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Live Review: Rammstein – May 13th, 2012 – Rogers Arena, Vancouver B.C.

May 14th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)
(All photos: Rammstein)

Live Review: Rammstein
Sunday, May 13th, 2012
Rogers Arena

Rammstein have had to, almost literally, jump through some flaming hoops in their 18-year career to keep people interested. They haven’t missed the mark, but they have the scars to prove it anyways. The band has pioneered macabre music videos, brought industrial metal to a wider audience, won many awards internationally, and all this despite a few alienating factors that could have proved disastrous hindrances.

For the most part, Rammstein’s music is sung in German. Many European bands who hardly speak English will still write lyrics in English to reach broader audiences. I applaud the band for sticking to their guns on this, and it has actually worked in their favour. The English version of “Du Hast” just didn’t have the same guttural clout as the original. And despite the fact that the majority of their international audience can’t understand a damn thing they are saying, it didn’t stop die-hards at the show from belting out pseudo-German gibberish like they were preaching their most heart felt beliefs. That is the power of music and melody over literal meaning. One felt it hard to suppress a chuckle when the band gave the audience the chance to sing the final line in the chorus of “Engel”, and a multitude of unsure voices sort of mumbled the first few words (“gott weib ich will”) and then fervently belted out “kein Engel sein”! (Of course, everyone sung along with “Du Hast”.) The few songs Rammstein played that did contain English lyrics, “Pussy” and “Amerika”, for example, left a little something to be desired, sounding silly and over simple. Had they been sung in German as well, perhaps it might have seemed awesome to be singing about big dicks and pussies, and us Anglophones would have been none the wiser.

Speaking of dicks, all the homophobes attending this tour got to squirm a little as the band capered in a bondage scenario across a massive steaming bridge to a hydraulic stage in the midst of the crowd. There, Till Lindemann (Vocals) would spank and dry hump Keyboardist “Flake” Lorenz’s buttless chap exposed bare bottom until a pressurized hose attached to his crotch erupted with spurting semen. Funny enough, back in ’94 Lorenz was hesitant to join the group. I wonder if he knew that he would be theatrically sodomized, spat at, put into a cauldron and shot with a flamethrower, to later run off stage with a sparking pink contraption attached to his Mr. Sparkle full-body leotard? Perhaps he had a bad dream before he joined but decided to ignore it. At least Lindemann didn’t shoot him in the face with the giant dick cannon.

Needless to say, as alluded to previously, Rammstein’s intense pyrotechnic live show makes up for what they lack in musical complexity or diversity, and helps bridge the language gap by engaging virtually any audience with a spectacle unrivaled by most of the entertainment world. The technicians are at least as talented as the band. I won’t ruin the fun by giving too many details, but I will say this: The band entered the arena bearing a single torch, with the Rammstein and Union Jack flags in tow, and proceeded to light the entire place on fantastical fire. I’m glad someone is carrying that torch, may they bear it to all the corners of the earth for years to come.

Rammstein.de

By: NinJoelspy

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Live Review: DragonForce w/ Holy Grail and Huntress- May 4th 2012, The Rickshaw, Vancouver B.C.

May 7th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by MetalEditor

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Scott Alexander)
(All photos: Dragonforce)

Live Review: DragonForce w/ Holy Grail and Huntress
Friday, May 4th, 2012
The Rickshaw Theatre

May the [Dragon]Force be with you

The Rickshaw was awash in an eerie red haze as the crowd assembled around the stage. One of Napalm Records’ newest signees, Huntress, had a real impression to make as its massive riffs began to fill the room. Multifaceted vocalist Jill Janus emerged from the shadows, blond tendrils hidden beneath a dark riding hood. Had Chuck Shuldiner, Shagrath and Rob Halford created a talented but flippered love child, it would have had a voice like Janus’: operatic, accompanied by diabolical screams, spitting shrieks and witch-like squeals. Huntress played classic grooves that were definitely familiar, but transposed to the key of E…vil.

The road warriors of Holy Grail kicked off their set to a smoky room with a powerful high note. Matching hair and vests paid tribute to the band’s forefathers as they broke into a galloping rhythm and guitar and vocal harmonies. While Holy Grail could be classified as a power metal band because of the epic melodies, hidden influences seemed to claw their way to the surface, as portrayed in “Call of Valhalla”, a song with a southern metal vibe that echoes of Motorhead. “Crisis in Utopia” brought frenzied verses and blazing guitar runs to the crowd. Considering one of the guitarists has Santana as a last name, one could imagine the talent present. The band was the perfect segue between the more raw-sounding Huntress and the seasoned headliners. Holy Grail decided to dedicate their last song to “DragonForce—the shreddiest band in the universe.”

After more than a year of searching, DragonForce has found its new vocalist in the form of 23-year-old Marc Hudson, who looked right at home interacting with his bandmates and getting accustomed to his new position. After opening with “Die By The Sword”, Herman Li and Sam Totman’s trademark effortless guitars kept audience members’ eyes glued on their fingers, likely wondering if they would be able to replicate the precision playing as heard on their albums. Verdict: accurate but natural. Impressive four-part vocal harmonies characterized “Operation Ground and Pound” as the band had the crowd jumping in time and attempting to crowd surf, both rarities at the Rickshaw.

There was a festival-like atmosphere that brought a new energy to the venue, especially when “Cry Thunder”, a single from the new album The Power Within, was triumphantly played. While some audience members lit up when keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov unveiled a keytar during “Seasons”, the real excitement seemed to explode from the crowd during “Soldiers of the Wasteland”. Hudson grabbed a beer while bassist Frederic Leclercq kissed his biceps and gestured at the supporting bands watching from the sidelines, and drummer Dave Mackintosh’s thundering double kicks carried the song forward. The years behind this band were evident in its pristine execution, and the passion for the music and the fun of the stage show were clearly visible by the smiles on their faces.

DragonForce

Holy Grail

Huntress

By: Sam Landa

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Live Review: Andre Nickatina and Guests – April 27th 2012, Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver B.C.

April 28th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Bryan Mollett)

Live Review: Andre Nickatina W/ Cool Nutz, Prof and Mumbls
Friday April 27th, 2012
Fortune Sound Club

The white boys were in full effect for Andre Nickatina’s sold out show at Fortune Sound this past Friday. Making his way to Vancity for the first time on his “Where’s My Money Tour”, nostalgic fans packing in the club by the hundreds for some real West coast underground rap. Openers Cool Nutz, Prof and Mumbls got the crowd started until they were ready and hyped for the man of the night.

Dre Dog didn’t fuck around. Without much delay, he stepped on stage and went hard from start to finish demanding to know “Where all my weed smokers at?” from the jump. The crowd went bananas chanting “put the phone on your butt it’s a booty call” for “Scottie 15” while throwing up deuces for “Ate Miles From The City Of Dope” and “Fa La La La”. A predominantly male audience seemed to rap along to every word of the coked out Fillmore anthem “Ayo for Yayo” and even spit the N-word without shame during most of “Crack Raider Razor”.

A tribute to fallen solider Mac Dre had Nickatina stepping away from the mic for a minute while the DJ dropped “Since ’84”. “Are there any Pisces in the house?” he asked before going hard on “Killa Whale” and eventually finishing off the night with “Fly Like A Bird”.

