gordon Food Services on the PAWS website. Over 20 contributors and sponsors donated for the cause raffling off $150 worth of Monster Ink, an evening at the Funny Bone, 100 minutes of free tanning at Simply Brown, Grease Monkey, Options Hair Design, Patricia Rose Art and Quick Fix PC repair among others. By the sunny volleyball beaches and the sun drenched cantina, the show begins.

The 725 Band started the evening with a collection of cool covers fronted by the powerhouse 4 octave voice of Ashley Watson who appears to have inherited the vocal talent of Janis Joplin and Nancy Wilson among others. She starts out showing she’s a little Runaway, singing from the heart on Barracuda and only a certain amount of voices can truly do that song justice. Paws doesn’t adopt out leopards, but they break out one of the 80’s hard rock giants songs of the ages adding a little bit of gunter glieben glauten globen. Armegeddon It, are you? Some early Van Halen gets some love tonight, then Jackyl brings the sun shining down on us. In a unique medley of rock and metal riffs, Metallica’s Sandman becomes a Believer in Boston. As the drinks, daiquiris and pina coladas, flow the crowds gets Lit, booze are often one’s Own Worst Enemy. Watson lets out a rebel yell as band shirts are handed out for best fan yell. The sun gets Outshined by 725 as they finish with a Whole Lotta Love for Sabbath and the War Pigs.

Jadis (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Next up Dayton’s blonde debutant Mystie Rose and Clockwork Soul announced it was time to rock out with your clock out. Opening with the Pretenders and some Brass in her Pocket using her arms, legs, senses, fingers to get your attention, she’ll wink at you to make you use your imagination. They cranked out originals Until the End and the Masquerade portrayed in abusive relationships. They break out the chains with Would then sing about Lady Ga Ga. They bring back the 80’s nostalgia with an all skate Summer of 69. The dance floor opened for Count the Ways then everyone toked up Smoken with Charlie Sheen, then finished with some Straight Jacket Love.

Event organizers Jadis took center stage and you really can’t go wrong when half your group is comprised of hot chicks with instruments. They start out with a favorite because all their friends like a Low Rider. Let the Train Blow the Whistle the Man in Black says, causing a crowd dance off/hoe down. The Roadhouse Blues took over with some hardcore harmonica playing, hard living tales of yesteryear. The Zeppelin returns with a whole lot more love. Miss Tracy Chapman makes an appearance for One Reason while the screaming soul banshee wail of Miss Joplin wreaks havoc on Bobby Mcgee. They finish up with Sweet Mary rolling down the river and their own group Rebel Yell.

A special thanks to everyone who donated, sponsored, played and showed up to help support the PAWS.

REVIEW: Battle For Rock On The Range 2013 Finale at Alrosa Villa

July 8, 2013 By Mike Ritchie 1 Comment

Saturday May 11th, the regional music community came out in full force supporting the Columbus rock scene and the 7 bands that made it to the battle of the bands finale for the coveted opening spot on the hallowed ground of Crew Stadium for Rock on the Range 2013. The winning band would perform on the same stage as Thousand Foot Krutch and Beware of Darkness among others. They’d also be performing on the same collective bill as In This Moment, Ghost, Lamb of God, Skillet, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden…no pressure.

The showcase was sponsored by Columbus’ Fox 28 News, 99.7 The Blitz, Zombie Tapdance Productions, Columbus Recording Studios, Music To Go, Local Rock Showcase, Stover Photography, Chris A Photography and X13 Sound Services.

Starting on March 22 with Auntiem, Devil By Design, Ironhead and The Last Rise, 37 bands played their best to earn the holy grail of local gigs. Other participants included 3rd Degree Burden, Autumn Burning, Blanch Devereaux, Despiragon, Exist Beyond Ruin, Overtheory, Trabue, Murnane Tribe, Error 504, Downsick, Liecus, Dressed in Electric, 8lb Pressure, A Nameless Tragedy, Hollywood Red, Black Dragon, Citizens Brigade, Viper, Liquid Ghandi, Antaean, Mason Made of Scars, Grit n Steel, Detrimental, Echoes of Empathy, Enemy By Mourning, Infidel, Mari Jayn, Second Sight, Imperium, Roxy Mae, Strikken, Country Club Commandos and Cross Solder.

The seven finalists would all play in one night, the winner to be determined by 2 anonymous judges and crowd voting. Cross Solder, Devil By Design, OverTheory, Error 504, 8lb Pressure, Hollywood Red and Infidel all earned their spot in the night’s grand finale to go play ‘Where Rock Lives’ the following weekend. Each band put on a spectacular performance giving their very best to the crowd, playing like they were already at ROTR. Whether you were a die-hard local, casual club goer or from elsewhere stopping by, you could tell by the crowd’s energy and the excitement, electricity, adrenaline and vibe pumping through the place that tonight would be epic. Tonight Columbus was united, jamming the house in support of the local scene. Regardless of whoever you followed or liked, everyone wanted and got a great musical showcase.

Devil by Design (Photo by Mike Ritchie)

The Alrosa Villa staff was very impressed with the promotion by bands, sponsors and the local community, making the finale a victory in and of itself. The competition started 4 years ago with club founder Rick Cautela sending one local winner to the big show. Assistant Director of Entertainment Tara Cautela has taken it to new heights in recent years.

The first of the finalists Lancaster’s Cross Solder opened the show with What I’ve Become impressing with some down and dirty southern raunch rock and blues. Chadd Lunn’s raspy vocals paid tribute to Bobby Ellsworth and borrowed the ‘Blitz’s’ intense wide eyed glare. The boys played like they were hungry for their next meal whether it was up from the gutter or down from the penthouse. If Dave Mustaine was in a hard rock blues band and looked like Tom Cruise, we’d have Mr. Lunn. Soldering their own sound, they Light Up the Sky playing All I Need and the brand new dark sing along ballad If I Die. Another new one, Shameless, changed between slow melody and fast hard chug with butterfly knife quickness. They finish, playing the pied pipers with a private symphony for Mr. Mustaine. Look for their first record coming soon.

