Back in the 20th Century, ümlaut was a xeroxed fanzine that existed from 1992-95. Despite limited distribution, loyal readers ranged from coast to coast and included Rock Stars of various credibility, including Neurosis, Sonic Youth, Melvins, and Metallica. This 21st Century version of ümlaut has been ranting since 2004 and is also the co-author of the book Murder In The Front Row.
It's cool when an old friend has the means to take a childhood hobby to the next level as an adult... and that's exactly what Mr. Kirk Hammett has done. What began as a child with an obsession with horror movies and comics has evolved into an adult world class collector of all that is dark and fun.. and it's been made even cooler that he wants to share it with the public instead of sitting in a dark room surrounded by his valuable rarities. This was the 4th official Kirk von Hammett event dating back to the book release party in 2012. As with last year's event, this year was a 3-day celebration but Umlaut was only able to attend the Saturday event which featured performances by my longtime favorites High On Fire, Orchid, and Ghoul.
Back in The Day the space that is now the Rock Bar was a gambling joint called Garden City Casino. It was odd seeing how they've basically jammed a stage into the space to fit the existing floor plan. Interesting and odd. This was my first visit to this relatively new venue and I had heard nothing but good things about it.
Upon arriving there was a ginormous line waiting at the entrance so I killed time in the vendor tent adjacent to the entrance as well as a small carnival games area that was next to it. The FestEvil vibe was definitely in effect as costumed humans wandered the area.. but it was only a matter of time before things were sorted out for me. If only all Horror conventions were this easy:
Once inside there was time to kill before the bands started... Running into friends, chatting with friends, drinking beers with friends, and also checking out this year's version of Kirk's Crypt featuring some of his collection on display. Honesty is my only excuse: Umlaut only has a casual interest in Horror films and there were really only 2 items that caught my undivided attention... mainly because I am a fan and had seen the items at past events but had failed to take pictures of them. Not this time...
Yes.. Umlaut is one of those now-mainstream types who adores The Walking Dead.. The show and the comics. Anyway, one thing led to another and this happened..
"Devil's grip.. The Iron Fist.." [Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]
... and in case you were wondering this is what "backstage" looked like at FestEvil:
Magical.
As the sun set outside the musical portion of the event started up. Ghoul are one of my favorite bands and it warmed my heart that these band friends were asked to perform. Obviously they were a natural fit and it was cool that they immediately won the crowd over during the first song even as they sprayed the front row with blood-like liquid. Orchid are another group of band friends and they were making a return performance after having been included in last year's party. The Orchid lads were as thunderous as ever but their set was a bit overshadowed by guitarist Mark's vintage Motörhead 1983 Tour shirt in the dressing room:
According to the Umlaut Archives this was the 18th time I'd seen High On Fire.. but I only watched moments of their set as I found myself socializing with friends again more than rocking out. Again... Honesty is my only excuse.. but I was just going with the flow, man.
Far and away the highlight of the day was the jam session finale featuring the host lead guitarist backed by High On Fire as well as guest appearances by Corey Taylor of Slipknot on vocals, John 5 on guitar for most of the set, and Charlie Benante of Anthrax taking over drums for half of the set as well. Before all of that Rock Star power hit the stage this happened in a hallway behind the stage:
The best thing about this All-Star jam was that it did not include the usual cover songs that every Metal All-Star jam usually plays (cue 'Highway To Hell'..'Iron Man'.. etc..). This being Kirk Hammett's party he dug deep into his teenage album collection and pulled out some nerdy song choices!
"BRAIN!!" Yes, autographed by the host after the show..
For the newbies that would be Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Uli Roth-era Scorpions, Riot, Venom, and Judas Priest. FUCK. YEAH. The performance was loose as all of the Rock Stars seemed to tap into their teenage heads again for the duration of the jam. Oddly, I watched this once in a lifetime moment while kneeling inside a fake fireplace at stage left that evidently is a remnant of the space's previous incarnation. The suburbs can be very weird, man.
