Winding down their 14-date tour of North America, in support of their fourth album Crawler (Partisan Records) released in November 2021, avant-garde punk rockers IDLES from Bristol, England made a stop at the majestic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, this past Thursday night, September 15. Unable to tour for their previous studio album (2020’s Ultra Mono) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IDLES brought with them plenty of new material to offer its steadily growing legion of fans, present company included.
Joe Talbot of IDLES | Photo by Michael Dinger
Arriving more than an hour before the 7:00 pm doors on a chilly September late afternoon, a signal that autumn would soon be upon us, excited concertgoers were spotted congregating on nearby sidewalks, hastily exiting their Ubers beneath the grand marquee or frequenting the nearby bar that doubles as a tattoo parlor. As patrons filed past the security check point, many had a sheer expression of awe on their face as they witnessed the theater’s ornate, French Baroque style for the first time. The nearly 3,700 seat venue had been restored to its vintage condition and reopened to the public in January 2015, including the ornamental 50,000 square foot ceiling, along with the glazed and gilded walls paneled in American walnut.
Kings Theatre marquee | Photo by Michael DingerKings Theatre ceiling | Photo by Michael Dinger
Approximately 15 minutes before the night’s opening act would take the stage, IDLES fans continued to pack the lobby. Many of which checked out the merch table, grabbed a drink from the array of bars strategically placed on all levels or snapped a cell phone picture of the historic venue’s centerpiece, the console of a “Wonder Morton” pipe organ that was installed in the original Loew’s New York City movie theaters.
Kings Theatre pipe organ | Photo by Michael Dinger
An American hip hop group formed in Tempe, Arizona in 2013, Injury Reserve are rapper Ritchie With a T and producer Parker Corey. However, the current duo was once a trio, until the sudden death of friend and founding member Stepa J. Groggs on June 29, 2020, at only 32 years of age. Having already supported Black Midi on a tour of the West Coast earlier this year, Injury Reserve’s musical genre is best described as experimental, or abstract hip hop – think beat machines with endless cords.
Albeit for blinding flashes of strobe lights, Injury Reserve performed in near darkness, with their figures appearing in silhouette, or barely discernible at all. Notwithstanding, as the steadily increasing crowd took their seats or joined the general admission floor, they cheered and applauded loudly at every opportunity. Ritchie With a T and Corey would perform ten songs over the course of nearly 45-minutes, all taken from their second studio release By the Time I Get to Phoenix, self-released nearly one year ago. The only song not played from the album was the third track titled “SS San Francisco.”
Injury Reserve | Photo by Michael DingerInjury Reserve | Photo by Michael Dinger
After a 30-minute turnover of the stage by IDLES’ crew, the quintet comprised of Joe Talbot (vocals), Mark Bowen (guitar), Lee Kiernan (guitar), Adam Devonshire (bass) and Jon Beavis (drums) unassumingly appeared in the dark shadows a few ticks past 9:00 pm. With its cinematically suspenseful introduction and a perfect number for opening the show, the first of IDLES’s 18-song set was “Colossus,” from 2018’s Joy as an Act of Resistance, which would also find Kiernan tip toeing along the narrow barricade in front of the stage apron. With one foot perched up on his monitor, prior to launching into the evening’s second offering “Car Crash” (Crawler), about Talbot’s real-life experience in a near-fatal accident, he instructed the entire floor audience do split apart, forming a no man’s land down the middle. Then, on his command, each side came crashing back into one another (like a car crash) in a fevered, giant mosh pit like I have never seen before.
Lee Kiernan of IDLES | Photo by Michael DingerIDLES | Photo by Michael Dinger
For the remainder of their 90-minute set, sweaty, beer-covered bodies would often sway in unison as IDLES filled the entirety of Kings Theatre with a raw emotion that emanated from songs across their ever-growing discography, including the rallying cry of “Grounds” (Ultra Mono), the cathartic “Mother” (Brutalism, 2017), “The Beachland Ballroom” (Crawler) about the iconic Cleveland venue, the violent vigor of “Never Fight a Man With a Perm” (Joy as an Act of Resistance) and the grittiness of “Crawl!” (Crawler). Oftentimes, when Talbot was not prowling the stage in concentric circles or jogging in place, he could be seen engaging with his fans directly by looking straight into their eyes, as if he were singing to them only. I was also fortunate enough to catch his gaze on more than one occasion.
