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Rock N Roll has always been the foundation of the music world it might be cut up into different genres but at the soul of every musician there is an inspiration that started from hearing an old rock n roll signature sound that made you fall in love with an instrument or music in general. Rock n roll is a mentor that has made so many artists what they are today. Some musicians take that raw rock n roll sound and keep it close to their heart as they put a twist of their own perspective on it and that is where the guys in RYDER has exhilarated in the career they have carved out. The band hails from Queens, NY and have blended the classic rock sound with a modern twist of their own styles and have made a quite impressive arsenal of songs since their inception in 2016. A rock song should make you feel and as RYDER’s newest single SOUTHBOUND hit my ears it clenched my soul with pure power passion and that feel of old school rock n roll character. It brings to the forefront the sizzling fire of driving guitars and a beat with attitude in which every rock song thrives on; and with those two parts and creativity from the songwriter that rock n roll vibe is brought to life and this band always keeps upping the ante when they release new music. SOUTHBOUND is one of the newest tracks off the bands upcoming album MENAGERIE which releases in January 2025. The forthcoming album sounds like it’s going to be a fiery packed adrenaline induced set of songs to show the growth and love RYDER has for keeping rock n roll alive and kicking! The band has been teasing fans with yet another single that will be releasing December 13th, 2024 called QUEEN VIPER’S KISS so be on the lookout for that, keep up with the bands social medias for shows and merchandise and new music releasing; but for now continue to read on to find out about the band members and why they love classic rock n roll, when they realized music was their true passion, how it feels to be self-producing their music and what SOUTHBOUND is all about. R: Ryder combines the love for classic rock n roll with a modern twist. What made you guys fall in love with the classic rock sound, and what do you believe makes a true classic rock banger of a song? James: "For me, classic rock is timeless because it’s so raw and real. It’s about passion and storytelling that isn’t afraid to be vulnerable or loud, and that’s what pulled me in. Growing up, I was drawn to the way those bands created music that was larger than life—it felt like it could shake the walls and still get right to your heart. A true classic rock banger, in my opinion, has to have a killer riff, a hook that stays with you, and lyrics that speak to something deeper. It’s not just about sounding good; it’s about connecting with people." Max : "Since childhood, I was exposed to rock music of the 60s and 70s. From there, it grew exponentially. The classic stuff is just better music than a lot of what’s popular these days, and I think that’s why we still talk about it. It’s timeless. I think that what makes a banger of a rock song is that feeling of an adrenaline rush and what we hear just resonates with what’s inside of us. The hook is super important as well. If you can walk away from the song and be able to hum the melody, there is your answer." Rod: "I always loved the classic sound, and we really tried to be authentic to it with this album." Nick: "My dad is really responsible for my entire love of music. He has been showing me the music he’s listened to all throughout my life, taking me to concerts, and most importantly, getting me drum lessons to have an outlet for this newfound passion." R: Your newest single is called Southbound, and we talk about the intertwinement of both modern punch and classic elements it hollers in this song. What inspired the song, and how do you rate this to your older stuff in the arsenal of RYDER? James: "Southbound came from a really personal place—it’s about breaking free from anything that’s holding you back, whether it’s a situation, a mindset, or even fear. It’s a song about movement and freedom. Musically, it feels like a step forward for us. It carries the grit and heart of our older songs but has a sharper focus and more confidence. I think it shows how we’ve grown as a band while staying true to the sound that made us fall in love with making music in the first place." Max: "Southbound came about from an unused idea from the band’s past. We jammed on it a bit and morphed it into what it became by putting all of our individual marks on it. Personally, I feel it is a great representation of where the band is at with 3 new members, myself included. Naturally, it won’t sound the same as the older material, and it shouldn’t. It’s new points of view and it really shows." Rod: "I think it's just about escapism and setting yourself free. We are expanding on the traditional Ryder sound with our new material." Nick: "For me, Southbound has always been about letting go and being free. It represents breaking away from that thing that was holding you back. I personally think it is the best Ryder release to date purely off the chemistry we all have as musicians." R: As musicians, what is your earliest moment of knowing this was your true passion, and what gave you the confidence to know this was something you wouldn’t give up? Also, give me the rundown of the band members in Ryder. James: "My earliest memory of knowing music was my passion, which takes me back to being a kid watching Disney’s Fantasia. I’d sit there completely mesmerized, conducting the music with whatever toys I had nearby—building blocks, action figures, anything I could turn into a baton. Even at that age, I felt this deep connection to music, like it was something magical I wanted to be part of. The confidence to stick with it came later, during our first shows as Ryder. Seeing how our music could impact people made me realize this wasn’t just a