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Live Review: Summer Slaughter 2010, August 19, Vancouver, B.C.

August 22nd, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(ABOVE: Decapitated/Photo - Dustin Wood)

Live Review: Summer Slaughter Tour
Thursday August 19^th, 2010
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC

The first three bands to hit the stage, Vital Remains, Animals as Leaders and Decrepit Birth offered a range of sound and style. Vital Remains woke the crowd up with some brain pounding, brutal as fuck, death metal. The instrumental Animals as Leaders took a different approach with a more introspective, technical-based, progressive sound. Though they were impressive musically, their placement on this extreme tour seemed a bit odd; their performance like an intermission for the facemelting bands. Next up, California’s Decrepit Birth snapped the crowd back to life with an energetic and eccentric set, performing songs mainly from their latest release Polarity. These guys were definitely one of the highlights of the night, offering something a bit different from the rest.

Next up, Cephalic Carnage, Veil of Maya,The Red Chord and All Shall Perish. Cephalic Carnage killed it on a technical level all the while maintaining an intense performance. While less focused on technical riffs and aural confusion, the young Veil of Maya stirred up the crowd with rhythmic, headbangeable riffs and killer guitar solos. When The Red Chord took over it was like a tornado descended upon the stage. Frontman Guy Kozowyk was a man possessed- giving one of the most energetic and frenzied performances yet. Though not the most interesting musically, these guys put on a great live show and were definitely fun to watch. All Shall Perish took over where the Red Chord left off with another set mainly full of break down riffs. The highlight of their performance was Hernan Hermida’s vocal range and ability to shift from brutal gutturals to screeching highs with absolute fluidity. As a whole the band was exceptionally tight and contrary to the Red Chord, their sound made up for their static stage show.

Main support The Faceless stole the show up to this point with their ability to combine supreme technicality, melody and brutality. They are one of those rarities in metal- a band that utilizes dynamics flawlessly, running the gamut between beautiful solos, intensely powerful vocals and heavy riffs. Their crowd reception was priceless and fitting with a mix of kids tearing each other apart in the mosh pit and kids staring at the stage in awe. They were a great choice as main support, keeping the energy up with a diverse sound that was intense as well as engaging; avoiding the audience burn-out that can occur after a long festival set.

Finally, the stage was set for Decapitated. Considering the events that unfolded 2 weeks prior to their last scheduled appearance in Vancouver, its no surprise the anticipation was huge, the theatre packed to the gills with a restless crowd. Though the circumstances which had derailed the band 3 years ago were tragic, their stage banner said it all: “From pain to strength.” With a new lineup consisting of Rafal Piotrowski (vocals), Heinrich (bass), Krimh (drums), founding member, guitarist Vogg led the band through some of their most loved tracks including “Post Organic”, “A Poem About an Old Prison Man”, “Winds of Creation”, “Spheres of Madness”, “Visual Delusion” , “Day 69” and “Mother War”.

Vogg was certainly careful in his selection for the new lineup and though the contributions Vitek and Sauron made for the band and metal in general will never be forgotten, it seems that this current lineup is the next evolution for Decapitated. Krimh was mind blowing on the drums with a monstrous kick sound that filled the room. Not only did he play with flawless precision and speed but the icing on the cake was the head spins he pulled off all the while. Heinrich likewise pulled off a flawless set, displaying a huge amount of passion as he banged out notes by smashing his fist against the bass. The only negative aspect of their 35min-or-so set was that it was far too short. However, by the shear domination that they displayed onstage, there is no doubt Decapitated will be back before long to blow our minds once more.

myspace.com/bondedbyblood

Live Review: Exodus w/ Holy Grail, Bonded by Blood, and guests, August 17, Vancouver

August 18th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo – Chris McKibbin)

Live Review – Exodus w/ Holy Grail, Bonded by Blood, Titans Eve and Auroch
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Living pretty much directly on the US/Canada border, us Vancouverite metal-heads have grown accustomed to canceled sets do to border issues. It happens all the time. Unfortunately last night’s March of Brutality show at the Rickshaw Theatre was no different, with Malevolent Creation forced to drop out of all 3 Canadian dates due to immigration issues. Luckily, two of Vancouver’s local acts Titans Eve and Auroch stepped up to complete the bill, making it an evening of 100% thrash metal.

Auroch kicked off their set with “Acolyte” from their latest release Stranger Aeons. There was already a good crowd in the old theatre by the time Auroch hit the stage and their unique brand of thrash and self-described Lovecraftian metal was met with a strong crowd response. Having already opened for Woods of Ypres alongside Titans Eve during the bands’ Eastern Canadian tour, Auroch are definitely off to a good start as a young, up and coming, Canadian thrash metal band.

Up next, Titans Eve churned out their own unique brand of thrash metal. Brothers Kyle and Brian Gamblin (vocals/guitar) did a great job stirring up the crowd, which to be honest was already engaged and ready to throw down the moment they started playing. With a short but sweet set with crowd favorites including “The Tides of Doom”, “Serpent Rising”, “Into the Fire” and “Living Lifeless,” Titans Eve left it all on stage and made a strong impression. Keep your eyes peeled as TE prepare for their first US tour this September.

Up next, California’s Bonded by Blood mixed things a bit with a blast from the past. Though their influences, or should I say, influence, is no secret, Bonded by Blood are far from an Exodus spinoff. They are more fittingly described as a young take on an older, well established style. Though the crowd took a breather from the mosh pit for most of their set, there was no shortage of head banging while the boys tore through tracks such as “Feed the Beast”, “Parasitic Infection” and “Necropsy” with a nonstop, infectious energy. Dedicating the latter “For all of you who love to skin the dead…” the boys finished the last half of their performance with the same intensity they had from the beginning.

Also from California, Holy Grail took over the responsibility of main support and killed it. With a more traditional heavy metal sound, they offered something different from the rest of the lineup and the crowd ate it up. Clean vocals and solid hooks, alongside raw, epic riffs, made for a sound that walks a fine line between NWOBHM and gritty thrash. They were definitely a crowd favorite and their high-energy and entertaining stage presence inspired a lively mosh pit. Their set included “As Fast as a Shark” and “Fight to Kill” from their debut EP Improper Burial as well as “Crisis in Utopia” from their upcoming album of the same name. For a band that seemingly came out of nowhere last year, these guys are well on their way to becoming a regular fixture in the metal scene.

Finally metal’s favorite fabulous disaster hit the stage, primed to deliver some good, friendly, violent fun. Having already seen Exodus several times, it seems that they are nearly incapable of putting on a bad show and last night proved the same. With a tight sound, awesome songs both classic and new and a fun stage show, Exodus tore the roof off the tightly packed Rickshaw. What was great about the venue choice for this one is the huge floor space and awesome view from every corner of the room. Though there was a barricade, the lack of security in front made for a very personal, in-your-face stage set up. This sort of set up also brought out the best in front man Rob Dukes who spent the night pointing people out from onstage and instigating some rabid circle pits. Love him or hate him, Dukes is definitely one of metal’s most aggressive front men; you can always expect some crazy shit to come out of his mouth in between songs and some good crowd slagging if they don’t move around.

The only main difference between this show and the last time Exodus played Vancouver is the inclusion of tracks from their latest album Exhibit B: the Human Condition including the show closer “Good Riddance.” Besides some new material everything went as expected and the crowd, having survived 5 hours of the toxic waltz, left satisfied and zombie-like.

exodusattack.com

myspace.com/holygrail

myspace.com/titanseveofficial

myspace.com/theauroch

Live Review: Smif N Wessun w/ guests – August 12th, 2010, Vancouver

August 13th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo - Chris McKibbin)

Live Review – Smif N Wessun, featuring Sketch Bros, w/DJ’s Jay Swing & Flipout
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Bar None, Vancouver, B.C.