Lee Kiernan & Adam Devonshire of IDLES | Photo by Michael DingerMark Bowen of IDLES | Photo by Michael Dinger
There were too many highlights in the IDLES set to count, and all five members were in prime form. But the moment that seemed to electrify the fans the most was not when Kiernan stood atop the crowd’s shoulders hugging a pink cowboy hatted fan, but when Bowen climbed his own way into the crowd, microphone in hand, as he led the frenzied crowd through the bridge section of the anthemic “Danny Nedelko” (Joy as an Act of Resistance).
Despite being a self-described “angry band” from the U.K., IDLES have built a really loving community amongst their fans. People constantly look out for out for each other, and tonight’s show was no exception. The final concert of IDLES’ “Back To Normal Tour,” before trekking to New Zealand and Australia in late-October, will be at the Sea.Hear.Now festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey on September 18.
Injury Reserve Setlist: Outside > Superman That > Footwork in a Forest Fire > Ground Zero > Smoke Don’t Clear > Top Picks for You > Wild Wild West > Postpostpartum > Knees > Bye Storm
IDLES Setlist: Colossus > Car Crash > Mr. Motivator > Grounds > Mother > Divide and Conquer > The Beachland Ballroom > Never Fight a Man With a Perm > Crawl! > 1049 Gotho > The Wheel > Television > A Hymn > War > Wizz > I’m Scum > Danny Nedelko > Rottweiler
Freddie Gibbs hosted a pre-album listening party for his upcoming album “$oul $old $eparately” (SSS). The album is set to release on September 30th. The party occurred on Wednesday, September 14th, at 383 W Broadway in SoHo. His label, Warner Records, stated that this is “Freddie’s first major label album debut and is based on the refusal to compromise his morals or integrity under the pressures of the industry.”
Freddie Gibbs at his “$oul $old $eparately” Album Listening Party. Photo By: Lucas Kurzweil
Freddie Gibbs hails from Gary, Indiana, was initially signed to Interscope Records in 2006, but would not release his first album until signing with Young Jeezy’s CTE World where he released mixtapes through the label, including Baby Face Killa (2012).
Freddie released “Too Much” featuring Moneybagg Yo in advance of his casino-themed album. The track features cutting flows that have become Gibbs’ token sound. Freddie’s last album, “Alfredo,” (made in collaboration with California producer the Alchemist) was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards. “Alfredo” featured Rick Ross, who will make another appearance on SSS. Other features on the new album will include Anderson .Paak, Offset, and Pusha T. Merchandise for the release is out for pre-order on Kanecomics.shop.
Guapdad 4000 at the “$oul $old $eparately” Album Listening Party.Ben Lambert, Thefitmamii, and Freddie Gibbs at the “$oul $old $eparately” Album Listening Party.
There will be dancing in the aisles once again as the Grateful Dead return to cinemas worldwide for the 2022 Meet-Up At The Movies, celebrating the 50th anniversary of a notable Europe ’72 show.
All year the Grateful Dead and Deadheads have celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Europe ‘72, and Meet up at the Movies brings the previously unreleased Tivoli Concert Hall performance from April 17, 1972 to the big screen on Tuesday, November 1st with additional screenings across the U.S., Canada, and select territories on Saturday, November 5th.
This ground-breaking concert broadcast event was the Dead’s first major live concert broadcast, and a first in Danish television history. Fully restored and color corrected in High Definition with audio mixed from the 16-track analog master tapes by Jeffrey Norman and mastered by David Glasser, Tivoli 4/17/72 features nearly an hour and a half of the Grateful Dead at a peak of their performing career.
The show’s many highlights include an overview of the Dead’s 1972 touring repertoire, including magnificent versions of “China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider,” “Big Railroad Blues,” “Truckin’,” and many more of the Dead’s classics, as well as the first live performance of “He’s Gone,” and other new songs including “Ramble on Rose,“ “Jack Straw, “ and “One More Saturday Night.” Pigpen, on what would prove to be his last tour with the Grateful Dead, is well-represented by three songs, including the broadcast’s opening number, “Hurts Me Too.”
After a 2 year hiatus due to COVID, Afropunk made its return home to Brooklyn at Commodore Barry Park. The long-awaited festival took place the weekend of Sept. 10-11 and featured headliners The Roots and Burna Boy. Keeping up with the times, the entire festival was live-streamed on Twitch for the entire weekend.
Ebonee Davis at Afropunk 2022
The festival originated in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2005. It was a free festival aimed at making a safe space for young black punks to be properly represented. As the festival grew bigger, the focus shifted from youth interested in punk to a wider array of music genres to grow a bigger audience. Today Afropunk is more than just a music festival. It is considered a celebration of black culture and art.