A sharp and lively performance had Nicky on and off the stage in 50 minutes leaving the audience craving more. Vancity being one of two Canadian cities on his tour Andre Nickatina no doubt left everyone in Fortune Sound feeling privileged to have seen such an epic performance from this West Coast marvel.

www.andrenickatina.com

By: Kassandra Guagliardi

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Live Review: Kittie with The Agonist and Guests – April 23rd 2012, The Red Room, Vancouver B.C.

April 26th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by MetalEditor

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)
(Left: The Agonist – Right: Kittie)

Live Review: Kittie with Blackguard, The Agonist and Bonded by Blood
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Red Room Ultrabar

Bonded by Blood –the only band on this bill not from Canada and devoid of female members- hit the stage ready to tear it up. The current line-up comprised of Mauro Gonzalez (vocals), Juan Juarez (guitar), Carlos Regalado (drums) and Jessie Sanchez (bass) would do its namesake proud. Having seen the band in 2010 on Exodus’ March of Brutality tour, it was nice seeing the guys on a non-thrash focused bill: it helped set them apart and really emphasize the energetic nature of their stage-show.

On the eve of releasing its 3rd studio album titled Prisoners, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the Agonist. As soon as the band took the stage, it became evident that a good proportion of the crowd was there to catch this 5-piece. With a vocalist, Alissa White-Gluz, whose technical versatility could be compared to heavy hitters such as Devin Townsend and Chris ”The Heathen” Valagao and a lead guitarist, Danny Marino, who’s perfected blending melody with aggression, it’s no surprise this band is turning heads.

When Blackguard began its set it was difficult to foresee the tornado of brutality that would unfold on stage. Seriously, if you haven’t seen this band in a smaller-type venue, you’re missing out. Paul Ablaze (vocals) is an insane frontman, with an unbelievable amount of energy: most people would have a heartattack in 10 minutes trying to emulate his intensity. Justine Ethier, one of metal’s top female drummers, kept the pace heavy and fast all-the-while adding her own touch with precise cymbal work.

It seems strange that a band as young as Kittie can be deemed “old-school” by so many of its fans. This status can be attributed to the fact that the band made it big early, while the members were still in high-school. Now 13 years, 6 albums and many, many tours later, Kittie is still fine-tuning its sound and evolving with every new release.

As Kittie hasn’t played Vancouver in over a decade, people came out of the woodwork the second the band hit the stage. One of the highlights of the set was a more brutal-than-the-original rendition of “Spit”: a song that highlights Morgan Lander’s excellent growling capabilities as well as Tara McLeod’s heavy guitar style. Another crowd favourite was “We are the Lamb” from the band’s latest album I’ve Failed You.

By: Alxs Ness

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Live Review: Unleash the Archers Video Release w/ Guests, April 18, 2012- The Red Room Ultrabar, Vancouver B.C.

April 23rd, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by MetalEditor

Live Review: Unleash the Archers Video Release w/ Nylithia and Over the Coals
April 18, 2012
The Red Room Ultrabar

On the eve of the Quest for the West Western Canada tour, Unleash the Archers gathered two stellar local metal bands, hyperthrash titans Nylithia and the newly reinvented Over the Coals to celebrate the release of the newest video for UTA’s album Demons of the Astrowaste. UTA recruited director/actor Richard Olak for this 7 min epic: a collaboration resulting in a perfect fusion of the band’s new-power metal sound with the natural landscape of the British Columbian wilderness.

Over the Coals kicked off the night with a solid set featuring Susie Myers (vocals), Max Matthews (drums), Adam Repetowski (guitars) and Richard Kingston (guitars). With only two original members remaining, OTC has without a doubt transformed since its 2005 debut Declaration. The combination of Susie Myers’ powerhouse vocals and the band’s unique metal style without a doubt left a strong impression on the crowd.

Next up, the creators of a distinctive progressive/death/thrash metal sound aptly titled hyperthrash: Nylithia. Tearing up Canadian stages since 2008, Nylithia has carefully crafted its sound and image over the last few years, positioning itself as a deadly force within the West Coast metal scene. Despite operating temporarily as a 3-piece sans-bass, the band sounded heavy as ever with Royce Costa’s mind altering riffs stealing the show.

Before taking the stage, Unleash the Archers unveiled its latest visual masterpiece, the video for “General of the Dark Army.” Director Richard Olak, best known for the independent feature The Battle of Burgledorf (a save-the-world-from-evil tale featuring a courageous gas station attendant and the fantastical world of magic, faeries and elves) took the helm of this conceptually driven music video. Olak’s keen eye for utilizing natural landscape proved essential in framing this intense short story of life and death/good against evil. Unfortunately those not in attendance Wednesday night will have to standby for the video’s international release; be sure however, it is well worth the wait.

Unleash the Archers

Nylithia

Over the Coals

By: Alxs Ness

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Live Review: Behemoth w/ Watain and Guests, April 21st 2012 – The Rickshaw Theatre Vancouver B.C.

April 23rd, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Scott Alexander)
(Top/Bottom: Behemoth)

Live Review: Behemoth with Watain, The Devil’s Blood, In Solitude
Saturday, April 21st 2012
The Rickshaw Theatre

Last Saturday was indeed one for celebration. Not only was it the 5th annual Record Store Day, which celebrates independent music merchants across the globe, but also the arrival of the Decibel Magazine Tour. The magazine’s first sponsored tour certainly out did itself, showcasing four of Europe’s superlative metal groups from a diverse selection of genres and countries: Swedish dark-rockers In Solitude; Dutch prog-occultists The Devil’s Blood; Kings of Swedish Black Metal, Watain; and lastly Poland’s undisputed blackened-death over-lords, Behemoth.

Despite the almost ludicrously early start, the Rickshaw had filled up considerably by the time In Solitude took the stage. Starting with “We Were Never Here” from their critically acclaimed 2011 album The World, The Flesh, The Devil, the group lit things up properly with their fiery brand of ‘70s-styled power metal. Musically and thematically borrowing elements from Mercyful Fate, they also demonstrated some Iggy Pop-ish stage antics courtesy of frontman Pelle Ahman who periodically drove the microphone into his forehead as he thrashed around. Sticking mostly to material from The World… they finished their brief set with “Witches Sabbath” from their self-titled record.

After a very short intermission, The Devil’s Blood took the stage, every one of the member’s faces adorned with a mask of dripping blood. Beginning with “On the Wings of Gloria” from The Thousand Fold Epicenter, their set was a trance inducing, solo infested ritual straight through. Aside from her grandiose gestures, Farida was motionless as she sang right until she abruptly left the stage to let the band’s whopping three guitar players riff and pick a seven minute outro, leaving the audience bloodthirsty for more.

The theater was approaching capacity by the time Watain made their much anticipated appearance, setting a strongly dark atmosphere with logo-emblazoned war flags and inverted cross torches. A throng of horns greeted them as they stormed the stage, blazing into “Malfeitor” from 2010’s Lawless Darkness, generating the first pit of the night. Outspoken frontman Erik Danielsson had the crowd chanting along to “Stellarvore” from ‘07s Sworn to the Dark as he grasped the stage-side flames. Dedicating “Total Funeral” to Vancouver black metal legends Blasphemy (who were in attendance), the fellow blasphemers whipped the crowd into frenzy before finishing their set with the pummeling “Serpent’s Chalice”.