Since the demise of Richards on Richards, Vancouver’s nascent Hip Hop scene has been seriously struggling with the available live venues. One solution to this problem has been to attempt to graft performances from returning 90′s Golden Era artists onto the typical VanCity club night, often in upscale nightspots better suited to the local predilection for outdated House music and syrupy Top 40 tracks. Located in the “heart” of Yaletown, one of VanCity’s yuppiest ‘hoods, Bar None aims for a “New York style” club environment, and that may be, but this is no Brooklyn boozecan or even Manhattan tastemaker. What we are seeing here is the manifestation of all the Rap videos of the last five years come to life, where impossibly hot (and bitchy) waitresses bring table service to the Ed Hardy crowd behind crushed velvet ropes, and fashion casualties who could care less about Hip Hop wander in looking for underage girls to roofie. Sound quality, of course, being the last thing on the agenda, was atrocious, a muddy wash of indistinct bass and screeching treble swirling around a room clearly not designed for live performance.

Limitations aside, resident DJ’s Flipout and Jay Swing were solid on the decks, dropping a selection of club oriented Top 40 and Hip Hop mashups that gradually transformed into the Boom Bap sounds of 90′s NYC. With a wicked beat juggle of Dizzee Rascal’s “Pussyole” thrown in for good measure, Jay Swing proved that he can rock the decks with flair and skill. Opening duo Sketch Bros. took the stage with infectious energy and obvious hunger for the mic, but became rather underwhelming after a few tracks of synth heavy, simplistic Rap – good enough, just not mind-blowing.

As for the main event, despite a mix that could only be described as painful and hearing loss inducing, everyone’s favourite Brooklyn gun Rap duo repped Bucktown like it was still ’94, with a calm clarity and forcefulness belying the many years they’ve spent on the mic. Tearing into classic tracks like “My Timbz Do Work” and “Gunn Rap” from 2005′s “Reloaded” and sounding like they haven’t aged a day, Tek and Steele worked an awkward crowd into a frenzy of pumping fists and shout-out choruses. Old School classic “Sound Bwoy Bureill” elicited wilder reactions, and the requisite hit “Bucktown” had half of the crowd mouthing most of the words along. Treated to a workshop in Old School crowd control, VanCity heads could not help but respond to the liquid flows spilling from the mics of Brooklyn’s Finest, a never-ending barrage of gun talk, braggadocio, and swagger based not on “stuntin’”, but on staying strapped.

Tek and Steele, as well as the entire Boot Camp Clik of which they are a part, have remained decidedly faithful to the Hardcore aesthetic that defines them, with very few tracks in their sixteen plus year career diverging from the darker side of life and it’s expression. In a Hip Hop landscape awash in Pop Rap, Club Rap and every other form of diluted hybrid, it seems incredibly important that a vital current of Hardcore still remains beating in the concrete heart of Brooklyn. Even in the tepid environment of a Vancouver nightclub, Smif N Wessun’s music has the power to bring out the Hardcore element in the crowd – not to promote violence, but self-awareness and a refusal to conform. Resonant with Jamaican patois and Five Percent terminology, their lyrics penetrate the membrane on a deeper level, and express the perceptions of the enlightened warrior poet in a world of Philistines.

Smif N Wessun’s upcoming Pete Rock collaboration “Monumental” drops September, and one can expect nothing but the real Hip Hop from one of the rare groups still keeping it true in 2010. Big ups to Duck Down records on their 15th anniversary, still one of the freshest and most diverse Hip Hop labels around and repping a lineup of true living legends from Boot Camp to KRS-ONE to Pharoahe Monch.

myspace.com/smifnwessun

duckdown.com

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Live Review: The Coup w/ Guests, July 9, 2010, Vancouver, B.C.

July 13th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo – Jamie Sands)

Live Review - The Coup w/ Guests
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Biltmore, Vancouver, B.C.

In the early nineties a movement began in to ally the forces of Hip Hop against the forces of evil. No longer would MCs use their words to perpetuate centralized tyranny, consumer greed and sexism. No longer would hip hop beatmasters put out funkless un-musical junk. The vanguard of this movement came in the form of the Oakland based Hip Hop crew The Coup.

Boots Riley and Pam the Funktress form the core of the current Coup, and they’ve been relentlessly pumping out funky beats and clever political rhymes for well over a decade. Anybody who knows anything about conscious Hip Hop knows The Coup. Pam the Funktress lays out the beats and Boots Riley provides the rhymes. Other members have come and gone (one of whom is dead), but the core of the movement remains strong.

Some highlights of The Coup’s reign of terror include coming up with an album cover showing the World Trade Center exploding and Boots Riley pressing a button on a guitar tuner as a detonator—for an album that was due out September 2001. Their label pulled the cover in the resultant outrage. Over the years they managed to thoroughly offend right wing America; one columnist said Riley “belongs in a capitalism-free cave in Tora Bora, spewing his “poetry” around an al Qaeda campfire” (Michelle Malkin)

The Coup ally themselves with Southern black power quasi-Marxist Hip Hop artists Dead Prez, and Riley has also joined forces with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello to create the offshoot band Street Sweeper Social Club, who toured with Nine Inch Nails in 2009. Their mission is to spread consciousness and defiance through music until young minds have been freed and the revolution is complete.

So far The Coup’s musical reign of musical terror has penetrated every corner of the United States and has begun gaining followers internationally. Just last week they managed to cross the border into Canada. The first thing they did was take the Biltmore Cabaret by force with a gang of like-minded rap-fiends to propagandize their anti-corporate sounds. Abort Magazine happened to be in attendance.

The Coup took the stage around 10:30 and their rabid fans took to the dance floor. While the Coup’s albums feature Pam the Funktress’ infectious beats, The Coup now tours as a live band. That’s refreshing—a Hip Hop show with real live Funk. Boots dressed up like a real G for the even, done up in a sharp tan suit with a perfectly formed oval fro, and he was supported by a strong trio—guitar, bass and drums, with Pam jumping in to support on the odd track just adding hype and singing along.

They had the crowd jumping in no time, belting out solid numbers from their early albums Kill the Landlord and Genocide and Juice. The Biltmore faithful grooved and bounced, hands in the air, singing along from time to time. It was a drunken, sweaty and joyous crowd, lubed up by the Biltmore’s draft beer and dry cider. They loved every minute of it, by the end of the night fists were in the air, singing along to such gems as “Five Million Ways to Kill a CEO” and “20,000 Gun Salute”. The highlight of the night seemed to be the single from their new album Pick a Bigger Weapon “Laugh/Love/Fuck”. It goes “I’m here to laugh, love, fuck and drink liquor / and help the revolution come quicker”, and everyone sang it out loud, because it was that kind of night.

This night showed in no uncertain terms that The Coup is still on the vanguard after almost two decades in the Hip Hop game. Boots’ ingenious lyrics remain clever and catchy and their anti-capitalist message actually seems more and more urgent and important over time. In a genre where musicianship itself isn’t usually high on the list, The Coup is playing with a funky band rather than rapping over prerecorded beats, and the musical content on their records would make even the most conservative geezer bob his head. That’s a sure sign of the alchemical power of music—to make music about serious, dire situations.

By The Rambler

Live Review: Massive Attack w/Martina Topley-Bird, Saturday, May 29th, Vancouver, BC

June 2nd, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo – Jamie Sands)

Live Review – Massive Attack w/Martina Topley-Bird
Thursday, May 29, 2010
Malkin Bowl, Vancouver BC

At first inspection, it looked like it would be a wet and lonely flashback to Bristol, England in 1994, as punctual concert-goers trickled into the outdoor venue known as the Malkin Bowl to see Massive Attack and Martina Topley-Bird under a tenacious rain mist. Many could be heard reminiscing of Radiohead’s most recent visit to Thunderbird Stadium, where hipster’s were first stripped of their umbrellas by security, annihilated by a rainstorm, and then sold 50 cent poncho’s for 8 bucks.