There is a common stigma that black culture is monolithic. It is often that black artists who do not make traditional rap or R&B are still categorized in these genres or they may not even get a chance to have work played on mainstream radio. Afropunk offers the opportunity for artists who do not fit the norm to have a platform to display their work for what it is to members of their own community.
But Afropunk is more than just music. When you entered the gates, you walked right into markets set up on either side of the park. Both markets featured local art, fashion, and beauty services, mostly from black-owned businesses. There were also food vendors that offered many vegan and vegetarian options to accommodate all types of diets. There were 2 stages; the red stage was set up in the corner of the park, and the green stage was towards the back of the park. Behind the green stage, in a separate part of the park, featured what was called a “Wellness Village.” Services such as massages, yoga, meditation sessions, and djembe drum lessons were offered to festival goers.
A Hot Start for a Highly Anticipated Return
Saturday started off hot, but the outfits were even hotter. Going with the theme of Afro-centrism, fans came in stunting with their best Afro-centric inspired outfits. Many were homemade or altered articles of clothing that made every look unique. Fans traveled from all over the country to experience the festival.
The Red Stage featured a fashion show from Lavntg and an energetic performance from Rodney Chrome. Rodney Chrome had his mother in attendance and gave her a shout-out while performing. Chrome discussed with fans his struggles growing up as LGBTQ in Little Rock, AR.
Freedie Gibbs at Afropunk 2022
The Red Stage was headlined by Freedie Gibbs who started his set about an hour late. With the ongoing tension between police and the black community, he had fans release that frustration by screaming “f-ck the police.” Gibbs’ DJ also played memes from Dr. Umar during the set that helped to break the tension from the crowd.
Doechii Lives up to the Hype
Bodies were moving all day on the Green Stage. Doechii delivered a highly anticipated and widely energetic performance. As part of this year’s XXL Freshman class, Doechii has a lot to live up to as one of this year’s up-and-coming rappers.
Doechii at Afropunk 2022
There was no moment when Doechii was not moving during her performance. Her set started out by cleansing the stage of bad energy by burning sage. Only good vibes were shared from there on out between Doechii and her beloved fans. She evokes confidence from her fans and her audience. It was undeniable that Doechii and her dancers had full control of the crowd for those 45 minutes she was up there.
Her alternative rap style fused with a well-choreographed dance sequence made her one of the more memorable artists that took the stage on Saturday. Doechii also did take a moment to pay tribute to her mother by bringing her on stage. Doechii would come back later to perform a song with Isaiah Rashaad during his performance.
The Roots Solidify a Strong End to Day 1
The Roots closed out Saturday on the Green stage with an exhilarating performance. They played for at least an hour and a half and took no breaks. The band moved very fluently together and had smooth transitions between songs that made it feel as though you were listening to one song the whole time. The band’s unique rap style infused with jazz had the crowd grooving for the rest of the night.
The Roots lead vocalists, Black Thought, performing at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022The roots drummer, Quest Love, performing at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022
Sunday was wet and muddy as it rained all day. The drastic weather change from the previous day did not stop people from showing up in droves. The theme shifted from mostly rap and R&B artists to alternative rock, rage rap, and afrobeat. On display were alternative forms of Afro-centric music that typically wouldn’t be heard on mainstream radio.
Kaleta and Super Yamba Band bring Afro-funk to Afropunk
The band centered around Afrobeat brought a little more than that to the Afropunk stage. Drawing inspiration from small bands in Nigeria and Ghana to large American music pioneers such as Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and The Who, the band offered listeners a unique version of Afrobeat all sung in the native language of Benin. Listening to their music, references to Afrofunk, American funk, and jazz could be heard.
Kaleta and Super Yamba Band at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022
Kaleta has studied behind the pioneer behind Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, and toured with him throughout the 80s and 90s before coming over to America. In Brooklyn was where Kaleta united with the Super Yamba band. They released their debut album, Mèdaho, in 2019. They were playing their album across America and soon were going to start a European tour before the pandemic canceled everyone’s plans. They were not able to play together for 15 months.
Sean Smith of the Yamba Band performing at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022
Though Afropunk was not their first time playing together since quarantine, it was special playing on such a big stage in the place where they got their start. With such a unique blend of styles of music, Yamba Band Drummer, Daniel Yount, described their set as “bringing the Afrofunk to Afropunk.” From the James Brown-like grunts to the psychedelic guitar, to the Afrobeat of the drums, it is hard to really just put this band in just one category.
They have a tour coming up starting in October that kicks off in Pittsboro, NC.