Behemoth were up last and this being the band’s first tour through North America since vocalist/guitarist Nergal’s diagnosis and subsequent triumph over leukemia, it was inspiring for all present to see him hit the stage. Opening with the devastating one-two punch of Evangelion’s “Ov Fire and the Void” and “Demigod” there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that when Nergal yelled “We have returned!” upon the songs completion, he was absolutely right. Watching him run around stage and play his heart out, it was hard to believe that last year he was on death’s door. As if to punctuate this he shouted “It feels good to be alive!” and then appropriately played “Conquer All”. Running through a diverse selection from their extensive catalogue of blackened death metal crushers, the band were unrelenting in their energetic performance. After a solid set, Nergal thanked the audience saying “Stay strong! Hail Satan!” before returning to stage, first in a bloody crown of thorns and then in his trademark battle helmet for a two song encore.

It was an impressive display of diabolic heavy metal at its finest from some of Europe’s best acts going. Though it will be hard to match, one can only hope next year’s tour is even better.

Setlist:

Ov Fire and the Void
Demigod
Moonspell
Conquer All
1000 Plagues
Alas
The Seed ov I
Decade of Therion
At the Left Hand ov God
Slaves Shall Serve
Chant for Exkaton
23
Lucifer

Watain

BEHEMOTH

By: Coleman

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Live Review: Soulfly w/ Guests, April 1st, 2012- The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

April 3rd, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)
(Top: Ancients – Bottom: Soulfly)

Live Review: Soulfly with Black Wizard and Ancients
Sunday, April 1st 2012
The Rickshaw Theatre

The Rickshaw Theatre was packed again, this April Fools Day for a second night in a row with another healthy Vancouver Metal crowd to cheer in local acts Black Wizard and Ancients not to mention the Phoenix based, Brazilian tribal-metal act that commands your attention whether you want it to or not. Soulfly.

Black Wizard took to the stage, just after doors opened, to set forth their brand of melodic heavy metal. Under dim, red lights, they played hard, heavy and distorted, yet the dual guitars allowed for many a harmonic riff. Watching Black Wizard then Ancients, its easy to think of them as a younger version of Ancients, especially with the two bands identical stage setup of a left handed guitarist on the left, bass and drums in the middle, and right-handed guitarist on the right creating a very symmetrical ensemble on both accounts.

Up next, Ancients rocked the Rickshaw with a tight set. They don’t move much, but they play absolutely flawlessly for it, so one really can’t complain. Ancients are set to release an album in the near future, having just finished up in the studio and if their live sound is any indication of what is to come on that disc, it may just be worth it to line up at the record store now.

To a deafening roar, Soulfly, the band everyone had been waiting for, commanded the stage. Lead singer, Max Cavalera has a deadly weapon of a voice, tearing through the heavy chugs bass and guitar. It’s hard to match the energy of Marc Rizzo on guitar as he shreds flawlessly and jumps around. While the Rickshaw Theatre is no stranger to circle pits with its wide open floor, Max and the guys may have just set a new record for the biggest and best yet.

If there is anything worth ending a weekend with, leaving you sore yet satisfied on a Monday, it’s Soulfly backed by two intimidating metal acts out of Vancouver.

soulfly.com

By: Chris McKibbin

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Live Review: Metal Alliance Tour – 3 Inches of Blood, Dying Fetus, DevilDriver and MORE! March 31st, 2012 – The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver B.C.

April 3rd, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Scott Alexander)
(Top: Dying Fetus – Bottom: DevilDriver End: Shooting Gallery)

Live Review: Metal Alliance Tour
Saturday, March 31st, 2012
Rickshaw Theatre

Vancouver’s own Unleash the Archers commenced the evening. It was a good sign that even at such an early hour the place was already packed. No surprise considering UTA is one of the best power metal bands to come out of Vancouver. Despite initial technical difficulties, the 5-piece came out the victor with a kick ass performance featuring Brittney Hayes’ flawless, powerhouse vocals.

Next two bands, Wretched and Christian death metal band Impending Doom both featured crushing riffs, tight musicianship and high energy. Unfortunately they also shared a common drawback: far too many breakdowns. The downside to this motif is excessive repetition, the same riffs played first fast, then slow. Not bad once or twice but it gets old as a go-to move. In any case, both acts stirred things up and are sure to bring out a crowd next time either one is in town.

Following the back-to-back deathcore sets, came another local power metal act, 3 Inches of Blood. In addition to a revamped line-up with the addition of Byron Stroud (Zimmer’s Hole, ex-Strapping Young Lad) on bass, 3 Inches of Blood brought along a fresh-off-the-press, epic new album titled Long Live Heavy Metal. A definite step up from the previous Here Waits Thy Doom, these latest tracks feature the band’s long-cultivated heavy-metal-a-la-Judas-Priest style (this time Defenders of the Faith, not Point of Entry), with some unexpected twists.

For those not sure about the newer death metal sound, Job for a Cowboy’s set offered a good opportunity to check it out. Despite cramped quarters, the band tore up the stage, ending with the epic “Constitutional Masturbation” from 2009’s Ruination. A good segue into one of the world’s most brutal 3-pieces- Dying Fetus. The only negative thing that could be said out DF’s set is that it was far, far too short. Well, I suppose a little brutal death metal is better then none. That being said, the band went relatively light on new material, closing the set in style with “Pissing in the Mainstream,” “Killing on Adrenaline” and “Kill Your Mother, Rape Your Dog.”

It feels like yesterday since the release of Akeldama but the Faceless has since transformed into one of technical death metal’s most prominent acts. One surprise was the adoption of the Vulcan Salute as the new “goat horns.” Though not well-received by all present, it seems the band is feeling comfortable not taking itself seriously. Either that or this is an effort at establishing a nerd/cool status. Luckily music was the main focus of the night and the Faceless certainly delivered on that front.

Finally, amid the ruins of the decimated stage arose the mighty DevilDriver. Just when it seemed that most of the crowd left after the Faceless, they reappeared ready to tear up the floor. DevilDriver had the same thing in mind, kick-starting the set with “End of the Line,” “Horn of Betrayal” and “The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand.” It was obviously the right choice hosting this massive, festival like tour in a mid-capacity space. DD took full advantage of the intimate venue; with Dez (vocals) making sure everyone in the audience from the front to the back was having a good time.

unleashthearchers.com
myspace.com/wretchednc
myspace.com/impendingdoom
myspace.com/3iob
myspace.com/jobforacowboy
myspace.com/dyingfetus
myspace.com/thefaceless

devildriver.com

By: Alxs Ness

(PS. For those who enjoyed Unleash the Archers, or would like a chance to – Vancouver’s Red Room will play host to the band for a video release party with Nylithia and Over the Coals April 18th. For more information, visit the EVENT PAGE!)

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Live Review: Deicide w/ guests, March 17th, 2012 -The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C .

March 20th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)
(Top: Deicide – Bottom: Abigail Williams)

Live Review: Deicide w/ Jungle Rot, Abigail Williams and Lecherous Nocturne
Saturday, March 17th, 2012
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Saint Patrick’s Day marks that time of the year when even the most uptight and withdrawn hermit-types pull the proverbial stick out from between their gluteus maximus, down a couple dozen artificially coloured beers and party it up. Couple that excitement with one of the most notorious death metal bands in the world tearing up a 600 person capacity theatre and you’ve got Deicide live at the Rickshaw!

