The Ritualists announced their album release party for their sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding taking place in NYC. The release party will take place on December 3, 2021 at 6:30PM at the Berlin venue in NYC.
The Ritualist are a NYC based band that had their debut album drop back in 2019 titled, Painted People. The band is lead by Lead vocalist/songwriter Christian Dryden who is massively influenced by the scene of the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the 80’s. The band has an alt-rock and post-punk sound that plays off of 19th Century Romance poetry and musical arrangements.
https://youtu.be/MJ5kH4BJy0E
The band’s sophomore album Baroque & Bleeding dropped it’s title track “Baroque & Bleeding” on July 10, 2021 and it takes the best elements of Acid Rock, Brit-Pop and Electronica and serves it with a dash of ‘90s cynicism. The album was produced by Ed Buller who is known for his work on Pulp, White Lies, Suede.
The album release show took place on Friday, December 3, 2021at Berlin located at 25 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009. The show is a 21+ event and is being promoted as, “A night of rock-n-roll in the heart of the East Village.” The show is being supported by NY based Deep Sea Peach Tree and Chicago Based North by North. Ticket can be purchased for $11 here.
For more information on The Ritualists and their upcoming album Baroque & Bleeding visit their website.
On November 6th, Sharkeys Bar and Grill in Liverpool hosted Gemini Syndrome on their tour with support from Otvtlier and Pushing Veronica, there was supposed to be another band called Them Damn Kings but unfortunately they had to back out. If you’ve never been to Sharkey’s, it’s a unique venue as the stage is separate from the bar and restaurant, which thrives in the summertime but the owner has adapted it to be used year round.
The opening act, Pushing Veronica started off the night with lots of energy and got the crowd moving. Ovtlier was the next band up and took the show up a notch with their performance, and stage presence; they are a truly unique band with a hybrid sound, also, a couple of the members are native to the state.
gemini syndromeOvtlier
After having thrilling performances from the other acts, it was time for Gemini Syndrome to take the stage. Gemini Syndrome was formed back in 2010 in Los Angeles, California and has toured with Fiver Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Avatar, and many more. Just like the other bands, Gemini Syndrome has a unique sound. After the show, they stuck around greeting fans and signing things.
Even though the night was cold, you didn’t feel it between the heat from the heaters, and heat that the bands brought. Would definitely would check out Sharkeys Bar and Grill to see their upcoming lineup of shows.
On Thursday, October 28th, Montage Music Hall in Rochester was host to a pretty wild show. If you like most pits, thrashing around, and some heavy metal, this was a show to see. This lineup was stacked all the way from the bottom with the locals and the headliners, Bodysnatcher.
The lineup started with two Rochester locals, Deadbeat, and White Tides, followed by Left to Suffer from Atlanta, Georgia, Mouth Of War from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Boundaries from Hartford, Connecticut, and the main act, Bodysnatcher from Melbourne, Florida. The montage is known for bringing some great shows with many different types of acts, this lineup was for the metalheads and Rochester turned up.
Bodysnatcher is no stranger to this venue as they had played back in 2019 and had a great turn out then as well. One band that really brought the energy was the front man Mouth Of War, it was hard to keep an eye on him as he moved about jumping and thrashing as if he was in the pit himself. It would not be a metal show without mosh pits and throughout there was plenty which unfortunately lead to someone getting hit but it was minor and they carried on. Though this show is done and gone, there are plenty more lined up for the Montage and I would recommend checking out what they have in store!
Grammy-nominated metal band Gojira brought their fall U.S. headlining tour to the Main Street Armory in Rochester. The tour featuring special guests Alien Weaponry and Knocked Loose is in support of the bands most recent album release Fortitude
Alien Weaponry, the first band of the evening is a three piece “Te Reo” metal band hailing from Waipu, New Zealand and formed in Auckland in 2010 consisting of brothers Henry and Lewis de Jong, as well as Turanga Morgan-Edmonds. With a dark stage and subtle green lighting, the band takes the stage as a steady drum beat blasts through the armory with a giant Alien Weaponry banner draped behind them. The trio waste no time getting into their first song “Titokowaru,” which immediately shows the bands thrash metal roots.
