NYS Music 2024

Author: Michael Singer

  • The Dead Daisies Light up Racket NYC on the First Night of US tour

    On Thursday, June 6, the humid New York City air blew in hard rock band The Dead Daisies. With a new record titled, Light ‘Em Up, slated to be released in September, the band kicked off their US tour at Racket NYC.

    The band consists of Tommy Clufetos on drums, Michael Devin on bass, Dave Lowy and Doug Aldrich on guitars with John Corabi on lead vocals. The former Mötley Crüe lead vocalist is replacing former singer and bassist Glenn Hughes. Prior to the night’s show, Corabi joined me via Zoom to talk about the new release. Watch below for the full interview.

    Before The Dead Daisies hit the stage, there were two supporting acts. The first act was a local New York group called Tempt. The quartet played a total of seven songs and made it memorable. Between the power pop rock and catchy tunes, their set was enjoyable and they quickly won the crowd over with their charisma and young energy. Tempt promptly set the pace for the rest of the evening.

    Sometimes it’s difficult for a new band to win a crowd that is there solely to see the headliners. Yet, this didn’t seem to be the issue. From the first note of “Living Dangerous” which was released as a single in 2021, their well-oiled rock and roll machine seemed to run without any sign of slowing down. It was great to see such a young band take the 650-person venue – who at the time were still filing in – and treat it as Madison Square Garden. Their energy was the most notable and they never seemed to be bored, they fully were in the moment and treated it as such.

    After a beautiful rendition of Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” another New York City band, Killcode jumped on stage. The five-piece band brought a different style from Tempt. Killcode’s sound consisted of hard rock with a southern twang. The band played a total of seven original songs throughout their set. Two songs in their set appeared on their newest record, 2023’s Life, Death, Rock n’ Roll. While the smaller stage was crowded with the five members, they were able to use the small piece of real estate to put on a captivating show.

    Throughout the set, the band prowled along the stage and after a song or two, won the crowd over. For the members of the audience that knew the band, they were cheering for their favorite songs, singing and dancing while the band played deeper into their set. The duel guitars on stage created a monster wall of sound yet complemented each other at the same time. The last song that Killcode played was “Kickin’ and Screamin’” off of 2018’s The Answer. By the time the last chorus swung around, the audience was singing along with the band before they took their final bow.

    After a brief load out of Killcode’s gear, the house lights dimmed and Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” blasted into the speakers. In a matter of minutes, the band jumped on stage and blasted into their first song of the night and newest single, “Light ‘Em Up.” With a record set to be released in September of the same name, the band played multiple songs off of the forthcoming record in addition to a blues number that was recorded during the sessions at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.

    Throughout the evening the band crisscrossed through their entire discography and played songs throughout their entire career. This included several songs from the Hughes era. Three songs total were played from Radiance and Holy Ground including, “Born to Fly,” “Unspoken” and “Bustle and Flow.” It was great to see the band, especially Corabi acknowledge Hughes. Corabi’s vocals were excellent. Throughout his classic raspy register, his vocals pierced through fans while he was perched at the edge of the stage.

    Aldrich and Lowy were the guitar masters flanking the stage and throughout the evening, they brought the energy. Lowy was running around the stage the entire night and never stood still. Aldrich plowed through solo after solo. At one point, Aldrich crept to the edge of the stage, kneeled and soloed right in front of the general admission section.

    Rounding out the rest of the group was Devin on bass who officially joined the band when Hughes left. Hammering away on the drums the entire night was Clufetos who, most recently, filled in for Tommy Lee in Mötley Crüe when Lee injured himself. At one point, a fan turned to another and said “he [Clufetos] is a monster on the drums.” It seemed that no matter how hard Clufetos beat the drums, he never seemed to break a sweat. Clufetos during his drum solo was hitting them so hard that the vibrations could be felt in fans’ chests as they watched in awe.

    It was amazing to see how interactive the band was with the fans, throughout the night, in between songs and jokes from Corabi, the band tossed guitar picks and waved to familiar faces in the audience. As the band was introducing themselves, they would quickly jam in between announcements to tunes like “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” and “Seven Nation Army.” Each jam session was met with thunderous applause from the fans who sang along with Corabi and sang the guitar riffs as well. The band was as versatile as ever as they played multiple covers including the final song, “Helter Skelter,” by The Beatles.

    Throughout the 17-song set, if they could, it seemed like the band would never stop. They rarely stopped in between songs – which were accompanied by a giant video screen behind them. Throughout each song, a different video was played which further enhanced the audience’s experiences as they showed the band throughout the years. Despite the venue only holding 650 people, the band treated it as if it were a festival or stadium. Their energy and charisma on the stage seemed like they could have blown the doors off the venue and after the encore, fans still stuck around the stage just in case the band came back on.

    New York City was the perfect city to host the first night of the band’s tour. The energy of the band mixed with the energy of the fans – which grew over the night – created a rock and roll cathedral. Some fans were making the trek to the group’s next show while other fans immediately flocked to the merch table. After the legendary Rolling Stones show at Racket NYC, The Dead Daisies followed up with a legendary show of their own.

