NYS Music 20​16

Author: Chris Besaw

  • Show Review: Lamb of God, Clutch and C.O.C. Magic City Music Hall

    The deep rumblings of bass notes, screams and the rhythmic pounding of drums that were heard resounding from the Magic City Music Hall on May 16 were the sweet sounds of what I am calling the best metal lineup of 2016. From the moment opener Corrosion of Conformity took the stage to the final note of headliner Lamb of God, this show was incredible.

    Up first was Raleigh, NC’s own Corrosion Of Conformity. They blasted out a perfect selection of songs from their 30-plus year career with such precision and ferocity that they set the tone as an opener. They kicked off their set with “Paranoid Opioid” off of their 2005 album In The Arms Of God. It wasn’t long before they tore right into one of the songs that got me hooked on them, “Broken Man.” Pepper took time to thank the fans who continue to support the band. He let the fans know that they keep doing what they do because of them. The crowd went crazy as they played an incredible version of “Vote with a Bullet.” They wrapped up their set with the hit that launched them into “metal legend status,” “Clean My Wounds.” After their performance, Pepper came out to hang and chat with fans.

    The lights dimmed and Chuck Brown’s “We Need Some Money” filled the PA system. The crowd was already excited, warmed up and feeling good, and then Clutch took the stage and began tearing through “Who Wants to Rock,” which they haven’t played live since 2013 Honestly, this was the perfect song to start their set, because their diehard fans went wild. Clutch played a flawless mix of old and new tracks that included “Cypress Grove,” “A Quick Death in Texas” and the crowd truly appreciated them breaking out “Sucker For the Witch” from the classic album Psychic Warfare. If you haven’t seen them live, I don’t know what the hell you are waiting for. Seriously, this band has been around since the early ’90s and they are remarkable. They bring together a unique blend of rock and metal and throw in a fun-loving blast of funk that creates a very satisfying, heavy-groove metal sound. I can’t do them justice with any description. You just need to get out and hear it for yourselves.

    The Magic City Music Hall went dark; the video screens on the stage began to flicker and came to life. Images of destruction, including buildings crumbling, explosions, war and fire, set the stage for the heavy-metal onslaught about to be experienced. The first chords rang out as the drums pounded and Randy Blythe exploded out onto the stage as the band ripped into “Walk With Me In Hell.” The crowd erupted into a mass of bodies moving, flying and crowd surfing.  Lamb of God also played a pleasing mix of old and new, obscure tracks and well-known hits. They slashed through songs like a well-oiled machine, with a set list that featured “Ruin,” the heart-pounding shred fest “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For,” “Still Echos,” “Desolation,” “Laid To Rest” and “Redneck.”

    If the combination of a capacity crowd and more than three hours of metal music wasn’t enough to get your heart pumping, then you probably should have checked your pulse to make certain you were alive. As the lights came back on and the smoke cleared, the fans I saw slowly making their way toward the bar, merch booths or the exits, all looked totally satisfied.

  • Insane Clown Posse Sells Out Tour Opener at Syracuse’s Lost Horizon

    It’s Cinco de Mayo and the Insane Clown Posse is setting up their Dark Carnival show at the Lost Horizon. That’s right ladies and gentlemen and juggalos of all ages, Detroit’s original wicked clowns and masters of horror inspired rap, the Insane Clown Posse kicked off their 20th Anniversary Riddlebox tour to a sold out crowd! What a way to start things off!

    Opening the show was Syracuse’s Breaking Solace who is currently promoting their release “Shatter the Silence.” Next up was the nightmarish and ghoulish industrial group, Terrorbyte. This was my first time seeing them live and I was very impressed with their dark blend of industrial metal.  One song that really hit hard and won over the crowd was their single “Gravitational.” If you are a fan of bands Skinny Puppy, Godflesh, or even old school Ministry, you should definitely check this band out. If the music doesn’t scare you I guarantee their masks will.

    Insane Clown PosseThe next artist to tear up the stage was Young Wicked.  Young wicked also known to his fans as Otis from the infamous rap duo Axe Murder Boyz.  Young wicked is a multi-talented performer, song writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. You could tell from the crowd’s excitement that Young Wicked did his job of getting the fans stoked and primed for the main act.

    The intro is cued: “Welcome, it’s not where you’re at, it’ where you’re going. And you won’t know till you turn the crank.” The crowd starts getting impatient waiting for Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope to hit the stage.  Moments later the duo appears ripping right into the title track “Riddle Box.” Midway through the song they started launching bottle after bottle of Faygo soda into the crowd! The fans go wild!