Regardless: everyone was in good spirits, as the line-up was literally a wet dream for fans of the genre begrudgingly known to the artists involved as Trip-hop. Had a fantasy trip-hop dream team been assembled, this would have pretty much been the starting line-up, perhaps missing Tricky (ex-member of Massive Attack/Wild Bunch), and Geoff Barrows (main member of Portishead/ tape-op early on for Massive Attack).

First up was ex-Tricky bandmate/mother-to-his-child, Martina Topley-Bird, who looked a little like a member of Goldfrapp’s current ensemble, wearing a large Pam Grier-esque blonding afro, and clownish garb. She made a remark about how if she “gets electrocuted, you’ll know it’s for you Vancouver!’, and then sat down with a vintage keys set up, a table of percussion instruments, and a Boss Loop pedal, which she actually described to the crowd the ins and outs of how it operates.

She wooed the crowd by laying down a honey-drenched vocal loop, then a beat with a tambourine or just straight up beat on a wooden box, then performed jaw-dropping soul songs over top. Her talent was obvious, and her charisma irresistible. Her 6 song set (which included several tracks off her Danger Mouse produced record, The Blue God, a couple songs off her as of yet unreleased Damon Alburn album, and one Maxinquaye track, Overcome) certainly raised the bar for the headliners.

With one of the shortest turn overs of any large concert, Massive Attack came out right on schedule (during daylight!) slamming into United Snakes, with 8 of the bands current 10 members on stage finding the synchronized groove. One couldn’t help but feel a bit of awe, looking at legends on stage, digging into their craft the way you’d assume they have for going on 22 years now. It was surreal to see 3-D and Daddy G standing at their mic stands, bopping away at the beat, you know, just like they do on YouTube.

The band was then joined by Topley-Bird and transitioned smoothly and dramatically into the moody ‘Babel’ off of the newly released Heligoland. The audience was happy to witness a set just as full of Mezzanine jams as tracks off the new record. Seeing what would have been incredible visuals had the sun not been shining kind of took the mood away from the first couple of numbers, extinguishing the smoke machines’ effect, dissolving the laser show, but come time for the Martina Topley-Bird fronted Tear Drop,the sun went down, and the theatrical elements became more evident and powerful. It really was the songs off of the break-through record, Mezzanine that really stood out, such as Angel, Risingson and the best moment of the night, Mezzanine, with it’s pulsing, never-ending bass and buzz saw guitars, it’s synths reminiscent of the bands cover of The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game, from 1995′s Batman Forever soundtrack.

The coolest thing about the night was seeing such incredible talents pass the baton all night, such as the famous Horace Andy appear onstage to captivate with ‘Girl, I Love You’ into ‘Blue Lines’ favorite ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ sung by Deborah Miller.

The Night’s Setlist:

United Snakes

Babel

Risingson

Girl, I Love You

Psyche

Future Proof

Invade Me

Teardrop

Mezzanine

Angel

Safe From Harm

Inertia Creeps

Unfinished Sympathy

massiveattack.com

By Kevvy Mental

Live Review: Public Enemy – May 27th 2010, Vancouver BC

June 2nd, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo – Scott Alexander)

Live Review – Public Enemy
Thursday, May 27th 2010
Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC

For those who missed their chance twenty years ago, or were nothing but a bloodshot twinkle in their daddy’s eye, the nearly full original lineup of the legendary Public Enemy were back in full effect to remind and re-educate Vancouver heads about why in their era, P.E. were the hardest, heaviest group around, and were the soundtrack to Ghetto blocks, University Campuses and Drugspots alike.

With BombSquad producer Keith Shocklee opening on the ones and twos with a selection of floor shaking dubstep riddims, the mood was immediately set for some chest rattling righteousness, and while the digitized beats and subsonic bass were impressive (if not all that unfamiliar to Vancouver crowds over-saturated with dubstep), they seemed to merely emphasize that modern electro sounds are in no way superior to the analog thunder of the Bombsquad.

With the iconic P.E. logo as a massive backdrop, Mistah Chuck, Flavor Flav, Shocklee, the Security of the 1st World, and a full band took the stage, launching immediately into a tumultuous rendition of “Fight The Power” that conjured all the intensity of the summer of ’89. Without pause, Flav took center stage to “911 Is a Joke”, with the new double entendre of post 911 politics echoing through the original meaning.

In his role as orator, Chuck D is unequaled in the Hip Hop world, and he gave free reign to his political ranting, first expressing love for Canada and it’s people while at the same time emphasizing our need to address the pressing issues of the environment, and first and foremost our indigenous peoples’ rights. He pointedly referred to the new immigration laws in Arizona as a lead in to “By the Time I Get To Arizona”, and laid into the record industry before “Bring Tha Noize”. Generally the set tended towards classic tracks from “Fear of a Black Planet”, now in it’s twenty year anniversary, and “It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back”, and while some newer tracks from the last ten to twenty years could have been thrown in for good measure, it was clear they were giving the crowd what it knew and wanted, and giving it to them good, with a passion and energy belying their age.

With Chuck and Flav owning the stage and running back and forth like Axl Rose, Shocklee on the decks rocking a rudimentary yet awesomely cutting scratch technique, the band on point with pedal bass, in the pocket drums and the kind of screaming guitar solos P.E. always loved, plus the S1W’s pacing through their militant maneuvers, the entire effect was truly iconic. Like a revival rally for a political movement nearly lost and forgotten, the Public Enemy machine stamped their mark once more on the foreheads of a new generation, who had almost given up on Hip Hop’s possibility of revolutionary social change.

publicenemy.com

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Live Review: Dying Fetus w/ Arsis, Misery Index, Annotations of an Autopsy and guests, May 19, 2010, Vancouver, BC

May 23rd, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo - Chris McKibbin)

Live Review: Dying Fetus w/ Arsis, Misery Index, Annotations of an Autopsy and Conducting From the Grave
Wednesday May 19, 2010
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Conducting from the Grave, a young band from Sacramento shattered the silence. This four-piece comprised of Lou Tanuis (vocals), John Abernathy (guitar), Jeff Morgan (guitar), Steven Lovas (bass) and Greg Donnelly (drums) made a huge first impression. Though one of the lesser-known bands on the tour, they were certainly no slouches on stage. Not only were they tight performance-wise but they worked the crowd like old pros as well. While at times their music and vocals bear striking resemblance to Black Dahlia Murder, these moments do not overshadow their overall sound; there’s enough originality to make Conducting from the Grave stand out from the pack. Highlights from their set include Lou’s vocals, which if heard in a non-live scenario could easily pass for two distinct voices, John Abernathy’s intricate solos and the band’s overall tight performance which definitely turned some heads and started the show in the right direction.

Up next, Annotations of an Autopsy dropped the heaviness down on the Rickshaw. Though they had a lower sound, they seemed to lack the energy and intensity of CFTG. Perhaps it’s their dependency on repetitive, break-down style riffs or perhaps it was their lack of movement onstage. While their riffs beg for a mosh pit and are pretty hard to not bang your head to, they get a little played out a few songs in. They didn’t seem to offer anything that we haven’t already heard with Whitechapel, Job for a Cowboy, Bring me the Horizon or other similar bands. Sound-wise they were great; they sounded tight and definitely did a great job of representing their albums in a live-scenario. Unfortunately in this case it wasn’t the delivery that was lacking, but more so the content.