Kirk and High On Fire channel Phil Lynott as they launch into 'Emerald'
I did not do a FestEvil merch audit. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced suburban teenagers called me a fag. FestEvil is the type of event that people in The Bay Area tend to observe with a jaded ho-hum hometown attitude. "Oh great.. A member of Metallica doing this and that.. blah blah.." If this event were held in another city the buzz and the energy around it would probably be on another level. Instead it was just another of many, many "only in The Bay Area" events and moments to add to the list. Ain't we lucky!?
This was the type of event that made me damn fucking proud to call The Bay Area my home and the Bay Area Metal scene my people. Murder In The Front Row alumni and Bay Area Metal band leaders Robb Flynn (Vio-Lence / Machine Head) and Craig Locicero (Forbidden / Spiralarms) organized this event and it was a gathering of the tribe for a very profound and worthy cause. As the official event statement explained: A good friend of ours and all around great person, Nikki Davis, was in a motorcycle accident with her husband Jeff. Sadly, Jeff died at the scene. Fortunately, Nikki survived but she was unconscious for a few days. She awoke to the daunting reality that her husband, soulmate and best friend had passed away. It was heartbreaking to all of us in the Bay Area scene. Click HERE to read the complete statement about the night. Tickets went on sale a week before and the show was sold out in less than 24 hours; it was by far the hottest Metal ticket of the year so far. The specific lineup of players was not completely announced in advance so the element of surprise only elevated the once in a lifetime nature of the show. The cast of players ended up being as follows:
Rob Flynn (Vio-lence / Machine Head)
Craig Locicero (Forbidden / Spiralarms)
Chuck Billy (Testament) – vox
Brad Barth (Spiralarms) - keyboards
Paul Bostaph (Forbidden / Slayer) - drums
Will Carroll (Death Angel) - drums
Cornbread (Spiralarms) - bass
Dean Dell (Vio-lence) - bass
Phil Demmel (Vio-lence / Machine Head) - guitar
Andy Galeon (Death Angel) – drums
Eddie Hermida (Suicide Silence) - vox
Gary Holt (Exodus / Slayer) - guitar
Tom Hunting (Exodus) – vox
Jeff Matz (High On Fire) – bass
Tim Narducci (Spiralarms) - vox
Jim Martin (Faith No More) – guitar
Matt Pike (Sleep / High On Fire) - guitar
Damien Sisson (Death Angel) – bass
Robert Trujillo (Metallica) - bass
Holy shit, right? It was basically a Who's Who of Bay Area Metal bands, all with long histories. Of course, there will be the negative assholes who will point out who was not there, but if you have that attitude you have no clue or experience about what made The Bay Area scene special back in The Day and what continues to make it special today when it matters. Besides, tickets were only $20... Twenty dollars for a show with that lineup. Not only was tonight in support of worthy cause, it was also an insane value for the money. Leave your negative attitude at the door, man. Apologies to the rest of the world, but no other area could have pulled off a show like
tonight featuring this level of Metal history and hometown talent. It was epic.. and I still don't
have my head completely around it. The night was about all of these major band guys being onstage with zero egos. The night was about these Black Sabbath songs that we all grew up with. The night was about celebrating life while supporting Nikki Davis, a longtime member and friend of the Bay Area scene.
Opening the night was an ACDZ, an AC/DC tribute band fronted by scene veteran Zetro (Legacy / Exodus / Hatriot) on vocals. Given the atmosphere of the event, what better songs to get things warmed up with than Bon Scott-era AC/DC. Perfect.
I
was able to talk with several of the band guys before the main set
backstage and the sense of happiness and positive energy was very
profound. Obviously, the reason for the night was profoundly sad... but
the sense that this was a celebration of life was the unstated but
obvious vibe. It's not often that something born of sadness can create
something so life affirming. The epiphany of the night: Who knew that Tom Hunting of Exodus could sing?! The drummer nailed the vocals for about half of the setlist while channeling his inner Ozzy in a heartfelt and not in a cheesy way despite his awesome kimono. "We love you all!!"