Ambré Brings Light to a Dark Day
The Grammy awarding winning artist Ambré took the Red stage on Sunday and showed the crowd that there was still fun to be had despite the rainy day. The New Orleans Native described her performance at Afropunk “as one of the best shows I’ve ever done.”
“The energy in the crowd was amazing. Everyone still had fun despite the rain.”
Ambré
While on stage Ambré brought out her entourage who sprayed bubbles all over the stage. Her light and airy voice coupled with the bubbles floating around the stage lifted the spirits of her fans who probably were not expecting to be drenched all day. Ambré energy and charisma faired well in getting her fans to sing “I’m Baby” with her.
Ambré at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022
Ambré has a pretty impressive track record thus far in her career. Not only does she have a Grammy, but has had the chance to work with other artists including Khelani, 6LACK, and H.E.R. She continues to grow and learns from every show she does, offering something different at every show she performs. Ambré plans to release more music soon and put together her own tour.
Fans Hold their Breath Before the End of Afropunk
Afropunk closed out with headliner Burna Boy. He showed up half an hour late to his set, but fans waited patiently and anxiously in the rain for his performance. There was no announcement about him running late, but instead, his absence was filled by a word from Afropunk’s founder.
Burna Boy did not disappoint as the crowd sang “Last Last” with him in the pouring rain. He played for about 10 mins past the scheduled set time. With the way the crowd was singing, it felt as if you were walking into a summertime block party.
Afropunk’s long-awaited homecoming was worth the wait. It was built on the idea of highlighting artists who may not fit the norm for black music. This year continued the tradition of not only giving musical artists a platform but all kinds of black artists a chance to display to their community that black culture is not monolithic. Afropunk’s next installment moves to Bahia, Brasil for the weekend of Nov. 26 and 27.
Adekunle Gold at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Ambré at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Ambré at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Bartees Strange at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022BbyMutha at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Doechii at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Doechii at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Doechii at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Earl Sweatshirt at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Freedie Gibbs at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Isaiah Rashad at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Jany Green at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Lavntg Fashion Show at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Ebonee Davis at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Kah Lo at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Lucky Daye at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Mick Jenkins at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Pawpaw Rod at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Rodney Chrome at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022The Roots Drummer, Quest Love, at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022The Roots lead vocals, Black Thought, at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022The Roots at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Tierra Whack at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Sean Smith of the Super Yamba Band performing at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band at Afropunk Brooklyn 2022
In a dream double-bill for heavy metal fans, Lamb Of God and Killswitch Engage joined forces for their tour opener on Friday, September 9 at the Ford Amphitheater in Brooklyn. With a chill in the air signaling that the fall season is nearly upon us, the initial throng of what would be nearly 5,000 guests excitedly began to file into the covered, open air venue fronting the Atlantic Ocean at the 5:00 pm doors call. The Spanish Colonial style venue, complete with nautical-themed motifs, is a New York City designated-landmark originally constructed in 1923 that was restored to its former glory in 2016.
Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
Hailing from Richmond, Virginia and originally formed in 1994 as Burn the Priest, Lamb of God are at the forefront of the new thrash metal movement. Vocalist Randy Blythe and company will be releasing their ninth studio album Omens (Epic Records) on October 7. Described by Blythe as an “extremely pissed-off” record, it is a self-reflective piece of work regarding the fragile state of the world in which we currently reside. Omens was recorded at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California with their longtime collaborator since 2006, Josh Wilbur.
Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
Although they are not touring in support of a recent release, the last being their eighth studio album Atonement in 2019, metalcore giants Killswitch Engage are the featured special guest on all 28 dates of the current tour. Formed in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1999, Killswitch Engage’s lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D’Antonio and drummer Justin Foley.
Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage | Photo by Michael Dinger
However, prior to Killswitch Engage taking the stage in a couple more hours, the first band to warm up the crowd would be Suicide Silence, formed in 2002. With a lineup of vocalist Hernan “Eddie” Hermida, dual guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, bassist Dan Kenny and touring drummer Ernie Iniguez, the deathcore quintet established in Riverside, California performed a 7-song set showcasing varied speed changes, complex time signatures and plenty of death growls from Hermida. In early-2023, Suicide Silence will be releasing their seventh studio album, Remember… You Must Die.
