Blog — Page 2 of 273

Tool have just rounded out their US tour. The band has been on the road since mid-January (October if you count their first North American leg last year) and finally made their way to California. I was fortunate enough to catch them in Ontario at the Toyota Arena.

Opening for the tour has been the Doom-Metal band, Elder. The four-tet did well to warm up the crowd with just 3 songs that spanned a 30-minute set. Tool took to the stage at 8:30 and walked out to the sound of "Third Eye" before opening with the title track from their latest album, Fear Inoculum. Behind them, a large LED screen projected a round table of imagery that had you feeling like you were traveling through quasars in space to the depths of hell.

The light show and video projections became more elaborate as the show progressed and they continued to play through notable tracks like "Jambi" from 2006's 10,000 Days and the second single from their latest album, "Pneuma." Lasers streamed across the arena, the lighting rig above the stage dropped to form new light displays, and a septagram that hung above the band rotated and swiveled with its own set of lights.

Early on in the show, Maynard James Keenan made note of how the show almost didn't happen due to him having been sick, but his voice never faltered and he delivered a strong vocal performance despite being ill. When the time came for them to play their classic, "Schism," they accompanied the track with a projection of the song's haunting music video.

Following the performance was a brief intermission that allowed fans time to go to the bathroom, get drinks, or go on their phone (since the show had a strict no-phone policy that could result in removal from the show if caught taking photos or video). When the intermission came to a close and the lights blacked out, a spotlight hit Danny Carey standing next to a gong and wearing a leotard that displayed human muscle and flesh similar to the cover of Lateralus. He performed a solo on the gong before jumping onto his kit to give an awe-inspiring performance of "Chocolate Chip Drip." The projection now showed a first-person view of Danny playing the drums while adding a bit of psychedelia. Confetti fell during an intimate performance of "Culling Voices" and before announcing their last song of the night, "Stinkfist," Maynard permitted fans to pull out their phones to take pictures if they wanted but to ensure that they kept their lights off. If they couldn't figure out how to turn off their lights, then to "ask a 9-year-old next to you."

I've never seen Tool before now, but they set a bar for an engrossing artful performance that left me very impressed and eager for more. The visuals were bizarre and beautiful and something I compared to watching the movie, The Cell with Jennifer Lopez. The work and art that went into the entire show made for a memorable show. Tool will be heading to Europe in late Spring, and I encourage you not to miss the show.

Thursday are in the middle of doing a 21st anniversary tour for their critically acclaimed record, War All the Time. They've brought along Emo/Post-Hardcore legends, Rival Schools, and Keith Buckley's new Metalcore project, Many Eyes. I was fortunate enough to catch the show when it hit Santa Ana.

Many Eyes have been releasing new singles steadily since their debut in Fall of last year. With this being their first tour and only a handful of songs available, it was impressive to see how many people turned out for their opening set. Buckley and Every Time I Die fans, as well as newcomers, made sure to have their voices heard during the songs they already knew, like "Revelation." While during songs that haven't officially been released, some notable track names being "Speechless" and "Amateurs," you could still find fans in the crowd singing what they knew -- likely picking up what they've heard from live videos earlier in the tour. Altogether they had 9 ferocious tracks that fans can look forward to on their upcoming album.

Next up were Rival Schools. The band recently came out of hibernation to celebrate their debut record, United by Fate. Thursday's own Steve Pedulla is working double duty this tour filling in for Ian Love during Rival Schools' set. Most of the band's set consisted of United By Fate tracks while sprinkling in a few from their sophomore album, Pedals like "A Parts For B Actors" and closing with "Wring it Out." They sound better than ever and who knows how long this reunion will last. If you missed out on their reunion shows last year, don't miss your chance again.

Thursday took to the stage and kicked off "For the Workforce, Drowning." The crowd erupted! I haven't seen an audience like this for Thursday in a few years. The last time they came through, Rickly was also dealing with a broken foot, which hampered the performance a bit. The crowd was also noticeably younger. So much so that even Rickly took a moment to acknowledge how the audience has been younger this tour and told a story of how a young fan misunderstood "War All the Time" and asked why they were pro-war, to which he corrected and reassured it was the opposite. On top of playing through the 2003 record, the band capped it off with fan-favorite "Jet Black New Year." Thursday finished off the night with "Cross Out The Eyes," deep cut, "Beyond the Visible Spectrum" from Common Existence, and of course no Thursday show is complete without "Understanding in a Car Crash." While this tour isn't the first time the band has played through War All the Time. it certainly feels more monumental than any of the other times over the years. If they're rolling through your town, don't miss this tour.