dream; it was something real and worth dedicating my life to. As for the band, Max Knight is on guitar—he’s a genius when it comes to crafting those unforgettable solos and riffs. Rod Viquez handles the bass, and his energy is the heartbeat of our sound. Nick Bavaro is on drums, bringing the intensity and drive that elevates every song. Together, we’re more than just bandmates—we’re a team that pushes each other to be better every step of the way." Max: "I was about 12 years old when I picked up a guitar. I had no clue how to play it or even where I would end up with it, but I did know that I wouldn’t put it down. It was infectious and gave me a sense of liberation and self-expression. I knew it had to be explored and was determined to never give that feeling up. Ryder has been like a family, which encourages that very feeling on a daily basis. James and I are like two scientists always looking to develop the perfect solutions: in our case, the guitar riffs. Nick is one of the most charismatic drummers I’ve ever played with, and his craft exhibits such articulation and creativity that it, along with the bass, forms this unrelenting rhythm section Rod seamlessly intertwines with Nick and provides a thunderous low end that gives Ryder its massive sound. I’m truly fortunate to be around these guys." Rod: "I knew i wanted to do this since I was 14 and loved the idea of creating music that people enjoy." Nick: "I remember exactly when I realized I wanted to be a musician. I was at a 4th of July party, which has a live band playing music. I did not leave the side of the drummer for the entire day. I watched, listened, and certainly talked to him a lot. From there, I got a used drum set, started taking lessons, and its history from there." R: A new record is coming in January 2025 entitled Menagerie. Where is the journey leading fans with this new set of tunes, and how does it feel self-producing the music you create this time around? James: "Menagerie is a bit like opening a scrapbook of everything we’ve been through—each song tells a story, and together, they create this bigger picture of where we are as a band. Self-producing has been both a challenge and a gift. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also incredibly freeing to have complete creative control. Every sound, every lyric, every beat is 100% us, and I think fans will feel that when they listen." Max: "Well, I feel that the journey will be up to the listener. You decide where it takes you as I feel people will resonate with different songs in different ways, and that is a beautiful thing. I am so proud to be at the helm of this record with production and engineering. The guys trusted me with full confidence as I know what we wanted to sound like, and I’ve been producing and engineering for over a decade now, so we benefited in that way, I believe. I’m grateful for their confidence." Rod: "It just felt great to be in control of the entire process from writing to producing." Nick: "Menagerie is just a conglomerate of song ideas from everyone’s past. The songs may have been written for other projects or just have been an idea, but utilizing all our different backgrounds, we were able to take those ideas and make a cohesive collection of music." R: RYDER formed in 2016, and now we are eyeing the year 2025 coming soon. Being in the music scene for this long, how much has the music world changed in your eyes, and if you could bring back one thing from the days of starting out, what would you want back? James: "The music world has changed so much. Streaming has given artists so many opportunities to reach new listeners, but it’s also made the industry more crowded and competitive. Social media has become such a big part of the process—it’s a blessing and a challenge all at once. If I could bring back anything from when we were starting out, it would be the simplicity of focusing solely on the music and live shows. There’s something magical about those early days when all that mattered was the energy in the room." Max: "The music industry changes at such a rapid pace all the time. When I started in the metal scene about 15 years ago, there was so much more opportunity for a gigging band to showcase their work in the physical sense. The number of venues that have unfortunately closed down is tragic. I would bring all those places back if I could. The more avenues for live original bands, the better. However, we can only adapt and find ways to get our music out there. In fact, Southbound has already passed 12,000 streams worldwide in only a couple of weeks, so I am super grateful that our music can be heard even if we’re not on a stage." Rod: "Would love to see the local music scene go back to a time when you could draw a crowd and see great bands several days a week, not just on weekends." R: As an artist and musician, do you guys find that in your opinion you should learn your craft like a master artist, or do you feel like you should be good at what you do but also have knowledge and background in other instruments and parts of the music world to make you a great artist and musician? James: "I think mastering your craft is essential—you need that foundation. But having a broader understanding of music as a whole only makes you better. Knowing how different instruments interact or how production works can really elevate your ability to create. For me, it’s about always being a student of music. The more you learn, the more tools you have to express yourself and to connect with the people you’re working with." Max: "My philosophy is that we can never ever learn enough. I don’t care if I have been playing for 100 years. There is always more to learn, and I always strive to be better in everything. Never limit yourself as that is the killer of creativity. I’ll never be perfect. There is no such thing. We can only get better if we try enough." Rod: "I think we are all on a path to be the best we can be, and as a musician, you should