Alien Weaponry performs many of their songs in the Māori language, which helps separate them from the many other bands in the genre. Each song they perform feels like a breath of fresh air, and is foreshadowing of many great things to come for this band. While only having a 6 song set list, Alien Weaponry gave a fantastic opening performance, and fit very well on the bill with Gojira. The only thing that would of made this set better is if they simply had more time, and were not the openers in my opinion.
Knocked Loose, the second act on the bill which is American hardcore punk based out of Kentucky didn’t quite hit the nail like Alien Weaponry did. The band performed 10 songs in total, with each one of them seeming like the entire song was a breakdown. While I respect the band as musicians, it just didn’t seem to fit right with this lineup. Performing songs “Where Light Divides the Holler,” “Oblivion’s Peak,” “Guided by the Moon,” and “Mistakes Like Fractures” certainly had the mosh pit moving.
After Knocked Loose finished their set, a drape covers the stage with symbols from Gojira’s Fortitude album while a blended mix of the song “Fortitude” plays subtle in the background. The anticipation alone with a countdown had the crowd already getting ready to be rocked by one of the best metal bands currently touring.
As the countdown hit 0, the band goes right into “Born For One Thing” and the drape drops sending the crowd into a frenzy. Unlike Gojira’s past US tours where they had little production, this tour set the bar high. With Co2 canisters, lasers, fog, and overhead strobes this was Gojira at their best. Some bands almost need the extra production to kind of help carry them, though with Gojira it’s more like icing on a cake. This was absolutely amazing and beautiful to witness with the pure power of their music, as well as the crowd singing along.
Going from Born for One Thing > Backbone > Stranded > Flying Whales was one of the best possible openings for a Gojira show. Each one of these songs are super popular among fans, and extremely heavy hitting. One highlight from their 16 song set were during “Flying Whales” when fans “release whales back into the wild” by launching inflatable whales into the crowd. Overall Gojia’s setlist was extremely well rounded, with roughly half the song being new material and the other half a good mix from their previous albums.
Closing out their set with L’enfant sauvage, the crowd screaming “Gojira” over and over almost demanding them come back, which they obviously do for an amazing 4 song encore. Starting the encore off with “Amazonia” off their latest album sent the crowd into a roar again. Leading then into “Toxic Garbage Island” followed by “The Chant” before finishing off with fan favorite “Vacuity” was the perfect choice of songs for an encore.
Gojira put on one of the best metal shows I have seen, and they show no signs of slowing down. Overall this tour is incredible and is definitely worth seeing if you have the opportunity to do so.
Setlist: Born for One thing > Backbone > Stranded > Flying Whales > The Cell > Love/Remembrance > Hold On > Grind > Silvera > Sphinx > Another World > L’enfant sauvage
Encore: Amazonia > Toxic Garbage Island > The Chant > Vacuity
Wavves played a killer set for hardcore fans last week (Sunday October 24, 2021) at Bowery Ballroom with support from 95 Bulls and Harmless. A crowded venue moshed, screamed, and raged as each band increased the frenetic energy in the room.
95 Bulls opened up the show with a selection of hard-hitting rock/metal bangers. Having formed during summer 2020 in lockdown, you would never have known the band was so new. The five band members all come from their own bands (Ashjesus, The Mystery Lights, Smock, Bipolar, and Jelly Kelly), so it’s no wonder that they were able to perform with such obvious chemisty. Their debut album is scheduled for release later this year. You can listen to their catalog here.
95 Bulls at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann
Next up, Harmless brought a more soulful and mellow atmosphere to their performance. Between songs, the lead singer Nacho Cano helped return a few lost phones back to their owners, each time to big applause and laughter. The drummer drenched himself with his water bottle onstage to the pleased cheers of the crowd. Their latest single “Nacho’s” is available on streaming services now.
Harmless at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann
Wavves took the stage to an already-wild audience, practically chomping at the bit to hear them begin their set. They wasted no time at all playing hit after hit from their catalog, including a few tracks from their newest album, “Hideaway.” In the middle of their set, lead singer Nathan Williams invited the crowd to open the center of the dance floor briefly to allow for a mosh pit. By the end of the night everyone including the band was wearing a thick sheen of sweat and a wide smile. You can listen to Wavves’ latest record here and follow their continuing North American tour here.