Playing the night’s sophomore set from the depths of hell with a sound straight from the narrow Harley riding rockslide looping roads under the LA sun were Devil by Design. Though some of them might be too young to remember the beer soaked, hairspray drenched metal heyday of the sunset scene, they play with a healthy appetite and appreciation for their musical forefathers. Think if LA Guns, Motley Crue and GNR had a chance to defend their stripped turf from the Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden Seattle invasion. The seeds of DBD would’ve been spewed out on the pavement, pushed to the curb and left to spawn. They open going hog-wild turning the keys on their EP title track Let the Devil Drive, and why not, there’s no need to sell their souls… yet, but having the devil at the wheel can give them rock n roll immortality. It’s better to Burn out than fade away as the song goes. They play their music like the hard drinking road gypsies they emulate with a little bit of hair, punk and Ramons thrown in to balance the octane with heavy sedation. Travis Halley has channeled the presence of Jim Morrison, Danzig and Layne Staley with a rosy swagger minus the suspenders. They break out the state plated ballads singing about the west coast wonderland bringing the 1980’s to 2013 without roses or thorns. Revolver video-single What if I Die cranks out the praises and hard luck perishes of the lifestyle accompanied by a little shelter from the Stones. You never know when it’ll be your time to go to paradise city. Can’t get the new album tune Outta My Head and for good reason. They finish blowing their set to Pieces taking the tour bus to home sweet home. Their 6 song EP Let the Devil Drive from BFX records is available on iTunes.

And now for the thinking man’s metal mind, Battle for Rock on the Range gives you Columbus’s Overtheory. The band’s philosophy is to keep it simple but sounding damn good doing it. They’ve already accomplished quite a bit in their 2 year history playing Newport Music Hall and Screamin Willies among others, performing live on 99.7 The Blitz, and earning a Fishtank Audio contract by winning first place at Captain Jacks’ battle of the bands. Singer Dorian Gray was definitely the night’s unsilent Bob singing with a distinctly disturbed tone belting out Fatal Flaw for the fans. Bassist James Guest spent the set hauling his self-catapulting massive frame around stage, his body anxiously awaiting his head to fly off and crowd surf. Resembling a bald Vinnie Jones, it’s no wonder he plays like a meat train madman. They break out the toys tossing out the killer red balloons and the glow stix for trippy illumination. They’ve developed a sound bending the Alter Bridge between Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin and their own combination of technically complex, strong heavy rock.

Error 504 (Photo by Mike Ritchie)

Error 504 is the last thing you want to see on your computer screen but definitely worth the drive to hear if you’re in the area. The band is an amped up mix of mashed up hard rock and metal that’s shared stages with Bobaflex and Mushroomhead among others. Led by Dayne Sauder, the crew played a set heavy in sound and loud on performance with fans and followers yelling loud and proud for the 504. Opening with Give it Away, new tune Devil’s Angel and growling riff chugger Lil Red, Alex Mayer, part Eddie part Dimebag, shreds his way through their future early classics flailing his blonde terror mop, shredded mesh and well worked guitar strings through the evening set.Kin of Infidels Larry Coak, lil Evan was brought out on stage for the first of a few early rockstar of the future training sessions. They were all playing for a spot at Rock on the Range but also for their love, passion and dedication for the art, crowd and scene. Even if it meant piling $5000 worth of gear into a $500 dollar vehicle and driving the miles for the price of a tank back home. The crowd showed gratitude opening a nightmarish pit as they unleashed the evening’s ending tune The Reckoning. Check out new CD Vol 1 The Awakening on Amazon.

How many pressure points does the human body have? How many pounds of pressure does it take to break bones, crack joints and skulls or choke someone out? 8lb of Pressure was Columbus’ best sounding answer to Korn meets Metallica and Godsmack. Singer Brandon Sin spent 8 years with Tainted 13, bringing a Mike Muir/Evan Seinfeld resemblance and his angry, snarling attitude with him. No amount of pressure can Break them down. Cranking out loud solid metal peppered with some COC playing Sick of It, special guest star Mark from Sever made an appearance on War and Lil Evan came back up to adrenalize the crowd with a frenzied air guitar solo helping out the heavy Machine Head chug on Lies.

Hollywood Red (Photo by Mike Ritchie)

Now for the evening’s second helping of Hollywood and Vine, hair metal with a touch of Aerosmith and some harder spiked rock and roll punch, Hollywood Red. All the thrills are there as guitarist Jonathan Suh rips the notes out of his guitar with Van Halen speed playing Back for More and Burned Out sung with a soft smooth Mark Slaughter delivery by the young Harry Connick Jr looking Dominic Frissora. Don’t call him a pretty boy… or Floyd. Their sound incorporates the back canyon road tales of Wasp, LA Guns and GNR. They get a little weezy on Save Me, guys… say it ain’t so! They may be too young to remember most of the 80’s, but they’ve taken the classic sound bringing back memories for all the ‘older’ kids to remember the good times. They play their own semi-autobiographical Misfit Anthem aided by the visual lyrical dance interpretation of some lovely young lust. The young guns have been around since late 2011 and have a self-titled EP out.

Rounding out the evening with a crowd full of vocal supporters, tonight’s blasphemous heathens Infidel hit the stage. Music is their life, metal is their passion, mosh pits are their calling and they just kinda sorta happen when they play. Are you ready for some metal?! Larry Coake yells out calling for the opposite of murder with a shining gleam in his eye. With the inflamed skull Obituary’esque logo banner backing their deadly sound, they all get on their soapbox performing their best. There was no need to Beg for crowd participation. Though all bands were asked not to encourage pits being an all-ages show, sometimes the power of music just compels you. Coake’s spoken word screechy screaming delivery left his vocals Hangin by a Thread but didn’t stop him from touring the club spreading the word asking all patrons to follow him to Rock on the Range.

The excitement and tension built as the bands waited for the announcement of who would be playing Crew Stadium. The vocal majority was split between Infidel and Error 504. As the votes were tallied, the staff thanked all bands for playing a great show and welcomed them all to come back anytime. Regardless of who shared the Jagermeister stage next Sunday morning, the Columbus music scene was the winner tonight. Each band played like they belonged on stage holding nothing back and were destined for greatness. Then the announcement was made. The winner of the Battle for Rock on the Range was….. Error 504!

Congrats to Error 504 who played a great set at Rock on the Range, to the final 7 for making such a memorable night happen and all the bands that played and rocked The Villa over the past several months and to all the fans that make the scene happen.