look to continuously grow and expand with time and experience." Nick: "There’s no right way to go about learning your craft. Personally, I want to be the best drummer I can possibly be, so I put most of my energy into that. I think the most important part of being a musician, though, is knowing music theory. It’s not required, but that knowledge can really take your playing and composition to another level." R: Do you have any last comments or anything coming out other than the new album that fans and the music world should know that RYDER is up to? James: "First, I just want to thank everyone who’s been supporting us along the way—it means everything to us. In addition to the album Menagerie dropping in January, we’ve got our next single, Queen Viper’s Kiss, coming out in December with a lyric video we’re really excited about. We’ve also got a lot of live shows in the works for 2025, and we’re pouring everything we’ve got into making this next year unforgettable. There’s so much more to come, and we’re grateful to have our supporters with us every step of the way." Max: "We are working on a new music video for an upcoming single, and I can’t wait for people to see it. We also have some great shows lined up with other awesome bands in our hometown. Thank you to everyone out there who has supported us, and if you have just heard about us for the first time, stick around because we have a lot of great music coming out." Rod: "Just want to say that we have some great things planned for 2025, so come out and see us live." Nick: "Zoo wee mama!" You can follow Ryder on social media here: https://linktr.ee/ryderbandny Stream "Southbound" on Spotify Here: https://open.spotify.com/track/31vVB0csGDA2cKiamS8v0X?si=GZHeQByST-CznyPKi71Q9w Stream "Southbound" on all other services here: https://lnk.to/VjxO0i Pre-Save "Queen Viper's Kiss" here: https://lnk.to/qSLptp 
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NIGHT DEMONThe previous times I have covered King Diamond here in Denver were at the Fillmore Auditorium, a sweet venue with a capacity of 3600. This time though, he chose a different venue, the Mission Ballroom with a capacity of 4000 but has a much larger stage and is licensed for pyro. But there would be no pyro this night. Kicking the night off and I mean kickin it off was Night Demon. The threesome of Jarvis Leatherby, Armand John Anthony, and Brian Wilson exploded into their first song, “Outsider” that sent sound waves throughout the venue and didn’t let up through their set. The crowd was into them right from the start and a small pit opened up. The continued through their powerful set with, “The Howling Man” and finished their short but strong set with a cover of Black Sabbath’s, “War Pigs”. My all time favorite band is Black Sabbath and Night Demon did a great cover of the song. Night Demon members: Jarvis Leatherby – lead vocals, bass (2011–present) Armand John Anthony – guitars, backing vocals (2016–present) Brian Wilson – drums (2023–present) Setlist: Outsider Screams in the Night Obsidian The Howling Man Ritual The Chalice War Pigs @Cover OVER KILLIf Night Demon didn't have everyone's heart rate pounding, that was about to change. Thrash metalers OverKill took to the stage and opened their heart pounding set with, “Scorched” and the onslaught of metal continued. In no time a pit opened up and a few brave crowd surfers made their way across the crowd to the barrier where the security guys helped them down and sent them back into the crowd. Lead singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth urged the crowd on as his powerful vocals rang throughout the Mission Ballroom. Their short set but killer set ended with “Fuck You” a cover from (The Subhumans) Overkill members: Carlo "D.D." Verni – bass, backing vocals (1980–present) Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth – lead vocals (1980–present) Dave Linsk – lead guitar, backing vocals (1999–present) Derek Tailer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–present) Jeramie Kling – drums (2024–present; touring) Setlist: Scorched Rotten to the Core Bring Me the Night Hello From the Gutter The Surgeon Ironbound Elimination Fuck You @Cover KING DIAMONDA tape of “Funeral” signaled the beginning of King Diamonds theatrical show and when the curtain dropped there stood King behind a coffin holding a doll in one hand and a knife in the other. Abigail was thrown into the coffin which was then moved off stage the song “Arrival” opened the show. The stage clouded in heavy fog and strong lighting coming from every direction as King poured out his unique vocals and the powerful sound from each of the band members resinated out over the crowd. When the first song ended, a deafening roar from the crowd had me turning around and watching the crowd with their hands in the air cheering and howling. Joining King Diamond on this tour was guest vocalist and keyboardist Myrkur who was standing high up next to the staircase. Throughout the set of music were classic’s like, “Halloween” from 1986, “Sleepless Nights” from 1989 and “The Candle” from 1986. The stage presence of Andy LaRocque, Mike Wead, and Pontus Egberg, was amazing to watch as each one moved about the stage interacting with each and the crowd while showing off their awesome skills. Along with the classic songs two new songs were part of the set from King’s new upcoming album, The Institute to be released in 2025. “Spider Lilly” and “Electro Therapy” had the crowd cheering wildly for these new songs. Topping off this amazing night was “Abigail” a personal favorite and the crowd roared in appreciation of the awesome show as the band said goodnight. King Diamond - lead vocals Andy LaRocque - guitar Mike Wead - guitar Pontus Egberg - bass Matt Thompson - drum Special Guest - Myrkur Setlist: Funeral @Tape Arrival A Mansion in Darkness 1987 Halloween 1986 Voodoo "Them" @Tape Spider Lilly 2024 Two Little Girls @Tape Sleepless Nights 1989 Out From the Asylum @Tape 1988 Welcome Home The Invisible Guests The Candle 1986 Masquerade of Madness Electro Therapy 2024 Eye of the Witch Burn Abigail Insanity @Tape WASPWASP rolled though the Chicagoland area on their ALBUM ONE ALIVE WORLD TOUR for two nights at The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles,IL on November 8th and 9th. Friday the 8th was SOLD OUT. I attended Saturday's show on the 9th. Both shows as well as the tour feature Armored Saint as support. WASP was playing their self-titled record released in 1984 in its entirety. They came out and hit us with a 3 song combo of "I Wanna Be Somebody", "L.O.V.E. Machine", and "The Flame". They kept the energy up with other songs then closed out their set with "On Your Knees" "Tormentor" and "The Torture Never Stops". After a brief interlude they roared back to the stage doing a mashup of "Inside The Electric Circus/I Don't Need No Doctor/Scream Until You Like It." As their encore was finishing up they ended their amazing 15 song set with "Wild Child" and "Blind In Texas". If this tour is coming to your town or anywhere nearby don't sleep on it and go relive some 80's metal in all its glory. Remaining tour dates below. Tickets available at https://www.waspnation.com/tour 11/11 Toronto, ON History 11/13 Montreal, QC MTELUS 11/14 Quebec City, QC Theatre Capitole 11/15 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre 11/16 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom At Manhattan Center 11/17 Philadelphia, PA Franklin Music Hall 11/19 Cleveland, OH The Agora Theater 11/20 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE 11/21 Stroudsburg, PA The Sherman Theater 11/22 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore 11/23 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore 11/24 Orlando, FL The Plaza Live 11/26 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium 11/27 Atlanta, GA The Eastern 11/29 Houston, TX House Of Blues 11/30 San Antonio, TX Aztec Theatre 12/01 Dallas, TX The Factory in Deep Ellum 12/03 Little Rock, AR The Hall 12/04 Wichita, KS The Cotillion 12/06 Albuquerque, NM REVEL 12/07 Tempe, AZ The Marquee Theatre 12/09 Tucson, AZ The Rialto Theatre 12/10 San Diego, CA House Of Blues 12/11 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort and Casino 12/12 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl 12/13 San Francisco, CA The Warfield 12/14 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium " CRYPTAFor the second night in a row, I was covering another tour of hardcore metal with Hatebreed, Carcass, Harm's Way, and Crypta in a packed house. Starting off this evening was Crypta, an all female death metal band from Brazil. I was excited to cover their show for the first time. Crypta opened their set with “The Aftermath” from their most recent album, 2023’s Shades of Sorrow and the band had the crowd moving, arms in the air and head banging. Lead vocalist and bassist Fernanda Lira poured out her hard core vocals and urged the crowd to keep moving. It didn’t take long for a mosh pit to open up. The ladies moved about interacting with each other and pouding out their ruthless and heavy sound while interacting with the crowd as well. Crypta finished their short but powerful set with, “From the Ashes” from their 2021 debut album, Echoes of the Soul. The ladies definitely set the tone for this night of hardcore metal. The crowd gave the band a roaring cheering thank you and by the expressions on the ladies faces, they were very grateful. Crypta members: Fernanda Lira – bass, vocals (2019–present) Luana Dametto – drums (2019–present) Tainá Bergamaschi – rhythm/lead guitar (2020–present) Jéssica di Falchi – rhythm/lead guitar (2022–present) Setlist: The Aftermath The Other Side of Anger Lord of Ruins The Outsider Trial of Traitors Under the Black Wings From the Ashes HARMS WAYWith a quick turn over by a very efficient crew, it was time for Harm’s Way a hardcore punk/metalcore band from Chicago. They wasted no time in keeping the hardcore tone going strong as they opened their set with “Sadist Guilt” from their 2023 album Common Suffering as front man James Pligge jumped about the stage along with his band members as he poured out his aggressive hardcore vocals. By now the mosh pit was going strong as Harm’s Way was moving and jumping around on stage. The band kept the energy level high just as Crypta before them as they finished their set with “Infestation” from their 2015 album Rust. A great start for this night! Harm's Way members: James Pligge – lead vocals (2006–present) Bo Lueders – guitars (2006–present) Christopher Mills – drums (2006–present) Nick Gauthier – guitars (2017–present) Casey Soyk – bass (2017–present) Setlist: Sadist Guilt Human Carrying Capacity Terrorizer Become a Machine Hollow Cry Devour Call My Name Infestation CARCASSNext up was Carcass, an extreme/melodic death metal band from England and they continued this night of aggressive hardcore metal opening their set with “Buried Dreams” from their 1993 album Heartwork. The mosh pit reopened as Carcass powered through their set of songs moving back and forth through time with, “No Love Lost” from 2013, 1996’s “Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody / Death Certificate” and 2021’s “Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)”. Carcass kept the energy high and by the time they finished their set with the popular classic, “Heartwork” from 1993 you would think people would be exhausted by now, ha, not even. Carcass members: Bill Steer – guitar, vocals (1985–1996, 2007–present)[87] Jeff Walker – bass, vocals (1985–1996, 2007–present) Daniel Wilding – drums, backing vocals (2012–present) James 'Nip' Blackford - guitar (2021–present) Setlist: Buried Dreams Kelly's Meat Emporium Incarnated Solvent Abuse No Love Lost Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody / Death Certificate Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B) Genital Grinder Exhume to Consume Corporal