Tove Lo’s rescheduling of the Dirt Femme Tour back in February was a major blow to fighting the seasonal dreariness that Minnesota (and elsewhere) Winter typically brings about. SAD is no joke, and with the original show scheduled to be right around everyone’s favorite capitalistic reminder of true love, it was disheartening to have an artist - like Tove Lo, who is nothing if not completely true to herself - have to reschedule to later in the year. What was one to do without dancing in the coldest month of the year? The wait was worth it however - the Swede’s gregarious brand of electropop now perfectly lined up with (this may be exclusive to just me) wanting to be done with seasonal allergies and trying desperately to hang on to the last shreds of summer, the leaves starting to change and bringing with it another cycle of endless winter.
Tove Lo swung by the Palace Theater in St. Pau this past Tuesday, bringing with her support from the equally gregarious and unapologetically sincere Upsahl. (Taylor) Upsahl and co are maybe the most logical choice to open for Tove Lo - her stage persona and effortlessness when it comes to translating who she is an artist to who she is performing live tears down that barrier between who an artist is when creating and who an artist is when bringing their music to life. Opening with "People I Don’t Like", the energy level was set as high as it could from the opening guitar strums pretty much through until the show would end several hours later. Upsahl kept get energy going with a variety of songs from her back catalogue, playing a few off of her ‘21 release Lady Jesus, but mostly keeping to whatever seemed to strike her fancy in the moment, with a touching callout to Tove Lo with the song Upsahl said was written for Tove called "Toast".
Afterwards, it was time for the main event - a cluster of strobes began to fire staccato lights to obscured guitarists and keyboardists as eventually Tove Lo took to the stage, clad in what would be just one of many eccentric outfits that a Tove concert simply wouldn’t be without. The singer-songwriter lead with "Pineapple Slice" (off her 2022 release and tour-named Dirt Femme), and the crowd more or less lost its mind. There’s really something to be said for just how dedicated her fanbase is - somehow simultaneously chill and out of this world excited for Tove. She played a ton of songs off of Dirt Femme that night, keeping the energy at max as she worked her way through her hits and back catalog and what seemed like an endless wardrobe of outfits. Her four part encore was closed out with the song that everyone was waiting for - the Hippie Sabotage remix of "Habits", and suffice to say that there was pretty much no more dancing to be had in the crowd after it was all said and done.
Greetings friends and fellow music lovers. We support the unions and are patiently waiting for all parties to come to terms so we can get back to work. That said, I believe it's now a good time for listening to new music and discovering new talent, Hope you agree.
During my tenure in the music industry many groundbreaking, enduring artists have added me to their team to directly manage their publishing and Licensing affairs. I have the fondest memories and contributed to career-changing moments working with Pete Townshend "Let My Love Open The Door", Kings of Leon "Molly's Chamber", Snow Patrol "Chasing Cars", Nick Cave "Red Right Hand", Ginger Baker (Masters of Reality), Spice Girls "Wannabe", Newcleus "Jam On It" Far East Movement "Like A G6", Fischerspooner "Emerge", The Dollyrots "Because I'm Awesome", Meat Beat Manifesto "Prime Audio Soup", The Cramps "New Kind of Kick", Talib Kweli "Get By", Blackstar "Definition", The Coup "My Favorite Mutiny", The BellRays "Revolution Get Down", Johnette Napollitano (Concrete Blonde) "Joey", and Bo Diddley "Before You Accuse Me" to name just a few you may have heard of.
In the spirit of these innovators, I'm proud to present my newest compilation of current Hunnypot artists I fully support.
As always I'm crossing genres and showcasing the coolest and best. All songs are available for Synchronization Licensing, Please, Dig in!
-John Anderson aka Hot Tub Johnnie
1. THEM VIBES - POWER
2. THE BELLRAYS - EVERY CHANCE I GET
3. ALEX RAHAL - SOMETIMES
4. DOLL MACHINE - WHO KNOWS
5. SKY CRIES MARY - ORPHAN
6. THE LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS - PUNK ROCK RETIREMENT PLAN
7. THE DARTS - SPY GIRL
8. JAEE THE ARTIST - NOBODY
9. BIGTREESTEVE - COCOA BUTTER
10. J.D. WILKES - HOBOES ARE MY HEROES
11. DROPDEADJEDD - NIGHTSTALKERS
12. BRONSON WISCONSIN - LIKE A STORM
13. JOSH MACK - BIT BY THE WEREWOLF
14. FINATTICZ - THAT AIN'T MY BITCH
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
"Fresh out of the studio, Them Vibes newest record is a kaleidoscopic bang of color and sound. It’s deep yet cheeky. Free but structurally mature. Funked up and rocked far out. They call their record Sonic Chameleonic, and it is exactly that: one organic musical force sonically color-defying with every track. Available on all streaming platforms, and 140 gram vinyl."
“The EP is a brief but stimulating five track bite of groove, likely to lift spirits and provide reprieve during current perilous times.” - MACIE BENNETT — American Songwriter
Location: Riverside, California
The BellRays are a force of nature hailing from Riverside, California. If music is food for the soul, then The BellRays are Thanksgiving and they know how to cook. The BellRays strip down to the meat of what music means to them and serving up all sides. Growing up in SoCal, they thrived on radio channels that broadcast more than one kind of music. It was a party. ‘Punk Funk Rock Soul’ is their party, the songs are your must meet new friends.
Catch them opening for Social Distortion in the U.S and Canada 2023
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Restless-Alex Rahal (of Them Vibes) brings a debut record-erupting into existence. Enlisting the explosive musical talents of Bobby Holland, Them Vibes, and Rude Music, Rahal co-produced Restless with Holland and his musical brother in arms, and co-founder of Them Vibes, Larry (Brother Love) Florman. The result is a record that reminds the listener of McCartney’s 'Ram,' Neil’s 'After the Gold Rush,' and Petty’s 'Wildflowers,' to name a few, where space and sonic exploration, expertly executed by a royal flush of musicians, allow the honesty of Rahal’s songs to be in full bloom.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Genre-defying recording artist, composer and producer Doll Machine electrifies stages with her unique and culture-challenging performances. She’s co-written with Grammy-nominated Telepopmusik, house legend DJ Robbie Rivera and is currently working on a collaboration with Grammy-winning artist, Really Doe.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Sky Cries Mary is an American psych rock/cosmic music group from Seattle, Washington, formed in the late 1980s by Roderick Wolgamott and Ben Ireland. Ben and Roderick created the current incarnation of Sky Cries Mary, drafting super-producer Jack Endino (Skin Yard), Curt Eckman (The Walkabouts), Kevin Whitworth (Love Battery), and Debra Reese.