Participants in Battle for Rock on the Range
(Photo by Mike Ritchie)

Dreamgirls Review – Victoria Theatre Association – Hard to Say Goodbye

June 6, 2013 By Russell Florence, Jr. Leave a Comment

It’s hard to say goodbye to musical theater as emotionally compelling, humorously spirited, visually appealing and vocally thrilling as the latest national tour of the 1981 Tony Award-winning musical “Dreamgirls,” the terrific season finale of the Victoria Theatre Association’s 2012-13 Premier Health Broadway Series dazzlingly staged by director/choreographer Robert Longbottom at the Schuster Center.
Conceived by Michael Bennett (“A Chorus Line”) and featuring a fantastic score by Henry Kreiger and librettist/lyricist Tom Eyen, “Dreamgirls” is a predominately sung-through, Motown-inspired tale skillfully and breezily chronicling the triumphs and torment of a female R&B trio during the 1960s and 1970s. Loosely based on the tumultuousness associated with Diana Ross and The Supremes, the musical weaves absorbing themes of ambition, disillusionment, greed, image, sacrifice, heartache, love, family and forgiveness into a revealing look at African-Americans desperately pursuing the American dream at any cost during a particularly thorny time when it was very difficult for R&B music to crossover to the pop charts.

(l to r) Tonyia Myrie Rue, Jasmin Richardson and Charity Dawson in Dreamgirls (contributed photo)

Charity Dawson, delivering one of the best performances of the season and blessed with a voice that can be considered an R&B hybrid of Jill Scott and Ledisi, is a marvelous focal point as overbearing, plus-sized diva Effie Melody White. Dawson turns the wonderfully complex Effie into a demanding force to be reckoned with as the lead (and loudest) singer of the Dreamettes who long to become stars but initially settle for singing backup to James Brown-esque showman James “Thunder” Early (the absolutely dynamic JoNathan Michael). When Dawson steps forward near the top of the show to fuel the forceful groove and saucy attitude within “Move (“You’re Steppin’ On My Heart),” there’s no doubt the show is in immensely capable hands. And when Effie’s promising world begins to crack the moment the Dreamettes’ shady manager Curtis Taylor, Jr. (a slick, proper and confidently cool Deonte’ Warren) repackages the group as the Dreams and taps slender Deena Jones (the demure yet determined Jasmin Richardson) to sing lead, Dawson astutely escalates Effie’s heartbreak. In fact, the final 30 minutes of Act 1 are not to be missed as the touching “Family” segues into the driving, spine-tingling title tune (beautifully and gracefully led by Robinson) and ultimately reaches a gripping climax with the fabulous squabble “It’s All Over” and Dawson’s powerhouse rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” which sparked rapturous applause on opening night long before its iconic final notes. However, I must admit Dawson’s equally visceral “I Am Changing,” featuring one of many stunning costume changes, is a joyously life-affirming Act 2 roof-raiser worth the price of admission. This production, heightened by Longbottom’s superb transitions, also wisely incorporates the soul-bearing ballad “Listen” from the 2006 Academy Award-winning film version, allowing Dawson and Richardson another ample opportunity to showcase their full-throttle vocals within a perfectly honest moment of reconciliation between Effie and Deena.

In addition to the aforementioned Michael’s gospel-tinged vigor in a role he was born to play, excellent featured performances are given by the delightfully spunky
Tonyia Myrie Rue as Lorrell Robinson (the agitated fury within her deliciously fiery rendition of “Ain’t No Party” nearly rises to showstopping proportions), the amiable Terrance Johnson as Effie’s brother C.C., the lovely Kimberly Michelle Thomas as Michelle Morris, and the believably disgruntled Kolby Kindle as Early’s longtime manager Marty whose outright disdain for Curtis is always palpable.
Elsewhere, Shane Sparks, a phenomenal hip-hop choreographer known for his work on “So You Think You Can Dance,” provides sharp and vigorous routines for the male ensemble, particularly the rip-roaring “Steppin’ to the Bad Side.” Costumer William Ivey Long is responsible for an array of utterly gorgeous gowns and other colorful period designs. Robin Wagner’s original, understated scenic design is effectively enhanced by Howard Werner’s large, eye-catching LED panels that winningly expand the storytelling. Ken Billington’s splendid lighting design adds just the right amount of razzle dazzle. Conductor Jon Balcourt leads an outstanding orchestra that rarely pauses throughout this rich musical landscape. In fact, a driving rhythm lightly underscores certain Act 1 book scenes.
Thanks to a vibrant cast and striking new technical elements, “Dreamgirls” remains an infectious crowd-pleaser.
“Dreamgirls” continues through June 9 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton. Performances are Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Act One: 75 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Tickets are $40-$86. Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

REVIEW: Zeently Productions Presents Mike Nye Benefit Show

May 26, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

On Saturday April 27, Zeently Productions presented the benefit show for local musician Mike Nye. Five bands came out to support the cause and play some seriously heavy sh- with Architects of Doom, Forces of Nature, King Stench, Spike Opera and The Reefer Hut alongside a crowd of local talent, friends and fans showing up to support Nye in his recovery.

While hanging out at a fellow musician’s house Nye suffered a freak, fluke injury coming down a flight of concrete steps planting his foot. His momentum caused an awkward shift resulting in several leg injuries including 2 cracks in the tibia, 1 fibula and a top ankle crack. A halo was placed on his leg with 9 insertion points used to reset bones with wires and three metal rods attached to bones. There’s a 6-8 month healing window expected and Nye hopes to be back to full metal strength ASAP.

Nye’s been a fixture in the Dayton scene since the late 80’s starting in Killust then playing in the original version of local legends Decay, appearing on Dayton’s Metal Mania public access show then joining Foul Stench, recording 4 CD’s and 3 more with Maximus Crispus.

Architects of Doom (photo by MIke Ritchie)

Within 24 hours of hearing the news, Marc and Shannon Godsey of Forces of Nature booked and organized the event at McGuffy’s including a 2 dollar raffle for CD’s and T-shirts donated by McGuffys, Foul Stench, King Stench, Internal Bleeding, Horlet, NDEX, Engraved Darkness, Vein Collector and Incurable Misogyny. Gift cards were donated by Subway on Linden/Smithville, 4 free drum lessons by Brian Harris at Absolute Music in Fairborn and Randy Gaines offered free body piercing. There was also a silent auction for a 21” Magnavox TV, with remote and table stand donated by Zeently and a HP-PC donated by Dayton Metal Mania.

Not even 24 hours after supporting Fear Factory on the same stage, Architects of Doom played double duty starting the party at 7pm for all the early evening diehards, Amish time for almost any metal band. Tonight they’re playing for ‘stripper money’ and all bets are off when Keith goes shirtless. They’re proud to call McGuffy’s their second home playing One Less Worry and a kick ass version of Sepultura’s Slave New World.

King Stench (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Forces of Nature came to thrash with their brand of clobbering sound. They’re a band that’s cemented a strong following, and they always have lady luck on their side. They play rapturous thrash with legit end of the world cred playing the Dec 21^st show last year, playing Reverbnation chuggers Magnus Lee, Rotten Tooth and As Seen on TV among others.