Hernan Hermida of Suicide Silence | Photo by Michael Dinger
Hitting the stage promptly at 7:00 pm, Baroness followed with their own blistering, 6-song set. For the next 35-minites, these sludge metal heavy hitters from Savanna, Georgia would melt our collective minds with heavy distortion and frontman John Baizley’s harsh and abrasive vocals. Baizley is also an accomplished painter whose artwork has been incorporated into album art for Baroness, amongst many other bands. The rest of the quartet, formed in 2003, is rounded out by Nick Jost on bass, Sebastian Thomson on drums and Gina Gleason on lead guitar. Fans of Baroness will also be happy to learn that they are currently in the writing stages for their sixth studio offering.
John Baizley of Baroness | Photo by Michael Dinger
As the last remaining light of the day peaked through the openings in the venue’s massive canopy, and plenty of fans still lined up at the long merch table positioned at the top level of the amphitheater, Killswitch Engage appeared onstage shortly after 8:00 pm. Leach and his bandmates knocked it out the park on the first pitch, as they launched into “Strength of the Mind” with a ferocious intensity, an offering from their seventh studio album Incarnate (2016).
Band merchandise | Photo by Michael Dinger
Up until this point in the night, fans in attendance had been relatively subdued, but not for much longer. During 2006’s “This Is Absolution,” from their fourth studio album As Daylight Dies, Leach descended into the pit and engaged with several lucky fans in the front rows, sharing his microphone as he made his way along the rail, before climbing his way back up to the stage.
Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage and fan | Photo by Michael Dinger
The band continued to dig into the early part of their discography, giving us “Rose of Sharyn” from 2004’s The End of Heartache and “To the Sons of Man” from 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. During the remainder of the eleven songs that followed, an endless stream of crowd surfers seemed to emerge from out of nowhere – each metal head riding the wave of outstretched arms of their brethren to the front rail – where they were safely collected into the waiting arms of a security team member.
Crowd surfer | Photo by Michael Dinger
The surprise of the night was a cover of Dio’s metal classic, “Holy Driver,” released by the metal legends in 1983 as the lead single from their debut album of the same name. Killswitch Engage had originally covered the song as part of compilation for Kerrang!, the British weekly magazine. The Killswitch Engage set would end after a little more than an hour, but not without a few offerings from their most recent studio work, 2019’s Atonement, including “Unleashed,” “The Crownless King” and “Know Your Enemy.” Killswitch Engage closed their hard-hitting set with “The Signal Fire,” the recorded version of which featured guest vocals from Howard Jones, the band’s lead vocalist from 2002 to 2012 when Leach had left the band.
Killswitch Engage set | Photo by Michael Dinger
During the much-needed 30-minute break when the stage was turned over by Lamb Of God’s roadie, most of the fans dripping in sweat hastily exited the General Admission floor as they slipped by one another on their way to the restroom, grabbed a quick bite to eat (hot dogs and Bavarian-style soft pretzels were the only two options that I saw) or bought one last cold beer from the concession areas strategically placed throughout.
As the time approached 9:30 pm, the atmosphere inside Ford Amphitheater was now intense with excitement as fan chatter calmed in anticipation for headliner Lamb of God to appear. Moments later, as the instrumental anthem and introduction to their 2020 self-titled new anthem “Memento Mori” was played over the house PA, bassist John Campbell, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler and drummer Art Cruz entered stage left. As they took up their instruments, Blythe appeared in his customary stage attire – black running sneakers, long, vintage-style cargo shorts and a Cinemetal t-shirt featuring a mashup logo with a nod to the iconic German film director Werner Herzog and heavy metal titan Danzig. Blythe is also the first performer I have ever noticed wearing knee pads and ankle support braces, and in short time, I would see why. The 51-year old Blythe hardly ever stands still. If he is not pacing furiously from one end of the stage to the other, he is either getting a running start for a giant leap off the top of the drum riser (set to a backdrop of pyrotechnics explosions) or can be spotted perched atop his own center stage riser, windmilling his long dreadlocks at a dizzying speed.
Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
After breakneck executions of “Walk With Me in Hell” (Sacrament, 2006), “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” (Ashes of the Wake, 2004) and “Resurrection Man” (Lamb of God, 2020), fans were finally treated to the first of two tracks they would hear tonight from Omens, the thunder-inducing “Nevermore.” Before the thrash metal veterans would tear into “Ruin” (As the Palaces Burn, 2003), “something a little bit older” that Blythe dedicated to “anyone who’s ever been to the club CB f***ing GB,” Blythe addressed the audience at length for the first time. “What the f**k is up motherfuckers? Holy s**t. Look at all you beautiful people gathered here in one of the coolest places, Coney f***ing Island. For those of you who do not know, or for those of you who smoked too much weed on the train on your way over here and cannot remember where you are anymore, we are Lamb Of God. We came to New York together today to do one thing and one thing only, completely f**k this place up. Are you ready? Welcome to the first night of “The Omens Tour.” We got a new record coming out October 7, pick it up if you want.”