Syracuse is a host to a bunch of local venues, one in particular, The Lost Horizon which was established in 1976 was host to The Black Dahlia Murder “Up From The Sewer” tour but they were not alone. The tour was also accompanied by After The Burial, Carnifax, Rivers Of Nihl, and Undeath.
All bands on this tour have been traveling together, so there weren’t any local acts but one band is a familiar sight to many, Undeath is actually a Rochester native. The Lost Horizon may not be a big venue when compared to others but many came out to the show and many circle pits were made. Head over to their site and check out the upcoming shows.
The fall concert series at The Dock in Ithaca is in full “Rocktober” mode. Kevin Black presented the AC/DC tribute band Bonfire on Friday, October 15, with a very fitting “Back In Black” vibe had by the all-ages crowd. What’s more fun than a band dressing up as a musical costume during a month of Halloween celebrations? Bonfire’s ensemble is a full attraction to casinos and festivals that fit nicely on The Dock’s stage.
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
Lead guitarist Donnie “Angus” Bottacio felt at home on the Cayuga Lake inlet venue. He is an audio-video specialist at Cornell University. This would explain the high quality production and sound levels the band put out at the Dock on Friday. Donnie made his way through the crowd while simultaneously shredding the red signature Gibson axe to make sure everyone could hear the Marshall amps like AC/DC did. Bottacio told Kat Walters on the I 100 radio station, “I do the riffs as close as humanly possible to Angus, I can’t be Angus but I try my best to celebrate his music with all the love the crowd has to come out and enjoy it.”
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
The infamous “Hell’s Bells” opened the show in a chilling fashion. They covered all eras of AC/DC’s catalog. The five-piece band crushed 30 songs in full character. The same bagpipes from AC/DC’s studio sound were brought to life on the Dock stage by Mexico, NY’s Kevin Dano. It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
The group’s name is attributed to the variety in AC/DC’s 1997 five CD bag set release “Bonfire”. Lead singer Steve Seniuk helped cover the Bon Scott and Brian Johnson era of AC/DC with the same bravado. Bassist Mike Del Olio and Drummer Tom Reeder were locked in like TNT Dynamite for the set. Guitarist Kenny Romer rocked an inferno-like tempo on the Dock stage for the entire performance. The audience and band came to full speed during the October classic “Highway to Hell.” Goin Down, Party time, my friends are gonna be there too, yeah, hey mama look at me…I’m on my way to the promised land… I’m on a highway to hell!
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
On October 5, 1980 AC/DC came to Central New York’s Onondaga County War Memorial as part of their Back In Black Tour. The same spirit made its way through the Dock on Friday as part of “Rocktober” 2021. Kevin Black presents similar musical costumes the rest of this month with tributes to Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, and naturally, Black Sabbath. For all other upcoming events at The Dock click here.
“Bonfire” AC/DC Tribute – The Dock, Ithaca, NY – October 15 2021 Setlist: Hell’s Bells, Shoot to Thrill, Dog a Bone, Dirty Deeds, Girls got Rhythm, Get it Hot, If You Want Blood, Money Talks, Sin City, Jailbreak, Demon Fire, Pollution, Long Way (with bag pipes), Thunderstruck, Back in Black, Shook Me, Have a Drink, Money Honey, Shake a Leg, TNT, Rosie, Bad Boy Boogie, The Jack, Big Balls, Highway to Hell, For Those About to Rock, Let There be Rock Encore: Night Prowler, Walk All Over You, High Voltage
Henry Rollins has lived many lives to say the least. His “Good To See You” 2022 Tour will recount the events of his life in the brief pre-COVID-19 period since the last tour as well as the reality of living through a pandemic. It’s been an interesting time to say the least and he’s got some great stories to tell.
Lived many lives is completely an understatement. You may have seen his face in perhaps his own show, The Henry Rollins show which aired in 2006-2007. Or maybe his featuring on shows like Portlandia, Dreamland, or Sons of Anarchy. Or maybe you’ve heard him on TV shows like American Dad, Legend of Korra, or Adventure. Or maybe you heard his music from Black Flag or Rollins Band. It’s also possible you’ve read one of his many books that won a GRAMMY or heard his spoken word. Whatever the case may be, Henry is a well versed man.