Next up Dayton’s black metal blasphemer King Stench spewed its version of evil incarnate. But even the most dark and sinister forms of the genre aren’t as insidious when used for a good cause, to help out a fellow human. Nevertheless Hell’s Gate opened with a fury as 10 songs of Devastation followed from their available CD’s Ungod and Visions of Death including new tune Eternal Fire. Hell’s Gate, Ungod and Goat Lord can be heard on Reverbnation. Marc Godsey played back to back double sets like a proud sweat stained metal soldier. The music is much like what you feel during those something’s chasing you and your feet are stuck in something/not moving dreams. King’s voice sounds like the last thing you’d wanna hear walking into a dark room.

Spike Opera (photo by Mike Nye)

Springfield’s newly resurrected/regrouped Spike Opera brought a blitzkrieg cacophony of sound to the senses. They’re a little bit punk, a little thrash with the frenetic pace of Slayer and Testament with hints of Yngwie Malmstein and the chaotic structure of black metal. Vocalist Dug Brown has a little bit of John Connely and Chuck Billy in his lungs and blood along with some heavy whiplashed dreads. Their music definitely inspires Blood-N-Bruises and Bloodspray. Leatherface gets a facelift and props on The Saw Is Family with all victims going in The Hearse. Their recording/touring history dates back to the mid-eighties. After many changes and a long hiatus the planets have aligned, and they’ve returned.

It was time for Confessions Of…A Near Death Experience playing and pulverizing anyone who dared to Talk Sh-. They pulled out the good ole ballpeen Hammer just for audience testing. Recently playing the Earth Day bash, tonight seems like they’d rather pummel and pillage rather than save it.

The Reefer Hut finished the show with a nice, cool, calm and mellow collection of pleasantries… but seriously, Adam Baumann also pulls double duty Moving Forward until he falls into a coffin and gets gurney out, that’s dedication. With many member changes, good times, hard times they’ve had their share but they have great Inner Pride in their Hardcore Urban sound adding elements of Cypress Hill, tribal sounds and Sepultura/Cavalera Conspiracy.

For all those loyal late nighters who stayed till the end, Shannon Godsey’s mother, Mrs. Rebecca Naylor baked and built a huge 3 layer Foul Stench hardcore delicious sugar bomb cake special for the occasion.

Nye thanks everyone for all the positive support, responses and everything done for the benefit. “I feel lucky for the support and friendship everyone’s shown”

REVIEW: Fear Factory Brings World Industrialist Tour to Dayton

May 22, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

On Friday April 26, kings of cyber metal Fear Factory returned to the McGuffy’s stage to assault the crowd with mechanized sounds and metalized mayhem. Bringing the Industrialist to Dayton for human assemblage of skin to skin symbiotic fusion, battle and praise, all models shown obsolete were cast into the drone pit center floor and decommissioned. Tour mates Hate Eternal brought their technically unique death metal onslaught along with Canadian power-metal outfit Kobra and the Lotus helmed by the intriguing Miss Kobra Paige. Local thrash pounders Chambers of Chaos and Architects of Doom opened the show.

Chambers of Chaos (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Lighters and Moshpits alumni Chambers of Chaos emerged as the sunglass wearing, middle finger flailing, attitude adjusting, smirking Shaun Clark entered the proverbial staged ring as musical fists flew. Yelling the spoken word Hype train with plenty of pissed off attitude. They end slow, dark and melodic on the Kiss of Goodbye. CoC are not to be Pushed, played around with or pissed off in any way, shape or form. Why, because they said so.

The local architecture of metal continues to forge as Dayton’s designers of doom play their first of a two night stint marking their 5-6 stage appearance. They instigate the Collapse of the Tyrant and deal with that one annoying a—hole that everyone knows. Vocalist Keith Hamilton visits the crowd calling people out making sure they’re having fun. Hamilton resembles a diabolical Nicolas Cage and might have some of Galron’s blood in the family tree so offer him a beer if he’s coming towards you. One less drama queen means One Less Worry. Tonight’s show marked the one year anniversary of Hamilton at the helm. They celebrate with Danny ‘balls and buns of steel’ Doom cranking out the Ritual Punishment finishing off with some hand delivered Bloodshed.

The great white north comes to Dayton in the form of Kobra and the Lotus and the dreadlocked coiled Canadian Miss Kobra Paige, bringing her operatic four octaves to the mic and our appreciative eardrums. Opening with the spellbinding Nightwish’esk Nayana they invite us to their funeral. Decked in war-paint, tribal feathers, leather and lace Paige’s vocals carry the spirit of Tarja Turenun, with a sharper rock edge, encompassing the attitude and bravado of Angela Gossow. We are joined together Forever One in metal as Heavens Veins open a Lotus flood of classical symphonic power provided by guitarists Jasio Kulakowski and Charlie Parra Del Riego. Into their private inner Sanctuary we go for the dark fairy tale shredder 50 Shades of Evil. For the K&L video experience check out Forever One/Welcome to My Funeral/50 Shades on Facebook.

Hate Eternal (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Hate Eternal came out bellowing death metal like a dark sonic thunder-blast starting their onslaught with the loud beating heart of Rebirth, blast beating into Haunting Abound and the evil uprising and temptations of the dark one. Erik Rutan (Morbid Angel/Ripping Corpse) wrenches his guitar twisting and mangling sound into a beautiful growling tirade of mind possessing demonic disturbia. They bring hell’s fury on stage as the blazed Phoenix Amongst the Ashes arises to the call of its thunderous skyward summons accompanied by the soaring notes carried on the wind of its wings. They are ye humble Servants of the Gods, as the Art of Redemption is played at a thousand notes and beats a minute. Ancient robed druids roam the forests asking the Powers That Be for answers to the extinction of ancient lost civilizations. After summoning the Fire of Resurrection they finish with the spell-casting, necromancing Monarch. Thunderous guitars with soul screaming notes, echoes and harmonies. It’s quite possible when they play, angels cry and God takes notice. Hate Eternal are the perfect blend for electric chair head-banging.

Fear Factory (photo by Brad Flynn)

The bio-mechanical factory doors opened with industrial smoke and steam pouring out and the sounds of robotics being gnarled into form permeated the air. Endoskeleton was forged together by assemblage bots and the soul of a new machine was created. West coast lords of industrial cyber-kinetic metal Fear Factory came on stage. The band that made its early career based on the moment Skynet became self-aware was here. Started in 1989, 8 steel shredding albums later including ‘95’s ground–breaker Demanufacture, a slightly different approach of man and machine becoming one on 2001’s Digimortal while 2004 cemented them as the Archetype for other bands of mechanic elk to follow. In later efforts they focused more on government, religion and police states. They’re currently supporting new concept record The Industrialist about a machine collecting memories and the will to exist which will eventually be mankind’s demise.