There were so many other moments and details that made this night F-U-N and special. Although the setlist was Ozzy-era Sabbath songs I loved how the running order didn't follow expectations and they went for inspired deep cuts. As I mentioned earlier, besides being a benefit for a friend in need, the show was also a celebration of the songs that put us all on the life path that we're on now. I think it's safe to say that Sabbath influenced the lives of everyone in the room. The fact that all of the band guys onstage were constantly smiling also showed that Sabbath influenced some of us in the room to do even greater things with our lives. What was mind blowing was how tight all of the performances were despite the revolving cast of players and only a week's worth of rehearsals. This was not your typical "weekend cover band" playing Sabbath songs! The gathered players are all seasoned and, in some cases, iconic musicians. Robb Flynn acted as the onstage leader and master of ceremonies and his energy and awe about the night was palpable and genuine.
'Into The Void' with Matt Pike and Jeff Matz
I am not overstating it when I say tonight ranked up there with some of
the most iconic Bay Area Metal events. However, rather than give a
routine review of the night I want to convey how special
the atmosphere and vibe was instead of merely reporting who played on
what songs with whom. You can find that trivia on other sites here on
The Internets. To be honest, tonight was one of those once in a
lifetime events where if you were not there, watching the videos on YouTube won't do it justice. The sense of community and friendships was so thick in the air that you could cut it with a broad sword. I lost track of how many old friends I saw; at least one of them I hadn't seen in maybe 3 years. I also had beer spilled on me 3 times by random overzealous dudes, but it was all cool.
One particularly special moment happened during a brief delay before 'N.I.B.' when there was a problem with Dean Dell's bass. Instead of letting the momentum die, Will Carroll and Flynn spontaneously went into a brief jam on the Vio-lence song 'Bodies On Bodies' which the Bay Area crowd immediately recognized. Energy maintained. Amazing!
As I've ranted a couple of times already, tonight was a celebration of life and also a tribute to Sabbath being a force in our lives. In that spirit, the setlist was obviously put together and arranged by Sabbath fanboys for Sabbath fanboys and fangirls: 1. CORNUCOPIA (INTRO) 2. SUPERNAUT 3. CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE 4. SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE 5. IRON MAN 6. N.I.B. 7. ELECTRIC FUNERAL 8. A NATIONAL ACROBAT 9. LORD OF THIS WORLD 10. TOMORROW’S DREAM 11. CHANGES 12. SWEET LEAF 13. INTO THE VOID 14. KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE 15. PARANOID 16. HOLE IN THE SKY 17. WAR PIGS
So solid, right?!
Yes, Matt and Jeff of High On Fire played on that song.. and Robert of Metallica played on those songs.. and Gary of Exodus played on that song.. and Jim Martin of Faith No More came out and played on that other song... and Will of Death Angel sang that song! Who knew that he could sing?! Between him and Tom Hunting it was The Night of the Singing Drummers.
'Paranoid' with Gary Holt and Will Carroll on vocals
'War Pigs' with Jim Martin and Chuck Billy
Okay, my personal favorite songs of the night were 'Into The Void' with Matt and Jeff of High On Fire (which was the perfect song for Matt to play) and 'Killing Yourself To Live' with Tom Hunting channeling the Live At Last album to perfection. "SMOKE IT!! GET HIGH!'
Another especially awesome touch to the night was that only Dio-era Sabbath was played over the PA in between the bands and after the show. It was perfect and kept the Sabbath theme going all night long. Despite what Zakk Wylde thinks, Dio-era Sabbath is very legitimate and sacred to folks like me. So STFU Mr. Zakk Wylde.
Although it's only January I can't even imagine another show this year that will be this special. If you bought the event t-shirt you would have paid $20. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. Unfortunately, the event shirt sold out so this is my favorite souvenir from this epic night:
As the event's statement said: "We hope to raise enough money to help Nikki
continue to get back on her feet because the healing is not finished.
She still has medical bills to pay and we want to do anything we can to
help our old friend." My understanding is the support for Nikki from this event will continue, with online auctions and maybe other activities. For those who couldn't attend the concert, donations can be made to Nikki's PayPal account at:
help_jeff_n_nikki_d@yahoo.com
Being part of "a scene" means more than simply going to see bands or following bands on Facebook. Sometimes a scene has to rise up together for a just and worthy cause on behalf of one of their own... and that's exactly what The Bay Area Metal scene did tonight. Dog bless you, every one of us! Special kudos and karma points to Craig and Robb, the band guys, and all of the others who worked on and supported this event. Tonight completely inspired me. Of all the Sabbath lyrics that were recreated tonight, 'Tomorrow's Dream' rang out as the heaviest and most appropriate:
"We hope to raise enough money to help Nikki
continue to get back on her feet because the healing is not finished.