Misery Index tore it up next. Performing as a three-piece due to the absence of guitarist Sparky Voyles, Jason Netherton (bass/vocals-ex-Dying Fetus), Mark Kloeppel (guitar/vocals) and Adam Jarvis (drums) warranted even more comparison to Dying Fetus then usual. Reminding the audience that this was in fact the Facemelter Tour, they proceeded to show us why it could easily be deemed one of the heaviest tours this year. Walking a fine-line between death metal, deathcore and grindcore, Misery Index creates a unique blend of dizzyingly fast riffs and drums with simple vocal rhythms a la Dying Fetus. Opening with “We Never Come in Peace”, they dominated our ear drums with selected tracks from almost every one of their albums. These included “The Great Depression”, “Ruling Class Cancelled,” “Manufacturing Greed,” “Traitors” and “Conquistadors.”

Main support Arsis took to the stage. They were also operating as a three-piece due to the sudden departure of bassist Nathaniel Carter, who left after they had embarked on this tour. Though former bass player Noah Martin is set to rejoin the band and accompany them on tour, he had yet to do so by the Vancouver date. While the lack of bass was evident sound-wise, James Malone (guitar/vocals), Nick Cordle (guitar) and Mike Van Dyne (drums) tore through their set business as usual. It’s definitely odd to see a metal band sans-bass, but they managed to pull it off. That being said, when you’re on a bill as heavy as this one, especially followed by one of the heaviest 3-piece acts in the world –Dying Fetus- the lack of low-end is a glaring absence. Anyways, despite this hopefully soon-to-be-remedied setback, Arsis kept the energy up and got the crowd moving although it took a bit of coaxing. The rumored apathy and zombie-like nature of Vancouver crowds is not entirely untrue, but luckily tracks such as “A Diamond for Disease,” “Escape Artist” “We are the Nightmare” and “Sightless Wisdom” eventually put some life back into the lifeless. Closing with “The Face of my Innocence”, Arsis ended on a high note despite their less than ideal situation.

Finally, the band we’d all been waiting for Dying Fetus! Definitely one of the heaviest, most lethal 3-piece bands in any genre, Dying Fetus is always a lot of fun to see live and this show was no exception. The heavy-hitting line-up consisting of Sean Beasley (bass/vocals), John Gallagher (guitar/vocals) and Trey Williams (drums) offer a challenge to all the 5-6 piece metal bands out there that think you need more than one guitar to achieve a heavy sound. In a vein similar to Cannibal Corpse or Suffocation, their stage-show is pretty bare bones. Despite a lack of movement, their musicianship and brutal tracks make their live-show entertaining. Also the fact that it’s impossible to not start moving when tracks like “Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)” and “Grotesque Impalement” kick in doesn’t hurt either. In respect to the latter, it was nice to see people absolutely lose their minds, proving that Dying Fetus had never hit the rut that many bands experience partway through their career. The potency of the mixed set which included tracks from the first album Infatuation with Malevolence through to their latest Descend into Depravity explains why they’ve been an underground favorite since their debut back in 1995.

Keep your eyes open for Dying Fetus and be sure to catch them live as they continue to tour through North America and prepare for a European tour mid-June.

Dying Fetus Set List:

Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)
Your Treachery Will Die With You
Eviscerated Offspring
Absolute Defiance
Epidemic of Hate
Homicidal Retribution
Conceived Into Enslavement
Your Blood is My Wine
Killing on Adrenaline
One Shot, One Kill
Ethos of Coercion
Skullfucked
Grotesque Impalement
Pissing in the Mainstream
Kill Your Mother, Rape Your dog

Live Review: Hypocrisy w/ Scar Symmetry, Hate, and guests May 18th, 2010, Vancouver

May 21st, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo - Dustin Wood)

Live Review – Hypocrisy w/ Scar Symmetry, Hate, Blackguard, Swashbuckle and Nylithia
Tuesday May 18th, 2010
Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Despite major work visa issues last year which forced them to cancel their North American tour with Ensiferum, Hypocrisy successfully made it through as headliners this time around, gracing Vancouver, BC with their long-awaited presence. Touring to support their latest release, A Taste of Extreme Divinity, Hypocrisy had a solid, mixed bag line-up to back them; a touch of melodic death metal/progression, some death metal, plenty of pirate thrash/death metal and a pinch of experimental deathcore for good measure.

Vancouver’s own Nylithia kicked off the night. Unfortunately for them, the beginning of their set coincided with the opening of the doors and people were still filing in even after a few songs. Because of this, their crowd was less than deserved. However, the light crowd didn’t stop them from killing it onstage with a high-energy and technically driven performance; proving even in such a short set time why Nylithia have earned a strong and devout fan base in Vancouver and beyond.

Up next, Swashbuckle stormed the stage. Dressed as pirates, this epic 3-piece brought the comedy as well as kick-ass metal. From sheer presentation, one would expect these guys to be more pirate and less straight up thrash. Well, looks can be deceiving. In fact, Swashbuckle do a stellar job of combining the novelty with solid musicianship and balls to the wall thrash metal. Hailing from New Jersey, these pirates of the Atlantic, Admiral Nobeard (vocals/bass), Commodore Redrum (guitar/keyboards) and new drummer Bootsmann Collins maintain a rigorous touring schedule. Keep a look out for their North American return with Soilwork, Death Angel, Augury and Mutiny Within.

Montreal, QC’s Blackguard followed for some back-to-back pirate action. With a melodic death/folk sound, they brought a darker vibe than their tongue-in-cheek pirate counterparts. Their intensity, fueled by an energetic stage presence inspired some action in the pit, which until that point had been pretty quiet. Founding member Justine Ethier (drums) provided the foundation of the band’s relentless sound. Her clean and fast as hell double kicks, well-placed embellishments and overall straight-forward style anchored the keyboards, preventing an excessively whimsical sound. Though they seem to be taking the summer off, Blackguard is embarking on an extensive US tour early this fall with Kamelot and Leave’s Eyes.

Poland’s Hate took the stage next with their unforgiving brand of death metal, offering a change of pace for this bill, which up until this point had been relatively upbeat. Formed in 1990, Hate was an obscure band until the release of their breakthrough album Anaclasis: a Haunting Gospel of Malice and Hatred (2005). They were a perfect choice for this tour to break the ice and set the death metal mood before Hypocrisy. With 100% menacing intensity, Hate churned out a skull crushing wall of evil yet catchy sounding riffs, full-throttle blast beats and double kicks and an intimidating stage presence. Hate could definitely be categorized as the breed of band that creates an atmosphere and mood rather than provide an entertaining “show;” more specifically, they flawlessly recreate the moods from their various albums in a live scenario.

Up next, Scar Symmetry switched things up with a well executed blend of melody and shred. Unfortunately their sound was a little out of whack until about mid-way through their set, when everything seemed to iron itself out during “Mind Machine.” No fault of the band, they did a great job soldiering through. Roberth Karlsson and Lars Palmqvist proved once again that they make a great duo, fluidly trading off vocal sections and building momentum with their complimentary styles. All in all however, it was guitarist Jonas Kjellgren who stole the show with his flawless guitar solos and good crowd interaction. He really looked like he was having fun up there and the earnest showmanship of the other members as well, made it a fun show to watch.

After an already full evening of metal, the much anticipated Hypocrisy took to the stage. It seemed like fans literally came out of the woodwork as the floor quickly filled up. With a line-up that includes vocalist/guitarist Peter Tagtgren –also known for his solo project Pain and his work as a producer- and drummer Horgh (Immortal), the strong reaction should really come as no surprise. There was definitely a spark in the mosh pit as fans reacted the moment Hypocrisy climbed onstage. For whatever reason there were also more fights then usual- these of course squashed almost instantaneously by security and other metal heads. Maybe it was all that anticipation or simply the free flow of beer. Who knows?