The voice of the machine pushes through the speakers warning of mankind’s ignorance and destruction. Its four mortal messengers stand before the audience of slave laborers ready to disconnect body parts on command. But be forewarned… due to the graphic nature of this show, listener discretion is advised. The Industrialist begins and the evening’s event in subhuman assembly begins. A familiar Shock to the system hits us next. The Edgecrusher breaks humanity away from the machines, What Will Become? Our ears Linchpin to the onslaught of Dino Cazares’s guitar work. They powershift into government sponsored fear… the mind is fear, a Fear Campaign. Spiked gnarling guitars riffs grind through Recharger as the Smasher/Devourer is deployed to scan and salvage for defectors turning mankind into Martyr’s. The barcode spinal cord snaps, from chains of imprisonment tossed into scrap for Demanufacture as the crowd roars for the classic crowd pleaser. They end with a song of hope about the lone wolf, the human savior, the Self Biased Resistor. Bell’s instantly recognizable vocals range from dry throat scraping, yelling, to harmonious singing. When the world does end, we can only hope they’re around to write about it.

REVIEW: Bogey’s Bar Hosts United We Jam Against Cancer

April 2, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Editor’s note: In May of 2013, the Springfield News Sun reported that Michelle Mundy was under investigation for potential fraud as she allegedly had faked a cancer diagnosis. Ms Mundy subsequently surrendered to the police.

Saturday March 9^th Bogey’s Bar and Grill in Springfield held the United We Jam Music Against Cancer Fundraiser for Yellow Springs resident Michelle Mundy. Four acts as different as they were united in the cause played to help raise funds for Mrs. Mundy’s treatment and medical expenses.

Mundy was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) at 37, 8 years after fighting her first bout with the ‘big C’ at 29. Starting chemotherapy in September of 2012, continuing into 2013, she’s gone through 6 rounds every other Monday until Mid-December. Radiation may follow. 11 tumors were found in the soft tissue, bones, organs, abs, and some attached to bones on the ribs. Her medication expenses are around $1500 a month. From September-October 2012 she received R-CHOP therapy (an administration of four chemo-related drugs) every 14 days. NHL is found in cancerous white blood cells and is curable so the fight rages on. For more information, go to www.cancer.org.

The Shope Brothers

The show began with the uniquely rap inclined Dipspit. In the vein of Eminen meets Tenacious D the duo perform emotional, spirited raps of slight adult nature. Spewing out ultra-serious lyrics that’ll make you laugh, roll your eyes or go WTH. The bearded high priest of sweaty movement DJ DumptRuck shouts out his backup sermon through mic and megaphone bringing their own personal mini sound system as front-man DipSpit tells the stories of the Pontoon boat and Dropkicking the Dub Plate. They’re as different in their spectacle as they are entertaining in their effort and presentation. We’re infected with DipSpit Fever forever and the Springfield scene will never be the same.

And now for something completely different…. the Shope brothers, Jason and Jacob scale things down with an acoustic as older Jacob keeps the beat a bit differently playing a hand slapping Cajon Box. They play some sweet country tunes singing about the intoxicating effect that special girl has on you. There’s Hell on Wheels as we get the adrenaline twang going and a bootleg shiner from the law for our trouble. Jason Aldean’s Wheels Rolling could be the cowboy hat tipping version of Turn the Page. We go cruising n sightseeing down that Florida Georgia Line whistling Dixie at all the ladies. From the southern panhandle we take a Canadian detour to heaven with Bryan Adams.

Destracore

Dayton’s four piece angry thrashers Destracore opened their turbo’d up set turning on the metal machine full grind unleashing The Beast upon the unsuspecting onlookers. Singer Don Potter tag teams between yelling and actual singing as some screamers can’t do. Now that Twinkies have been resurrected, those and Cockroaches will still be the only things surviving the apocalypse but we’ll still all Die Out in style. The bearded Potter, technically a harry Potter possesses a unique pallet of the usual growls, screams and screeching but can also carry a tune with a bit of creepy melancholy and tension attached. They play their future single When I Close My Eyes. They’ve found a nice balance of the heavy stuff infusing some well-placed melody. They take a page from priest, and Break the Law. There’s some nice Death inspired bass and drum dancing beginning/during the Final Act slowing down the ends coming. Their core started humbly in a New Carlisle kitchen in 1998; relentless touring made them a staple in the Dayton/Springfield metal scene releasing their debut effort Yield. In 2002 they invaded the Columbus area scene and after an 8 year hiatus have returned with a five song crunching demo displaying a hybrid influenced sound and new musical presence. See them April 6^th at Club Panama.

Gathering Mercury

The sirens roar as Gathering Mercury start a Bitchin good time. They start with the opening tracks from their debut CD Where The Others Go. Ashley Stacey sings with a sweet soft spoken cue with a rasp of attitude proving with each show she’s a forerunner for her generation’s Joan Jett. She’s the cute girl next door with a sweet smile with a ‘hint’ of rebellion you keep your eye on. They Lean Into the Fall playing their Dayton Does Dayton tribute to Mona, try out two new tunes. Stacey has the stage presence for rock n roll and Broadway. Bassist Quique Bucio plays deep notes with a side or two of comical humor and physical comedy. They finish with a little high octane Hoochie Koo then Paint it Black with mercury. See them April 13^th and May 11^th at Canal Street Tavern.

The Attic Celebrates Its Final Night

February 13, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Saturday January 26th over 700 kids jammed the Attic’s positive space to be part of the venues final loud shout out of all day music marathon. 15 bands played the Hot Head Burrito and main stage in door festival starting at 2:30 with States Away and finishing 8 hours later with Beneath the Sky. Bands sandwiched in between included Ignite the Empires, Strangers to Wolves, Witness, The Holy Guile and Hail to the King amongst others.

Event vendors No Where To Go Clothing also donated half the evenings proceeds to The Attic. A raffle was held for a signed Miss May I framed poster by Rockstar Energy, a Woe Is Me signed poster, CD and drumsticks and a Texas in July CD.