She still has medical bills to pay and we want to do anything we can to
help our old friend." For those who can't attend the concert, donations can be made to Nikki's PayPal account at help_jeff_n_nikki_d@yahoo.com. Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-slayer-machine-head-exodus-members-to-perform-at-robb-flynn-friends-benefit-concert/#16IUF6eSjAKZ7crL.99 Of all the Sabbath lyrics that were recreated onstage tonight, these lines struck the heaviest chord to me:
"When sadness fills my days It's time to turn away And then tomorrow's dreams Become reality to me.." Hail and Amen.
Converse landed in San Francisco to host a series of 5 free shows over 5 nights at Slim's. Each night showcased a different "sound" or "genre" as defined by the Marketing brains at Converse (and their parent company Nike) I assume. Civilians had to enter an online lottery for tickets in the weeks leading up to the events; the shows were part of the marketing blitz for the opening of a new Converse store in this fair city. You have to admit that Converse has balls to totally bite Vans style with this event especially since the latter has worked with some of the featured artists in the past. In shoes there is no loyalty I guess. Since the capacity for the shows was capped at 500 the demand to get in was probably pretty high. The lesson that I learned was this: Never delete an e-mail address even if it's 3 or 4 years old. Long story short: THANKS to that old business associate of mine at Converse for sorting me. Also big kudos to the Slim's staff who got me inside after I was given incorrect instructions by a Converse rep after I left Will Call. Anyway, tonight was the "Metal" night.
I learned later that the guitarist in Hot Lunch was in the early-90's San
Francisco band Mensclub. Interesting. I didn't recognize him and I only caught the last part of their set. Mensclub ruled The Mission in the cheap free swinging pre-dotcom days of the early-90's. Good times. Moving on...
Although 1/2 of Saviours no longer live in The Bay Area, it's always great to see the guys again. I was glad to see Austin and bassist Carson keeping it real and removing their shirts prior to starting their brief set. Given the corporate nature of the night the band was only allotted 20 minutes to do their damage and they did it up right. Boom boom, riffs, solos, and Brent of Mastodon joined them onstage for a Ted Nugent cover. Pretty cool, right? Thankyougoodnight!
The Bay Area flavor of the night was continued next by High On Fire who steamrolled through a fantastic but short set. 'Frost Hammer' ruled the night and how heartwarming was it to be standing at the bar as most of the dudes around me shouted "FROST HAMMER!!" along with Matt?! VERY! Given the corporate nature of the night, the band's set was noticeably stopped short by the stage manager as they probably went over their allotted time. Oh well... 31 minutes of HOF is better than a full set by a lot of other bands, man.
According to the Umlaut Archives this was my 14th time seeing Mastodon over the years.... It was also the 4th time I've seen them at Slim's. I have to admit that I was a little giddy about seeing them in a club again. Seeing the band play their recent songs onstage stripped down without the A/V trappings of their current live show was almost an epiphany. An 11 song, 45 minute set that was a nice cross section from their song arsenal with 'Dry Bone Valley' being my favorite of the night as I sipped a beer. Solid.
Besides having 2 of the best local bands on the bill tonight, the local vibe was further exaggerated by the presence of quite a few friends, acquaintances, and band dudes from Death Angel and Acid King. At one point 'Sucking My Love' by Diamond Head played over the PA in between bands. Nicely done, Converse DJ.
Anyway, the Quicksand reunion after over a decade of inactivity is a big thing to a lot of people; I shrugged my shoulders. I did see Quicksand twice in 1992 including this show in downtown San Jose:
Nine dollars...
[From the Umlaut Archives]
Anyway, Quicksand were the obvious crowd favorite tonight and a couple of guys seriously lost it when they started playing. I shrugged my shoulders. Quicksand sound so dated and I was taken aback by how much they sounded like Jane's Addiction here in the 21st Century. Oh the 90's... I bailed early and stopped at Taqueria Cancun to grab a post Rock Show burrito.