Jigsore Quandary Heartwork HATEBREEDFor the 4th time the very efficient crew turned over the stage in a timely manner, my hats off to them for working so hard and keeping the night on track time wise. Just when you thought the night couldn’t get any crazier, it was time for Hatebreed celebrating 30 years of ass kicking metalcore. A film started with various people from other metal bands congratulating the band for their 30 anniversary, including, Randy Blythe, Ice-T, Gary Holt and many others. With that the band stormed onto the stage opening their set with “To the Threshold” from their 2006 album, Supremacy and the onslaught of hardcore metal exploded as the mosh pit was the biggest of the night and I had to watchout for the crowd surfers coming over into the pit one after another. Lead vocalist Jamey Jasta poured out his brutal vocals and moved about the stage with his band members. It was down right crazy on the floor as well on stage as Hatebreed moved through their set of 21 songs. A timeline of songs from 1996’s “Smash Your Enemies”, “Looking Down the Barrel of Today” from 2016, 2003’s “Live for This”. Jamey talked with the crowd saying how much they appreciated everyone being here in the middle of week and the energy coming from them. As the lights danced through the fog the movement of the crowd did not stop until after the last song which was “I Will Be Heard” from 2002. What a night, these 4 bands poured out their hearts and souls into their music and everyone there knows it and loves them for it. Hatebreed members: Jamey Jasta – lead vocals (1994–present) Chris Beattie – bass (1994–present) Matt Byrne – drums (2001–present) Frank Novinec – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2006–present) Wayne Lozinak – lead guitar, backing vocals (1994–1996, 2009–present) Setlist: To the Threshold Empty Promises A Stroke of Red Live for This Perseverance Defeatist A Call for Blood A Lesson Lived Is a Lesson Learned Driven by Suffering Looking Down the Barrel of Today Destroy Everything Before Dishonor Doomsayer This Is Now Smash Your Enemies Proven Last Breath POSSESSEDTestament, Kreator bring Klash of the Titans Tour to Denver, Colorado’s Fillmore Auditorium 10-22-2024 As I walked up to the box office window to get my credentials to cover this show last night, I knew one thing for sure, this would be a night of metal. Heavy, Death, and Thrash metal. The lights dropped and a roar from the crowd followed as the members of Possessed made their onto the stage followed by vocalist Jeff Becerra. Jeff was in a wheelchair from an unfortunate incident many years ago where he was shot twice during a holdup and is paralyzed from the chest down. But this didn’t stop him from living life and doing what he loves. Possessed are often considered pioneers of the death metal genre. They started their set going back in time with “Pentagram” from their 1985 album, Seven Churches and let the headbanging and moshing begin. Possessed set the tone for this night of metal and no one was disappointed about it. Add to the great music was excellent lighting with a mixture of colors and light fog. With songs like 1986's “Tribulation” and finishing their short but powerful set was 1987’s “Swing of the Axe”. Possessed said good night to a roaring cheering crowd showing their appreciation for a great start to this night of metal. Possessed members: Jeff Becerra – vocals (1983–1987, 2007–present), bass (1983–1987) Daniel Gonzalez – guitars (2011–present) Robert Cardenas – bass (2012–present) Claudeous Creamer – guitars (2016–present) Chris Aguirre – drums (2023–present) Setlist: Pentagram Ritual Tribulation 1986 Graven 2019 The Exorcist 1985 Demon 2019 Death Metal 1985 Swing of the Axe 1987 KREATORA large curtain with Kreator on it was raised in front of the stage while the stage was being readied for the band. With a strong crowd of metal lovers, a tape started of Iron maiden’s “Run to the Hills” and a roar came up from the crowd followed most of the venue singing along with the song. Standing in the pit, I couldn’t help lip syncing and some light head banging to this great song. The curtain dropped and the thrash metallers opened their set with, “Hate Über Alles” from their 2022 album of the same name and the crowd let out a deathening cheer with arms raised and head banging. The stage was lit in red and the fog rolled from everywhere and through the fog you could see two giant demons staring out from both sides of the drummer. As the band started their second song, lead vocalist Miland "Mille" Petrozza urged the crowd to open a circle pit. The crowd made a large opening and it was quickly filled as more fans joined in. The crowd this night were definitely fans of metal by the way they moved, sang with the songs with arms up and head banging. Throughout their set Kreator delighted their fans moving back and forth in time with songs, 1997’s “Phobia”, 2005’s “Enemy of God”, 2017’s “Hail to the Hordes”, and 1989’s “Betrayer”. The onslaught continued through their 16 song set which was topped off with 2001”s “Violent Revolution” and 1986”s “Pleasure to Kill”. A powerful cheer roared from the crowd as Kreator said goodnight. The energy that poured out from the stage with the first two bands was amazing but there was one more band to go. Kreator members: Miland "Mille" Petrozza – lead vocals, rhythm guitar[95] (1982–present), lead guitar (1982–present) Jürgen "Ventor" Reil – drums (1982–1994, 1996–present), co-lead vocals (1982–1989) Sami Yli-Sirniö – lead guitar, backing vocals (2001–present) Frédéric Leclercq – bass, backing vocals (2019–present) Setlist: Run to the Hills @Tape @Cover Sergio Corbucci Is Dead @Tape Hate Über Alles Phobia Enemy of God @Info[With 'Coma of Souls' intro] 666 - World Divided Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite) Hail to the Hordes Betrayer Satan Is Real Mars Mantra @Tape Phantom Antichrist Strongest of the Strong Terrible Certainty The Patriarch @Tape Violent