States Away

The day started with the high energy of States Away playing human bumper car on stage as they cranked out their pop punk set including I Tried so hard and Mean What You Say. Corey Davis’ Gerard Way influenced vocals carried the band’s sound. Formed in early 2012 they released their self-titled EP in June and plan on recording, playing shows and depending on the kindness of strangers for sleeping quarters on the road.

In Current Standing opened up the first set of heavy agonized screams, growls and a little calm singing mixed in, including some atmospheric laptop tech effects. Guitarist Trevor Strahans skull guitar breathed out some death heavy tunes including Virtues that prompted the day’s first ‘dance’ moves.

Ignite the Empires crash the stage banging heads with some Cheap Wine. The Attic Alumni return from previous shows including opening for A Plea For Purging to play and Piss Off the crowd with their own brand of loud, aggressive in your face noise. They played the guitar intricacies of Miles of Expectations like a thief in the night then told the tale of Xanie Annie before finishing off in a cartoonish manner playing a select tune for all the Family Guy fans.

We take a short acoustic break with the pierced soothing songs sung by rebellious Kevin Brewer including the Foo Fighters’ Hero.

Strangers to Wolves

Strangers to Wolves brought their snarling pop metal predatory music next. Silver bullets and fang prosthetics aside their sound echo’s the cold dark woods where the howls come from after midnight. They play an 80’s tribute to their namesake historical rival Lost Boys while sporting some hairy wolfish mullets. The night was guitarist Marcus Springer’s second show with the pack. A new EP will be coming out in March with the single Second Star on the Right.

It could be said that Permission to Live are just a bunch of good hearted, fun loving hard edged, hard wood surfer punks riding the wave to future success. A few new tunes in, they pay homage to Taylor Swift, say Final Goodbyes half way through and get a little Smashmouth bringing some VIP’s on stage to celebrate.

Can we get a Witness please? What we get are a bunch of loud, scream/singing loud blokes blending a computer enhanced sound with a warped mixture of pop sound and legit heavy metal cannon fire. Their opener off the Of Great Importance EP spreads F.E.A.R. throughout the building as they played crowd control during The Ledger, a cheery song dealing with the grief and sadness of loss; check out the video on YouTube.

Lammes Lane performed half their set under the man-made flashing light nightshade and stage mist resembling pillaging and plundering shadowed Viking warriors. They play their music like primal animals no matter Who’s at the Zoo. Their hard thrashing sound accompanied by Obituary meets Death vocals brought the crowd up and over the stage for Showtime. Though their music is Yet to be Scene, their debut CD will be available this spring.

Witness

We Are Forever from Indianapolis brought out the special lighting for their 2nd visit. All the girls screamed as they played tunes from their first record Seasons featuring Lights including Make It Through. Their sound is pretty upbeat pop with a high energy presentation.

Grim State play their music down in the heavy drudges and cold earthen woods where they bring us Creeps, Sheep and Deadbeats. Only songs like Solitude and Valor are slow and trudgy enough to come from the darkest forgotten holler. Also songs like Madness, Illness and Torn show just how Volatile and Unstable these Dayton boys are.

Remember When is a five-some power pop band riding high on the momentum of their Save Your Wishes EP, touring with bands such as Miss May I and their new EP He Said, She Said played with high pop precession.

The next act starts with a pretty Cool Story about a band from around these here parts somewhere. They spread their Holy Guile all over the damn place with wicked spewing venom vocals on full rotation, blasting drums, a unique unsuspected cathedral, turntable effects conglomerate with inserted black metal and techno elements to trans-mutate into a chaotic gelatinous mass of metal love and torture. Imagine a holy conversion by Dani Filth backed by Crowbar cranked to hyperdrive. The next songs called Hey Zeus, Yeah, Zeus! As in, father of Apollo? Mt. Olympus? Don’t mess with them or they’ll shove a lightning bolt somewhere special, Zeus! And you better not have a problem with that. All’s good but noisy tonight in Idahoe.

When imagining Hail to the King, think of Fear Factory with an even more pissed off sounding Burton C. Bell in the form of Kody Hale meets Meshuggah, intensity like a thousand screaming armies and aggressive insanity like the screaming mind of a raging psychotic. Hell explodes raining hails of inner earth onto the ground, through the acrid smoke and debris Hail to the King emerge. They clamp on an iron clad Contagion Clasp and Go for the Throat with a malevolent decimation of sound and some nice melancholy guitar notes. They bring everyone together, pit by pit. They play the lovely sounding Starletta then Saud Ahmed of The Holy Guile came out to help harmonize on one of their louder tunes. They thank the crowd with a final pummeling Gutshot shaking the ribs and rumbling organs.

Cincy’s bloody birds pecking at the body of Christ celebrate their second record A Feast for Crows on Victory records with a pretty Portrait of American Greed. There’s Blood in the Water as the ship goes down and those self-made glorious pompous pulpit Monuments crumble to oblivion. A Glorious new song is heralded before we finish with bitterness and hope of Marilyn courtesy of Corpus Christi.

Pastor Kilby address the crowd

A reunion show for the Cincinnati metal growlers as they celebrate everything Beneath the Sky with a packed house of tired but hungry for more metal heads is The Reason they’ll are still here. It’d be a Grave Mistake to leave now being it’s the first time the original lineup played since 2007 and not celebrate to the end. The uncomfortably themed and videoed Terror Starts at Home is followed by a Gunsmoke Kiss for the Goodfellas. We spend ten minutes at the users ball before we find an evening partner before Last Call. They talk about Miss Misery and a tale of near death from the Northside. They mourn a friend at 7861 Blackthorne Drive and finish taking us on Our Last Road as sadly The Attic finishes its decade plus road of the area’s best talent.

Though there’s no set timeframe Pastor Kilby has promised that the Attic concept, theme and everything that made it a great hang out for kids will return in the form of another building or venue depending on when some new positive space becomes available.

Special thanks for on the spot event info, go-to guy the prosperous ‘Mr. Tree’.

Moshpits & Lighters III Sells Out McGuffys

January 7, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

December 17 McGuffy’s House of Rock cleared the seats and tables for a standing room only sell-out crowd of 500+ gathered to watch 8 bands play the one and only of its kind annual metal showcase spotlighting local talent and a few state bordering and elsewhere local friends. Seconds Fall, Nightbeast, Chambers of Chaos, Amongst Villains, The Action Blast, Avenue Sky, My Name in Vain and In The Cut played a nightlong showcase plowing through tunes and pummeling heads, brain cells and earlobes.