    The Dead Daisies Setlist: Light ‘Em Up, Rise Up, Dead and Gone, Make Some Noise, I Wanna Be Your Bitch, Unspoken, Bustle and Flow, Lock ‘n’ Load, Born to Fly, Take a Long Time, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap / Seven Nation Army / Heaven and Hell / D’yer Mak’er / Join Together, I’m Ready, Fortunate Son (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover), Mexico, Midnight Moses (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band cover), Long Way to Go, Helter Skelter (The Beatles cover)

    Killcode Setlist: Show Me, Ride, OTP, Let’s Get Back to Rock n Roll, Phenomenon, Shot, Kickin’ and Screamin’

    Tempt Setlist: Living Dangerous, Roses, Burn Me Down, Company, Cold Blood, Golden Tounge, We Will Rock You (Queen cover)

  • Watch: John Lodge of The Moody Blues Discusses New Recordings, Rock Hall and Jon Davison of Yes

    John Lodge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Moody Blues in 2018. Five years later, Lodge released his version of The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed. Lodge’s Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn was released on July 14, 2023. This spring, the album was re-released on CD with a special edition pressed on 180-gram vinyl.

    To coincide with the album, Lodge has announced a tour across the East Coast starting on July 9. The tour will start in Clearwater, Florida at the Capitol Theater. Lodge’s tour will make three stops in New York. The first show is on July 17 at the Patchogue Theatre, in Patchogue, New York. The other dates are July 20 at the Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York and July 29 at the Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York.

    John Lodge moody blues

    Lodge has been the songwriter behind some of The Moody Blues’ biggest hits such as “Ride My SeeSaw” and “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock and Roll Band).” With The Moody Blues no longer touring, Lodge is passionate about “keeping the Moody Blues music alive.”

    Prior to John Lodge’s first show, he joined Michael Singer to discuss new recordings, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Jon Davison of Yes.

  • John Corabi of The Dead Daisies Discusses Rejoining the Band, Life on the Road and Muscle Shoals Studios

    The Dead Daisies released their brand-new single, “Light ‘Em Up,” on May 10, 2024. The tune – which is the title track of the upcoming album – features John Corabi on lead vocals. This marks the first time since 2018 that Corabi has been on a studio recording with the band.

    Corabi originally departed on good terms from the band in 2019. He was replaced by “The Voice of Rock,” Glenn Hughes. That all changed in the spring of 2023 when Corabi returned to the band ahead of a United States tour. Prior to joining The Dead Daisies, Corabi had been in bands like The Scream, and Union and was Vince Neil’s replacement in Mötley Crüe.

    The band has announced a United States tour that will span the month of June before heading to Europe. The band’s first show of the tour will be at Racket NYC in New York City.

    Before the band’s opening night of the tour, John Corabi joined Michael Singer to discuss rejoining the band, life on the road and Muscle Shoals Studios.

  • Journey’s “Freedom” comes to a close with a career-spanning show in Bridgeport

    The Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is not known for its concerts. The arena typically hosts the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Islanders and is overshadowed by the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater which sits steps away from the entrance. During the summer months, the Amphitheater gets all the big names like Neil Young, Queens of the Stone Age, Santana and Ghost. But, once or twice a year the Total Mortgage Arena gets one or two “big hitters” in the music sphere to balance it out.

    This year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Journey closed out their “Freedom” tour in Bridgeport ahead of their run of stadium shows with Def Leppard beginning in the summer. Journey’s tour is in support of their new record, Freedom, which was released back in 2022. Fans packed the arena ahead of the 7:30 p.m. start time and the anticipation was high. The last time the band was in the area was last March in the state capital of Hartford at the XL Center.

    Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

    The Los Angeles native band Toto was again brought out on the road with Journey as their support act. On the first leg of the “Freedom” tour, Toto was also opening for Journey so fans who missed the show last year finally got to see it in a slightly smaller, more intimate venue. As fans were still filing into the arena and finding their seats, the band plugged in their instruments and started with their first song of the night, “Girl Goodbye,” off of their debut self-titled record. Toto played a total of nine songs that had the entire audience dancing and singing along.

    Toto has seven band members and brings so much power and energy to the band’s live performances. The band features Warren Ham on percussion and saxophone, Steve Maggiora on the keyboards and Shannon Forrest – who has recorded with the likes of Taylor Swift, and Willie Nelson – on the drums. Joining those three is John Pierce from Huey Lewis and the News on bass, and Greg Phillinganes on keyboard. For those who don’t know Phillinganes, his extensive career consists of touring with the likes of Stevie Wonder and was the musical director for Michael Jackson. The final two and arguably biggest stars of the band is Steve Lukather on guitar who was heavily involved in Jackson’s Thriller album and played on Oliva Newton-John’s Physical album. Lastly on vocals is Joseph Williams who was the adult singing voice for Simba in Disney’s The Lion King.

    Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

    Toto was an excellent opener for Journey, even if Lukather once screamed “Pittsburg!” instead of Bridgeport. They did a great job readying the crowd for the heavy hitters in the rock and roll sphere. Once the clock struck 9 p.m. the house lights dimmed and lead guitarist Neal Schon appeared on stage with guitar in hand. Immediately after, the rest of the band jumped on stage and jumped into “Only the Young.” The one noticeable thing between Journey and Toto was the excellent vocals and how strong they sounded as a band. It’s not very often that bands from the 80s still sound like they did when they debut but both of these bands still do.