The new Sky Cries Mary EP, EVERYTHING GOES SOMEWHERE, their 13th album release is available now.
Location: Paducah, Kentucky
A roots rock juggernaut from Nashville, Tennessee, the Legendary Shack Shakers are a hot-rodded combo combining blues, rockabilly, country, and rock & roll into one manic assemblage boasting all the gloriously explosive instability of an M-80. Led by firebrand frontman Colonel J.D. Wilkes on lead vocals and harmonica, the band has an irreverent streak in their lyrics and high-spirited attack, but they play with skill, commitment, and a genuine love of the music they're bending to their approach.
Location: Tacoma, Washington
THE DARTS formed in 2016 with the goal of making great all-girl garage-rock noise, see the world, and have a fab slumber party every night. We threw on some vintage black slips, threw off our shoes, and set out on the ad- venture.
“Gets even the most apathetic nerds moshing. Crank it!” – Rolling Stone (FR)
“The Darts ‘Take What I Need.’ Very cool.” – Stephen King, author
“One of my new favorite bands.” – Dave Vanian, The Damned
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Jaee creates music from the heart. Who better to explain the way a woman thinks and behaves then another woman? Jaee The Artist connects with women from life and first-hand experience as a woman. She uses this to heal past traumas buried deep in the emotions of women and helps the fellas better understand their role in the experience. The goal is for the fellas to feel comfortable loving, understanding and connecting with a woman. Rather it’s his mom, aunt, niece, cousin, sister, daughter, wife, friend or partner. Jaee The Artist is deeply rooted in her feminine energy, but balances out with her masculine energy.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Big Tree is not just a name for Steve. Standing six foot four inches, he towers physically with chiseled features and a gentle nature. His looks have given him the opportunity to walk for the critically acclaimed Argentinian clothing brand “Gaucho” in the world-famous New York Fashion Week 2022.
These impressive accomplishments underscore Steve's work ethic. At only 21 years of age Steve is just getting started - He quite literally "Can’t Go Slow."
Location: Paducah, Kentucky
It’s likely you have seen either one of his bands — The Legendary Shack Shakers or the Dirt Daubers — over the past two decades, J.D. Wilkes slings out a crazed, bug-eyed combination of rockabilly, hillbilly and country blues, somewhere near your hometown. Also known as Col. J.D. Wilkes, his hopped-up, caffeinated frontman status of those acts was a vehicle for his somewhat warped, generally manic and always intense aesthetic of Southern Gothic madness. - Hal Horowitz (American Songwriter)
Location: Los Angeles, California
Florida boy raised in Polk County who went VIRAL on his #HitTheQuanChallenge, currently living in Los Angeles for music, modeling, and acting. Dream Chasing is what he always dreamt of and dreams become a reality for DropDeadJedd with original beats and unique vocals.
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Bronson Wisconsin is a touring and recording 4 piece indie rock n' roll outfit. Their live show is a unique combination of party, drama, stories, and guitar solos that will leave you wanting so much more. Their recordings will keep you with these feelings long after the live experience.
Bronson's original music and his heartfelt ultra jam cover of "You've Lost The Loving Feeling" will blow you away.
Location: Middletown, Ohio
A Nashville-based musician, Josh Mack paints from a broad musical palette. The Middletown, Ohio native’s sound combines the rich storytelling of folk, the raw emotion and grit of blues, and a rock & roll edge. These influences are top-coated with a layer of psychedelic haze to create an atmospheric, multi-layered listening experience that has drawn comparisons to famed contemporaries like The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Killa F, G5yve, and YC Lopez, members of the hip hop group, FiNaTTiCz. The quartet recorded "Don't Drop That", with producer YC Lopez on the beat. The song became referenced by fans as "The Thun Thun Song" and therefore was released under the official title "Don't Drop That Thun Thun" and became a worldwide hit in 2012.
Walking into Everything is Terrible! and their live show, Kidz Klub, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was going in blind and in a sense it added a layer of excitement. Experiencing Everything is Terrible for the first time, was its own unique adventure of wait what the hell is going on but in a good way. The show opens with a giant bear stepping onto the stage, who introduces us to our main character, a newborn baby who we will watch grow up and suffer through the stages of life in a dark humorous way. One of those stages being him trying to get away from his evil father who tells him what to do and is a giant floating head that is shown on the screen behind the puppets.
In between each act are videos of Kidz Klub, which is a giant movie compilation of various funny clips from VHS tapes aimed at kids but with some adult humor mixed in plays.
Seeing the clips reminded me of my early childhood and if you were born before the 2000s, this is definitely the show for you to entertain your inner child. It’s also an excellent show to see if you’re a big fan of the Muppets or even just puppets in general. The puppets on stage were designed so well that to me while they were on stage, they felt as if they were alive. In one of the other acts, the main character meets an alien and hopes to go on a space adventure and escape everyday life. It doesn’t work out but he keeps on trying to find other ways. One of those being a wizard, who brings more dark humor to the story.
There’s also this relatable moment where the protagonist gets excited to have his own place, only to realize he has to work a 9 to 5 job for the rest of his life to afford it. After that, this thing that has been mentioned multiple times throughout the show finally comes into play. Since there was so much suspense around the thing they kept mentioning, I was honestly hoping for things to be more dramatic with more depth to it than they were but it was still a fun show to watch. I loved how they switched from him being a puppet on stage to having him show up on the screen in a psychedelic trippy way before he appears riding on a dragon up on stage. Which in my opinion was the coolest-looking puppet out of everything. The stage lights made the dragon look as if they were glowing and in that moment fans came up on stage to give Everything is Terrible VHS tapes and the show just in a way comes to an ending that doesn’t really feel like an ending.