Seconds Fall

Seconds Fall/In The Cut singer Daniel DeDoncker was the mastermind behind the nights event. The goal was to sell out McGuffys with a local show and he accomplished it with lots of old school hard work dedication, heart and a true passion for music. He wanted to book a show with his favorite local/regional bands breaking the traditional 3-4 band bill with an entire evening of talent playing music across the spectrum. Bands both similar and completely different of each other are part of DeDonckers vision. Another future goal is to organize 3-4 like events a year while opening for national bands. To sweeten the deal if DeDoncker and Co sold out Dayton’s House of Rock they’d earn a signed guitar on the coveted wall of fame. 2 ½ months of advertising went into the show using all social media outlets also employing grassroots methods of word of mouth and multiple flier copies. The show focuses on all types of rock, and eventually he wants to do an outdoor event, a local X-Fest of sorts.

After three years apart DeDonckers first band Seconds Fall played an acoustic reunion set opening festivities. The band played the first two Moshpits & Lighters shows at Badda Bings in Kettering breaking bar attendance and sales records that night, and surpassing that number the year after. Past show alumni includes Fluwid, Occams Razor, Orange Williard, Chapter of Progress, Inept and Negative Process among others.

For the shows third year they enlisted the help of local ink masters Truth n Triumph Tattoo and model talents of Megyn, Jeni, Jenn, Courtney and Tonya the bewitching tattooed beauties of the Michigan Twisted Angels.

Local stand up Funny Bone regular laugh riot Bizcuit MC’d the show opening with his trademark tearful farewell to Twinkies and all out ariel assault of oatmeal crème cookies.

Seconds Fall started with the Lighter stuff, breaking out the electric acoustics for a stripped down performance that really brought out the emotion of all songs performed. Tesla did the five man acoustic jam, Seconds Fall did it with three. A lyrically passionate heavy set brought out by 12 electrically acoustic strings gave us Insignificant, End of Our Time, We All Need Hero’s, Don’t Give Up On Me and the first song they wrote Lipstick Revenge. DeDonker proves big hulking metal dudes can leave the beast growls and screaming in the dressing room (till later) and work the vocals a different way singing some beautiful tunes. They finished with Congulate concluding the Lighter side of things.

Avenue Sky

The cranium crunching began with Chambers of Chaos. Max Headroom yellow Mohawk sporting, slick sunglasses wearing Shaun Clark dared everyone to Enter My Ring growling out an aggressive pounding sound borrowing vox from Dez Fafara mixed with some dirty evil sounding Godsmack with a punk attack from somewhere beneath the earth. There’s definite chaos in the guitars bringing out a mass riot of a sound. They look like a nice friendly bunch of metal blokes, until they’re Pushed to Stand Against something with a deep rooted melody. We’re all Faceless in the crowd enjoying the heavy hype on stage. They leave us hungry for more with the darkly melodious long Kiss of Goodnight. Clark yells his lyrical agenda to the gathering with the fury of a dictator at the podium who wasn’t shy about flashing the bird, letting it soar for all to see. (Metal’s one of the very few genre’s where the middle finger can be used as a sign of camaraderie and respect).

Straight up north from the cold depths of Flint Michigan come Avenue Sky with a chilled string intro launching into Day of the Intruder. They Breathe one part metal, one part coffee house rock and one part indie aura. Formed in 2008, their influences are as diverse and unique as their onstage show. Dragonflies rings out with a jingling, jangling coffee house ballad feel, the strings almost having a piano like effect. According to Kevin Swisher, you ’can’ make babies to this song. A Storm That Burns is sung with an almost Michael Sweet (Stryper) delivery between the growling. There are some nice doses of sporadic /spastic fast footed dancing fury. Swisher and Co play homage to Killswitch Engage and King X’s Doug Pinnick.

Amongst Villains

McGuffy’s regulars Amongst Villains return hot off their set supporting Psychostick a few weeks back. Hardcore sweater wearer Josh Marshall rocked the holy living Huxtable out of his wholly holiday gear, sporting a killer ’stash. He can make any fabric look angry as he screams himself flannel red, throwing himself into everything he does. AV are a band that just can’t stop moving. They play their patented blend of hard, rough but southern strong proofed metal on Heavy is the Crown and a trip down the darkened bayou on Black River Ruin. They take us To The Grave Dragging Hell along the way.

Suddenly a fan took the stage grabbed the mic and unleashed a hypnotic fury of beats, blasts, human throat noises uttering danceable delicacies to the crowd while Nightbeast prepared to roar. Security and staff were too in awe watching him take his vocal chords to almost indescribable heights in a Bobby McFerrin on steroids performance to stop him.

Shaking in the cellar, scared out of your mind, breath fights for freedom as the beast lurks by. Fingers scratch the surface, as night air seeps in, blood red eyes pierce the darkness as your end comes….. crashing through the wall. Well, maybe not as evil as that night beast but with no less a killer instinct for performance Dayton’s Nick Testa aka The Nightbeast, Lonn Friends unofficial twin brother plays a show unique in its presence and somewhat indescribable for the pen to translate. They show up with their own club mix, a band that must be seen to be properly heard and yes, they are a bit different. They bring out the shirtless inked aggression in true comedic form. Blending top 40, rap, hip hop, rock and ska, NightBeast ’could be’ best described as a schizophrenic natural ruthied dance club rock show tattooed male review remix on wheels. We start the pawty on a Fullride, no worries your future educations taken care of. Living Large is the on key Biz Markie version of Will Smith’s Summertime. They add Tenanious D, Weird Al Yankovic lyrics to a dizzying range of performance art and bizarre hijinks. But without PG-X rated humor there can be no Anger Phase. Those topless souls brave enough to perform with him include Sean Patton, Robbie Bauer, Jordan Elam, Ryan ’Asher’ Jones and John Lakes.

My Name in Vain

took the stage with towering skyscraper Josh ’slinky’ Miller at the helm celebrating their first year as a band playing heavy artillerist paced music with a thick shovel in steamy blacktop in maximum security grit feel. We took a trip back to the river bathhouse in all our shame because we’re all Poor People. Santa came out to spread some holiday cheer before he Departed. (Writers note: MNIV was the first local and mainstream band I’ve reviewed for the website (Static X show) so seeing them again and being there was extra special for me)

Chicago’s Action Blast came out ready to prove all the Disbeliever’s wrong, performing with a solid serving of rock, hard melody, and infectious vocals combining the singing Skillet/Killswitch Engage style with God Forbid appearance and screaming. They tap the audiences reserve tank with some hard rock addictive octane. After they hit us with The Plague, they offer us some tail from the headless chick that’ll leave any man stone faced. By the end they’d Erased any doubt they came to deliver the Chi-Town goods.