    Joining Schon in Journey is Jonathan Cain on piano and guitar, Deen Castronovo on drums, Jason Derlatka on keyboards, Todd Jensen on the bass with Arnel Pineda on lead vocals. Pineda has been in the band for 17 years now after Schon saw him singing on YouTube and asked him to audition.

    Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

    From the very beginning of the show, it was clear just how energetic the band was. Pineda from the jump was running, dancing and jumping all around the stage. Multiple times throughout the show, he would go up to the front of the crowd and interact with fans in the first few rows. He even hopped off the stage during one song and ran through the crowd high fiving the audience.

    Journey delivered all of their greatest hits at this show. Early on they played the smash hit “Don’t Stop Believin’” off of 1981’s Escape. Their powerful set included other hits like “Stone in Love,” “Faithfully,” and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).” At the start of each song, it brought a thunderous cheer from the jam-packed arena.

    Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

    The band was able to feed off the lively energy from the crowd. From the moment the doors opened, a recognizable buzz ran through the building. During “Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” two fans tossed a banner that said “The Journey Junkies” to Pineda to signify their love for the classic rock group. During “Open Arms,” strangers and friends embraced each other while other fans in the first few rows took out their lighters and lit them just like in the band’s golden years.

    After Cain thanked the service men and women for protecting the country and the band returned to the stage, he was wearing a Bridgeport Islanders hockey jersey that got a cheer from the audience. The band – now in the home stretch of the show – started “Wheel in the Sky.” Pineda again took to the crowd and jumped in front of the guard rail separating the first row from the stage to embrace more fans.

    Photo Credit: Mike Savoia

    While confetti and streamers were shot from the stage at the end of the last song, “Any Way You Want It,” fans were all cheering and applauding for the band as they will not be returning to the state on their next tour. Journey put on an amazing show and did not miss one fan-favorite tune. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see them yet, you must as they make one stop at Citi Field in Queens, New York. Journey is a band that continues to put on amazing shows and it’s clear why they pack stadiums across the globe. Their energy is unmatched and the fans’ appreciation in response to their hard work and dedication.

    Toto setlist: Girl Goodbye, Hold the Line, 99, Dying on My Feet, I’ll Be Over You, Home of the Brave, With a Little Help From My Friends, Rosanna, Africa

    Journey setlist: Only the Young, Stone in Love, Keep on Runnin’, Don’t Stop Believin’, Lights, Send Her My Love, Who’s Crying Now, Just the Same Way, Escape, Let it Rain, Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’, Open Arms, Faithfully, Girl Can’t Help It, Wheel in the Sky, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Be Good to Yourself, Any Way You Want It

  • Judas Priest Opens Up US Tour With Spectacular Show In Wallingford, Connecticut

    The year 1974 was when Judas Priest’s debut record, Rocka Rolla was released. Now, 50 years later, the legendary British metal band was in Wallingford, Connecticut on Thursday, April 18 for the first show of their United States leg of a tour in support of their new record, Invincible Shield. Last fall the Toyota Oakdale Theatre hosted the first night of Judas Priest’s 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour with Queensrÿche. This time, the Swedish heavy metal band, Sabaton was the opener for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band.

    Judas Priest is coming off a few-month trek of shows in Europe. By the time the band hit the United States, the well-oiled Judas Priest machine was ready to roll. The entire night was a beautiful ceremony of heavy metal that brought fans of all ages and all eras of the band together.

    Before Judas Priest took the stage, the previously mentioned Sabaton graced the stage at 7:30. The eager Priest fans cheered for the Swedish natives who had a great following at this show. For the opener, it might take a few songs for the band to win over fans. But, the band – who dressed in camo pants and black tops – won fans over from the first note with their history-inspired lyrics and Amon Amarth’s style of metal. 

    The band was backed by an army tank which served as a drum riser for Hannes Van Dahl. This hasn’t been seen for some kiss fans since Eric Carr of KISS had his drums on top of a tank during the band’s “Creatures of the Night” tour in the 80s. At one point in the show, the band dawned World War II-style gas masks while they played. Lead singer Joakim Brodén sang through the mask while carrying a large canon-like prop around the stage. Fans around the theatre all gasped in amazement while taking videos on their phones.

    Joining Brodén and Van Dahl in Sabaton is Pär Sundström on bass, with Chris Rörland and Thobbe Englund. Englund is rejoining the band after an eight-year absence from the group. It was announced on Feb. 9 that Englund was rejoining and replacing guitarist Tommy Johansson.

    England has always produced some of the best heavy metal bands in the world. Arguably, Black Sabbath is at the top of that list. Sabbath and Priest have had a wonderful friendship over the years. Judas Priest lead singer, Rob Halford filled for Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne on a handful of occasions. It was only fitting for Priest to blast Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” off of 1970’s Paranoid through the PA system. In unison, louder than any guitar that night, the crowd belted out lyrics to Sabbath’s famous tune before Judas Priest took to the stage.

    With a curtain of the tracklist of the brand-new record, at the forefront of the stage, the lights began to flicker. When the curtain dropped and the band was all cluttered together on a staircase leading to Scott Travis’s drum kit. The band plunged into “Panic Attack” off of the brand-new record. The cheering and screaming from the crowd was deafening as the band spread out on the stage to meet the eager Wallingford crowd. The band played 18 songs that crisscrossed their entire career and spanned their entire discography.