Kudos to Hypocrisy for maintaining the energy in the venue and providing such a tight set, considering it was a long, six band bill. With a nice mix of tracks including “Pleasure of Molestation,” “A Coming Race” and “Let the Knife do the Talking” there was a little something for everyone. Also, the lack of security between the barricade and the stage really allowed for a more intimate show. With great sound, great songs and a great performance, the overall consensus at the end of the night was that it was definitely worth the wait.

Live Review: Living Legends w/ The Random Humans and Stoop Family, May 10th, Vancouver, BC

May 13th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo – Jamie Sands)

Live Review – Living Legends w/ The Random Humans & Stoop Family
Monday, May 10th, 2010
Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Canada

Upon entering the Biltmore Cabaret you are immediately set upon by the decor. Half burlesque hall and half hunting lodge, with a red and black velvet motif mixing it up with deer-head trophies and antlers you immediately get the feeling that some crazy shit could jump off within these walls. And crazy shit is exactly what jumped off as Living Legends took the stage. But the night started out with some local flavour – East-Van regulars Stoop Family, a local rap supergroup. Featuring Nigel “Denzel Washington” Mojica, Dave “Corvid” McCallum, Josh “The Fish” Fishman, and Joose holding it down on the micros plus the very talented K-Rec shredding wax on the back nine, Stoop Family charmed the bustling crowd of eight white guys in toques slowly nodding their heads right out of their pants with their laid-back attitude and tight raps. Next it was The Random Humans’ turn to try and coax the ninety-two people lounging to the sides to join their toque-wearing brothers on the floor.

With their smooth rhymes and beats plus their stage presence that seemed to say “we just wanna party” the Vancouver-by-way-of-Calgary, Alberta twosome just got up there and had fun, with their only flaw being not having a hype man to pump up the crowd properly. And pumped is what the crowd was as Living Legends strutted onto the stage. The crowd, now seemingly thrice the size it was before, surged to the floor as the boys from Cali quickly had them eating out of their hands, spitting rhymes so hard and true they would surely permanently damage their tongues were they normal men. Extolling that “three is the magic number, we’re the ones that made it past your border”, Eligh, Scarub, and Sunspot Jonz quickly set to work making the crowd forget that Luckyiam.PSC, The Grouch, MURS, Bicasso, and Aesop were back in Californ-i-a, most likely getting buck wild with the finest of ladies.

There’s swagger and then there’s these guys. Patrolling the stage like the Gods of Olympus, they threw rap lightning bolts into the crowd, slaying hip-hop hipsters left and right with beats so cool and rhymes to slick they slowly nodded their heads clean off their shoulders. Rocking hits like “Never Fallin’” and “Purple Kush”, Living Legends were pumping bass so nasty anyone in the room with a pacemaker is probably dead from having the vibrations flip the switch to “off”. They came on like gangbusters, almost appearing on stage as if from nowhere to rock the house and they left in a very similar manner with a “goodbye” and “we love you, Vancouver” before seemingly disappearing into the backstage, leaving everyone in the crowd begging for more.

By A.W. Reid

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Live Review: Tech N9ne w/ Brass Tackz, March 23rd, 2010, Vancouver, BC

March 25th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

(Photo - Jamie Sands)

Live Review – Tech N9ne w/ Brass Tackz
Tuesday, March. 23rd, 2010
Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC

The first thing one is met with when walking into the Commodore to see Tech N9ne are 3 distinct groupings. It can be broken up into the following percentages:

25% = Seductively walking, talking females, trying hard to not to sneeze or breath to keep their skirts from revealing their hood piercing (2 underwear-less individuals of which could be witnessed when 14 different women hit the floor due to the slippery, wooden dance floor(I counted))

74% = Hooting, gang sign-dropping, white 20 -something year old males, dragging said females up and down the venues staircases, trying to find the shortest line up at one of many bars.

1% = Rave dancing goths, inspired by Johnny Depp’s choice of mime-meets-Colonel Sanders ensemble. Seriously?

The second thing would be a sea of “Caribou Lou” t-shirts, complete with mix instructions emblazoned on the back side. This reviewer was ready for some gangsta shit.

First up was local East Coast influenced Brass Tackz featuring local MC’s Young Sin, Snak The Ripper and Evil Ebenezer, who started the nights ‘live’ music off with a lone 10 minute DJ set, and then was joined by the groups MC’s. Filling in last minute for absent Toronto rapper Peter Jackson, BT dressed like a West Coast Guerrilla Unit, Balaclava’s, silk Letterman jackets, camo, MLB caps, but literally lacked the fire power of the nights headliners and were met with a rousing chant of ‘TECH N9NE! TECH N9NE!’ You almost felt sorry for the poor rappers (who were probably exhausted after just returning from their recent tour of Spain) , as Brass Tackz came off more like “Rusty Bed Springs” to the impatient crowd.

Once the already forgotten local openers vanished from the stage, the audience stirred with drunken electricity in anticipation of the night’s headliners. B-boy circles broke out in the crowd, along with a pair of fistfights. Accidental up-skirts sustained. An intoxicated female grinds her man’s knee like McLovin’ is in the next room. Chants of the Kansas City legends name remained consistent. It was obvious what this crowd did and did not want. Hit the lights.

Out comes the android-esque Tech N9ne, first by himself, then along with his hype man Krizz Kaliko. Afro’d up and faces painted white, they looked like a cannibalistic tribe who eat up wack MC’s. Opening with “Everybody Move”, lambasting the openers/crowd with a verbal Beretta spray of razor sharp consonants and vowels, each verse as staccato as the sounds emanated from the object of the mans name sake. It becomes apparent early on where the word ‘Tech’ comes from, sounding like hip-hops answer to Meshuggah. Replace Fredrick Thordenahl’s alien guitar poly-rhythm with air-tight 64th note rhyme schemes, and you have a decent idea of what you’re dealing with. Another parallel to metal being that, half way through Tech N9ne’s set which consisted mostley of traick from Sickology 101 and K.O.D , the crowd stops moving; Not because they’re not into the show, but because they’re fucking worn out by the tempo and intensity of the MC’s repertoire, which is something that can be seen at every Slayer show.

It became glaringly obvious what the difference is between a seasoned, professional group/artist like Tech N9ne, and the amateur status of their openers. It’s a combination of stage presence, skill, and the ability to read and control the tempo of a crowd. The theatrics displayed by Mr. Yates and co. take you out of the every day, and you find yourself laughing at how impressive the wordplay and interactions between the headlining MC and his hype man truly are.

Whether it was the verbal mathematical equations being spit on stage, or the interactive, walking pornography sighted around the club, regardless, an entertaining evening to the 9′s.

By Kevvy Mental

–

FocusFeatures.com/film/Greenberg

Film Review: Greenberg – Directed By Noah Baumbach

March 25th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

Film Review – Greenberg
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Alliance Films

Noah Baumbach (director of The Squid and the Whale) and his wife Jennifer Jason Leigh (Tralala the “train” wreck from Last Exit to Brooklyn) team up for more of exactly what we don’t need, another movie about privileged people lamenting the fact of being as neurotic as they are uninspired. With all the potential earmarks of an insightful treatise into the differences between those born under the auspices of Generation X and their offspring (commonly referred to as Generation Z), Greenberg elevates and even praises the pointless ramblings and hollow relationships of superficial extroverts.

Ben Stiller (Tropic Thunder, Zoolander) stars as Roger Greenberg, a 40 something ex-mental patient who arrives to house sit for his brother while he’s in Vietnam with his family. Roger subsequently falls into a love/hate relationship with his brother’s family assistant Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig of The House of the Devil). Florence is considerably younger than Roger and Roger has trouble fitting in with her friends, family and damn near everyone that crosses his path. Neurotic to the bone, Roger is the type of character who would complain about winning the lottery because… well, because he can!