Revolution Pleasure to Kill TESTAMENTWith roughly a 30 minute break, a tape of the song “Fight for Your Right” started and the crowd began to sing along. The curtain dropped for Testament to the now rejuvenated crowd who welcomed the band with a roar I thought was unreal to hear. The opened their set with 1988’s “Eerie Inhabitants” and with little encouragement from the band, the circle pit was going strong. Testament's setlist was composed of old school hard hitting fast and pulsating album’s, 1987’s The Legacy and 1988s The New Order and the crowd was loving it. Testament poured out every ounce of energy like they had been doing for over 30 years and the older crowd gave it right back. While pouring out his powerful vocals, Chuck Billy kept urging the crowd to keep the circle pit going. Throughout their set, the red and colored lights danced through the heavy fog and at times lead guitarist Alex Skolnick would step up and wow the crowd with his powerful solos that mesmerized the crowd. The fast paced heavy sound from the band carried throughout the venue with great classic songs like, “The New Order” (1988), “Apocalyptic City” (1987), “First Strike Is Deadly” (1987), “A Day of Reckoning” (1988), and “The New Order” (1987). This night of amazing and powerful metal came to a close when Testament finished their set with 1988”s “Into the Pit”. Whoever decided to put these 3 bands together for a tour deserves an award if there is one. I think everyone who witnessed this tour slept well that night, I sure did! Testament members: Eric Peterson – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (1983–present) Chuck Billy – lead vocals (1986–present) Alex Skolnick – lead guitar, backing vocals (1985–1992, 2005–present) Steve Di Giorgio – bass (1998–2005, 2014–present), backing vocals (2014–present) Chris Dovas – drums (2022, 2023–present) Setlist: Fight for Your Right @Tape @Cover Eerie Inhabitants The New Order Apocalyptic City Raging Waters The Preacher The Haunting Trial by Fire First Strike Is Deadly A Day of Reckoning Do or Die Disciples of the Watch Over the Wall Into the Pit ROYALE LYNNThe Mission Ballroom was filling up quickly as I made my way to the photo pit saying hi to everyone working this evening. About a year ago I discovered the opener for this night's show, Royale Lynn, and was excited to finally see her live. She is a rising country-rock singer and by the reaction from the crowd when she took the stage, it was obvious she has made many fans in the last year. Her energy was soaked up by her fans as she started her with the song, “Sacrifice” and she would move about the stage interacting with the crowd. A short set yes but, she saved the best for last, the song that grabbed my attention and her fans. “Six feet Deep” had the crowd singing with her as she moved about. With a heartfelt thank you to her fans, Royale said good night to a cheering crowd. Setlist: Sacrifice Evil Black Magic All Around Me @Cover Heavy is the Crown Death Wish Six Feet Deep TIM MONTANATim Montana was next and making his way to the front of the stage he broke into, “Get You Some” followed by, “Ain't Coming Down” to get things started a little on the harder side and the crowd responded cheering and headbanging. His blend of southern, country rock had his fans moving to the high energy raw edged sounds coming from the stage. The energy level stayed high as Tim moved through his set and capped off his 7 song setlist with, “Devil You Know” and the crowd let out a roar of thanks as Tim said good night. Tim Montana: Singer-songwriter Kyle Rife: Guitarist Brian Wolff: Drummer Bryce Paul: Bassist Set List: Get You Some Ain't Coming Down Die Today Shut Me Out Savage Ashes Devil You Know SEETHEROriginally from South Africa Seether has called the United States home since 2002. The band members made their way onto the stage to a cheering crowd and started their set with “Gasoline” from their 2000 album, Fragile, the post-grunge, hard rockers had their fans moving, continuing to keep the energy level high. The atmosphere was set in heavy red lighting and fog as Seether poured out their dark, brooding sound. A stool was brought on stage and Shaun Morgan sat down and playing the first few notes had the crowd cheering then quietly swaying about to the song, “Broken”. An acoustic song filled with emotion that resonates with almost anyone who has lost a loved one. Seether moved back and forth through time with songs, 2014’s, “Nobody Praying for Me”, 2007’2 “Fake It”. Finishing their set with “Remedy”, Tim Montana joined in for the final song. Seether members: Shaun Morgan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1999–present); lead guitar (1999–2002, 2006–2008, 2011–2018) Dale Stewart – bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar (2000–present) John Humphrey – drums, percussion (2003–present) Corey Lowery – lead guitar, backing vocals (2019–present; touring 2018–2019) Setlist: Gasoline Fine Again Broken Country Song Wasteland Rise Above This Nobody Praying for Me 2014 Dangerous Judas Mind Fake It 2007 Remedy @With Tim Montana 2005 SKILLETThe stage was now set for Skillet and I had no doubt in my mind the energy level was going to go through the roof, and all that took was the first few notes from their first song, “Feel Invincible”. John Cooper has a powerful presence on stage with his vocals and pounding on his base. But, John’s wife, Korey Cooper was off the charts! She was all over the place pounding her rhythm guitar, kicking, hair throwing, jumping, spinning. She was something to see, let alone photograph. (see photo gallery) Not to slow things down, they followed their opening song with “Rise” and their fans were moving, jumping, and singing along with the band. The next song saw 2 crew members bring out and hook John up with CO2 guns on each arm. And the onslaught with energy continued. (see photo gallery) Skillet continued with songs, “Whispers in the Dark” from 2006 and “Hero” from 