It was near the middle portion of Lamb of God’s 80-minute set when not one, but two circle pits formed the number ‘8’ a mere few rows back from the stage. It was an incredible sight to behold firsthand, from the safe confines of the periphery of course, as frenzied tornadoes of souls twirled around and collided heavily into one another, and more than occasionally, falling hard to the ground. However, in keeping with the mosh pit code of etiquette, any fallen mosher was quickly pulled up to safety by the nearest person, before rejoining one of the flowing circles of bodies yet again.
Art Cruz of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
At the conclusion of the title track from Omens, the fans were more vigorous than ever, repeatedly chanting “Lamb Of God,” “Lamb Of God,” “Lamb Of God,”” Lamb Of God,” . . . Blythe, visibly thriving on the adoration, then said “It is always a f***ing pleasure to be back here, give yourself a big round of applause. Make some noise for the other bands that have played here for you this evening, goddamnit. First up, all the way from California, make some noise for Suicide Silence. And from down our way in Georgia, give it up for Baroness. And of course, make some noise for our brothers Killswitch Engage.”
John Campbell of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
The final five songs of Lamb Of God’s set would be their best, including “512” from VII: Sturm und Drang (2015), a song about Blythe’s self-proclaimed “extended European vacation that [he] took a while ago,” referring to his manslaughter court case that stemmed from a 2010 concert in Prague. “Ghost Walking” (Resolution, 2012) highlighted Cruz’s nuclear bomb drum slams and Campbell’s swift and velocious bass picking, while “Vigil” (As the Palaces Burn, 2003) featured intense groove metal shredding by guitarist Morton. The penultimate offering from Lamb Of God, “Laid to Rest” from 2004’s Ashes of the Wake, was the night’s highlight as the crowd went berserk during the chorus, “Smother another failure, lay this to rest. Console yourself, you’re better alone. Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck. Absorb yourself, you’re better alone. Destroy yourself.”
Mark Morton of Lamb Of God | Photo by Michael Dinger
Blythe acknowledged the packed amphitheater one last time before the band burst into the fan favorite from 2006’s Sacrament. “Do you want one more f***ing song? Let me hear you! I think we can oblige. Before we do this, I need all you to do me a favor. As I said [earlier], tonight is the first night of the f***ing tour. You guys showed up and you showed out as New York City always f***ing does. I need every single mother***er in here to give themselves a big round of applause. Alright, I wanna see a f***ing big circle pit down there, set this mother***er off old school style. No one stands still! No one stands safe! This thing is called Redneck!”
“The Omens Tour” runs through October 20 and will conclude in Irving, Texas at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory.
Killswitch Engage Setlist: Strength of the Mind > This Is Absolution > Rose of Sharyn > To the Sons of Man > Unleashed > The Crownless King > Hate by Design > Know Your Enemy > My Curse > A Bid Farewell > This Fire > The End of Heartache > In Due Time > Holy Diver (Dio cover) > The Signal Fire
Lamb Of God Setlist: Memento Mori > Walk With Me in Hell > Now You’ve Got Something to Die For > Resurrection Man > Nevermore > Ruin > 11th Hour > Contractor > Omerta > Omens > 512 > Ghost Walking > Vigil > Laid to Rest > Redneck
On Friday, September 9th, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs rocked The Paramount In Huntington, Long Island. They played for two and a half hours mixing some Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers classics with songs from both of their albums. Their most recent album, External Combustion, which is also the name of this tour, came out in March.
Mike Campbell at The Paramount 9.9.22
Mike Campbell was the guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for over 50 years. He is responsible for some of the most famous guitar riffs in music history. Campbell co-wrote many of the band’s hits including “Refugee,” “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “Here Comes My Girl” and “You Got Lucky.” He was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame with the Heartbreakers in 2022.
Campbell started The Dirty Knobs in 2001. The original lineup included guitarist Jason Sinay, bassist Ron Blair, and drummer Steve Ferrone. Lance Morrison, Matt Laug and Chris Holt joined when Blair, Ferrone and Sinay dropped out of the group. The band became Campbell’s main priority after the death of Tom Petty in 2017. Their first album, Wreckless Abandon, was released in 2020. Until then they were just a live band that played when The Heartbreakers weren’t on tour.