What follows is an hour and forty-seven minutes of waiting, waiting for a plot device stronger than a sick dog, waiting for a character you can give a shit about and waiting for some sort of generational insight that just does not materialize. Everyone mopes through this film like they’ve been told they have terminal cancer. Even Roger’s longtime friend and ex-band mate Ivan Schrank (Rhys Ifans of Pirate Radio who’s totally wasted here) only adds to the deep melancholy permeating this film.

If you expect others to lament your woes as much as you do, you’re going to love this film. If, however, you are looking for something with depth that offers meaningful insight into life, love and relationships, give Greenberg a wide berth. Perhaps Ben Stiller should stick to material of his own creation… and cheer the fuck up!

GREENBERG IS IN LIMITED RELEASE & OPENS NATIONWIDE MARCH 26TH.

AllianceFilms.com

By Grimm “Gag Reflex” Culhane

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Live Review: Kreator w/ Kataklysm, Evile and guests, March 19th, Vancouver, BC

March 20th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

(Photos – Scott Alexander)

Live Review – Kreator w/ Kataklysm, Evile, Lazarus A.D. and Lightning Swords of Death
Friday, March 19th, 2010
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver BC

What could be said about a stellar line-up of Heavy Metal both old school and new, under one roof? A killer venue, a perfect hardcore setting outside (Main & Hastings) and the ultimate and certainly most dedicated legion of Vancouver’s Metal elite all congregated under the dark blanket of the downtown eastside at The Rickshaw Theatre to embrace the beginning of what looks to be another great year for loud (live) music in our little hipster-ridden city.

Blooming promoters The Invisible Orange once again have brought the masses what they ultimately crave: great bands, great venue and lets face it; they delivered the goods. To most music fans they recognize who “keeps it real” and when you have promoters who actually listen to the bands they book…everyone wins.

First up: a pair of Metal Blade acts, California’s Lightning Swords of Death kicked things off with a good ol’ fashioned set of straight forward crunchy power metal with a dash of Black Metal thrown in. The gents pulled tracks from their upcoming release The Extra Dimensional Wound and had bassist Menno going all Cliff Burton on that ass with a quick bass solo that was worthy of mass praise, which is exactly what the crowd gave him. We’re off to a good start.

Next up – Wisconsin-based act Lazarus A.D. shredded through an average set, good guys but more clichés than a current issue of Kerrang. Not that they didn’t deliver, it just didn’t seem to entice the older, more seasoned metal vets that had started to pile into the venue. Can’t win ‘em all.

As any real die hard metalhead knows, the UK has always delivered the goods and the goods came in the form of Evile. All the way from Huddersfield, UK, these Earache Recording artists had no problem grabbing everyone’s attention right from the start. With a set comprised mostly of songs from their current Infected Nations release, they stormed through the set with such brute force and commanded the stage as if they were in fact the headliners. Drummer Ben Carter is a motherfucker on the kit and these boys were a warm welcome from some of the snobbish American acts that appear on most of these packaged bills.

Canadian act Kataklysm needed no introduction as the only Maple Metal act on the bill had the crowd eating out of their hands immediately, the Montreal-based band has a history of putting on a great live show and vocalist Maurizio Iacono had no problem belting out the energy, especially when it came to performing new songs from the band’s forthcoming album Heaven’s Venom! Due out this Fall. Of course tracks from 2008’s Prevail kept all in attendance satisfied with a dose of old classics. Yes, we have yet to mention specific tracks, but between the excitement in the air and the moshing and drinking, it was hard to pinpoint every track, not to mention being entertained by witnessing the gear-humping, moonlighting members of 3 Inches of Blood (on an off day) working the show like some Canadian “good ol’ boys”. Talk about a hurting industry.

Not hurting tonight, was Nuclear Blast Records, who must be grinning from ear to ear this year, as the one act to help keep the label on top of the metal charts is Germany’s Kreator. The second visit from the band in less than 12 months, Mille and company grasped a hold of the Rickshaw and refused to let go from beginning to end. “Even better than the last time” said one reveler, sporting his Kreator shirt, toque and patch. Jesus the merch table must have had a hell of a night as the kids kept the line full even during the bands set. Yes the ‘Hordes of Chaos’ kept their allegiances to band alive and well in Vancouver on this evening.

From the opening chords of “The Choir of The Damned” to “Phobia” and the thrashing delights of the classics “Pleasure To Kill” and “Flag of Hate” (show-closer) old fans and new had no reason to complain about anything, as the band gave their all and it still shows that in this day and age of piracy and bootlegging, bands like Kreator have never turned their back on the fans that still thrive on their live shows.

An all out assault on the mind and body, aggression, rebellion and exhaustion were the 3 things that we all endured through this relentless set. Bravo.

By E.S. Day

Live Review: The Beatnuts w/ Emotionz, Brass Tackz and DJ Seko, March 8th, Vancouver, BC

March 9th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

[svgallery name="beatnuts"]

(Shooting Gallery by Jamie Sands | jsandsphotography.com)

Live Review – The Beatnuts W/ Emotionz, Brass Tackz, & DJ Seko
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver, B.C.

Something was shakin’ Monday night at Fortune Sound Club and it wasn’t just the martinis. With a full set of fog machines and freaky lasers plus a stack of enormous, futuristic speakers and a stage setup that resembled the command centre of the Turbo Megazord, the folks at Fortune were prepared to have their floorboards rattled and that’s exactly what they got. The night started out with DJ Seko on the lap-tizzie, pumping out a steady stream of mash-ups, remixes, and straight-up hip-hop classics that had the still-sober crowd nodding their heads in approval, a few pockets of dancing even breaking out. Brass Tackz was up next and they instantly upped the tempo and intensity of the show.

A local Vancouver trio consisting of Young Sin, Evil Ebeneezer, and hometown hero Snak the Ripper, Brass Tackz immediately and surgically set about assaulting the crowd with their smooth, flowing raps and high-energy stage presence. Their on-stage chemistry wildly evident, the boys from Brass Tackz hammered the crowd with rhymes until gracefully exiting stage right. Third on the bill was another local act, Emotionz, who came out with a pretty tough act to top and did just that. Starting off slow, the crowd apathetic, Emotionz slowly brought them around with his quick lyricism and precise rhyming, benefitting immensely from the terrific sound system as did every other act on the card.

Once the crowd was sufficiently warmed up, Emotionz hit them with a seriously kick-ass beat-box freestyle, sending them over the top as they hooted and danced while the man’s mouth rattled off beats like a spitfire does bullets. As he took his leave to a roar of approval, he surely knew he’d done his mama proud. With that the opening acts had had their time and the big boys came out to play.

Strutting the stage with supreme confidence The Beatnuts, who were celebrating their 20th Anniversary of pounding out the east coast hardcore the fiends from Queens, did not disappoint as they swaggered back and forth, slowly bouncing around the stage like rap asteroids. The duo banged out tracks like “Watch Out Now ” from their highly successful Musical Massacre album and “Off the Books” from 1997′s Stone Crazy. Words like “nice” damn” and “sweet” were on the tips of everyone’s tongues as Juju and Psycho Les rocked out with their proverbial(and metaphorical) cocks out, their silky-smooth rhymes and jazzy beats making the crowd go bump bump until the white lights came on and the crowd reluctantly staggered on their way.

By A.W. Reid

Live Review: The Crystal Method & The Clipse w/ Mat The Alien, The Good News March 4th, Vancouver, BC

March 5th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

ABOVE: Photo by Scott Alexander

Live Review: The Crystal Method & The Clipse w/ Mat The Alien, The Good News
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
Rocky Mountaineer Train Station, Vancouver, BC

The night started off with the trappings and showmanship of the Smirnoff experience. Space-age metallic wristbands, sexy ladies in low-cut red dresses with bows on their heads, and aging hipsters with white slatted sunglasses and toques drinking $7 coolers were all features of the night, and that’s not even including the half pipe.