I realize the stage performances are really just meant to advertise the film, but I feel like if they wanted to, the story could have been a stand-alone piece with more depth to it than what it was. Although overall most of the audience was made up of long-time fans who seemed to really enjoy the show. So if that’s you, I’m positive you will enjoy the show. The show was shorter than I expected and may have felt like it came to an abrupt end but I’m still glad I got the chance to see it. I can tell a lot of work went into making it possible and I’m looking forward to what Everything is Terrible! does next.
It was an explosive night, counting down to 500 we reached our 494th episode! Thanks to our special co-host Kii Arens, renowned American pop-artist, graphic designer, photographer, director, and musician.
Kicking off the live performance segment was ryn, who delivered a captivating unplugged set of her powerful pop originals, followed by the high-energy alternative rock of Hunnypot favorite, Fencer for their last show of their residency with us. The stage heated up even more with industrial rapper Mz. Neon and the genre-blending sounds of Tricky Youth, combining Power Electronics, Dark Hip-Hop, and Neo-Nü Metal.
#WhereMusicLoversGoToPlay
One of the most credible and influential in Los Angeles - the award-winning Kii Arens, is a critical driver in the creation of modern pop culture. A contemporary American pop-artist, graphic designer, photographer, director, and musician. His personal work has been in art galleries all over the world. Kii credits Saturday mornings in the '70s spent watching Sid & Marty Krofft as some of his main inspirations. Never formally trained, this St. Paul native grew up with a fascination for album covers, vintage logos, and has created over 500 pieces for artists such as Dolly Parton, The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Radiohead, Paul McCartney, Kacey Musgraves, Bernie Sanders, Beck, DEVO, Diana Ross, Lana Del Rey, The Doors, PIXIES, Glen Campbell, Tame Impala, The Replacements, Hollywood Bowl, Coachella, and Desert Trip, widely considered the most successful festival ever to take place.
His recently directed music video for Elton John was featured prominently on the 2020 Oscars, '(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again' has served well as the visual accompaniment for the heavily nominated and award-winning song. Other videos include DEVO, Queens of The Stone Age, PIXIES, Glen Campbell and more.
ryn, short for Camryn, has been killing the game as an independent 21-year-old indie pop artist. Bringing the energy to the stage since she started performing at 15, her music has indie rock vibes that keep everyone in the room dancing. Being a dancer her whole life, there's never a dull moment when she's onstage. Rocking her trademark power suits, she says she's never felt more herself, more sexy or confident than when she's sporting her suits. She keeps it real on and off the stage with lyrics that speak truth and honesty, connecting to the deepest parts of herself and her fans.
Her socials have been growing steadily with an engaging, supportive fan base as they've been eating up teasers of her new singles. Watch out, with her drive, dedication and passion, this girl will be on billboards in no time!
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Fencer, the self-defined garage opera band, is leading a new era of rock music with their own undeniably, dynamic sound. The Los Angeles-based trio comprises vocalist and guitarist Field Cate, bassist Scott Sauve, and drummer Cameron Sauve. Only two years after their inception, they became fan-favorite openers for notable acts such as Badflower, The Wrecks, and Dead Poet Society.
Tackling the stigma surrounding mental health and its struggles, Field’s emotive and frenetic vulnerability resonates with listeners to further solidify the band’s electric presence. The trio have racked up an impressive 2 million listens across all streaming platforms, despite having not even released their debut album. Field’s synesthesia (seeing music in color), Scott’s vigorous bass lines, and Cameron’s expertise in self-producing flow together to create an eccentric style that is certain to become rock’s newest novelty.
Mz Neon is a genre-bending musician and multimedia artist residing in Los Angeles by way of NYC. She is actively touring and releasing music while cultivating an ever-evolving mixed media, art and advocacy platform. A biracial trans woman with a punk pedigree, Mz Neon unpacks issues of gender, sexuality, spirituality & philosophy; with a provocative glamour that stares down the blond bombshell archetype, then dropkicks it.
Somewhere at the intersection of Power Electronics, Dark Hip-Hop, and Neo-Nü Metal resides musician and performance artist TRICKY YOUTH. Just as difficult as it is to place Tricky Youth in one place on the map sonically, it is geographically as well - he grew up in Brooklyn, New York; he currently resides in Los Angeles; he calls the American Midwest his “spiritual home”. If you were to ask him, Tricky would call himself a “citizen of the American underground”, a place that isn’t so much one location but many, and a wide network of communities that he has existed in since he was a teenager. “The basement show, the warehouse rave, the generator show under the bridge, the art show in some abandoned building with a stage built in it and 20 people living there,” Youth says. “That’s where I got my upbringing, around brilliant artists in the worlds of punk, noise, and hip-hop, freely expressing themselves as outside of capitalism as they could and forming communities that sought to live by an ethos that rejected the dominant culture. I carry that through the art I make today."
I first got into Hot Milk when I discovered their song "Candy Coated Lies" and you can tell with their new album A Call To The Void that they've come a long way. The album opens up with the song "Welcome to The…", which gives off the feeling of entering into a cave in a horror film and sounds hitting the cave walls. The ending lyrics “Am I the darkness” add to a haunting start to the album.
The next song is "Horror Show". My favorite elements for this song were the dark lyrics but instrumental parts that make you feel like dancing at the same time. “Lobotmize my brain” were some of the lyrics that stuck out to me, it was sung in such a way that it felt relatable. "Bloodstream" has a different sound compared to the other songs, I loved the word choice for the lyrics of this song. The lyrics “Kaleidoscope of the abyss” is an interesting description and I like that the instrumental felt like it was blending well with the vocals.
Up next is "Party On My Death Bed", I loved the screams in this one and the guitar moments. The lyrics didn’t resonate with me as much for this song as it did for the others. It was more of a fun song to dance to for me. This song is followed by the song "Alice Cooper’s Pool House". The first thing that grabs me about this song is the lyrics “Only lucid dreams can keep me clean” and from there, it starts feeling like being stuck in a realm in between fantasy and real life. You can really get a sense that they’re losing their minds. The dark-humor ending of the song was a fun twist as well.