    Insane Clown PosseThings got wilder and stickier as they continued spraying Faygo and cranking out songs off of Riddlebox. Things got really crazy when the band played their famous tune “Chicken Huntin.” The fans were in for a surprise when the band tossed buckets of feathers onto the already soda soaked crowd. One of the highlights for me was getting to hear my favorite song, “Toy Box,” live for the first time. The band ended their set with “I’m Coming Home” and what can only be described as the Faygo Armageddon. They sprayed so much soda into the crowd that it looked like it was raining Faygo from the ceiling.

    Insane Clown Posse put on one hell of show this past Thursday night in Syracuse for 600 plus face painted, soda soaked die-hard fans. Make sure you get out and see this tour because this may be your only chance to see them perform the Riddlebox album in its entirety.

    I spoke with many fans throughout the night and they came from as far away as Canada, Pennsylvania and even Ohio to help ICP kick of their tour.

  • Show Review: Madame Mayhem at The Lost Horizon

    MADAME MAYHEM who is currently on tour supporting Mushroomhead and promoting her new record Now You Know, made a stop at the Syracuse famed Lost Horizon this past Monday evening for an intimate performance.  The 14 track release features an all-star powerhouse collaboration consisting of some of rock’s most talented musicians including Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), who not only produced the album but played on it as well, Ray Luzier (KoRn), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (ex-Guns N’ Roses), Russ “Satchel” Parrish (Steel Panther), and Corey Lowery (Saint Asonia, Stuck Mojo, Eye Empire).

    Madame Mayhem who is the direct support on the current Mushroomhead tour is definitely a must to check out. Mayhem and the band delivered their set with in-your-face attitude and no shortage of NYC style swagger. Their set had many notable songs including her newest single “Left For Dead,” which delivers a melodic yet intense punch to the gut. It will be hard to forget their performance of “Monster,” especially if you are a fan of bands like Lacuna Coil and Evanescence.  After a dominant 30 minute performance, one can easily say that Madame Mayhem acquired many new fans in Syracuse.

    Prior to the show I had the opportunity to sit down with Madame Mayhem. Despite the terrifying spiked gloves she had on, she was very laid back and easy to talk to. It was a pleasure chatting with her about the video for “Left For dead”, her musical influences and what she likes most about touring.

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  • Twiztid Juggalo Invasion 2016 Tour Lights Up Magic City Music Hall

    This past Friday the city of Binghamton was paid a visit by Detroit Michigan’s dark and demented duo Twiztid. Twiztid, who is currently out on the road on their Juggalo Invasion Tour in support of their newest release Mutant Remixed & Remastered brought with them a very impressive lineup consisting of  Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Boondox, The R.O.C., Lex the Hex Master, and Davey Suicide.

    TwiztidThe show kicked off with opening acts The Real Chaos, Insane E, Ajax and Trilogy. I have to admit given the number of openers and the limited amount of time each were allotted to perform, they all delivered very energetic and intense sets and did a fantastic job of getting the audience warmed up for a very powerful night of music and mayhem.

    If these acts didn’t get the crowd warmed up enough, the next round of artists kicked things into overdrive. Artists Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Boondox, Lex the Hex Master and The R.O.C. delivered nothing but excitement, skill and precision to their fans that evening. Fans danced, moshed and sang along with the artists! When it comes to gritty, sleazy full on metal you should check out UnHolywood, Killafornia’s very own Davey Suicide! One may think metal does not fit into this mix but Davey and the band are comparably dark and sinister and even won over some new fans!

    Now for the main act! The artist everyone was waiting for, Twiztid.  The fog rolls onto the stage amid the eerie low glowing green lights, the intro is cued and the demented duo creeps onto the stage. The fans go crazy as Twiztid tears up the stage with their back up band The Wickedness! Yes, they did something they have not done in a long time they used a live band to help them take things to a whole new level for their fans. Twiztid played a nice selection of tracks from their immense catalog. With Wickedness as back up, they were able to put different spins on their songs. They cranked out such hits as “Die Motherfucker Die” and the loudest version of “We Don’t Die” I have ever heard! Madrox and Monoxide are true masters of their art!

    The show was incredible and intense from the beginning right up to the end leaving fans wanting more.

    Prior to the show I had the opportunity to chat with Blaze Ya Dead Homie.  Blaze is a very welcoming and down to earth guy despite his hulking and terrifying appearance. We talked about his new album “Casket Factory,” artists who inspire him and horror movies. Hope you enjoy the interview!