Though the first band up, Lecherous Nocturne, appears to be trying to preserve a certain mystique with an almost non-existent online presence and severe shortage of biographical information, it seems its lead vocalist was M.I.A for this show. Guitarist Ethan Lane took over vocal duties with confidence and the band as a whole drew the crowd in with a brutal hybrid black/death metal sound.

After going through more line-up changes in the past eight years then some bands do in thirty, Abigail Williams is now touring as a three-piece. Although the intensity of its sound hasn’t suffered with the reduction of members, the intensity of its live performance certainly has. The wall of sound was intact but there were times when major parts were left to the backing tracks which, when combined with a lack of chemistry between band members onstage, sterilized the performance.

Main support Jungle Rot took the stage next. With an old-school death metal sound, it didn’t take very long for the crowd to start getting into it. Also, considering the fact that Jungle Rot doesn’t make it out this way very often, it’s no surprise there were more then a few people excited to witness the four-piece tear it up onstage. Playing tracks hand-picked from its entire discography, Jungle Rot’s intensity and tight old-school sound made them a standout among the rest of the support bands.

Deicide kicked things off right with “Homage for Satan” from 2006’s The Stench of Redemption. The choice to start off with a relatively newer song despite the fact that Deicide (1990) and Legion (1992) are 2 of the most infamous albums in death metal only highlights the staying power granted the band by the exceptional song-writing that has kept it relevant over the past 22 years.

One of the more excitingly impulsive moments of Deicide’s performance came when Glen Benton, dissatisfied with the sound onstage, threw the house mic behind one of the guitar cabs and tore the sound guy a new one: not so shocking considering Benton’s reputation for speaking his mind, no matter the circumstances. In any case, once the technical issues were resolved, Deicide continued to tear the roof off the old theatre with one of the best death metal performances Vancouver has seen in some time.

By: Alxs Ness

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Live Review: A Night of Burlesque and Drag: Pink Unicorn Cabaret, March 7th 2012, Electric Owl, Vancouver B.C.

March 12th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

Live Review – Pink Unicorn Cabaret
Wednesday, March 7th 2012
Electric Owl, Vancouver, B.C.

Photo – Voodoo Bill

It’s rare that you get to see a unicorn. Especially if your in an urban setting, and that urban setting happens to be the end of Main Street where the Columbia Hotel used to rest and the Elecrtic Owl now roosts. It would make sense that unicorns frolic there, as the once hardcore bar, the Cobalt, across the street is now home to Vancouver’s weekly East Van drag show, so it would seem that the rainbow would end at the Owl. Seeing as unicorns are rare, and shy creatures, my luck at seeing them at the second Pink Unicorn Cabaret was fortuitous. I wanted to see the elusive sparkly pink unicorns in a cabaret. Mostly because I’m a pervert, but also because my mom didn’t buy nearly as many My Little Ponys as I would have liked to have owned as a child, and this is the direction unfulfilled childhood woe can take you. The desire to see stripping unicorns.

When I arrived at the club, I had to resist the delicious Izakaya menu and beverages. I know that the Electric Owl is known for both but I wanted my mind to be sharp for the sparkly goodness that was about to be bestowed on myself and the audience. Prior to the show, I saw many lovely unicorns in a state of undress. I won’t lie, because I got there early and I was trying to avoid drinking I started making up ‘Uniporn’ jokes, but I wasn’t able to make up even one really good ones. All I managed was one dirty doodle in my notebook, which isn’t even worth sharing. If anyone thinks of any, please email me. The evening was hosted by Seattle’s EmpeRoar Fabu Lous, who is just that. A bombastic blue boylesque performer, his entertaining herding of these strange and wonderful cats akin to watching Rafael Kubelik lead the Vienna Philharmonic. As the evening went on, he put me in mind of a friendly blue dragon who had befriended the stripping unicorns.I even made up a little drinking game: every time he said the word magical, take a drink. Or a shot. Or a shot of a drink. Normally, I would drink whilst sitting at shows, but I was genuinely enjoying this one. I go to burlesque shows fairly often but as The Pink Unicorn cabaret was mixing it up with both drag and burlesque and a dose of good old fashion side show. It was a fun mixed bag. There was something in it for everyone, from boys in dresses, girls in moustaches, glitter, tassels, feathers, broken glass and one purple vibrator. Actually, it was starting to sound like one of my Saturday nights, but with better lighting. And a better host.

The show started with one of the producers, Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society and one third of the Razzel Tassle Tease Show, April O’Peel who brought me my much needed dose of Vitamin T(entacle) with her Kraken number, followed by a magical drag piece from Vera Way in an homage to Wicked with a little help from Miss Maggie Pie. Next we had the intergalactic crime unit with Connie Lingus fighting alien probes. The hunted became the hunter, and very soon ET became BDSM, which was not where I had thought it was going. Insert anal probe joke here. Pony Boy brought the King vibe to the stage in a conversation with balls (which I pretended for the purposes of all and unicorns were pink and sparkly) and how better to follow with Violette Femme (also co-producer) singing to a purple vibrator and Neil E Dee jumping and doing headstands in broken glass? This was just the first set too… The second act followed with a number from the host himself, EmeRoar Fabu Lous. April O’Peel, Connie Lingus and Vera Way all returned to the stage, with my favourite number being the final act with Vera Way with two hand puppets. Drag and hand puppets… it’s like my brain was the Keebler tree and she was the little elves inside of it, anticipating what I wanted to see. Did I mention it was acapella? And an early 90′s medley? Maybe I should because it was awesome. I’ve seldom come so close to soaking the seat laughing as I did watching Vera Way sandwiched between her hand puppets.

One of the things as a burlesque dancer myself that never fails to impress me about the drag set is how the performers can entertain as well as they do without striptease. Don’t get me wrong, I love the strip, and I love the tease, but I was stoked to see such a great mix of both drag, burlesque and theatre, along with good old fashioned freaky sideshow. It set this show aside from more conventional burlesque shows going on in the city was a welcome change of pace to my Wednesday night. Special thanks to Neil E Dee for letting me staple a five dollar bill to his head. I now officially consider us even for the wad of gum you put in my hair.

Check Facebook for the next Pink Unicorn Cabaret coming up in April at the Electric Owl!

By: Tristan Risk

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Live Review: Andrew WK with The Evaporators – March 3rd 2012, VENUE, Vancouver B.C.

March 7th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Mike Chow)

Live Review – Andrew WK with The Evaporators
Saturday, March 3rd 2012
VENUE, Vancouver, B.C.

It’s time to party indeed! Andrew WK, the self-professed one-man party machine, kicked off his world tour at The Venue in downtown Vancouver last Saturday, and it did not disappoint. The tour is in celebration of the 10th anniversary of his major label debut I Get Wet, which brought him to fame with the singles Party Hard and She is Beautiful. Unfortunately his sophomore effort The Wolf, despite being basically a continuation of its predecessor, didn’t manage to rouse any attention. Since then, Andrew has kept himself busy doing DJ gigs, spoken word tours as a motivational guru, solo shows with simply himself and a piano, among many other things; but none of them came close to the serious party he brought on I Get Wet. So here it is, ten years later, and he’s hitting the road with a backing band for the first time in seven years to play his most successful record front to back. The question in my mind was, is Andrew WK still relevant, or was I Get Wet just a flash in the pan? Is the party over?