They were on fire Friday night at The Paramount. Their set started with “Wicked Mind,” the first single off the most recent album. Other songs featured from Wreckless Abandon included “Dirty Job,” “In This Lifetime,” and “Electric Gypsy.” Many times during the set, Campbell went off into intricate psychedelic guitar solos. The rest of the band also sounded great as they backed Campbell on Tom Petty covers like “Even the Losers,” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream.”
Country Blues guitarist Alvin Youngblood Hart opened the show on Friday night. Bluesman Taj Mahal once said about Hart: “The boy has got thunder in his hands.” His debut album, Big Mama’s Door, came out in 1996. Hart received a Grammy Award in 2005 for his contribution to the album Beautiful Dreamer – The Songs of Stephen Foster.
They will be playing The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Friday, September 16th. Visit their website here for additional tour dates.
Setlist: Wicked Mind, Lightning Boogie, External Combustion, Even the Losers, State of Mind, Dirty Job, Fuck That Guy, Wreckless, Somewhere in London, I Still Love You, In This Lifetime, Electric Gypsy, Sugar, Southern Accents, Southern Boy, Runnin’ Down a Dream
Rammstein brought their long-anticipated U.S. Stadium Tour to MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, September 6th. This performance was initially scheduled for September 10, 2020 but had been postponed two years in a row due to COVID-19.
The evening was an absolute downpour as tens of thousands of fans filled into one of the largest NFL stadiums in the country. While not overly cold, it was definitely a wet experience that fortunately slowed down as it got closer to showtime.
One cannot talk about Rammstein without mentioning their stage presence. Over the years the band has had it fair share of controversy with the different “acts” they have performed on stage, and of course the sheer amount of fire and pyrotechnics they bring. This stadium show Rammstein has now magnifies anything they have previously done ten-fold. The stage itself cost over 6 million dollars and takes four days to assemble. With massive towers to accompany the stage that fill the inside of the stadium resemble fire coming off an oil rig, walking into the stadium to this was truly a sight to behold.
At approximately 8pm the lights went dark, and the crowd erupted in anticipation as a massive explosion on stage began Rammstein’s epic performance. Opening up the set with “Armee der Tristen” the band members make their way on stage from an elevator platform underneath that brought them up.
Rammstein performed a massive 21 song set that included a good mix of their new material as well as fan favorites. During the performance of “Puppe” a large baby carriage is brought onto the stage and burned while video shows a demonic baby doll spewing insects from its mouth. This is all capped off by confetti cannons shooting black confetti all over the crowd which really brought this scene to life.
For the acoustic performance of “Engel”, the band jumped into inflatable pontoon boats and surfed their way to a smaller stage in the middle of the crowd. Returning the main stage, the band went right back into their industrial-heavy “Auslander” which had the audience singing along.
The entire performance was nonstop fire, explosions and mayhem. The climax of all of this was during the band’s second encore performance of “Rammstein” in which Lindermann wears a pyro backpack that shoots out a barrage of fireballs around him while singing, as well as the stage erupting in flames, as well as the towers throughout the stadium.
This Rammstein show is one of their greatest live shows to date, with nonstop fire, explosions, fireworks and flamethrowers. There was even a cannon that came out which Lindermann mounted and sprayed the crowd in foam. It’s easy to make the comparison that you could be smack dab in the middle of Mordor while all of this is happening, and truly a show where words just can’t do it justice.
Setlist: Armee der Tristen > Zick Zack > Links 2-3-4 > Sehnsucht > Zeig dich > Mein Herz brennt > Puppe > Heirate mich >Zeit > Deutschland > Radio > Mein Teil > Du hast > Sonne> Engel > Auslander > Du riechst so gut > Pussy > Rammstein >Ich will > Adieu
COIN, a band of three, put on quite the show on September 3rd at The New York State Fair. The group, formed back in 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee as an indie pop/alternative rock band, includes lead vocalist and keyboardist Chase Lawrence, drummer Ryan Winnen and bassist Zach Dyke.
The band released their first album Saturdays in 2012 soon after COIN first formed. In 2015 one of their hit lead singles ‘Run’ finally gave them the attention and recognition they truly deserve. Although COIN has performed various shows in New York, Chase described during the show “it was their very first performance done in Syracuse.” This show was not one, but one of many. COIN has played various festivals, their next festival appearance is in Lake George at WIld in the Trees – Music and Skate Festival 2022.
An indie pop/alternative band sensation they definitely have a groove and put on quite the show as Chase dances and jumps on stage, encouraging the fans to jump, scream and feel the beat. Ryan and Zach rock on as well, the three keep the vibe and entertainment towards their fans at an all time high. Especially while performing some of their top hits ‘Talk Too Much’, ‘Malibu 1992’, and ‘Crash My Car’. Following with other hit songs from albums How Will You Know If You Never Try released in 2017 and their most recent Uncanny Valley released in 2022.