  • John 5 and The Creatures Terrorize Syracuse’s Westcott Theater

    There was no shortage of excitement this past Friday in Syracuse; The Syracuse University Men’s basketball team crushed the Dayton Flyers in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, the SU women’s basketball team dominated Army West Point for a huge win and nestled in the culturally diverse Westcott Street neighborhood, the Westcott Theater hosted the infamous and incredibly talented guitar legend, John 5! John is on his current headlining solo instrumental tour.
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    It was an awesome sight to see so many music fans in attendance. To say that this was just a night of instrumental music would be understating it. I would describe it as an artistic live performance of a horror movie set to an intricate, perfectly designed musical score.

    John lurked out onto the stage with his fine-tuned band, The Creatures, and from the moment the first notes hit the air, they tore up the stage with selections from the most recent album “Careful with That Axe” along with some surprises from earlier albums.

    For those who recognize John 5 as Rob Zombie’s current guitarist and as a horror aficionado, it was probably not shocking that the band paid a little tribute to the horror genre.  John and company played a very kooky and cool version of the classic “Munsters Theme.” During their rendition, a macabre looking skeleton tossed out guitar picks. The audience was definitely getting into the whole vibe.

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    I have to say what truly amazes me, and I think I have said this before, is how John’s guitar playing is incredibly diverse! From tearing through intense solos, to a very laid back, warm country sound and a revved up killer version of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”  I can’t wrap my head around the precision in his delivery and his ability to make it look effortless.

    Some of the song highlights of the evening included: “This is my Rifle”, “Mad Monster Party”, “Black Grass Plague” and a medley that pays homage to classic rock and metal music icons!

    After the smoke cleared and final notes faded away, John 5 and the Creatures took a moment to express their thanks and appreciation to those who attended. If you didn’t get the chance to experience John 5 and the Creatures on this tour, you definitely missed an incredible experience musical experience.

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  • Interview: Twiztid Juggalo Invasion Tour To Play Magic City Music Hall 4/22

    Twiztid, the hip hop horrorcore duo, from Detroit, MI is composed of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child, the alter egos of Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric. These two have been touring and recording nonstop for over twenty years and show no signs of slowing down.  The weekend of April 22 will be no exception as these two bring their Juggalo Invasion 420 Weekend Tour to Binghamton’s Magic City Music Hall.

    TwiztidNYS Music had the opportunity to chat with Jamie Madrox about the upcoming show. We discussed the band’s current and upcoming endeavors and what fans can expect from this tour. Jamie is always a fun and interesting person to chat with. He is passionate about horror movies and collecting horror related items and memorabilia, making for a great interview with writer Chris Besaw

    I hope you enjoy the interview. I sure did!

    Twiztid’s Juggalo Invasion 420 Weekend features Twiztid and the Wickedness,  Blaze ya Dead Homie, Boondox, Lex The Hex Master, R.O.C. and Davey Suicide. Held April 22 at Magic City Music Hall, doors open at 7pm, with tickets $20 in advance or $25 day of show. Ages 16+

  • Bryan McPherson and Friends at Gorham Brothers Music

    There’s no better way to round out the holidays then with a good live music show. I was lucky enough to spend my evening on Tuesday December 29th at Gorham Brothers music in Syracuse listening to Bryan McPherson and three amazing musicians.

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    Syracuse local, Dave Mallon, started out the evening with his witty blend of folk story telling. Despite battling a cold, Dave maintained his humor during his set and delivered an engaging performance. Up next was the Mighty Judge Gazza. Gazza generates a sound like no other in part due to that fact that he designs his own guitars from cigar boxes. You would be amazed by the sound he can produce from these guitars and they look awesome! He has a deep growly voice that is perfect for making you feel the blues or for rocking out.

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    Headliner Bryan McPherson made his second appearance at Gorham Brothers. A native of Dorchester Massachusetts, Bryan is making his way up the East Coast and into Canada before heading back West on the current leg of his tour. Bryan keeps busy. In addition to a hectic tour schedule, he recently released a video for “Born on a Highway” off his latest album Wedgewood. Check it out here.

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    Bryan played a very powerful yet melancholy set. He always pours his heart and soul into his performances; he engages the audience with sometimes serious but often outrageous story telling in between songs and occasionally abandons the microphone to walk through the crowd. One of my favorite highlights from the evening was his cover that he stated he had been “working on for the last ten years” of the legendary Townes Van Zandt’s, “Poncho and Lefty.” Other highlights included “Poor Boy,” an incredibly moving version of “Bullets and Blues,” and of course one of my all-time favorites “Dangerous Friends.” The evening ended with Bryan and several friends heading to local restaurant Beer Belly Deli where Bryan would try salt potatoes for the first time. If you haven’t listened to Bryan McPherson, I urge you to check out his music.