In the Cut

The evenings local hero’s/headliners, In the Cut, hit the stage bringing the party to the people, honoring those who lasted all night with shots, hot chicks dancing, Santa Clause on guitar and giving the crowd plenty of loud face time. Also celebrating their first year as a band, the Onslaught started symbolically Crossing the Rubicon on stage. They didn’t wait Until the End to pull out a blistering blast of super 80’s power ballads. Tonight’s show had indeed been an incredible Journey of personal triumph and victory for DeDoncker and all performers proving that hard work and dedication does pay off and the local scene can and does carry hardcore heavyweight drawing power. If Tomorrow Never Comes we’ll all feast and get Wasted on Hatred Divine. We finish M&L’s trio show with the voice of its creator from creation to damnation, from Eden to Exile. Their next show will be opening for religious icons P.O.D. on February 9^th.

Genitorturers Violate McGuffys House of Rock… Again

November 17, 2012 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Miss Gen of the the Genitorturers onstage at McGuffy’s House of Rock (photo by Mike Ritchie)

McGuffy’s known for a long storied history of bringing in the best local/national bands might also be considered one of the bravest. Saturday November 3^rdthey brought back one of metals most ballsy and brazen acts both in performance, visuals and themes. The Genitorturers, Tampa’s answer to extreme Vaudeville meets sadistic role play meets simulated ‘physical activity’ brought the BlackHeart Revolution back to Dayton for another night of intense debauchery, naughty nemphoism, and general overall depravity. They’ve probably scared Alice Cooper once or twice too.

Not only did the crowd get a tour de force of tantalizing freak show tinsel town as the main event they got two more bands as different to each other as they were to their ‘dominating’ headliner. Tonight may have been one of the most musically diverse bills to play the Mcguffy’s stage.

The Campaign 1984 (photo by Mike Ritchie)

High energy openers The Campaign 1984 have been making dirty southern rock with a sexy cynical edge on the east coast since 2004. Namesake based on the George Orwell novel. Matt Anderson’s stage performance and presence is as much about the music as it his own facial delivery of lyrical themes and subject matter. You may not be quite sure what he’s saying here and there, though his vocals are clean you can tell from every comical/cartoonish expression, eye role, movement that he’s having fun and feeling it whether it’s delivered in sarcasm or sincerity. They’ve opened for Slash, Buck Cherry, Jackal and Red among others. 2010’s Sessions marks their fourth CD showcasing an always evolving sound. Stand in line for this Black Country Communion whisky bottle in hand with some AC/DC style rock with a black magic edge and a bit of North Carolina BLS Pride and Glory. The slobber nockered bluesy jam blasts off with Queen of the Damned about one of the nasties of the street lit evening underworld. We get some Hot Love from the Werewolves of the industrial revolution. Slingblade (not the movie) tells us about those special ‘scene girls’ who’ve probably earned their rep for being Dixie Dynamite. They leave us drinking from the triple X’d jug with a Kiss. The campaign’s a black top gravel in the face dose of full-tank high octane trucker road rock ready for the next all-nighter.

Close the Hatch (Photo by Mike Ritchie)

Dayton’s Close The Hatch is not as much a band as it’s a disturbing musical assault on the mind and the bizarre, noir images the mind conjures during their shows. Their music is almost instrumental except for the intense Crowbar like growls of Stephen Barton. They play music that dream weaves its way into your subconscious and mental lobes. They incorporate a slow heavy sound with a classical edge and effects giving off a weird, eerie melancholy ambiance. Feelings of trauma and trepidation seep off stage slowing finger crawling toward the audience like a misty apparition. It’s a slow musical journey into insanity with straight jacket wall slamming and a little bit of blissful serenity added to the gloom. They’ve figured out what an acid trip during a suicide note would sound like. They create multiple moments playing serene surroundings putting the mind in places it’s not exactly familiar or ok with. Imagine being in the high of a high in the deep end of a pool, floating near the bottom looking up at the sun’s reflection through the murphy clear waves, under the induced tranquil state of peaceful serenity unaware of the fast approaching panic your body tries to warn you. That last moment of dreamlike calm when your eyes close, body shuts down and permanently drift away. They’ve captured it. This is music for serial killers with serious mood swings. Musically they’re Meshuggah meets Tool mediated by Opeth with the Deftones hanging around.

The Genitorurers (Photo by Mike Ritchie)

Now ladies and gentleman, boys and girls it’s time to watch what would happen if Wendy O Willams was resurrected by The Great Kat and both joined the circus, the devilishly delightful hostess of dominatrix Miss Gen. Clad throughout the evening in leather and lace, cape and illuminating top hat she was always dressed to kill. Playing the devils concubine, she’s the femme fatale to Dani’s filth, the queen to King Diamond’s dark kingdom and the conductor of the traveling ritualistic Sodom and Gomorrah metal road show that is The Genitorturers. Where there’s no shame, no taboos, no act too shocking and no liquid or dessert topping too good not to indulge in. If you like your loud metal shows full of lewd acts, Gwar-like costumes champagne simulations and whip cream climaxes you’re in for a sweet treat. They emerge through a blood splattered entrance way opening with their smash hit Cum Junkie, mistress Gen plays with her toys including an incriminating shiny butcher knife, some cute altered baby dolls, a whip and a few humans with a fetish for perverse PDA’s willing to experiment and experience the genitorture. The cast of damnation includes cutters, pole riders, an adult sized baby fresh from the morgue, an overbearing/over ruling judge whose moral/Miranda authority’s quickly diminished by majority rule. It’s thematically an X rated show done with horror movie elements, plenty of depravity, industrial gothic sound, side show sizzle, Halloween hijinks and back room sex club perversity with a creative, artsy feel. She pulls out the evil inside her with a Devil in a Bottle and some Jim Bean unleashing her inner demons into the mic. It’s time to do some evil things, play tempting seduction games with a lollipop and deflower some virgins. One scantily clad lady comes out and makes a religious statement. It’s a busy multi-tasking sex show, without the nudity. We’ll Take It anyway they wanna give it, no pain no gain. They’re Public Enemy Number 1 in Sin City and the moral justice police just gave up the chase. They finished up by vocally touching themselves and saying goodnight. Something wicked definitely came.

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Voices of America Country Music Festival

Voices of America Country Music Festival

Field Production Workshop

Field Production Workshop

Voices of America Country Music Festival

Voices of America Country Music Festival

Field Production Workshop

Topped and Loaded

$3 Burger Night

Cigar and Tequila Night

Trivia at The Greene