By the time the show soon came to an end the crowd was standing with excitement, praise and support for COIN. Only their first show stop in Syracuse, the band made it more than memorable. These three truly know how to put on a unique show, keeping the fans dying to hear what’s next as they celebrate 10 years together.
Rising star Lizzy McAlpine made an appearance this past Friday at The Great New York State Fair 2022. The 22-year-old McAlpine enjoyed a significant rise of attention once her music went viral on TikTok. Her debut album Give me a Minute was released in August 2020 and has since garnered her a following.
McAlpine was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and started getting into music in middle school. She began studying music and songwriting in college at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from Berklee College she continued to pursue her music career, leading to her internet fame.
“I think [Berklee] did shape my music, but not because of the classes. The main thing I got out of Berklee was the people that I met, and the people I surrounded myself with who definitely influenced my music. I don’t think you need to necessarily understand music theory to be a good musician. If you have a good ear, you don’t need to know all the harmonies to write a good song.”
Syracuse was one of many stops for McAlpine, as part of her first official tour. Lizzy’s raw and stunning voice had her fans singing along to every song. The audience was visibly enthralled by the performance as they swayed and danced with friends. Some of her top hits such as “ceilings” and “hate to be lame” her latest album Five Seconds Flat drew the best reactions. McAlpine also performed songs from her breakthrough project, Give Me A Minute. Songs like “Pancakes for Dinner,” “Means Something” and “To the Mountains.” all made the setlist.
Overall Lizzy McAlpine has become a leading figure at a young age. Inspiring young girls and other young artists to pursue their dreams.
Lizzy’s next show takes place on September 11, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Fine Line Music Cafe. We look forward to seeing what’s next for McAlpine and what the future holds for her.
It has been three long years since Local Natives have toured and the wait was worth it. The Inside An Hourglass Tour started late-July with Jordana and made it’s second to last stop at New York’s Pier 17 on a beautiful summer night.
Local Natives’ Kelcey Ayer on keyboard playing a sold out show at New York’s Pier 17.
Jordana opened the show with “Pressure Point”, the first song off their latest album, Face The Wall, which was released in May. The singer-songwriter had a comedic way of addressing the crowd throughout the set with her trusty Gumby on the mic stand. Before closing with “Why”, Jordana exclaimed “I love you dude!” to her new friend in the crowd, Kenny, who she briefly chatted with earlier in the set. Lastly she went on to say “This one…you know what’s funny is that we started the set with the first song on the album I just released in May…and now we’re ending it with the last song on the album, so it’s kind of artistic in that way…you know what I mean? Kind of meta, artsy, any way it’s about not giving a damn.”
Sing-songwriter Jordana and Gumby playing a sold out show at New York’s Pier 17.
Local Natives took the stage shortly after sunset, kicking off with “Statues in The Garden (Arras)” which has a dreamy, psychedelic music video to accompany it. After a few songs, vocalist and guitarist Taylor Rice remarked that it has been three years since they have toured and “we missed you very, very, very much!” Taylor continued to share that their tour bus caught fire two weeks prior and they weren’t sure they were going to make it to New York, proudly stating “…but we are here! We didn’t cancel anything!”
Overall the group’s mix of songs off their full discography along with newer tracks “Desert Snow” and “Hourglass”. During the encore, Kelcey commented “…this is such an amazing night, and I just think about the first time we ever played New York City was at Pianos…this little place somewhere over there⦔ as he gestured off into the distance. “It feels fucking great! And this song is dedicated to New York.”
Local Natives at Pier 17, Friday, August 26
Setlist: Statues in the Garden (Arras), Megaton Mile, I Saw You Close Your Eyes, Coins, Ceilings, Desert Snow, Past Lives, Wide Eyes, Sun Hands, Wooly Mammoth, Heavy Feet, Fountain of Youth, Colombia, Lemon (with Jordana), Dark Days, Who Knows, Who Cares
Encore: Hourglass, Airplanes, When Am I Gonna Lose You
Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Jordana at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives Taylor Rice at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives Kelcey Ayer at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives Ryan Hahn at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives Nik Ewing at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives Matt Frazier at New York’s Pier17Local Natives’ Taylor Rice at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives Nik Ewing at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives’ Ryan Hahn at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives’ Kelcey Ayer at New York’s Pier 17Local Natives’ Taylor Rice at New York’s Pier 17