Another killer track is "Zoned Out". It has some really fun drum parts to it and some cool electronic moments in the song. The instrumental for me was my favorite part of the song, it set the mood right away. The lyrics “Get me out get out” were also very relatable. The song also reminded me of how nowadays we are too absorbed in things like our phones and other forms of technology. When really it is important to be in the moment whenever we can and not be a slave to our technology.
"Over Your Dead Body" is next and it has a strong opening, loved the lyrics “You’re the Jesus of Nowhere” and the message of this song. The dramatic instrumental moments were also fun. I feel like we can all relate to having someone in our life who acts like they’re bigger than they are and promises things they can’t deliver and just overall being done with them as a result. Being around fake people is never fun and that’s the kind of message I get from this song. The energy in "Migraine" feels a bit chaotic but in a fun way, it has a fast pace to it. “I’m living with the pain” were the lyrics that stood out the most to me. However, I loved the next song more which is "Breathing Underwater," with relatable lyrics like “I cracked under the pressure” and “I open my mouth but the words don’t come out”. I could really feel the emotion with this one and the feeling of being alone and not having a voice for anyone to realize what you’re going through.
I was excited about "Amphetamine" when I realized Loveless is a part of it. Loveless and Hot Milk sang perfectly in harmony with each other. I loved how they sang about the disorder and chaos in the world and the feeling of being treated like we’re crazy for noticing it. When the things that have been going on shouldn’t be going on. It also felt like a song that fits both Loveless and Hot Milk.
The final song "Forget Me Not" has a nostalgic melody to it and feels like a goodbye song. Which in a way feels fitting for the final song of the album. I feel like it captures the grief of losing someone and going on with your life really well. This song hit the hardest emotionally for me and lyrics such as “Please come back home” felt very haunting and relatable. This one almost made me cry and ends the album on a strong note.
Overall, A Call To The Void is a strong album where every song is different but haunting in its own way. Even if you don’t like all the songs, I feel like for most people into this genre of music, you’ll find at least one that you resonate with. Hot Milk has talent and a unique voice that I feel will keep attracting more fans to them. This one is 100% Hunnypot approved!
They say trends tend to repeat themselves about every 20 years. This would seem to prophesies that Nu Metal would be making a resurgence in the music world. I don’t know if this 20 year trend cycle is true for everything, but it certainly is real for Nu Metal. The genre is beloved by many and joked about with hindsight by many more. With the music Festival Sick New World taking place earlier this year in Las Vegas, tens of thousands turned out to sell out the festival and prove Nu Metal never left their hearts. One of the most prolific bands of the era was Mudvayne who sadly disbanded in 2010, and after an eleven year hiatus finally came back to much fanfare. Their tour with Rob Zombie last year was considered one of the best metal tours of the year. This year Mudvayne decided to keep that momentum going with the Psychotherapy Sessions Tour. Bringing with them other recently reformed Nu Metal favorite Coal Chamber, along with GWAR, Nonpoint, and the Butcher Babies. Dr. Chad Gray has clocked in, and the patients have arrived for their therapy session at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, CA.
Opening this stacked tour were Hollywood natives the Butcher Babies. This tour happened to start incredibly early on a Thursday evening, so it was very unfortunate to see that people were having a hard time getting into the venue before the show started, causing the Butcher Babies to perform for an incredibly small crowd. This didn’t seem to hinder the energy of the Butcher Babies, as they were ready to pump up the patrons who were able to get there in in time. Co-vocalist Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey are nothing but pure entertainment to watch, as they chase each other around the stage flipping each other off, playing off each of like teenage girls, as well as letting out some of the most ferocious roars you would hear this night. Guitarist Henry Flury drives the songs with his riffs and melodies, while bassist Ricky Bonazza and drummer Chase Brickenden hold down the low end that let the fans in attendance headbang. The Butcher Babies played a solid set consisting of songs “Red Thunder,” “Best Friend,” “Monsters Ball,” “BEAVER CAGE,” “It’s Killin’ Time, Baby!,” “Last December,” and closing with “Magnolia Blvd.” To the fans that made it in time, the Butcher Babies gave it their best and the energy was given right back to them.
Up next was the Florida boys Nonpoint, who were decked out in all red attire. Where more bands are performing in more casual clothes and attire, it’s nice to see a band that has been around for over twenty years still prioritizing stage attire to bring a show to the crowd. Opening the night with “Victim,” lead signer Elias Soriano has a commanding voice, and performs with his dreadlocks flailing in front of his face. The man is the epitome of a front man. Lead guitarist Jaysin Zeilstra and rhythm guitarist Rasheed Thomas are a dynamic force to be reckoned with. Layering their guitar lines to help create the sound Nonpoint is so well known for. While bassist Adam Woloszyn and drummer Robb Rivera were perfectly in sync. Rivera specifically knows how to play up to the crowd while keeping the band on beat. Nonpoint manages to keep the Nu Metal sound alive while mixing their sound with aspects of metal in songs like “Dodge Your Destiny,” “A Million Watts,” “Chaos and Earthquakes,” “Ruthless,” and ending with “Bullet With a Name.” As fans continued to trickle into the FivePoint Amphitheatre, Nonpoint continued the trend that Butcher Babies started, by giving it their all and performing their best show regardless of how many people were in the venue for their set.
As parts of the stage, and the amps positioned in front were covered with tarps, the fans in the front row screamed as they knew what was coming up. The mighty GWAR was ready to hit the stage and let the blood flow and spray all over the place. Looking at the fans who pushed their way to the front, you could tell which ones were here for GWAR, as they were wearing white. At a GWAR show, you can create your own personal souvenir shirt by wearing all white outfit and come home with your clothes drenched in GWAR fluids. For this show it felt as if GWAR was over stocked with blood that they needed to let flow, as their lackies would let the blood fly through out entire songs, and the fans drank it all up. The band themselves are filled with solid performers that have really crafted a community of diehard fans, but the stage show that GWAR brings with them is what puts them over the top. From monkey henchmen swinging 12” dicks on stage, to massive 10 foot tall monsters fights happening on stage, to pulling the guts and intestines out of a sacrificial body. The GWAR fanatics screamed for more and more blood and never let it up. The bloodbath continued for every song like “Hail, Genocide,” “The Cutter,” “Mother Fucking Liar,” “Sick of You,” “Completely Fucked,” “Let Us Slay,” “Fuck This Place,” “Berserker Mode,” and ending with the AC/DC cover of “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It).” GWAR are a sight to behold, and a live show you must experience firsthand to truly understand why people love this band so much. Though I tried my best to stay dry, I still even took some GWAR blood damage to take home with me.