Punk Rock icon. Spoken word poet. Actor. DJ. Is there anything this guy can’t do?
Entertainment Weekly
Rollins likes to keep his schedule packed. Perhaps this is how his autobiography won a GRAMMY because he’s just all around an interesting guy. On top of a relentless schedule full of work, with gigs as an actor, author, DJ, voice-over artist and TV show host he likes to travel too. After touring the globe with Rollins Band and Black Flag, he’s traveled alone to places such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Siberia, North Korea, South Sudan and Iran.
Henry Rollins 2022 World Tour Dates
1/9/22 Berlin, DE Huxleys Neue Welt 8:00 PM BUY TICKETS
1/10/22 Hamburg, DE Friedrich-Ebert-Halle 8:00 PM BUY TICKETS
1/11/22 Copenhagen, DK Studie 2, DR House 8:00 PM BUY TICKETS
1/12/22 Stockholm, SE Gota Lejon 7:30 PM BUY TICKETS
1/13/22 Oslo, NO Kulturkirken Jakob 8:00 PM BUY TICKETS
1/15/22 Helsinki, FI Kultuuritalo 7:00 PM BUY TICKETS
On Sunday, October 10th, HR (who is best known as the frontman for the iconic punk band Bad Brains) performed at The Kingsland in Brooklyn. Opening acts included local punk bands Aliens and Public Nature.
Bad Brains formed in Washington D.C. in 1977. They are regarded as the pioneers of harcore punk although the bands members have objected to the term to describe their music. They also feature elements of other genres of music like reggae, funk, heavy metal, hip hop and soul. The band has had several members over the years, but the classic line up includes singer HR, guitarist Dr Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer and drummer Earl Hudson.
In more recent years, HR’s performances have become more mellow focusing on primarily reggae and rasta. His current backing band includes guitarist Ezekiel Zagar, bassist jfreshi and drummer Adam Williams. HR’s distinct voice still sounded the same as he performed songs from his solo career as well as some new ones that will be featured on his new album coming soon.
Public Nature opened the show on Sunday night. The band consists of lead singer/guitarist and founder Oscar Canas, bass player Robbie Harrison and drummer Scott Lehman. They sounded terrific as they ripped through songs from their catalogue such as “Old Bus”, “My Friend”, “Find My Baby” and “Summer Rain.” The band has a very Nirvana esque sound with heavy rips and melodic melodies. Oscar came to New York via MedellÃn, Colombia in 2014 with songs he had written over the years and released his first single under the band name Tender Beats. You can check out more of his music here.
Next was New York hardcore punk band Aliens. The band consists of frontman Blake Sandberg on guitar/vocals, Kevin Jones on bass and Miguel Vela on drums. They also put on a tremendous performance with songs from their inventory such as “Committed to Wind”, “Neversleep”, “Reflex Motor” and “The In Side. This band has played historic NYC venues such as CBGB, The Knitting Factory, Bowery Electric and has toured the US. Blake has also recorded with Hunt Sales (Iggy Pop/David Bowie) and The Rammellzee. You can find Alien’s music here.
Setlists:
Public Nature: Old Bus, My Friend, Play Love, Elephant Man, Find My Baby, Every Day Saturday, Summer Rain, Sentimental, Boo, She Said, Hey You
Aliens: Committed to Wind, Moving Parts, Neversleep, Shape Shifter, Guinea Pig, Enjoy Killing Time, Stow Away, Reflex Motor, Leave Luck To Heaven, Storage Space, Watch and Learn, The In Side
HR: Psalm 100, Easy, Attitude, Everything You Do, Peace and Love II, Let Luv Lead the Way, Married Again, Mighty Comforter, Sovereignty Prayer, I And I Survive, I Luv I Jah, Shame In Dem Game, Rasta
Rochester is home to some long standing music venues, one in particular is Montage Music Hall. This venue has seen many acts from locals to national artists ever since it opened its doors many years ago, it has been host to bands such as Tantric, All That Remains, Clutch, and many other big names. On October 5th, Montage Music Hall hosted Attila on their “Day Drinking Tour,” along with Jynx and with local support from Destroy//Create, and Perspectives. The show had a great turnout and energy throughout the night, especially for the show being on a weekday. Head over to the Montage Music Halls site to find out what shows are next.