There was a decent turn out for such an early bill, and the expansive dance club was actually half full of kids howling and practicing their high jumps before The Evaporators hit the stage at 7:30. The Nardwuar fronted group of old boys were still chock full of giddy energy despite having already played that afternoon at Neptoon Records for the release of Nardwuar’s new compilation Busy Doing Nothing, which actually features AWK himself. It was a typically hilarious performance with the infamous human serviette dancing amongst the crowd, getting the audience to hoist him and his keyboard up for a solo, grabbing an assortment of costumes from his flannel bag and basically just being the goofy nerd he usually portrays himself to be. It was all kinds of fun with the steadily filling club making tiny mosh pits around lone-crowd surfers and singing along to Evaporators standards like “Going to France”, “I Got a Rash” and “Addicted to Cheese”. It did, however, get a little extraneous when he had the crowd get on the floor (ala Otis Day and the Knights in Animal House) while he changed costume and the band jammed on a build-up for over 5 minutes. He then repeated this trick several times. It was pointless theatrics and I breathed a sigh of relief when they finally wrapped it up.

The club was really filling up at this point and by the time the sound-check was over and the lights began to dim, the floor and balcony were packed full of people chanting “Par-ty Hard!” It was like a clown car as the band began to file out, first the drummer, then four guitar players, bass, and a woman in spandex aerobics gear and fingerless gloves handling backing vocals. Lastly Andrew hit the stage in his signature white jeans, t-shirt, cross-trainers and greasy hair. With the album’s opening lines “It’s time to Party, let’s party!” the show had begun, and the audience lost their collective shit. The sweating, swirling mass of partiers in attendance got crazier as the album progressed from “Party Hard” to “Girls Own Love” and actually began to include themselves in the performance. Starting with a solitary girl mooning the audience from the stage, each song concluded with another fan onstage either hugging or high fiving Andrew. He would have the person introduce themselves, then the next track on the album, and dedicate the song to them before they leapt back onto the crowd. By the time the band hit “Fun Night” there was a crowd on the stage that basically remained there for the rest of the show, and the actual performers didn’t seem to mind at all, moreover, they loved it. One guitar player had to abandon his post to make sure the amps didn’t topple but otherwise, the band played a very tight set considering it was the first show of the tour and there were people all over the damn place. The kids themselves became the stars of the show as they shared microphones, stage-dove and danced around; one guy actually helped Andrew man the keyboard for a few bars; a fellow in a banana suit was doing the mashed potato; and all the while Mr. WK was smiling, flailing, laughing, sweating, just really partying. He sang praises for BC, and Vancouver specifically, saying it was no mistake they started their tour in the most partyingest city around. He thanked the jubilant crowd after the sing-along pogo-fest of I Get Wet closer, “Don’t Stop Living in the Red”, before returning for a well-received encore. As he started into the first two tracks from The Wolf a roll of toilet paper went careening through the crowd, with everyone chanting “Long live the Party!” He finished the set with “You Will Remember Tonight” and a new, never-before-played song, “Headbang” which he dedicated to Nardwuar.

So, is the party over? Like fuck it is! If the explosive performance and ecstatic reaction that was witnessed at The Venue is any indication of what the rest of Andrew WK and co.’s tour will be like, the party is just beginning.

Andrew W.K

By: Coleman

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Live Review: DJ Muggs with Guests, February 23rd 2012, The Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver B.C.

February 24th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)
(Top: DJ Muggs – Bottom: Friends with the Help)

Live Review – DJ Muggs with Friends with the Help, Snak the Ripper, Feat DJ’s K-Rec and D-Rec
Thursday February 23nd, 2012
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C

The Rickshaw can be a cavernous venue without a large crowd, and by 10:00 it was still mostly empty with nothing but Nicky Ninefingers’ terrible “shoes in the dryer” stylings on the laptop to distract. Have no fear though, for as soon as K-Rec put his hands on the vinyl it was on, and a tour de force demonstration of True School turntablism ensued, from frantic polyrhythmic scratches to uncannily matched beat juggles, all composed of a continuous collage of classic tracks subtly dissected and resurrected. K-Rec’s “Fun Time” stylings bely his absolute seriousness on the decks, and it was like he set out to show and prove what a real DJ do…and murder the tracks!

Warmed to motion by K-Rec’s Boom Bap mix, a crowd of Vancouver’s loyal Hip Hop heads slowly coalesced out of the rain to fill the greater part of the floor, and Young Nige and Low Lux of Friends With The Help took the stage to drop their signature brand of thoughtful, upbeat, lyrical party rock. Hot on the heels of their recent release “Confidence” (available for free download on their website), the Friends owned The Rickshaw’s vast stage like they were already stadium status, moving as fluidly as their words. With their video single “East Van Shit” repping hard for their local fans, and new tracks like “Chickens” with their self-deprecating humour, Friends With The Help are reminiscent of early De La Soul, with K-Rec’s productions recalling a more optimistic time in Hip Hop.

Vancouver veteran and Surrey staple Snak the Ripper came on like an aluminum bat to the head, with co-conspirators D-Rec on the wheels and Merkules hyping it up with his terrifying girth. With a voice like a wino drinking battery acid and a flow so accurate it could split hairs, Snak has grown into his style like a rap Tom Waits, painting pictures of white trash desolation and Lower Mainland desperation through the eyes of a venomous everyman. Spitting classics like “What’s Street” with gusto, Snak and co. repped for a Vancouver that has endured the wash of weak indie rock and dance music.

When the evening’s main contender, Cypress Hill’s own Grandmaster, Dj Muggs took over, the crowd was likely anticipating a more traditional set of West Coast Hip Hop tracks, but Muggs seemed intent on the unexpected, bombarding the crowd with ever more punishing waves of dubstep laced with relentless scratch routines that tore up the mind like PCP. At times danceable and more often brutalizing, Muggs’ sound was in stark contrast to the rest of the night, and left some scratching their heads, perplexed.

While the evening was a mixed bag and sometimes incoherent, it had the casual vibe of an Old School rap night, more for the heads than the casual listener. Vancity’s talent was definitely shining bright, and showed that we have high calibre artists ready to take on the world – and it’s only a matter of time until people take notice.

DJ Muggs

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

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Live Review: Raekwon with JD Era and guests, February 22nd, 2012, Fortune Sound Club – Vancouver B.C.

February 24th, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Bryan Mollett)
(Top: Raekwon – Bottom: Conscience w/Noah B.)

Live Review – Raekwon with JD Era and guests
Wednesday February 22nd, 2012
Fortune, Vancouver, B.C

Certainly no stranger to the stage at Fortune, Raekwon certainly draws an energetic crowd, and for those a little cold, on this clear Wednesday night, a superb crew of opening acts helped warm up the pan for the Chef.

Starting out the night was local Vancity veteran, Kilo Cee, who laid down a more than respectable set, leading into a trio of heavy hitters known as Conscience with help from Noah B of the Random Humans, who certainly added a unique layer to this very special show. Stack Steady, Dunn Hustle and John Saint all rounded out a very Canadian night with a diverse mix of crazy in your face antics, and steady to the point beats and rhymes.