Now I have been fortunate enough to see DevilDriver quite a few times, and Dez Fafara has always come across as a straightforward metal vocalist. When I heard my friends talking about Coal Chamber having a reunion and Dez fronting the band, I had to look them up because I was not familiar with his first band. Seeing Dez with colored hair and some smokey guyliner caught me off guard but made me excited to see how he would be live with Coal Chamber. The band started their set with “Loco,” and as Dez hit the stage with minimal face and eye makeup, he had a different energy to him than that of his performances with DevilDriver. With Coal Chamber, Dez still had the powerful scream/sing style vocals, but he let himself be looser with his stage persona. Guitarist Miguel Rascon weaved his guitar parts with heavy chord progressions, and high-pitched wails. While bassist Nadja Peulen, with her fiery red hair, was the finger plucking master of the night with her driving bass lines. Drummer Mike Cox balances the power that Coal Chamber brings along with the melody that lets the mosh pit flow. Playing songs like “Fiend,” “Big Truck,” “I.O.U. Nothing,” “Rowboat,” “Drove,” “Dark Days,” “Oddity,” “Another Nail in the Coffin,” “Something Told Me,” and ending with “Sway,” The old school Nu Metal fans were happy to see the reformation of Coal Chamber.
Draped across the front of the stage, a black curtain donning only the Mudvayne logo hung to keep the audience from seeing the stage set up. As the opening notes to “Not Falling” played, vocalist Chad Gray’s shadow was cast as a larger than life image against the back of the curtain. Once it finally dropped the crowd erupted with excitement for the show they were about to see. One aspect of the band that I am happy to see they brought back is that they are wearing new variations on the L.D. 50 era Mudvayne looks. Vocalist Chad Gray has elevated his clown-esque look to include a bullet hole right through his forehead, and cracked paint. Showing just how battle worn Mudvayne has been over the years. Guitarist Greg Tribbett, painted with a style akin to the demon from Insidious, and riffs that screech just as intense as the monster. Bassist Ryan Martinie has shaved his head bald except for two patches of hair that are spiked into devil horns, making him the fiend of the group. Drummer Matthew McDonough altered his look to appear more like the Jackal from the movie Thirteen Ghosts and would carry just as menacing of a look as he glared at the crowd. Something that has always stood out to me about Chad Gray as a frontman, is that he is not afraid of the audience. He would constantly stand on the amps in the pit to get just a tad closer to the audience, and even jump on the barricade multiple times. Allowing the crowd to hold him up, and even embracing any crowd surfer that could make their way to the front. The man is a singer but understands how important the fans are and really shows them love back. Mudvayne played all the fan favorites including “Under My Skin,” “Internal Primates Forever,” “World So Cold,” “A New Game,” “Severed,” “Death Blooms,” “Fish Out of Water,” “Dull Boy,” “Determined,” “Nothing to Gein,” and when going into the often meme’d “Dig” the crowd could not hold back from singing the Ryan’s brbr deng opening bass notes of the song. Finally ending with “Happy?” Chad once again jumped into the crowd and let the fans sing with him.
I was able to see Hellyeah once, so I had experienced Chad Gray’s performance before. And though a lot of his same energy and love for the fans are there. Seeing Chad dressed up with the Mudvayne makeup and attire, he just comes to life even more with such a bigger presence. We are finally seeing a resurgence of Nu Metal, for better or worse may depend on who you ask, but to the fans that showed up this night, it is for the better. Though we have bands like Korn and Deftone’s that have been carrying the torch for years, it is amazing to see beloved bands like Mudvayne and Coal Chamber reforming to help us fans relive the heyday of Nu Metal. I hope both of these bands will put out new music soon and can’t wait to see what the future holds for the rebirth of Nu Metal.
We all wish that we can live our heyday forever. Sadly, Father Time doesn’t want to grant us this wish. And thus, we grow older with every passing year. Our favorite music artists continue to perform and put out new music throughout their lengthy career. However, they must call it quits eventually. Foreigner has sadly reached this point where they are ready to hang up the guitars. Travelling on a worldwide Historic Farewell Tour, they weren’t leaving without making a big last splash on people’s lives. As fate would have it, California was hit with a tropical storm and the potential of a hurricane the day before Foreigner’s show here. Mother Nature was still looking out for us, and thankfully the storm passed without doing much damage to Orange County, and Foreigner was able to still put on their show at the FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, CA.
Foreigner is doing something amazing on this tour, by helping promote music and the arts with schools. At every stop, they are hosting a competition between local high school choir teams. The winner gets a donation made to the school, and the team themselves gets to perform and open for this tour. This day, we got to hear the Sound Effects from Los Alamitos High School. Unfortunately, due to the tropical storm that passed by California, this caused Foreigner to get into the venue late, and the shows start time was pushed back a little bit. Due to this push back, the Sound Effects set was sadly cut from 20 minutes to only 8 minutes. None the less, the boys of this choir made it their mission to harmonize in the most beautiful way they could and bring some well known doo-wop classics to Irvine.