2009. Skillet is known as a Christian band and John would talk about his faith in god and then started the song, “Be Thou My Vision”. The crowd was quiet till the song was done, then let out a cheer. With the lights dancing and fog moving across the stage, Skillet finished their set with, “The Resistance” from 2016. The roar of thanks from the crowd was deafening and well deserved for Skillet’s amazing performance! Skillet members: John Cooper – lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar (1996–present); keyboards (1996–1999) Korey Cooper – keyboards, synthesizers, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1999–present) Jen Ledger – drums, backing and occasional lead vocals (2008–present) Seth Morrison – lead guitar (2011–present); live backing vocals (2019–present) Setlist: Feel Invincible Rise Surviving the Game Legendary Unpopular Awake and Alive Hero Whispers in the Dark Psycho In My Head Be Thou My Vision @Cover Comatose Monster The Resistance BY: RICK LANCASTER Sunday October 6th Hatebreed's 30th Anniversary tour rolled through Chicago at The Concord Music Hall. The tour features Opening acts: Crypta, Harms Way and Carcass. The ladies from Brazil in Crypta started the night off and set the mood. Their devastating vocals and crushing riffs got the crowd amped up. Up next we had Chicago's own Harms Way. Their in your face no holds barred attitude seen the mosh pit explode with energy. Now unfortunately I didn't photo either of them. Then we had England's own Carcass come out and playing songs such as "Buried Dreams", "Kellys Meat Emporium" and "Exhume To Consume". Their last song was the title track from their 1994 masterpiece "Heartwork". Finally the moment we've been waiting for Connecticut's own Hatebreed takes the stage. They came out strong opening with "Tear It Down" into "Live For This". They played songs spanning their entire career including "Smash Your Enemies" from their 1994 7" vinyl "Under The Knife". The energy didn't slow with songs such as "Destroy Everything", "Perseverance", "Everyone Bleeds Now" and they even played a cover of Slayer's "Ghosts Of War". Their last song was the crown sing-a-long "I Will Be Heard". This tour just started out and goes through October 27th. It criss-crosses all over the US and I highly recommend you not sleeping on this and go catch a show if it comes near you! CARCASSHATEBREEDMISSIOI always enjoy covering shows at the Fillmore Auditorium, it’s a really nice venue with a solid sound system, and a roomy pit to shoot from. I was asked to cover the opening band, Missio by their pr people. This is always a treat for me when I am asked to cover a show. I was not familiar with Missio and I checked out their music before the show and really liked what I heard. Missio kicked the night off by starting their set with, “The Higher You Climb” from their 2024 newly released album, I Am Cinco and they captured the crowd's attention right away with their energy which only grew throughout their set. Their music has been described as Alternative/Indie, Rock but also, I would add electronic and Industrial in the mix of their music. This is what I found so interesting as they moved through their set. The crowd was really into them as many would be dancing and moving about. Matthew and David moved about the stage keeping the energy alive with the crowd. 5 out of the 8 songs they played were from their new album and they topped off the set with “Good Vibrations” from the album. The crowd reacted to their set with loud enthusiastic cheering and I thought it was a great start to the evening. Missio are: Matthew Brue – vocalist/songwriter/producer (2015–present) David Butler – songwriter/producer (2016–present) Setlist: The Higher You Climb new album I Am Cinco Twisted Fuck It Aztec Death Whistle Everybody Gets High Fall Into A Black Hole Sing To Me Good Vibrations SLOTHRUSTThe way the Fillmore had the stage set up for the 3 bands, made it easy for them to prepare for each band. Slothrust was another band I was not familiar with and checking them out I found sound having some grunge mixed into their alternative/indie sound. Opening their set with “Like a Child Hiding Behind Your Tombstone” from their 2016 album, Everyone Else. Leah Wellbaum vocals sounded meditative, thoughtful and her guitar work was something to hear and watching her play could be mesmerizing. Throughout their set you see the crowd swaying back and forth like they were getting lost in the music and her vocals. Leah would sing and at times step to the side so you clearly see her work her magic on the guitar. But, touring bassist Annie Hoffman was on the move jumping, spinning around in contrast to Leah being a little more reserved. It was fun though watching Annie. Slothrust finished their set with "Crackpot” which the audience really enjoyed. A different contrast in the 2 opening bands but I really enjoyed them both. Slothrust members: Leah Wellbaum – lead vocals; guitar Will Gorin – drums Annie Hoffman – bass (touring, 2022–present) Setlist: Intro @Info[From their 2012 album "Feels Your Pain"] Like a Child Hiding Behind Your Tombstone The Next Curse Double Down Baby One More Time @Cover Cranium Planetarium Once More for the Ocean Pony @Cover Crockpot BADFLOWERThe energy was about to reach a fever pitch as Badflower took the stage and opened their set with “Teacher Has a Gun”, their new single which was released this past June that had their fans screaming, cheering, and jumping. The stage was filled with fog and the lights changed colors for each song to start. From green to yellow to purple and add the red flood lights from along the back of drummer Anthony Sonetti. Lead singer Josh Katz was pouring out his emotions throughout each song with raw intensity. Throughout their show, bassist Joey Morrow and guitarist Alex Espiritu along with Josh would move about the stage interacting with each other and their fans. It’s always fun to watch when band members interact with their