If Canadian Hip Hop is to make a splash in the US, solid Canadian acts like these are a great step towards that goal.

Hailing from New York, LA the Darkman, also known as LAD really took to the host city, showing love to our fair Metropolis as if it was his home town. After an intense bout of sublimely spit rhymes including “C.R.E.A.M” for which Raekwon graced the stage teased the eager crowd, the stage was set for JD Era.

The intensity of JD Era showed through with a tribute to ODB’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”, along with an equally strong set consisting of tracks like “Goodfellas” and “Soldier Story” befitting of a headlining act. If there is anything ahead for this superstar after an intense 2011, its more time at the top on stage riling up crowds, as he proved he was more than capable of tonight.

While one sour note, in the form of some poor girl brought up by The Chef’s crew to play the part of Method Man during “Protect Ya Neck”, and subsequently being booed off stage by those who pulled her up, Raekwon delivered a performance worthy of his name within the halls of Wu. Sending a shout out to the Clan for their 20th year doing what only Wu-Tang does, The Chef closed the night down with a little sautéed greatness with a side of yummy beets.

Make that beats.

By: Sofia Beth Dixon

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Live Review: In Flames with Guests, January 30th 2012, Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C.

January 31st, 2012 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Chris McKibbin)

Live Review – In Flames with Trivium, Veil of Maya, and Kyng
Monday January 30th, 2012
Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, B.C

At a venue like the Commodore Ballroom, it doesn’t really matter who is playing because it’s going to be a great show; however, when news gets out that a band like In Flames is playing there, Vancouver is home to a crowd of people who will run extra fast to the bouncy dance floor. And they were all there, horns held high, favourite band t-shirts adorned like live action mannequins for the Rock Shop, to mosh their faces off to four heavy bands: Kyng, Veil of Maya, Trivium, and In Flames.

The walls outside the Commodore were already shaking with the sounds of Kyng, shortly after doors opened. It was the drummer’s birthday, and they rocked some fast paced metal in celebration. They were a good warmup band for the night, and they had really good sound production for an opening band.

Veil of Maya, from Chicago, got things started off by provoking the crowd a bit during sound check as one of the techs threatened that if the people sitting or at the bar didn’t come to the floor, the Blackhawks would win the next game against the Canucks. The band got into their set with force, their sound was technical and heavy, but played with confidence. Big drops and breakdowns mixed with the strobe lights made the crowd hungry for more. They even managed to get a circle pit going.

When Trivium hit the stage, their following was obvious within the crowd, which seemed to magically triple in size. The band’s ability to create harmonies and catchy choruses within Heavy Metal makes them easy to get into. They were definitely one of the loudest bands of the night, becoming a wall of sound almost drowned out by double kick drums. There were lots of hand clap-alongs to the beat (when did this become a thing in Metal music?) being lead by lead singer/guitarist, Matt Heafy, and the fans knew all the words including the Happy Birthday song, of which a short rendition was played for the birthday boys in Kyng and In Flames. They played flawlessly and with energy, ending their set with “Throes”, which made the crowd go insane.

After all of that, there was still energy left in the room for In Flames, hailing from Sweden, who walked out in front of their own light setup of cool blue. Lead singer, Anders Fridén, is a talkative front man, and really engaged the screaming crowd by picking on certain people such as the girl not paying attention in the front row, and the guy giving him the finger from the mosh-pit. There were frustrated shouts of, “Play some fucking music!” from some, but for the most part the fans interacted like it were an intimate and interactive show, which it was. The band knows how melodic death metal should sound, and they do it extremely well live. The playlist was a good mix of old and new, opening with “Sounds of a Playground Fading” from their newest album of the same title, and closing with “Take This Life” off of Come Clarity.

In Flames are performing a second show, TONIGHT, Jan 31st 2012 at the Commodore Ballroom.

By: Chris McKibbin

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Live Review: Guns N’ Roses, December 17th 2011, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C.

December 18th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

Live Review – Guns and Roses with Loaded
Saturday December 17th, 2011
Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C

Ah yes, Guns n’ Roses. The staple music conversation piece. The band that for 25 years has embodied the very best, and worst, of rock n’ roll and what it represents. The arrogance, the excess, the stigma of Axl Rose and co. all made their way to the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver on Saturday, and reminded everyone in attendance why we ever put up with their bullshit in the first place. This was a show for the ages.

Things did not look good upon arrival. The ticket holders’ line to enter the venue stretched outside almost all the way to Hastings St., well after the scheduled “doors at 7:00”; and the promoter-imposed mandate of “one drink per guest” had beer queues stacked at ridiculous length right until last call, at the start of the main act. The arena rock environment has certainly lost a fair share of lustre in the last decade or so.

Founding Guns n’ Roses bassist Duff Mckagan’s band Loaded opened up for the second of two west coast dates, giving the show a smattering of credibility as far as purists are concerned. Duff looked healthy and vibrant. A far cry from the image of his bloated Use Your Illusion days, when you swear you could have tapped him like a maple tree to harvest pure Russian vodka. Loaded’s style was standard Seattle-punk fare, and they fell into the unfortunate (and ever-growing) list of touring bands who’s crew can not seem to figure out the mechanics of arena sound. The frontman’s presence was energetic, and especially endearing, as he shared his affection for the 80s Vancouver punk scene with the crowd. GnR covers “So Fine” and “Dust and Bones” had everyone bubbling with anticipation for the main act to follow.

After an unexpectedly modest break, at 11:00 (somewhere around four in the afternoon, W. Axl Rose time) the Guns hit the stage. They hit it HARD. Opening with “Chinese Democracy” then jumping right into “Welcome to the Jungle”. The sound was tight, the production top-notch, and the notoriously inconsistent frontman was absolutely on his game. Within minutes fears were erased. 2011 shall remain a one-riot year for Vancouver. Nice. The classics kept coming: “It’s So Easy”, “Mr. Brownstown”, and when new tunes appeared they were received well by the crowd. Even lesser known tracks like the Nine Inch Nails-esque “Shacklers Revenge” translated surprisingly well live.

The three-hour long set gave fans plenty of time to acquaint themselves with the new band (“new” being the throwaway word of that sentence). Make no mistake, this is a band worth acquainting yourself with. Guitarist DJ Ashba dashed around looking like a healthy Mick Mars on speed, while handling much of the classic Slash guitar-work. 6-string virtuoso Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal seemed to find serenity amidst the whirlwind stage show, head back and eyes closed as he effortlessly brought some of the more outrageous Buckethead-composed licks to life. Longstanding axeman Richard Fortus charmed the crowd with his boyish smile and a cool reminiscent of Izzy Stradlin. Frank Ferrer and Tommy Stinson, drummer and bassist, respectively, held the groove flawlessly for the entire herculean set; while keyboardists Chris Pitman and Illusion-era mainstay Dizzy Reed gave atmosphere and an added sense of euphoria to the proceedings. Duff joined the group to play “You Could Be Mine” and “Civil War”, effortlessly gelling with the modern guns and the sound he helped create.