Number of Bolt Thrower and Mercyful Fate shirts = 3 and 2 respectively. There was no band merch for sale but Converse gave out a free event tee. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. Then 24 hours later it was:
Tonight was the "Punk" night. Prior to the show I met up with Sensory Abuse and Photo Ray at the awesome Cathead's BBQ for food and libations. Umlaut says visit Cathead's prior to seeing a show at Slim's next time. Best good number one! With the Supreme Court's ruling on Prop 8 earlier in the day and Gay Pride weekend approaching the mood on the streets of San Francisco felt downright giddy tonight.
I didn't know anything about Ceremony but evidently they've played Gilman St. in the past... so I guess the obvious question is will they be allowed to play Gilman again now that they've played a Corporate gig? Oh the politics.. Discuss amongst yourselves.
.
The Bronx RULE. That is all. My favorite band from these 2 shows. That's all I'm gonna say. Go see them the next time they come through your town... they'll help you party down.
Vid courtesy of Umlaut's iPhone
As I waited to see Rocket From the Crypt for the first time in 17 years, 'Warrior' by Thin Lizzy played over the PA. Nicely done, Converse DJ. It was obvious that the RFTC reunion was a very big deal as the crowd was jammed down front and going nutters with the band from the first note. The band's infectious San Diego horn infused guitar punk-a-billy was still F-U-N after all these years and they played all the hits. John is still a charismatic goofball front man and the rest of the band was tight; I'm sure it helped that drummer Mario has been keeping sharp by playing with OFF!. A pretty great set and I'm glad I saw RFTC again since they're only playing a few select shows worldwide and it's unclear how long this reunion will last.
The crowd noticeably thinned out during the changeover for Suicidal which I guess shouldn't have been surprising. Kidz these days probably think they'll get shivved at a Suicidal show like it was 1986. Mike Muir and his current band took over the stage and surprisingly played 'Institutionalized' only 3 songs into the set. It was obvious that this was the only Suicidal song the majority of the crowd knew. Less than 3 songs later literally 1/4 of the crowd left as Mike and the boys played a good version of 'War Inside My Head'. Maybe all of those people had to meet their parents out front for a ride home or something. Oh well... Punks not dead... Just bored I guess.
All in all it was a F-U-N pair of nights as guests of Converse and their parent company Nike. The shows were well organized and they were FREE so there really is nothing for me to complain about without sounding like a dick. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. For the record, Umlaut doesn't wear Chuck Taylors any longer because I need arch support. Hope I die before I get old.
Umlaut attended the debut Metal Alliance tour back in 2011 and it was a fun night out, but this year they really stepped things up. Anthrax headlining was one thing, but having Bay Area heroes High On Fire and Bay Area legends Exodus on the bill was amazing. The feeling of Bay Area pride that I felt in the air as I approached The Regency was thick enough to cut with a fictional knife. The evening's magic started right away when I ran into old friend and former Exodus guitarist Rick Hunolt... and the secret was out that Exodus had a special hometown moment planned for their set.
Bonded By Caffeine
Rick went to go inside and a kid standing next to me said to his buddy "I heard Rick Hunolt is playing with Exodus tonight!" and I pointed at Rick as he headed up the steps and said "Rick is RIGHT THERE..".. and the kid flipped out and started shouting "HUNOLT!! HUNOLT!"
The main downside of these package tours is that, even when the lineup is good, the shows usually start at a lame early time. Case in point: Tonight doors were at 7:00pm and Holy Grail went on right at 7:00pm. Why even advertise a door time?? After navigating Will Call I walked in just as Holy Grail were literally saying "Good Night!" and walking off stage. Bummer because I wanted to see them.
I watched most of the first song of Municipal Waste and realized how thirsty I was... so I went out to the lobby bar to secure a beverage and realized that there were a shitload of old friends and acquaintances around me. It was almost overwhelming. Long story short, I didn't watch Municipal Waste but I had quality face time with a lot of friends. Good times.. Did I miss anything?