Joining Foreigner on this tour was fellow 80s hard rock pioneer’s Loverboy. I was fortunate to see Loverboy last year with Styx and REO Speedwagon, and to hear they would be helping Foreigner out on this tour, I just knew we were in for a good time. Opening their set with “Notorious,” lead singer Mike Reno carries with his voice a bit more gravitas and grit behind it, compared to the brighter tenor you hear on record. This doesn’t take away from Loverboy’s sound, as Mike is still just as charming with his smiling and charisma on stage. Guitarist Paul Dean and Bassist Ken Sinnaeve play off each other with style and flair. Often rocking out right next to each other, and nearly smashing their guitars into each other. Keyboardist Doug Johnson finds ways to blend his synth into the songs that just bring them to life and makes you relive the 80s big hair days. While drummer Matt Frenette stacks his kit with drumheads and cymbals galore but knows how to be a technician and finesses his kit with a delicate touch. Loverboy’s set was also sadly cut short due to the later start time, but they made it count with songs like “The Kid is Hot Tonite,” “Lovin’ Every Minute of It,” “Hot Girls in Love,” “Turn Me Loose,” and ending with the always popular “Working for the Weekend.” Loverboy continues to be a solid band, that fans are always grateful to see still performing.
Then it was time for the final goodbye. As Foreigner stepped onto the Irvine stage for the last time, fans erupted in screams and cheers. This band has meant so much to so many of us over the years, the fans wanted to make sure that was clear to the band. Opening with “Double Vision,” the crowd was ready to sing all night long with vocalist Kelly Hansen. Hansen is still a top notch frontman after all these years, working the mic stand, playing for the photographers, and making the woman lustfully scream out. Guitarist Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado perform with their own charm that can steal the attention off Hansen, who is more than happy to let Watson & Maldonado shine in the spotlight of the front of the stage. Bassist Jeff Pilson sadly hurt his leg and was performing seated at the back of the stage. But for “Cold as Ice,” he got positioned front and center to play the keys for everybody to see. Keyboardist Michael Bluestein provided the harmonizing vocals that helped elevate Hansen’s powerful voice, while drummer Chris Frazier is the perfect timekeeper behind the kit.
Foreigner was in perfect sync and proving why they have enjoyed such a tenured career of success. They wanted to make this farewell tour special, and included a small acoustic performance in the middle of the show that brought every member of the band to the front of the stage. Performing three songs like this were “When it Comes to Love,” “Girl on the Moon,” and “Say You Will.” Foreigner managed to make this 13,000 seat venue feel like we were sitting in a bar listening to some guys just jam out. Hansen even took this moment to introduce the members of the band and give a speech about how much the fans have meant to Foreigner for the last 46 years. And though they are sad to be saying farewell, they have always appreciated everyone who has shown up to every show. It was hard not to get emotional hearing Hansen’s speech and realizing just how many hits Foreigner have put out over the years. But those tears were quickly brushed to the side as we all started rocking out again to songs like “Feels Like the First Time,” “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero,” and getting two hear a two song encore that included “I Want to Know What Love is,” and ending with “Hot Blooded.”
The guitars rang out, the band waved as they walked off the stage, and fans continued to cheer. Foreigner let so many of us relive our younger days by playing the soundtrack of our teens and twenties, and we were eternally grateful to hear it live again. This was the last time we were going to see Foreigner and as the lights came back on, you could see the bittersweet joyful sadness of the fans as they headed back to their cars.
Music enthusiasts and punk rock devotees were treated to an electrifying night of nostalgia and high-octane performances as The Offspring headlined a stellar lineup at the Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas, TX. Supported by Simple Plan and Sum 41, the concert on August 19th was a true testament to the enduring appeal of punk rock.
Opening the night was Canadian rock outfit Sum 41, who wasted no time in setting the tone for the evening. Bursting onto the stage with an explosion of energy, Sum 41 whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their signature blend of melodic punk and edgy attitude. Hits like "In Too Deep" and "Fat Lip" transported the audience back to the early 2000s, when pop-punk was at its peak. Their tight musicianship and charismatic stage presence proved that they are still a force to be reckoned with.
As the sun began to set, Simple Plan took the stage to an eruption of cheers from the crowd. The band's infectious enthusiasm and catchy hooks had the audience singing along to every word. Hits like "Welcome to My Life" and "Perfect" evoked a sense of nostalgia, reminding everyone of the soundtrack to their teenage years. The band's ability to connect with the audience on a personal level was evident, as they shared stories and anecdotes between songs, making the large venue feel like an intimate gathering of friends.
Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived as The Offspring graced the stage with their iconic presence. From the first chord, it was clear that the band's energy was undiminished by the years. Frontman Dexter Holland's distinctive vocals were as powerful as ever, while guitarist Noodles shredded through riffs with precision. The setlist was a rollercoaster of hits spanning their illustrious career, including "Come Out and Play," "The Kids Aren't Alright," and "Self Esteem." The audience responded with unabashed enthusiasm, mosh pits forming and bodies surfing the crowd.
In a world where music trends come and go, the fact that The Offspring, Simple Plan, and Sum 41 can still draw thousands of fans and deliver such a powerful performance speaks volumes about the timelessness of punk rock. The Dos Equis Pavilion was transformed into a haven for punk enthusiasts, a place where age was just a number and the music was a reminder of the joy and rebellion that defines the genre.
Over the past couple of years I’ve been able to see some great old school hip-hop and R&B concerts. They seem to get better and better each show. This concert happened to be on what is known as the birthday of Hip-Hop, the 50th anniversary. So what better way to celebrate than hitting up a concert with my wife and some great friends. LL Cool J is calling this the F.O.R.C.E. (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live tour. LL will headline those shows himself, and he’ll perform with The Roots, as well as Philadelphia legend DJ Jazzy Jeff and LL’s own collaborator, the onetime mash-up specialist Z-Trip. But rather than having LL give a proper headlining performance, the show will be set up more as a continuous set, with the Roots backing up all the guests. I love the idea of mixing up the special guests, so no one show will be the same. We were lucky enough to get the GOD MC himself, Rakim, Queen Latifah and De La Soul. There is a common theme for me and my friends (more on this later), and that was The Roots performance. WOW is all I can say. They may be one of the best live bands I have ever heard, and the fact they played straight for the 3-and-a-half-hour show was remarkable. So live, so energetic, so perfect! Questlove….holy crap!!! The Roots came out first to get the crowd moving, and gave us a taste of what was to come. They played a few of their own songs, sounding perfect. "Black Thought" on the mic was awesome….all night long! LL was on a local radio station earlier in the day and said, this is not a concert, it is a party. And he was totally right. The Roots stopped for a second and we hear Jazzy Jeff bringing in a beat and Rakim steps to the stage. Crowd went nuts, not a single person sitting. He goes into Move The Crowd and yes, the crowd was moving. They flow onto "Microphone Fiend", the crowd rapping right along with Rakim…..