The party was already rocking when The Good News took the stage and hit the reluctant crowd with some very out-of-place indie rock, with the highlight being their drummer, who played the whole set with a big grin and half the set with one drumstick, alternating between gonging the cymbals with his fist and slapping himself in the face. Mat the Alien came on next and mashed it up hard, spinning the disks and tapping the sampler with a slick video collage playing on the big screen behind him and the kids sweating it out on the dancefloor.

The Clipse then took the stage to a roar and played an unfortunately quick but high-energy set. The boys from Virginia spoke tight rhymes over tight beats as they rolled out pretty much all their hits in a show that could’ve been called “The Clipse: Nothin’ But Singles.” “Grindin’”, “Hot Damn”, “Popular Demand (Popeyes)”, they played them all.

Capping off the night, The Crystal Method stepped to the front and pumped out some real old-school techno real loud. The crowd went into a dancing frenzy as the faithful crammed the front as best they could and just started pumpin’ and grindin’, leaving it all on the floor as the Ed Hardy set stayed on the periphery, dancing way too hard all by themselves in way-too-tight $80 t-shirts and occasionally pouncing on drunk bitches making their way back to the bar. Jordan and Kirkland double-teamed the tables all night, spinning and scratching themselves rotten as the vodka flowed and the pretty girls strutted their stuff. Genuinely seeming like they were having a blast, the guys from The Crystal Method put it all on the table with a string of everybody’s favourites before finally having to take their leave as the crowd, exhausted but still wanting more, slowly, grudgingly filed out of the venue and went on their way.

By A.W. Reid

BELOW: Shooting Gallery by Jamie Sands

[svgallery name="clipsecrystalmethod"]

Live Review: Against Me! w/ Cancer Bats and Jaguar Love, Tuesday, March 2nd, Vancouver, BC

March 3rd, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

[svgallery name="cancerbatsagainstme"]

ABOVE: Shooting Gallery by Sarah Hamilton

Live Review Against Me! w/ Cancer Bats and Jaguar Love
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
The Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC

The first band to hit the stage for this sold out show was Jaguar Love, a two-piece self described as an electro, new wave indie band from Portland, Oregon. The duo plays various instruments over a previously recorded rhythm section. The crowd wasn’t showing much love to the band, so the singer, wearing an oh so hip and trendy outfit, verbally attacked a young kid sporting a nice blue/black Mohawk, telling him among other things, “You look like a fucking retard.” The band didn’t gain any new fans after his remarks, even though they performed a decent cover of Janice Joplin’s classic, ‘Piece of My Heart’. The high point of their set was when they left the stage.

Gracing the stage after a two year hiatus from Vancouver, was hardcore punk band Cancer Bats, these Toronto boys ripped up the stage with their hard hitting riffs and hair whipping frenzy, showing the moshing crowd that they meant business. The fans were joining in on vocals as front man Liam exhibited traditional punk antics kneeling at the front of the stage to let the audience participate in the action. Liam at one point yelled at the crowd, “Come on, this is a fucking punk show!”, which is ironic due to the opening band’s comment directed at the kid sporting the Mohawk. The band showcased only a couple of songs from their new release, ‘Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones’, due to hit the stores on April 13th, including a cover of Beastie Boys ‘Sabotage’ to which the crowd went absolutely nuts. Outside after their set, boisterous comments of Cancer Bats being “legit” were heard, while emblazoned on the mirror of the girls bathroom was a note that read “Cancer Bats should have headlined this show”.

Last up was Against Me! from Gainesville, Florida. The musicians were technically sound, proving that they can play and their fans certainly looked like they were having a great time. The music could best be described as a heavier radio friendly pop-punk sound and there was even a bit of ‘moshing’ for some of the older, and not so radio friendly songs. At one point the crowd joined in on a hand clapping extravaganza. After the band ended their set, chants of Against Me! spurred them on to play a five song encore, or was it six? Although they did play a few punk songs from their earlier days, it was sad to see the effect that main stream success has had on this otherwise talented band.

Cancer Bats ruled the stage at this show. If you get a chance, check out Cancer Bats on their cross Canada tour with Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, and Against Me!.

By Karla “KHAOS” McLeod

TICKETS FOR THE REMAINING DATES OF SOUNDWAVE 2010 AVAILABLE HERE

Live Review: Soundwave Festival 2010 – Brisbane, Australia

February 20th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by admin

Photo – Taylor Ell | ABOVE: Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell doing his best Perry Farrell impression.

Live Review – Soundwave Festival 2010
Thursday, February 20th, 2010
Brisbane, Australia

The 2010 Soundwave festival kicked off in Brisbane today and it was BRIS-TASTIC! The day starting as early as 11:00 for some bands it was set to be a long one.

We got started with a classic set from Canada’s own Anvil, it was a pleasure to see that age is no matter to them and the pure enjoyment of playing music is what matters most. Having a high energy set Anvil hammered out classics like “666” off the Metal on Metal album. Having never been in Brisbane, Australia frontman “Lips” made it clear to his fans that he was a fan too, and showed his appreciation by walking around after their set meeting people. Shortly after Anvil, Meshuggah came up and delivered a heavy and clean set. As with thier current new live DVD combo Alive they playing a full line of songs and closed with an all-familiar fan favourite “Future Breed Machine”. All five members of Meshuggah showed how they keep things in the most original forum possible when it comes to metal, giving people a satisfying set.

Following that was thrash legends Anthrax. With ex-Armored Saint vocalist John Bush back in the line-up, they brought their NYC style to the surface it was a better than expected show. Ripping up the stage people gave their praise by crowd surfing and rocking out as hard as they could to classic from their self-tilted debut to tracks from Among the Living and more, it was almost like being involved in World War III with the intensity of the crowd and band combined, Anthrax is a must see on the Soundwave 2010 tour. Switching between stages is never easy and trying to get starting and end times in order can prove to be difficult, biggest suggestion would be find the largest crowd and follow it, it will lead to something good. Heading to the main stages for the headliners AFI was finishing up and welcoming Jane’s Addiction.

Going to a Jane’s Addiction show is something everyone should do. It’s disgustingly beautiful how women scream for them and men know all the lyrics. Front man Perry Farrell manages to turn even the 40-year olds into crying 13-year olds. Alongside Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Steven Perkins, they all combined and created an odd but spectacular experience. Of course fan favourites such as “Three Days” and an acoustic “Jane Says” got tossed into the set and you couldn’y grt more Rock & Roll than watching a frontman chugging a bottle of wine on stage and half naked dancers surrounding him. Jane’s addiction managed to cover it all. After 18 years from the last time they played in Brisbane they had everything a great performance needs. Replacing My Chemical Romance was Jimmy Eat World. All I can say is it shocking at how many people know the lyrics to Jimmy Eat World. Playing big hit songs like “Dizzy” and “ Big Casino” they turned the night onto a more romantic note and it was perfect timing for the men of the day Faith No More to take the stage.

Starting things off slow with a Peaches and Herb cover of “Reunited” (ironic and clever). Mike Patton, Jon Hudson, Mike Bordin, Roddy Buddom and Bill Gould got everyone’s attention quickly. Playing a popular selection of songs like “Surprise! Your dead”, “Epic”, “Just a Man” and “Ashes to Ashes” you can only imagine the rest of the set plus the double encore was more than enough to please even the most faithful of Faith No More fans. Mike Patton did steal the show; singing through megaphones, taking over the video cameras and flashing some naughty bits, between him, Jon Hudson’s guitar solos and the harmony of the band it was a “Full On” show as the Aussies would say.