High On Fire were the obvious odd band on this Thrash bill and I was
curious how the Stoner hometown heroes would go over. I should not have
worried. Matt, Jeff, and Des used their 30 minutes to plow through a
brilliant salvo of volume. I think their short set allowed for a whopping 4 songs that included 'Rumors Of War', 'Frost Hammer', and closing with 'Snakes Of The Divine'. According to the Umlaut Archives, I've seen HOF at least 20x dating back to Day 1 (circa 2000) and I'm not
blowing smoke when I say that, despite the short time, this was one of my favorite High On Fire sets ever. The guys were tight, to the point, and gave the night a Motörhead-like addition that was much needed and appreciated.
It profoundly warmed my heart how many kidz were in the house and how the old 80's Metal look (denim vests, with patches, high top tennis shoes, etc) is in fashion. A couple of years ago I couldn't process kidz dressing as we did when we were their age.. but now I realize how full circle it is and I tripped on the kid who had a Tokyo Blade patch on his denim. Does the kid even know who Tokyo Blade were?! If I could have remembered a Tokyo Blade song I would have quizzed him.
When Exodus plays a hometown Bay Area show it's always special, probably more special than when any other old local band plays here, at least for Umlaut. For me, Exodus will always be the soul of the original Bay Area Metal scene and that legacy. Being in the middle of the floor as they took the stage to a hometown heroes welcome was pretty awesome. The pit action was massive for 'A Lesson In Violence' and the local pride was palpable both from the stage and from the crowd. Latter day songs like 'War Is My Shepard' and 'Blacklist' are great, but it's the Exodus anthems from the Murder In The Front Row days that obviously resonate the deepest for me. I'm not ashamed to admit that I got a bit teary-eyed during 'Bonded By Blood' and when Rick Hunolt was introduced and Exo launched into 'Strike Of The Beast' the full circle magnitude of it all was profound. The H-Team of Holt and Hunolt reuniting again, even for 1 song, was historically special.
Not to sound too much like a jaded old fart, but I wonder if kidz these days will experience the same level of profound magic 30 years from now when they're seeing the Metal bands of this generation. I hope so... Hearing the young Metal kidz around me singing along to the vintage Exodus songs that date from back when I was their age made me feel young again. Time travel does exist.
Exodus Hometown Pit Action
On this tour Anthrax are playing the Among The Living album in its entirety, which looked cool on paper. However, I was disappointed to learn before the show that Charlie would not be on the drum riser tonight for Anthrax. The stand-in drummer (I didn't catch his name..) held it down okay.. but he's no Charlie. Also, the stand-in guitarist (I didn't catch his name..) was a bit too European to pull off the Anthrax vibe. He should take notes and follow Scott's lead onstage; work the front of the stage and stop the hair windmills. Hair windmilling annoys me. That being said, the remaining 3/5 of the original lineup stepped it up like pros and it's awesome that Scott, Frank, and Joey have found renewed life here in the 21st Century. Because of them Anthrax still proved their relevance onstage in San Francisco tonight.
The best bonus track of the night occurred as Anthrax launched into 'I Am The Law'. As the song started onstage I ran into original Bay Area Metal legend The Flauge for the first time since probably 1989!!
Amazing and profoundly full circle... and insanely ironic. Anyway, later in the set, for their cover of AC/DC's 'TNT', Anthrax brought out our old buddy Kirk Hammett from that other Bay Area Metal band. Cool, right? Too bad Kirk didn't play with his old band Exodus as well.
If you bought one of every Anthrax merch item you would have paid around $400. As much as I loved how Exodus had the vintage Bonded By Blood and Slay Team shirts, I have to say that Anthrax had the coolest merch... On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. What a fun night that had one foot here in the 21st Century and the other firmly back in 1985. Time travel does exist.
To paraphrase: "It was the last night of this tour before Christmas and all through the house..." It was kind of cool to have this bill in San Francisco on the weekend before Jesus' Birthday. However, it started POURING rain as soon as I left Casa de Umlaut and Joey Acid King and I got drenched while waiting in the Will Call line. Kudos to my trusty Alpha Industries flight jacket for once again proving that it is indeed waterproof. Still, it felt like I had small puddles in my pockets for awhile.