    The band sounded as tight as ever. Guitarist Richie Faulkner was prancing around the left side of the stage the entire night. He was a man possessed by his blue Flying V and Explorer guitars. Throughout the night, he was running around the stage, posing at the edge as well as – in KISS-like fashion – throwing guitar picks into the crowd while throwing up the rock and roll horns.

    Halford sounded better than ever. His signature screaming and wailing was music in itself to the metal maniacs that had sold out the theatre. Bassist Ian Hill, who is only one of two members in the band from the “classic lineup” stood comfortably towards the band behind guitarist Andy Sneap. Hill would barely move from his spot the entire night yet was the anchor in the rhythm section. Sneap was brought on board to produce the band’s latest two records, 2018’s Firepower and the new Invincible Shield. He has been in the band as a touring guitarist and producer ever since 2018.

    Priest’s iconic cross logo was hung above the stage. With each song, it would light up different colors, shoot lights out and even at one point in the show it moved down towards the front of the stage. People around the theatre all pointed and again, took out their phones to capture the cool moment.

    The band blasted through their set, which featured hits like “Breaking the Law,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” and “Painkiller.” At one point during the encore, Halford rod out on a motorcycle and wore a biker cap to signify the second to last song, “Hell Bent for Leather.”

    By the time the last song of the night was played, “Living After Midnight,” off of the band’s 1980 album, British Steel and Queen’s “We Are the Champions” was played off the PA system, fans were already talking about when they would be seeing the band next. Judas Priest was brought up with bands like KISS and Aerosmith but at the rate they are going, Priest will still be going for more years to come.

    Sabaton setlist: Ghost Divison, The Last Stand, Swedish Pagans, The Red Baron, Bismarck, Stormtroopers, Carolous Rex, Shiroyama, The Attack of the Dead Man, Primo Victoria, Soldier of Heaven, To Hell and Back

    Judas Priest setlist: Panic Attack, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Rapid Fire, Breaking the Law, Lightning Strike, Love Bites, Devil’s Child, Saints in Hell, Crown of Horns, You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Wise, Turbo Lover, The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown), Painkiller, Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather, Living After Midnight

  • Ace Frehley And His “Rock Soldiers” Lay Rock and Roll Siege Upon Sony Hall

    New York City has been given many nicknames like “the city so nice, they named it twice,” as well as “The Big Apple.” The city at any given moment can hold multiple events at one time. Friday, March. 28 saw country star Zach Bryan play at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn while President Biden hosted a fundraiser which featured former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The fundraiser was only steps away from where former KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley played as he filled up Sony Hall just a month after his newest release, 10,000 Volts.

    Frehley has announced 15 dates to his itinerary for 2024. Three of those dates, including the Sony Hall show, are in New York. Frehley is playing at the Rome Capitol Theatre on April. 12 as well as the River Theatre in North Tonawanda on Aug. 21. These tour dates are also in support of his newest release which has been praised very highly by the music community.

    Before the rock and roll siege of “The Spaceman,” the New York City natives known as Kore Rozzik warmed up the eager crowd. Kore Rozzik played seven songs and did their part well at getting the crowd hyped up for classic Kiss and original tunes from Frehley. Kore Rozzik, while a harder style of rock music than Frehley powered through technical difficulties and wonky mic feedback to deliver their brand of metal and hard rock. The fans who knew the band loved them and screamed wildly. It took a few songs for the band to win over fans that weren’t so familiar with them. Once lead singer Kore Rozzik graced the stage in different stage clothes for multiple songs and sprayed the audience with water after their final song, “Spellbound,” the band made multiple fans and left a lasting impression on the rowdy crowd.

    Joining Rozzik on stage were Andrei Patorski and Alex Devious on guitars, Matias Sanes on bass and Crow Starbird on the drums.

    As the house lights dimmed and one of Frehley’s instrumentals blasted of the speakers, a sudden surge rushed from the back of the general admission audience and pushed the crowd closer to the stage. With what seemed like one quick motion, Frehley and his band blasted into “Shock Me,” off Kiss’ 1977 record, Love Gun. Frehley played 14 total songs that took fans through memory lane of his Kiss days while also sprinkling in a few solo songs including the title track to his newest release. Frehley sported a sparkly jacket that draped over his NASA t-shirt to start the first few songs of the night. Dawning classic Rayban aviators and his classic Les Paul guitar, it was clear that Frehley and the rest of his band were indeed “back in the New York Groove.”

    Accompanying Frehley on stage was bassist Ryan Cook, guitarist Jeremy Asbrock and drummer Scot Coogan. This was the same band that played on his record in addition to touring with Frehley across the United States recently.

    Like Kore Rozzik, the Frehley band was not only battling the bad feedback from their speakers but at one point in between the band’s rendition of “Rip It Out,” and “Detroit Rock City,” Cook’s bass strap broke and had to be taped back together for the remainder of the show. But, with a calm smile, Cook took the minor setback like a true professional and continued to wave and point into the crowd of fans.