The invincible, microphone fiend, Rakim,
Spread the word 'cause I'm in
E-F-F-E-C-T
A smooth operator operating correctly, But back to the problem, I got a habit, You can’t solve it, silly rabbit.
When he went into "Eric B. for President", or should I say Jazzy Jeff for President, the crowd rapped right along and it was so loud right from the first lines….I came in the door, I said it before, I never let the mic magnetize me no more. So good, so hyped, so crazy. "I Ain’t No Joke" was up next, he was playing everything this crowd wanted. The Roots and Jazzy Jeff sounding so perfect. Every song Rakim got more hyped, The Roots got more hyped, the crowd got my hyped. It was time to pump up the volume with "I Know You Got Soul". Rakim stepped aside for Jazzy Jeff to entertain us on the wheels of steel with some amazing cutting and scratching……I think he may be the best DJ ever. That, of course, took us to "Don’t Sweat The Technique". My wife (a DJ herself and influenced by Jeff) leaned over and said, they are going to go into "Know the Ledge", perfect song to mix into and flows so perfectly. She was right and the crowd loved it. Rakim stopped The Roots and Jazzy Jeff (one of the few little “breaks” The Roots had all night) for a nice acapella free style. Nice and slow and smooth, leading us into "Follow The Leader". A little earlier the guy in front of me said, what do you think will be his last song….without hesitation I said "Paid In Full"…….Well, once we all heard the bassline, crowd went absolutely crazy. There was not one person not rapping along. It gave me goosebumps listening to close to 14,000 rapping along with Rakim. I have seen Rakim a few times live and this had to be the best performance! I was a little surprised Rakim was the first up, but a perfect way to get the party started. The Roots played a couple of songs and we were expecting either Queen Latifah or De La Soul to come out next.
And then were heard, Calling all cars, calling all cars, be on the lookout for a tall light-skinned brother with dimples……..CROWD WENT NUTS…….LL Cool J comes running out to "I’m Bad"! I think it took us all a few seconds for it to sink in the LL was on stage. He sounded so good. He truly is BAD! He flowed into "Doin’ It" and the crowd was doin’ it with him. Next up Black Thought and LL rapping back and forth together, sounded so great. He then gave us some "Boomin’ System" and "Big Ole Butt", the crowd rapping right along to every lyric. Tina got a big ole butt. I have never been the hugest LL fan, always liked his music, but not one of my top hip-hop artists. I totally was into this performance and didn’t realized how many of his lyrics I knew. He was having so much fun up there. I was so surprised at how The Roots were so hyped. Questlove drumming constantly, Tuba Gooding Jr. dancing all over stage with his tuba and Captain Kirk Douglas all over the stage as well! Their sound was perfect all night. When he went into "Luv U Better", everyone was on their feet swaying to the sweet groove. We knew he was going to flow into "Around Away Girl", crowd bobbin’ up and down to LL’s groove. I do not think there was one person in their seat since Rakim came on. So much energy on stage from LL and The Roots. Then an amazing part of the whole show, he goes into "Headsprung" and the energy hit the roof, so did LL, Tuba Gooding Jr and Black Thought! They were jumping up and down for almost the whole song…..tired just thinking about it. He then went into EPMD song "Rampage" with Black Thought, he sounded so hard! He was killing the mic! We got some "Jingling Baby" and then he took us back to Cali….Going Back to Cali, Cali, Cali, I’m going back to Cali, hmmmm, I don’t think so. LL sounded great but this song was also about The Roots….perfect live song for them, especially the sax! LL walks off the stage and we are all just so hyped.
The Roots played a couple more songs, mixing in some old school hip-hop songs we all grew up with and then De La Soul (Posdnuos and Maseo) comes to the stage. Of course they were missing Plug 2 (Dave), passing away earlier this year (RIP). Another group I was never a huge fan of back in the day, but wow did Posdnuos and Maseo put on one hell of a show. They sounded so good, going through some songs I was not familiar with and others I remembered (again like with LL, knowing more lyrics than I would have thought). They did "Potholes In My Lawn", "Goes With The Word", "The Grind Date" (getting the crowd to move their arms up and down the whole song). They really sounded so good and The Roots were a perfect background group for them. Maseo was behind the turntables up to this point but came down with Posdnuos for Oooh, they had the crowd dancing and jumping up and down and rapping right along.
God bless the God,
lay these Streets wall to wall,
It go, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,
Yo, you got popped like a flick by that rivalry clique,
It went, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
They flowed with "Much More and Stakes Is High", and took a second to talk about their album De La Soul Is Dead, and their transformation from the daisy and just growing up. Paying homage to Plug 2 and having the crowd yell, thank you Dave, thank you Dave. "Pass The Plugs" was next up and they finished off with "Rock Co. Kane Flow". Great song to finish off the night and what a performance. Once again The Roots plays some songs and mixes in some hip-hop tracks, did I mention how amazing they sounded? Then the Queen comes to the stage to "Had It Up 2 Here" and right from the start she sounded so good. She moves onto "Wrath Of My Madness" and "Just Another Day", her lyrics on point and her singing sounding so nice. She really showed off her singing voice with "It’s Alright", the crowd dancing and swaying along with the Queen. She goes into "Verse Of The Day" with that smooth beat keeping the crowd grooving to the beat. She then hits us with a little bit of her TV show theme song, "Living Single" and then it got crazy. Monie Love came out on stage with her for "Ladies First!" Monie was so freakin’ awesome! She sounded amazing and so sweet hearing the two on stage together for this absolute classic. Of course Monie couldn’t be done……"Monie In The Middle!" Her flow is so amazing, totally impressed.