Obituary 
Manning Bar
Sydney, Australia
13 January 2024

In a sonic onslaught reminiscent of their triumphant 2020 reign, Florida's Death Metal maestros, Obituary, set the Manning Bar stage ablaze in Sydney, evoking memories of when they steamrolled stages to celebrate the timeless "Cause of Death" album. Their recent performance was nothing short of a flawless and pulverizing showcase that left the crowd in awe.

Fashionably late to the stage, Obituary surpassed even their previous incarnations in infernal intensity, delivering a musical maelstrom that reverberated through the venue. The visual spectacle matched the auditory onslaught, with impeccable lighting and other elements transforming the Manning Bar into a realm of awe-inspiring ambiance from the first note to the final crescendo. The compact scale of the venue only magnified the mind-blowing quality of the performance, underscoring the band's unwavering commitment to providing an electrifying experience for their dedicated fanbase.

While banter from frontman John Tardy and the band was limited, the scarcity of verbal exchanges was compensated by the group's unwavering focus on delivering a music-driven spectacle that left no room for disappointment. Obituary's performance transcended mere entertainment; it was an immersive journey into the heart of Death Metal.

The post-reunion material from their latest offering, "Dying of Everything," elicited the same fervor from the crowd as their early career classics, dispelling any misconceptions about the band being a mere nostalgia act. The technical prowess displayed throughout the night, coupled with an infectious enthusiasm, reinforced Obituary's status as living legends within the Death Metal scene.

In a career spanning decades, Obituary has not reinvented the wheel, but rather showcased an ability to effortlessly hold their own alongside bands half their age. The crowd responded with unabashed enthusiasm, embracing every grimy hit with moshing, cheering, and pit-surfing, affirming Obituary's longevity and profound influence on the genre.

Summa summarum, Obituary's performance in Sydney was a testament to their enduring legacy and a resounding declaration that the flames of Death Metal burn as brightly as ever. The Manning Bar bore witness to more than a concert; it was an immersive journey into the relentless heart of Obituary's sonic legacy, leaving no doubt that this old dog still has plenty of life left in its ferocious bark.

2023 was the year of Botch's return. After 20 years, the band went on a full tour and showcased why they were one of the best hardcore bands to do it. After all my years of going to The Observatory, I've never walked in to find the barricade missing. Botch were ready to feel and embrace the warmth, passion, and sweat of their fans after 2 decades. For this particular So-Cal show, they enlisted Justin Pearson's latest venture, Deaf Club, and newcomer Screamo-act, Roman Candle. Deaf Club have been ripping up stages for a few years now and Pearson is still a madman on the mic. Roman Candle have slowly been building up their fanbase over the past year and continues to blow me away. Once Botch hit the stage, the crowd erupted and bit by bit people made their way to the stage. Check out the gallery below:

Since beginning the tour for their latest album In Times New Roman back in June, Queens of the Stone Age have been firing on all cylinders - leaving a path of happy destruction in their wake across Europe and the United States. On December 12, the band brought their show to the multitudes of Albuquerque, NM, who were more than ready to receive their offering.

Opening the show with Regular John, vocalist/guitarist Josh Homme led the band through a high-energy set of both new and old favorites like No One Knows, If I Had a Tail and Made to Parade. In the middle of the show, Josh took a sign request from a fan for Misfit Love, an always welcome addition. Josh quipped about also being from a desert town and how, like Albuquerque, “you can call it a city, but it’s not really a city.” There’s a lightness to Homme this time around that was less evident a few years ago on the Villains tour. His trials and tribulations making it to the new album are well recorded, but the old adage What doesn’t kill you make you stronger” would seem to be in full effect and he wears those battle scars well.  

QOTSA have gone through many member changes over the years, but when you see them live on this, The End Is Nero tour, it’s easy to see why this is the longest held lineup in the band’s history. Troy Van Leeuwen and Dean Fertita continue their stellar guitar work (as well as Fertita’s keyboard work). Michael Shuman on bass and Jon Theodore’s drumming, provide a drive of surgical precision and are quite simply the best rhythm section in rock. The Queens of the Stone Age juggernaut will be cutting a wide swath across Japan and Europe in the new year and show no signs of stopping. Catch this tour.