    Unlike the last show that Frehley played at the Paramount Hudson Valley back in October, multiple fans put on his classic face paint and rushed to the front of the stage before the band’s set. The entire crowd, which consisted of all ages never left their spot in the general admission and continued to clap, throw up the rock horns and raise their fists to the loud wall of sound in front of them. If you closed your eyes and pictured what a Kiss concert sounded like in the mid-1970s’ when the band was at the height of their powers, without a doubt, it would have sounded something very close to last night’s show.

    In classic Frehley showmanship, for the band’s rendition of “New York Groove,” Frehley brought out his classic guitar that lights up. When the special Les Paul guitar made its appearance, the crowd went crazy as they knew exactly what song was coming up. At the beginning note of every song, the crowd gave the band a thunderous cheer. The cheering was so loud at one point that it seemed like the roof was going to cave in.

    It was extremely impressive to hear the band play their new material from the aforementioned 10,000 Volts. Despite the band only playing the title track, it was neat to hear the band acknowledge their new record. Throughout the show, fans were yelling for the band to play some of their favorite tunes from the brand-new record. Regardless of Frehley being 72 years old, he still had his skill from the ‘70s on guitar while also having his signature voice on lead vocals.

    At the end of the show, when the doors were flung open and the cool New York air filled up the downstairs theater, there was not one unhappy fan in the venue. With Kiss now being retired and the band not playing, Frehley is one of two members still out on the road. With that being said, fans were extremely happy to have their night filled with Kiss tunes and seeing the one and only Spaceman

    Kore Rozzik Setlist: Welcome To Rock Hell, I Am Your Savior, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, Vengeance Overdrive, Mistress, Guilty As Charged, Spellbound

    Ace Frehley Setlist: Shock Me, Rocket Ride, 10,000 Volts, Rock Soldiers, Love Gun, Parasite, New York Groove, Rip It Out, Detriot Rock City, Cold Gin, Strange Ways, Shout It Out Loud, Deuce, Rock And Roll All Nite

  • Mammoth WVH Makes A Triumphant Return To Legendary Toad’s Place

    New Haven, Connecticut is mainly seen as the smaller market city that the prestigious Yale University calls home. Some might not know that steps from the university sit the legendary club known as Toad’s Place.

    The rock club has housed legendary acts such as The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This time around, on Wednesday, March 5, Mammoth WVH returned to the legendary rock club. After releasing their sophomore record, Mammoth II on Aug. 4, 2024, the band is currently on their “Mammoth II Tour” supporting their newest album.

    Mammoth WVH

    Before Mammoth WVH graced the almost 50-year stage, guitarist Nita Strauss of the Alice Cooper band warmed up the crowd with her solo act. Joining Strauss on stage was Christopher Dean on bass, Johnny Young on guitar, Katt Scarlett on keyboards, Kasey Karlsen on lead vocals and her fiancee, Josh Villalta on the drums.

    Strauss provided amazing guitar skills throughout the opening set that dazzled the sold-out crowd. Being the in-house guitarist for the National League Football team, The Los Angeles Rams since 2020, Strauss has gained national attention for her guitar prowess and did not disappoint. 

    During Strauss’ nine-song setlist, she wowed the crowd with her signature sound which can be heard on her newest record, The Call of the Void. At one point in the show, Strauss took a minute between songs to recognize the legendary Toad’s Place. “Even out in California, we know about the legendary Toad’s Place and Pepe’s pizza!” brought a thunderous roar from the audience which was beginning to swell larger. With the band headbanging in unison, some of the Toad’s attendees joined in as the band did more than enough to warm the rainy New Haven crowd for Mammoth WVH.

    Mammoth WVH

    The opening riff of AC/DC’s “Night Prowler” off of 1979’s Highway to Hell blasted over the PA system like thunder strike and the house lights dimmed. The anticipation for the Mammoth WVH’s second trip to Toad’s was palpable. Even with the house lights dimmed and fans packed wall to wall like a can of sardines, the headbanging again picked up while fans held their drinks and the rock horns up. As Mammoth jumped right into “I’m Alright” off the Mammoth II, as mentioned earlier, the band played a 15-song setlist that lasted just over an hour and a half.

    Joining the ranks of Mammoth WVH is, Wolfgang Van Halen (son of the late, Eddie Van Halen) on guitar and lead vocals, Jon Jourdan on guitar, Ronnie Ficarro on bass, and Garrett Whitlock on the drums. Frank Sidoris tours as a third guitarist with the band but this time around he was on the road with Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators.

    The crowd, which was of all ages, had smiles across their face like kids on Christmas for the entire set. Mammoth WVH performed at Toad’s two years ago on the double bill “Young Guns Tour” with Dirty Honey. Like the first time, Mammoth’s performance did not disappoint.

    Mammoth WVH

    In between songs, Van Halen was smiling and playing along with the crowd. While he did not speak for a long time in between songs (certainly not as long as Paul Stanley of KISS), when he did though, he was laughing with his band and talking to members of the audience along the barricade.