Since I arrived late I only saw half a song of Lo-Pan's set. Sorry, guys. I guess it was too much to expect Goatwhore to wish the audience a Merry Christmas... According to the Umlaut Archives this was around the 10th time I've seen the boys from NoLa and I've run hot to lukewarm about them. There's no doubt they're a Metal machine now but it was interesting watching them in front of a packed house of mostly High On Fire fans. I was surprised that most of those in the house didn't seem to be familiar with Goatwhore. The set was the standard Metal romp you've come to expect from Goatwhore with 'Apocalyptic Havoc' closing things out. I drank 1 1/2 beers during their set.
Just over 6 months ago, Matt went into rehab 2 days after Sleep played the final show of their tour in Oakland and High On Fire also cancelled their Summer Tour. Thankfully, from all reports, Matt has come out on the other side in a much better place. Having High On Fire back in action was one of the best things to end this year with... and seeing a 1/2 full beer cup being thrown up in the air from the crowd and the smell of doobage being lit up by the bar as they hit the stage was heartwarming... if somewhat inappropriate from a sobriety point of view.
Slim's had filled up to capacity as the stage was prepared for High On Fire. Home cooking! As decent as Goatwhore were, after High On Fire opened with the new song 'Serums Of Liao' and then dropped the double shot hammer of 'Frost Hammer' into '10,000 Years' it was game over and no contest. According to the Umlaut Archives this was around the 20th time I've seen HOF dating back to their first album and it was one of the most focused sets I've ever seen them deliver. Given the recent uncertainty they experienced it was kind of emotional to see Matt, Des, and Jeff back together again on a hometown area stage and killing it. Matt's new white guitar seemed like a symbol of this new phase... or maybe that was just me overthinking shit again. Discuss amongst yourselves.
I didn't do a merch audit, but Goatwhore did have the best looking merch of the night... Although I would have spent my money on High On Fire if I had bought anything.. but I didn't. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. In the spirit of Jesus' Birthday it was nice to have a good number of friends in the house tonight including 2/3 of Acid King and that guy who sits at the back of the stage for Death Angel. 'Tis the season to be Metal... Also, I've been seeing shows at Slim's since it opened in 1988 and it's one of the only venues in San Francisco where you can still take show flyers off the walls:
Home cooking is the best and this show was the volume equivalent of that with 3 of the Bay Area's best hometown bands on the bill. After going to Will Call to make sure I was on the guest list, Photo Ray and I walked over to Luka's for pre-show grub and libations. We then returned to The Uptown just as Matt Pike arrived in the passenger seat of a Honda. You know you're seeing a show in Oakland when Matt Pike gets out of a Honda and picks up a No Parking cone and throws it across the sidewalk into a building so his friend can park the car.
We arrived as Embers were already well into their set and while they sounded great I opted to go back to the bar to get a pint. It was going to be that kind of show. Black Cobra detonated onstage at 10:00pm and, as at the recent Eyehategod show, I was once again glad to experience one of my favorite bands in front of an enthusiastic alcohol-fueled East Bay crowd. I don't think I've ever seen a legitimate pit going during a Black Cobra show, but tonight featured a lively drunken one. The action included beer cups being thrown at the stage and bodies hitting the floor during practically every song...
Those crazy kidz... Truth be told, I've been a bad friend and the last time I'd seen Jason and Rafa onstage was 9 months ago (!). Sorry, guys... Despite having recently completed a new album (Invernal... out on Southern Lord this Fall..), no new songs were played and Black Cobra kept the set to an excellent cross section from all of their current releases... and for 40 minutes the boys whipped up a long haired thrash fest that made my 9 month absence from their shows melt away.
More so than at other Black Cobra shows that I've seen, the crowd was in mayhem mode from the very first note of 'Negative Reversal'. This was the band's first Oakland show in awhile, and the best part about seeing shows in the East Bay is that the hipster element is outnumbered by the drunken crusty element... and that means more fun for your volume and more bodies flying around the room as the band works it onstage. My favorite salvos of the night were the groove monsters 'Frozen Night' and 'Chronomega'... but the entire set was absolutely ferocious on every level. As Rafa hit the final beat to close 'Swords For Teeth' and held his sticks aloft like the severed head of a defeated foe, I felt the performance, combined with the crowd action, was probably the best Black Cobra set I've seen since I started following them in 2006. For what it's worth Black Cobra's symphony of destruction went like this:
Negative Reversal
Machine
Red Tide
Storm Shadow
Five Daggers
Frozen Night
Omniscient
The Cry Of Melora
The Sapphire Falcon
Chronosphere
Swords For Teeth
By the end of Black Cobra's set the room was crowded, hot, and sweaty so we retired to the bar until we heard the thunder of High On Fire starting up. Alas, the hallway to get back into the main area was jammed with humans and I was not in the mood to fight my way back to the stage. After listening to the opening salvo of 'Frost Hammer' into 'Blood From Zion' into 'Waste Of Tiamat' I was done with not being able to see the stage and being oppressed by the heat and sweat of the space... So, since this was already my 5th High On Fire show since the release of Snakes Of Divine last year, we cut our loses and beat an early retreat back across The Bay Bridge.