Mr. Rose came off as… a bit of an asshole. No surprise there. Saying little to the crowd save for a classic, yet warranted, Axl moment when he personally had a rowdy fan ejected from the arena. “You wanna fight? You can go fight with your dick outside!” Fair enough. His one comment regarding the infamous GnR no-show riot of ’02: “If I had known you crazy motherfuckers were gonna tear that place apart, I would have been there a week early!” That was about as close to an apology as anyone can expect to get from one of rock’s most unapologetic figures. All that aside, the ratio of vocal prowess to mild-douchery was extremely favourable.

Guns n’ Roses is a band often held in the highest regard, but only while in its prime. Well, call them what you want, but on December 17th, Vancouver witnessed a band that was absolutely at the top of its game. The inebriated ‘Appetite for Destruction’ line-up would have had seldom a gig as tight as what was witnessed at the Coliseum that night, and those who were able to liberate themselves from the 16-year old grudge against a Slash-less GnR were rewarded with one of the best rock n’ roll shows in the world today.

By: Justin Sarris

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Live Review: Prince and the New Power Generation, December 16th 2011, Rogers Arena, Vancouver, B.C.

December 17th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Artist approved handout)

Live Review – Prince and The New Power Generation
Friday December 16th, 2011
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, B.C

Allow this reviewer to spare his readers all the trite puns about it being “2011 but Prince still Parties like it’s 1999″. He knows it, you know it. We all know it. Actually, Prince parties like James Brown if James Brown decided to go vegan and do nothing but stamina exercises all day long, and then learn to tear his guitar apart by the string like a clean playing Hendrix.

Thousands of eager Prince fans flooded the cement stairs of the Rogers Arena on Friday, in all shapes and sizes. From forty-somethings who ‘were there, man’, to young hipsters wearing their best Revolution outfits, to soccer moms getting out for the night. To say Prince Rogers Nelson has a vast fan base would be an understatement.

At roughly 8:30pm, the lights dimmed, and the screams began, and they didn’t let up until somewhere around 11:30. The New Power Generation (Prince’s backing band since the film Graffiti Bridge (the sequel to Purple Rain)), took the stage (which sat in the middle of the arena, circled by the crowd), and came in cooking right off the get-go, like a traditional 70′s soul-crew, educating several generations on funk. In fact, funk was brought up repeatedly through-out the night, in case one wasn’t sure what they were witnessing. This was completely legitimized by the fact that the legendary sax player Maceo Parker played with the band most of the night.

“My name is Prince”, came that familiar voice as the legend himself rose through the floor. Launching into “Gold”, with a smooth but familiar transition into all-time popular hit-ballad “Purple Rain”, his orange Fender Telecaster hanging off his back. It was relieving that Prince included his back catalogue, even though he has a new-ish record out (2010). He played pretty much every hit you’d want, (and actually at one point pointed out that he’d played all his hits), including “Little Red Corvette”, “When Doves Cry”, “1999″, “Raspberry Beret”. He also managed to pepper his never-take-a-break set with covers of Michael Jackson (“Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”), the Ohio Players (“Love Rollercoaster”), as well as playing a track or two he wrote for others “Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinead O’Connor, and Sarah Maclachlan’s “Angel,” for example.

“You came to watch me, but I want to watch you, too,” the purple one shouted at one point. “Have you been to Calgary? Calgary’s a funky place!” Prince taunted the crowd with, before launching into an extra-fast version of “Kiss”.

Two things became evident tonight.

1) Prince clearly sleeps in a zip-lock container, because there’s no way a 53 year old can move like that for that long and sound that great.

2) Vancouver keeps it funkier than Calgary and Toronto. Prince told me so.

By: Kevvy Mental

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Live Review: Ghostface Killah and Guests, Dec 11th, 2011 at the Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver B.C.

December 13th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Jamie Sands)
(Top: Ghostface Killah – Left: Jay Kin – Top Right: DJ Flipout – Bottom Right: Peter Jackson

Live Review – Ghostface Killah with Peter Jackson, Jay Kin, DJ Flipout, and DJ Seko
Sunday, December 11th, 2011
The Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver’s Hip Hop faithful gathered on a cold winter’s night for Ghostface’s first appearance in years at what is probably the most appropriate venue possible – an old Kung-Fu theatre – to witness what promised to be the best rap show of the year. Amid the cavernous darkness of the Rickshaw Theatre, nestled comfortably in the heart of the Downtown Eastside, a diverse throng of young and old, straitlaced and wild-style alike huddled in the protective warmth of booming bass frequencies.

DJ’s Seko and Hedspin held down a constantly shifting mix of old and new bangers, with Hedspin hyping the crowd and chuffing a blunt simultaneously. By the time Toronto’s Peter Jackson took the stage, the front row was already packed with ball-capped homeboys and hoochied out homegirls, well lifted and ready to throw down. Jackson’s original set of hardcore East Coast style thug raps and testimonies of personal hardship were in just the right vein to get people moving, with a seamless combination of focused anger and effortless flows.

After a brief interlude, the man of the hour, Tony Starks AKA Ironman AKA Ghostface Killah finally took the stage to the sounds of “Be Easy”, with hype-man Trife Da God backing his every line. With such an extensive discography, Ghost would have a hard time pleasing everyone with their fave track, but he attempted to do just that by throwing down short versions of every single banger from “Ironman” to “Apollo Kids” and back again. Starks was joined early in the set by the legendary Killah Priest for some “Purified Thoughts”, and soon after by the one and only Sheek Louch from D-Block and The LOX, who remained onstage with the crew for the remainder of the set. With the obligatory hoe-down featuring ladies from the audience bumping and grinding with the group onstage, to a performance of “Wu-Tang:7th Chamber” performed by volunteers, the boundaries between stage and floor were dissolved leaving listeners helplessly enthralled. Ghost and crew even went so far as to sign autographs at the merch table after a good hour and a half long set, testament to their true commitment to their fans.

One would be hard pressed to think of another MC with such an extensive solo catalogue, enduring career, or wide and diverse appeal as Ghostface, and it is excellent to see that his live show more than lives up to expectations. With another show added on Wednesday at Fortune Sound Lounge, the Ironman has indeed come to leave an indelible stamp on Canada’s Hip Hop consciousness, and hopefully to inspire the next level of locals to step up to the plate. As ever, Wu-Tang is for the children!!!

Ghostface Killah – Def Jam
Ghostface Killah – Myspace

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

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Live Review: Mayhem with Guests, November 21, 2011, The Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver, B.C.

November 25th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Chris McKibbin)
(Top: Mayhem – Bottom: Hate)

Live Review – Mayhem with Abigail Williams, Hate and Keep of Kalessin
Monday November 21, 2011
The Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver, B.C

On a cold, stormy November night, Mayhem finally arrived in Vancouver intent on performing in front of new and old black metal fan alike. A solid opening lineup in the form of Abigail Williams, Hate and Keep of Kalessin warmed up the cold Canadian crowd for the legendary Norwegian black metal veterans.

Abigail Williams made the mistake of opening the show with a rather slow set. While hardly any songs were fast paced enough to get the crowd going, it seemed most of the crowd was content to listen through the walls out in the lobby while drinking a few beers and trying to stay awake. Many comments of disappointment were floating around said lobby due to their last performance in Vancouver being a lot more lively and the evenings lack of a keyboard player.