    At one point in the show, before the start of “Distance” off of 2021’s Mammoth WVH, the rest of the band, besides Van Halen exited the stage, for Van Halen to play an acoustic version of the song. With Oasis’ “Wonderwall” jokingly being played for a brief second at the start, the bone-chillingly beautiful rendition of the tune left lasting memories on the crowd. Typically during a Mammoth WVH performance, while the music is clear, at times with all the instruments you can’t fully grasp each individually. During “Distance,” you were able to fully grasp how great of a musician Van Halen is. His voice is amazing and his guitar skills are mind-blowing. It doesn’t take long to understand why he recorded every instrument track on the first two albums.

    Mammoth WVH

    The energy of the entire band on stage kept the thrill alive in the audience which was entirely general admission. With Whitlock beating the daylights out of his drums, which kept each song moving forward, the rest of the band was in another gear. It’s easy to see how close of a tight-knit group they are. Each band member was able to feed off the other and bring out the best of the band.

    Mammoth WVH

    With only two albums under the band’s belt, they were able to play multiple tracks from each of the first two albums. If you were hoping to hear some classic Van Halen, then this show isn’t the one for you. The band does not play anything Van Halen which is a great thing. Wolfgang is an excellent songwriter and overall great musician so it’s amazing to see what he has accomplished so far.

    Mammoth WVH is one of the up-and-coming bands in rock music and the fan base is growing larger and larger every day. It’s only a matter of time until they sell out much bigger venues than Toad’s Place. There is very little to hate about this band. If you’re looking for a hungry band with excellent musicianship then this is the band for you.

    With fans pilling out onto York Street, what was once a crowded venue turned into a crowded street. The cold and wet night did not keep fans away from standing outside the side door waiting to meet the band just minutes after they walked off the stage. With Toad’s Place dubbing themselves “The place that legends play,” fans exited the venue on Tuesday night knowing that they saw another rock legend in the making.

    Nita Strauss Setlist: Summer Storm, Our Most Desperate Hour, Mariana Trench, Alegria, The Quest / Drum Solo, The Wolf You Feed, Through the Noise, Dead Inside, Victorious

    Mammoth WVH Setlist: I’m Alright, Right?, Epiphany, Miles Above Me, Like a Pastime, Horribly Right, Optimist, Stone, Distance, Think It Over, Mammoth, You’re to Blame, Take a Bow, Another Celebration at the End of the World, Don’t Back Down

  • Ten Thousand Fists In The Air With Disturbed At Mohegan Sun Arena

    It was a headbangers ball on Saturday, Feb. 10, as Disturbed brought their Take Back Your Life Tour to the sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena in support of their new record, Divisive which was released last year. Disturbed’s tour was announced back in October of 2023 and featured 23 cities, with this show in Uncasville, Connecticut, being the halfway marker.

    Disturbed, out of Chicago, Illinois, features Dan Donegan on guitar, Mike Wengren on the drums, with David Draiman on lead vocals and John Moyer on bass. This lineup has been together since 2004 after Moyer replaced Steve “Fuzz” Kmak.

    As fans took a pause from their slot machines and rolling dice and filled into the arena, which sits at the heart of the casino, fans were greeted with the first of three bands of the night. The first group was the all-female band Plush. As the female foursome plugged in their guitars, they created a wall of sound behind the beautiful vocals of lead singer, Moriah Formica.

    Despite the band only having a short seven-song setlist, they left their impact on the crowd. Fans who weren’t familiar with them were won over after hearing the group’s rendition of “Barracuda” by Heart which originally appeared on the band’s 1977 record, Little Queen. By the end of the set, fans headbanging and raising their fists in the air. It would be a surprise to no one if in a few years from now, Plush worked their way up the band bill to becoming the middle act and graduating to larger venues.

    Rounding out Plush with Formica is Bella Perron on lead guitar, Ashley Suppa on bass guitar, and Faith Powell on the drums.

    Following Plush’s set was the 2008 band Falling in Reverse. While the band is slightly different from the metal genre of Disturbed, Falling in Reverse brought hard rock and catchy choruses to the crowd and played their part well as the middle act. While lead singer Ronnie Radke is the only original member left, his energy alone was awe-inspiring. 

    Radke took fans down memory lane citing that the band used to play at the legendary Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut, before upgrading to the Mohegan Sun Arena. Throughout the hour-long set, some mega fans in the general admission pit were screaming along to every song until the band took their final bow of the night. 

    Joining Radke in Falling in Reverse is Max Georgiev and Christian Thompson on guitars, with Tyler Burgess on bass and touring drummer Luke Holland.

    As the clock struck 9 p.m. and the house lights dimmed to show a blank curtain with the shadows of the band, the thunderous roar from the crowd surged from the back and upper rafters to the front of the stage as the spotlights shot on. The curtain dropped and the metal masters of Disturbed greeted the Uncasville audience.

    The band kicked off their pre-Super Bowl party with “Hey You,” off of the aforementioned Divisive. The band played 17 songs with at least one song off every album of theirs being played, making sure to accommodate every fan of every era of the band. In KISS-like fashion, a spectacular light show was rigged behind them with pyrotechnics and fire beaming out throughout the night.

    As the band plunged further into their set, Donegan sat down at a piano with the top on fire and was accompanied by two string orchestra players. The band then began to play their famous cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence,” which can be heard on Disturbed’s 2015 album, Immortalized. The bone-chilling cover of this classic song also featured Wengren on giant symphony drums as the crowd once again screamed and cheered for a song they know extremely well.