fans and to see the reactions from both going back and forth. In between songs Josh thanked the fans for their support and shared moments of reflections that were heartfelt. Badflower closed out their night with a 3 song encore featuring, “Detroit”, “30”, and “Girlfriend”. This was a fun night for me because I was seeing these bands for the first time and it was a really good time. The only sad part was, it wasn’t a big crowd but, it was a very enthusiastic crowd. BadFlower members: Josh Katz - singer/guitarist Joey Morrow - bass Anthony Sonetti - Drums Alex Espiritu - guitarist Setlist: Teacher Has a Gun Don't Hate Me 2021 Johnny Wants to Fight Fukboi White Noise Move Me Snuff @Info[unreleased song] Stalker Promise Me Adolescent Love The Jester Heroin Ghost 2019 Machine Gun Family Detroit 30 Girlfriend BEASTO BLANCOLord of the Lost returns to Denver after 10 years to the Summit Music Hall September 24, 2024 Last night I had the pleasure of crossing a band off my bucket list. Lord of the Lost. I arrived at the Summit Music Hall a little early and talked with some of the security folks who I really enjoy because as a concert photographer they make me feel welcomed and at home. As I made my way into the venue, I had to work my way around the long line that had formed at the merch tables. Touring with LOTL was Beasto Blanco, a band I had heard of but did not know much about until I saw they were on this tour. To my pleasant surprise Calico Cooper, daughter of Alice Cooper was a vocalist along with Chuck Garric lead vocal and guitarist who had toured with Alice Cooper. Beasto Blanco took the stage to a cheering crowd and opened their set with, “Run for Your Life” from their newly released album, Kinetica. With the lights dancing through the fog, the energy from the band was high right from the start. Calico’s outfit (see photo gallery) is a little hard to describe with her knee high boots, a studded belt around her waist, hand and forearm brace and carrying a baseball bat with spikes in it stalking the stage. But it was the contact lenses she was wearing that looked ghostly under the lights. The crowd immediately got into the music and were moving about head banging and pounding the air with their hands. As the band moved through their set, there was no slowing down as the members moved about the stage interacting with each other and the crowd. Calico would join Chuck on vocals and at times she sang alone and made her way toward the crowd as if she was stalking them. Occasionally she pointed her bat at the crowd with an evil look in her eyes and at me as well. The band finished their set with “Breakdown” from their 2013 album, Live Fast Die Loud. As the band was saying good night, Calico asked the crowd who was seeing them for the first time, a lot of hands were raised and Calico said, Welcome to the family! That includes me and I'm happy to do so. Beasto Blanco members: Chuck Garric: Co-founder, frontman, lead vocalist, and guitarist Calico Cooper: Vocalist and daughter of Alice Cooper Jan LeGrow: Bass Sean Sellers: Drums Setlist: Run for Your Life Bad Thoughts Freak Feed My Frankenstein @Cover Machine Girl Grind Lowlands Beg to Differ Nobody Move Breakdown LORD OF THE LOSTThe crowd was ready for LOTL and there was a mix of young and old but leaning more towards the older side. One by one LOTL made their way on stage starting their set with “The Curtain Falls” as Chris Harms made his way on stage. Dressed in a black vinyl outfit and with the mic in hand poured out vocals as he moved about the stage. Right from the beginning, Chris was on move back and forth along the front of the stage as he sang. The crowd was loving the songs dancing and moving around, singing with the music. The energy level I watched on stage after I was photographing was amazing. Not only did their 19 set of songs cover over 20 years of their music, I was wondering how the band, especially Chris moving so much, carried this energy show after show. Songs going back to 2010 with, “Dry the Rain”, “Sex on Legs” from 2011, “Destruction Manual” from 2022. At times Chris would talk with the fans and engage them while he sang and the crowd loved it and kept moving right along with the music. Late in the set, Chris spoke out about the reason they were here and that it helped with their success over the years and said it “was because of you” our fans! The crowd roared in appreciation and the LOTL broke into the song I was waiting for, 2016’s, “Drag Me to Hell”. This was the song in the video I watched on YouTube so many years ago. The band finished their evening with, “One Last Song” from 2023. It was not a real big crowd this night but you couldn’t tell by the volume from the cheering fans that could have listened to a lot more from Lord of the Lost as they said good night. I waited many years to see LOTL and I was blown away by their show, their stage presence and the selection of songs they played. Add to that, the pleasant surprise from the Beasto Blanco show as well. There are only 3 shows left in the tour, I hope you can make one of them. Lord of the Lost Members: Chris "The Lord" Harms – lead vocals, guitars, cello (2007–present) Klaas "Class Grenayde" Helmecke – bass, backing vocals (2008–present) Gerrit "Gared Dirge" Heinemann – piano, keyboards, percussion, guitars, theremin (2010–present) Pi "π" Stoffers – guitars, backing vocals (2017–present) Niklas Kahl – drums (2017–present) Benjamin "Benji" Mundigler – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2024–present) Setlist: The Curtain Falls The Future of a Past Life Dry the Rain Loreley Destruction Manual For They Know Not What They Do Raining Stars Sex on Legs Six Feet Underground Live Today (snippet) Die Tomorrow Black Halo Forevermore Drag Me to Hell Blood for Blood Unstoppable @Cover We're All Created Evil Blood & Glitter One Last Song |
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November 2024
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