HATE were your typical bland, generic, extreme black death metal that would appeal to fans of new Behemoth and Belphagor, however every song sounds the same, with brutal blasting mediocre over produced “show metal”. While the set was decent enough, there really was nothing that set them apart.

Keep of Kalessin, another (early) Norweigan black metal, mixed with more modern medolic folk-black-death-metal took the stage as the third and final opening act. They left the crowd hoping for much more, playing only their 2008 and later tunes of folk black metal, even though they were definitely primed for a better set. Perhaps not bringing the crowd to much of a boil, the opening acts still served their headlining master well bringing the crowd together, albeit a little luke-warm.

While many fans were on the fence of seeing Mayhem live because ‘they are not what they used to be’ they delivered a classic set consisting of many songs off “De Mysteriis dom Sathanas” and “Deathcrush.” While there were no dead ravens, decayed and exhumed clothing or any cutting on stage it was still like experiencing Mayhem live when they were in their prime. Atilla’s grotesque costume and singing into a human skull and spine during highlight classics like “Freezing Moon” and “Funeral Fog” really set the bar for what people were hoping to see and hear from them. Atilla’s vocals were sinister, dark and supreme with an added touch of distinct almost operatic range. Necrobutcher’s classic bass lines mesmerized the crowd while getting to see a true legend of black metal on stage. Hellhammer’s precise devastating blast beats held the chaotic elements together, while Rickshaw Theater’s improvement in sound only added to the enjoyment of the show.

Other notable songs included “Chainsaw Gutsfuck”, “Pure Fucking Armageddon” and “…Ancient Skin”.

It is awesome that Mayhem can still deliver the goods and definitely worth seeing again!

By: Eileen ‘Ruthless’ Davidson

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Live Review: Onyx with Guests, November 22, 2011, Vancouver, B.C.

November 24th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photos – Jamie Sands)

Live Review – Onyx, w/ The Indigo Kids, Def3 and Snak The Ripper
Tuesday November 22, 2011
Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver, B.C

On a rainy Tuesday night most people would stay in their cozy homes, wrapped in their blankets while watching TV. However, a select few made their way down to Fortune Sound Club to catch a great line up of Canadian performers to be followed by a legendary hardcore Hip-Hop group right out of New York. Onyx.

While the Dynasty Boys kept the crowd entertained between sets with some old school classics, the Indigo Kids had the honour of being the first act of the evening. Unfortunately, the Tuesday night crowd hadn’t fully arrived yet, but those who were in the building made their way towards the stage. Although missing the high level of stage presence compared to the nights following acts, their flows and rhyme patterns backed by DJ K-Rec on the ones and twos was a great start to the night.

Straight out of Regina, Saskatchewan, Def3 was next to hit the stage. With an amazing stage presence backed by a DJ and trumpet player (who may have arrived a little late with the rest of the crowd), the energy quickly shuffled closer to the front row. Bringing his Dad on stage to help perform “Chan Chan” and then inviting three members from the audience to come up and chug a beer between verses (on the aptly titled “C.H.U.G.”) definitely helped create an intimate atmosphere. Before exiting the stage Def 3 quickly dropped a bomb and let the crowd know that the Outlawz would also be in the building this evening, a welcome surprise as they were not on the original bill.

Returning from, “Belgium or some shit”, heading straight to the club from the airport, Snak The Ripper hit the stage and performed a few fan favourites such as “Take that Shit” and “Lazy” from underneath his trademark ski mask. Not staying long, Snak let the crowd know that Onyx would be up next and then proceeded to let D-Rec spin some records for everyone.

Slam!!

It only took a few seconds after Onyx hit the stage before the crowd went absolutely ballistic, performing “Bacdafucup”, immediately provoking flying beer cans, shoving and elbows, and rightfully so, this is an Onyx show. Droppin’ “Throw Ya Gunz” and “All We Got Iz Us” Fredro Star and Sticky Fingaz moved around the stage mesmerizing the crowd in a way that only a seasoned veteran is capable of. Between tracks Fredro let everyone know that Sticky had originally not made it over the border and had been sent back to Seattle for a ‘particular substance’ found in his luggage, only to go hop on a plane and sneak in to Canada anyway, showing the level of dedication they have for their fans. Bringing the Outlawz on stage for a few tracks as well as reintroducing one of Onyx’s 100 Mad members, Snak the Ripper towards the end, the audience was treated to one jam packed evening of performances.

By Jamie Sands

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Live Review: Napalm Death w/ The Golers, Zukuss and Gross Misconduct, October 27, 2011 – The Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver, B.C.

October 29th, 2011 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(CLICK TO ENLARGE | Photo – Chris McKibbin)

Live Review- Napalm Death, w/ The Golers, Zukuss and Gross Misconduct
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

The opening bands were a fairly standard array of local talent. The first band, Gross Misconduct, performed a solid set of thrash, but lacked in conviction or presence. They need to remedy their charisma deficit. Second on the bill was Zuckuss, who played a blistering blast of grind that suffers that common grind flaw: none of their material is memorable in the least, buried as it is in speed and short songs. There isn’t enough time to get a Zuckuss riff stuck in your head.

Then The Golers came on and actually warmed up the crowd. This is a band that honestly deserves to be much more of a name on the global metal scene. Their blend of thrash, speed, and death metal is as rare as it is skillfully executed. Simply put, The Golers are far more than just a local metal band- they kill at what they do. Even a band as passionate and energetic as The Golers had nothing on the headliners though.

Napalm Death hit the stage like a bomb, and delivered a relentless set of death/grindcore comprised of new material from their most recent album (the absolutely skull-crushing Time Waits For No Slave), classics from across their career and a few cover tracks.

Grindcore is an odd genre. In a twist of irony so severe it’s basically straight up hypocrisy, this most brutal of metal styles takes an extremely delicate touch to get right. Too fast and too short, no one will remember anything and it becomes disposable. Too slow and too long, it’s not grindcore anymore. The balance point is rarely achieved, but Napalm Death has long mastered the exact mix- and they showed their dominance in style.

Vocally, Barney is at the top of his game. He’s achieved a horrifying degree of vicious passion, and lately his range has improved as well. The man just bludgeons the listener with his voice. Complementing this perfectly is guitarist Mitch Harris’ accent backing vocal shrieks, which are reminiscent of Alan Dubin of OldLadyDrivers (Remember them?). The twin juggernaught of Embury on bass and Herrera on drums is an intestine-shaking force- it was simply awe-inspiring to witness.

Vancouver ate it up too. The crowd at the newly renovated Rickshaw Theater was near capacity, the pit was relentlessly violent, and there was even some crowd surfing (something that seems rare at Vancouver metal shows these days). It was good to see, especially when we were treated to such gems as a Cryptic Slaughter cover (no one ever gives these guys the credit they deserve for their influence on Grindcore music), a Siege cover, and a Dead Kennedys cover, not to mention the sneak peek at the new Napalm Death album, in the form of the new track, “Quarantine”. Judging from this song, it sounds very much like Time Waits For No Slave wasn’t just a one-off fluke in Napalm’s history.

A superb show, one that easily eclipses their gig at the New York Theatre with Carcass, Cathedral, and Brutal Truth (the last time this particular reviewer saw them). This is how it should be, bands getting better and better, not peaking and coasting on “they-were-awesome-when” memories.

By Keith Durocher

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