    As the band played on into the night they came to song number 15 in their set which was “Don’t Tell Me.” The studio version of their new album features Ann Wilson of Heart but this time, Moriah Formica of Plush made her triumphant return to the stage for her curtain call duet with Draiman. Throughout the night, Draiman would preach to the fans about fighting addiction and illness and claiming fans are “not alone” in the fight against mental illness which provided a sense of comradery and togetherness amongst the sold-out crowd.

    As the band was transitioning into the second to last song of the set, Draiman hopped off stage to approach a young fan along the barricade in the front who, for the entire night, was holding a photo of a boy. The girl, who went by the name of Kailey, announced to the crowd that the boy’s name was Mark Rivers and he “lost his battle with addiction.” 

    While the two were interacting, what once was a loud arena filled with the sounds of heavy metal became as quiet as a church, you could hear the breath of fans around you. Before the band played “The Light,” Draiman brought Kailey on stage and dedicated the song to Rivers. Around the arena, you could see people shedding tears and embracing their loved ones beside them as they witnessed the heartfelt moment between the band and a fan in front of them.

    As the band played their final notes, a moment of realization clicked in. Music is a force that joins people together. Music and concerts, in general, are an event and spectacle that bring out their emotions as a force that can heal fans no matter what they’re going through. The moment that a person’s favorite band is on stage, the music has the utmost power to heal and guide fans out of the darkest holes they might be in.

    Disturbed was no different, through the headbanging and mosh pits of the GA section, to the harmony brought on by the band and one girl’s unifying story. Fans of all bands and all music, whether it was their first or ninth time seeing Disturbed, left Mohegan Sun Arena with hope and love in their hearts as Disturbed not only brought metal to Connecticut but a lasting impression that there is still good left in the world.

    Plush Setlist: Athena, Champion, Run, Barracuda (Heart cover), Hate, Hope It Hurts, Left Behind

    Falling in Reverse Setlist: Zombified, I’m Not a Vampire, Losing My Mind, Fuck You and All Your Friends, The Drug in Me Is You, Just Like You, Popular Monster, Voices in My Head, Watch the World Burn

    Disturbed Setlist: Hey You, Stupify, Ten Thousand Fists, Prayer, The Vengeful One, Bad Man, A Reason to Fight, Land of Confusion (Genisis cover), The Game, The Sound of Silence, Indestructible, Don’t Tell Me, The Light, Stricken, Unstoppable, Down With the Sickness, Inside the Fire

  • Extreme Brings Their Thicker Than Blood Tour to Foxwoods Casino

    Between gamblers playing slot machines and Black Jack, fans crowded into the sold-out Great Cedar Showroom at Foxwoods Casino for the veteran rock band Extreme. The band is on the Thicker Than Blood Tour, supporting their new record, Six. This is the second show for the band after the tour kicked off at the Bergan Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey.

    Extreme was founded in 1985 in Malden, Massachusetts and is made up of Gary Cherone on lead vocals, Nuno Bettencourt on guitar,  Pat Badger on the bass guitar and Kevin Figueiredo on the drums. 

    Prior to Extreme taking the stage, the New York City native band, Living Colour warmed up the crowd for a 45-minute set. Like Extreme, Living Colour was founded in the mid-1980s and has produced classic hits like “Cult of Personality,” and “Glamour Boys.”

    Living Colour is comprised of guitarist Vernon Reid, Doug Wimbish on the bass guitar, and Will Calhoun from the Bronx, on drums with fellow New Yorker, Corey Glover on lead vocals.

    For the entire 45 minutes, Living Colour produced a powerful and memorable set that included eight songs. During the last song of the band’s performance, as they blasted into the aforementioned “Cult of Personality,” Glover hopped off the stage and walked into the crowd while belting out the lyrics to the song. The crowd erupted as Glover walked up and down each section of the theater, stopping for photos with fans and high-fiving concertgoers. Living Colour did a phenomenal job getting the crowd ready for Extreme.

    As the clock ticked to 9 p.m., the houselights dimmed as the Extreme banner raised behind Figueiredo’s drum kit. With the blue spotlights on them, the band jumped right into “It (‘s a Monster)” off of the band’s most successful record, 1990’s Extreme II: Pornograffitti.

    Throughout the entirety of the band’s set, they incorporated music from their entire discography starting with their self-titled debut record up until their most recent record. While storming through each song, Figueiredo was a man possessed on the drums. His kit didn’t stand a chance as he belted away throughout each song providing chest-thumping beats. 

    Fans who came to the show on the chilly Friday night were certainly in for a treat as Extreme played for two whole hours. At one point of the set, Figueiredo brought out a mini drum kit as the band embarked on a mini, two-song acoustic set that featured the beautiful ballads “Other Side of the Rainbow,” and “Hole Hearted.”

    Even during the band’s acoustic set, there was still so much energy. Throughout the night Cherone slithered and stretched his way around the stage as Badger plucked at his bass guitar during Bettencourt’s shredding solos. It’s widely known that one of Bettencourt’s heroes was the late Eddie Van Halen and Bettencourt paid homage by playing the intro to Van Halen’s “Women In Love…” while saying “Happy Birthday Eddie.”