Monie in the middle (Where she at?) In the middle
Yep, Monie's in the middle (Where that at?) In the middle
Monie in the middle (Where she at?) In the middle
(Go Mon, Mon, what is she?) Monie in the middle
It was time for a little house music so Latifah hit us with "Come Into My House". The Roots totally killing this joint. It was time for Queen and Monie to finish up so they hit us with "U.N.I.T.Y". Wow did this hit us! Great sound, great performance. I loved Queen Latifah and Monie Love, so sweet, so strong, so amazing. We got a bit of a surprise in this concert….I mean Party! As Queen leaves the stage De La Soul comes back out for "Me, Myself and I". The crowd LOVED IT! Every single person on their feet singing right along!
The Roots went on and played for five to ten minutes playing so many classic hip-hop songs, the crowd not tired yet, dancing and rapping along to all of it. Kool Moe Dee, Biggie, Rakim, Jay Z, Biz, DMX, ODB, and on and on.
It was time to hear LL Cool J…again. He started with a nice slow jam, "I Need Love". Everyone rapping right along with LL. He had the crowd put their lighters (phones) up in the air, 12,000 plus lights in the arena. He kept the mood slow with Hey Lover, the crowd flowing right along with Cool J and then changed up the music to "Between The Sheets" and then onto a little Biggie flow! I see some ladies tonight that should be having my baby…baby! Nice work LL. Keeping the slower flow going, he flows into "All I Have", asking the ladies to sing J Lo’s part. It was time to bring up the tempo a bit with "I Shot Ya", really nice flow from LL on this one. Then he took us way back to I "Can’t Live Without My Radio".
Suckers on my jock when I walk down the block
I really don't care if you're jealous or not
'Cause I make the songs, you sing along
And your radio's def when my record's on
"Jack The Ripper", Jack, Jack The Ripper flowed right in. What a smooth transition! Keeping with his boomin’ beats he goes into "Kanday", the girl with big juicy lips and nice round hips. "Eat Um Up L Chill" and "Ill Bomb" up next, the beats are still bumpin’, The Roots still killing it and the crowd dancing! Time for "Paradise and Phenomenon", LL with so much energy and love for the crowd. We all deserved a visit from "Mr. Goodbar", so LL delivered. As he flows into "Loungin’ (Who Do You Love)" the sound and party are getting more hyped. Next was the one most were waiting for, one that we all needed to hear live, "Mama Said Knock You Out!" This. Was. So. Hyped! It was a long show (party) we were all there for a long time, but you couldn’t have seen that! Every single person on their feet rapping right along and throwing air punches!
Just like Muhammad Ali, they called him Cassius
Watch me bash this beat like a skull
Don'tcha know I had beef wit'
Why do you riff with me, a maniac psycho
And when I pull out my jammy, get ready 'cause it might go
Blauh! How ya like me now?
The crowd kinda thought this was the final song, and easily could have been. People were ready to head to the exits. Then we hear Jazzy Jeff on the wheels of steel doing his thing…….could there be more? LL had to finish this off with "Rock The Bells". This may have been the song with the most energy and passion. Wow what a way to finish off the party LL told us about. This show was fantastic, everyone sounded great and brought amazing energy. The next day, whether we were at breakfast, or lunch, or having some beers at the Pratt Street Ale House, or at the hotel bar telling the bartenders about the show, or dinner at the Rusty Scupper, all we kept talking about was The Roots. How amazing they sounded but even more amazed at how they played basically straight through for three plus hours, never losing their energy, in fact getting more energized as the night went on. Questlove, holy crap, how do you drum for that long with so much love and energy! This is a show to be seen, if you get the chance you got to check it out.
-One Love, Todd
I first heard of Yung Pinch back in 2016. It was the height of the Soundcloud Rap era and I had stumbled across the “Rock With Us” video on the ELEVATOR YouTube channel. In a scene that was littered with face tattoos, guns, and promethazine fueled raps, Yung Pinch offered an alternative vibe. Staying true to his roots, the 19-year-old’s “714Ever” mixtape boasted a laidback, lighthearted, melodic chill beachboy vibe that contrasted heavily with most of the scene. Combined with his ability to seamlessly blend hip-hop, R&B, and pop elements, Pinch’s signature sound catapulted him into a lane of his own. As a Southern California local, his music and vibe really resonated with me. I immediately became a fan and consumed his catalog and eagerly awaited each following release. Fast forward to 2023: the stars aligned and I got the opportunity to photograph Yung Pinch. Let’s hop into it.
Opening first for the night was an artist I hadn’t heard of until this show, Moon Lander. Born Dillon Houston Church, Moon Lander was tasked with setting the tone for the night, and he surely didn’t disappoint. With singles such as “BrightSide” and “Swish”, Moon Lander proved he was not only a logical choice, but a great choice to open for this tour. Backed by his DJ and a flutist, he sang and rapped his way through his set. Leaning heavily into interludes, Moon Lander also cracked jokes and bantered with the crowd. He laid it up well for the next act, Riley.
Riley kicked the production up a notch with massive, illuminated visuals behind him as he criss-crossed the stage with a mic in one hand and a smoke in the other. He rapped songs such as “It Feels Like I’m Dying” and “Pink Linen”. Riley’s been around the block with Pinch as they’ve toured together previously, and it showed in the crowd reactions as they latched onto his hooks. His melodic approach to rap was the best way to get everyone ready for the main act.
Last but certainly not least was the headliner, Yung Pinch. Wasting no time and no breaths, he hit the stage to one of his Lil Skies collaborations, “I Know You”. The crowd erupted with excitement as smoke cannons went off and the lighting production simultaneously kicked into high gear. One thing he did that I really like was he split his set up into smaller segments; he played collections of songs from each project and progressed chronologically. It felt like he was taking you through his journey as an artist. He snuck anecdotes and short stories in between each song and really connected with the crowd. One moment that stuck out to me was when he talked about ironically going into a difficult time in his life after releasing “Washed Ashore”. Another was when he talked about his struggles with alcoholism and addiction, but then announced that he was 61 days sober right before playing the song called, you guessed it, “Sober”.
Overall, Yung Pinch’s homecoming to Orange County was a hit. He started his career right here in OC when he was just a kid and he’s still only 26 today. He’s got a long road ahead of him and I’m only excited to see where he goes from here. When the beachboy from Bluntington Beach swings by your local venue, check him out. His show is absolutely a vibe.