This was just being the beginning, Australia better be ready for one spectacular round of shows to come from Soundwave 2010.

soundwavefestival.com

By Taylor Ell

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Live Review: P.O.S. w/ Grieves and Dessa, February 11, 2010, Vancouver, BC

February 14th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

(Photo – Jamie Sands)

Live Review – P.O.S. w/ Grieves and Dessa
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver,

Another evening of Rhymesayers dopeness had the Vancity underground heads wide open, starting off with the soulful sounds of Dessa’s sweet mix of Hip Hop, RnB and spoken word. Warming ears up with tracks from her new disc “A Badly Broken Code”, the Doomtree affiliate was more than eloquent enough to have fans screaming for more.

Dessa’s emotive stylings politely gave way to the body rock Funk Hop Neo-Soul of the amazing duo of Grieves and Budo. Budo’s cascading loops, fly trumpet stylings, guitar slanging, and synth tweaking supported Grieves like a brick foundation while the 26 year old MC exercised the kind of crowd control skills usually only owned by those who’ve reached stadium status. Songs like “Smile For the Blade” and “I Ate Your Soul” had the crowd screaming out the choruses even if they didn’t know them, and with a free download of the “88 Keys and Counting” LP offered to all in attendance, the meal of Hip Hop stew served up by this duo left us well satisfied.

Doomtree founder POS took the stage with a commanding air, launching without intro into several track from the ballistic new LP “Never Better”, injecting his distinctively Punk Rock inspired vitriol into endless barrages of deeply personal lyrics, filled with pain and poignancy. Songs like “Drumroll (We’re All Thirsty)” and “Purexed” incited fanatic crowd participation, while the older tracks from “Audition” and “Ipecac Neat” delved deep into POS world of daily trials and inner strength. Despite the wear and tear of touring, his throaty cadence cut through the mix like a semi auto, and his sung choruses displayed a vocal skill possessed by few current MC’s.

Clearly POS, and Rhymesayers in general inspire an almost Cult-like following, and it’s great to see that honest, authentic, personal, no-bullshit Hip Hop has a solid niche in the market in which to thrive. With all three of the evening’s acts representing the highest levels of accomplishment in their respective arts, it’s clear that Rap still ain’t all about party and bullshit, but definitely about a good time!!!

doomtree.net

rhymesayers.com/neverbetter

myspace.com/grieves

myspace.com/dessadarling

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Outro

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Live Review: Arch Enemy w/ Exodus, Arsis and Mutiny Within – Feb. 5th Vancouver, BC

February 6th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

(Photos by Scott Alexander | ObsidianFoxPhotography.com)

Live Review – Arch Enemy w/ Exodus, Arsis and Mutiny Within
Friday February 5, 2010
Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC.

Finally a killer metal show in Vancouver on a Friday night! Just when you thought weekend metal shows was a thing of the past, Arch Enemy stop by the host city of the 2010 Olympics, one week before the games, to stir shit up at the sold-out Commodore Ballroom. It’s no surprise this show sold-out; with the combination of two highly-influential, legendary bands– Arch Enemy and Exodus- sharing the stage on a Friday night for a city always hungry for metal, what else can you expect.

Mutiny Within broke the ice with a short but strong set. While their brand of prog metal seemed slightly out of place with this line-up, they got an overall good reception from the crowd. Despite a lighter sound then the other bands –due in large part to vocalist Chris Clancy’s predominantly clean vocal style and their strong power metal influence- their intense, right-on-point stage presence and tight musicianship made them a captivating act to watch.

Up next, Virginia-based Arsis set the tone for the rest of the night with their wicked, fast-paced death/thrash metal style. They’re a great choice for this line-up as their crossover sound is a perfect synthesis for the distinct styles of Exodus and Arch Enemy. Despite having had to cancel their scheduled tour with Carcass last year due to personal issues and surviving the looming possibility of a break-up, Arsis made it through and are back on track, anticipating the release of their next album Starve for the Devil February 9th, 2010.

Exodus, as always tore the roof off the place with the shameless Rob Duke leading them through classics like “Piranha,” “A Lesson in Violence” and “Bonded by Blood.” Begging the crowd to show their tits, there were 3 takers in a sea of hundreds, followed by countless cameras trying to get a shot and rubberneckers at all corners of the venue, trying to get a peek; never a dull moment with Exodus. Though the band/crowd interplay wasn’t quite as rabid as their show at the Vogue with Kreator last April, this seems to have much more to do with the barricade at the front of the stage at the Commodore (and the lack thereof at the Vogue) rather than the band’s performance or the crowd’s interest. Keep posted for news on their upcoming album due to be released this April.

Arch Enemy greeted the sold-out Vancouver crowd with “Immortal” from 1999’s Burning Bridges. As always, they dipped into a bit of everything from their discography, including many early tracks, due in large part to last year’s release of The Root of All Evil which featured Angela Gossow’s vocals on tracks previously recorded with original vocalist Johan Liiva. Despite Exodus’ merciless set, Arch Enemy worked the crowd into a frenzy with favorites such as “Ravenous”, “My Apocalypse”, “We Will Rise” and “Dead Eyes See No Future.”

It’s great to see one woman, on stage, fully-clothed, able to get the undivided attention of 1000 people. Though small in stature, Angela had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand with a powerful stage presence and demonic vocal style. The Ammott brothers of course dominated as well –their epic solos and fast-as-fuck shredding almost perfectly replicating their studio recordings. If you haven’t’ been to an Arch Enemy show yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out. While these days there are quite a few female-fronted metal bands, Arch Enemy is one of a handful that rely on musical skill and charisma over T and A.

Exodus Set List:

Bonded By Blood

Iconoclasm

Lesson in Violence

Children of a Worthless God

Piranha

Deathamphetamine

Blacklist

War Is my Shepherd

The Toxic Waltz

Strike of the Beast

Arch Enemy Set List:

Intro

The Immortal

Revolution Begins

Ravenous

Taking Back my Soul

The Day you Died

My Apocalypse

Silent Wars

Drum Solo

I Will Live Again

Dead Eyes See No Future

Bury me an Angel

Chris guitar Solo

Michael guitar solo

Dead Bury Their Dead

We will Rise

Encore:
Snow Bound

Nemesis

Fields of Desolation

Find more photos like this on ABORT Magazine/ABORT TV’s Official Online Street Team

Live Review: Eyedea and Abilities Feat. Dosh and DJ Sage, Feb 5th, Vancouver, BC

February 6th, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live, Shooting Gallery by admin

(Photos – Jamie Sands | jsandsphotography.com)

Live Review – Eyedea and Abilities Feat. Dosh and DJ Sage
Friday, February 5th, 2010
The Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC

Vancouver’s fans of underground Hip Hop eccentricity were treated to a rare exhibit of skills and inspiration when Anticon’s Dosh and Rhymesayers’ prodigies Eyedea and Abilities dropped by the ever plush Biltmore Cabaret for an evening of well-intentioned mayhem.

After a tear-the-roof-off set with DJ Sage on the ones and twos, the ever eclectic Dosh took the stage to provide an aural canvas of delight. Featuring the improvisational talents of Martin Dosh and Mike Lewis the unit combines looped keys and sax with live percussion to great effect, warming the crowd up nicely for the ragged joys to follow.

After securing their rep on the battle circuit MC Eyedeas and DJ Abilities have gone on to great success as one of the most on point experimental Hip Hop duos around. Their fuzzed out, bass heavy sound had the crowd enthralled as they tore through a set of classics from “First Born” and the more far out tracks from their latest “By The Throat”. Eyedea’s dizzying cadences were well complemented by Abilities unearthly skills on the decks, and the results were electrifying. Rarely do artists of this caliber display such crowd control skills, and the dynamic duo had the crowd literally eating out of the palm of their hands.

Again, much respect to the Biltmore for being one of the dopest venues in town, and for consistently bringing in great acts and keeping a chill vibe overall. Spring is in the air, and Hip Hop is bursting out everywhere.

By Dave”Corvid” McCallum