    It was extremely impressive how each band member was able to work off one another and how they each complimented the other. The band’s stage presence and their comradery were visible from the stage and the smiles they had and the laughs they shared were heartwarming.

    Each song that Extreme played was magical in its own way and it felt like the band was taking you on a career-spanning journey throughout the show. In between songs the band interacted with fans, joked around and overall gave the fans their money’s worth. 

    As the doors flew up at the end of the show and the sound of chips hitting poker tables and slot machines rang in the halls, fans left happy and smiles were shared all around as one of the most hard-working bands in rock and roll right now performed another mind-blowing show.

    Living Colour Setlist: Middle Man, Leave It Alone, Ignorance Is Bliss, Open Letter (to a Landlord), White Lines (Don’t Do It)/Apache/The Message, Glamour Boys, Love Rears Its Ugly Head, Cult of Personality

    Extreme Setlist: It (‘s a Monster), Decadence Dance, #Rebel, Rest In Peace, Hip Today, Teacher’s Pet/Flesh ‘n’ Blood/Wind Me Up/Kid Ego, Play With Me, Other Side of the Rainbow, Hole Hearted, Drum Solo/Money Maker, Cupid’s Dead, Am I Ever Gonna Change, Thicker Than Blood, Midnight Express, Hurrican, More Than Words, Banshee, Take Us Alive/That’s All Right, Flight of the Bumblebee, Women In Love… (intro) Get The Funk Out, Small Town Beautiful/Song for Love, Rise

  • Shinedown Closes Out 2023 With Thrilling Show At Foxwoods Resort

    Post-holiday depression was not in abundance on Friday, December 30, as Shinedown performed their last show of 2023 to a jam-packed, sold-out crowd at the Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. This show differs from the rest of the band’s fall tour as they have mainly been in arenas but decided to have a one-off show in a smaller, more intimate venue to close out the 2023 calendar year.

    Shinedown consists of Barry Kerch on drums, Eric Bass on the bass guitar and piano, Zach Myers on guitar, and Brent Smith on lead vocals. Kerch and Smith are the only two members left from the founding lineup which released their debut record, Leave a Whisper in 2003. 

    As Outkast’s “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” blasted through the speakers, fans settled into their red cushioned chairs as the house lights dimmed. The relaxation didn’t last long as all four members ran out on stage, greeted the audience, and blasted into “Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)” off of 2008’s The Sound of Madness as the crowd jumped out of their seats with a thunderous cheer.

    From the first riff, fans were in for a treat as the show was not shaping out to be like any regular casino show. One thing that has enhanced Shinedown’s live performances is their use of pyrotechnics/explosives, and their stage setup which gives fans exactly what they want. Though on a smaller scale, Shinedown was able to wow the sold-out crowd and make their last show of the year an unforgettable one.

    Shinedown played a total of 17 songs that lasted just under two hours of post-grunge hard rock that made the band so popular. Throughout the show, in between commanding the crowd with an iron fist as all eyes watched Smith run around on stage, he also announced to the crowd that during their set, they were going to play a mix of “old school and new school.” The band pulled out songs from their entire discography from the debut aforementioned Leave a Whisper album to their newest release, 2022’s Planet Zero.

    Touring as a musician can be tough but Shinedown put in a lot of work on stage. For the entirety of the two hours that they played, they were constantly running around. The band’s presence on stage is inspiring. Each member of the band interacts with the crowd differently yet at the same time, they work together as one delivering and making sure the fans get their pennies worth. When all was said and done, it felt like the band ran a marathon after all the moving they did on stage. By the end of the show, the band was dripping in sweat just showing the dedication to their fans to make sure they went home happy.

    At multiple points in the show, the band got into a deep groove. At the end of “45,” Myers stood on the body of his red, white, and blue guitar and played with his feet as the song came to a close. At another point in the show, the band was headbanging in unison that would even make the most hardcore headbanger smile.

    At the end of their smash hit song, “Second Chance,” the band stopped the show to present a birthday cake and sing “Happy Birthday” for one of the members of their crew. The celebrations did stop there as during the show, the president of Foxwoods Casino came out announcing that from the meet and greets, they were able to raise $92,600 for the City of Hope charity. At the same time, the band was gifted plaques to commemorate all their songs to go No. 1 and reach the top five and 10 on the charts.

    On top of the band performing their classic songs, they were also able to squeeze a couple of cover songs into the setlist for the show. With Myers on lead vocals, the band, minus Smith performed “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World as well as their bone-chilling rendition of “Simple Man,” by Lynyrd Skynyrd performed by just Smith and Myers. With the help of the crowd belting out the chorus, the theater rang loud of the classic Lynyrd Skynyrd tune.

    As fans left the Premier Theater back out to the casino floor, they left with eardrums ringing and faces melted from the sheer magnitude of Shinedown’s show. As 2023 creeps towards an end, fans already made their 2024 concert plans to catch Shinedown on their next tour after witnessing an arena-level show in a small yet intimate theater that made everyone in the last row feel like they were upfront.

    Setlist: Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom), Dead Don’t Die, I’ll Follow You, State of My Head, Devil, Unity, 45, Enemies, Sound of Madness, A Symptom of Being Human, Planet Zero, Second Chance, The Middle, Daylight/Get Up, Simple Man, Monsters, Cut the Cord