Yeah, it wasn't really a complete night of Rock but it was sufficient for Umlaut. Black Cobra were my priority because it had been awhile since I'd seen Jason and Rafa in full roar and that was worth the trip to the 510 alone. Also, hearing High On Fire thunder while looking at the backs of people standing on chairs who are trying to see the stage is still better than being down front for most other bands... but since I'm an Old Fart I wasn't in the mood to experience an entire show that way.
Anyway, I didn't do a merch audit. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. There was a nerd wearing his 1999 Metallica fan club t-shirt but I'm sure he was down front for High On Fire and I wasn't... so who's the poser?
Click HERE to see Photo Ray's combat shots from the night!
"Doubt of the real facts, as I must reveal them, is inevitable; yet, if I suppressed what will seem extravagant and incredible, there would be nothing left." - William Dyer from At the Mountains of Madness.
It was a pleasant surprise when local boyz High On Fire announced a trio of hometown-area shows to close out the year and to start the new one: Brookdale, New Year's Eve in San Jose, and New Year's Day in Oakland. Of course, the obvious show for Umlaut to hit was the night at the HAUNTED Brookdale Lodge in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Click HERE to learn about Brookdale's paranormal history. Metal in a haunted mountain lodge?! FUCK... YEAH! I just hoped I wouldn't end up on the wrong side of an axe fight or in the trunk of a car by the end of the night...
Brookdale is approximately 70 miles south of San Francisco so we hit the road early in order to make it into the mountains, check into our room at the Brookdale (Metal Slumber Party!), and meet up with friends for a pre-show dinner at Scopazzi's, an Italian restaurant that's been in nearby Boulder Creek for 98 YEARS (!). It was a full-on Umlaut Nation onslaught with Skychick, Lori Acid King, Timo, Teri (Italia!), Mary Ann, Jerry, and Crow joining me for my final gig of 2010. They say a picture is worth a thousand words... Well here's 1,000 words about The Brookdale Lodge:
Karaoke... High On Fire... Gator Alley Band (a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band).
After checking into our room and dropping our bags off we returned to the lodge and found our way inside. There were 2 fireplaces blazing and 2 bars serving up drinks (actually 1 1/2 bars since one was in the middle of being renovated and only had beers in a cooler). One advantage of seeing shows in the mountains: CHEAP BEER! $3.00 for beers that normally cost $6.00 at shows in The City. FUCK... YEAH. I might have laughed out loud when I saw that the stage was not much bigger than a drum riser, with Dez's drum kit taking up practically 1/3 of it.
I got that "tingly" Music Geek feeling that I get when I know a show is going to be a F-U-N epic experience. Archons from San Diego played a good opening set that reminded me of some of the AmRep bands that I followed back in the 20th Century. They also sold the merch item of the night: A white glove packaged with a monocle and labeled with the phrase "Adds More Class To Your Act". I never found out the reason for this item but the band sold out of them. Hmmm.
Although they hail from the 'burbs / big city, High On Fire have always wandered "the mountains" psychologically. Appropriately they opened the night's set with 'Frost Hammer' and then charged straight into 'Turk'. So perfect... and I think I had the biggest smile on my face from the onslaught (or maybe it was from the beer). As it got colder and colder outside, the lads blazed through a great set.. 'How Dark We Pray'... 'Waste Of Tiamat'... 'Rumors Of War'.. 'Blood From Zion'.. 'Bastard Samurai'. I never looked at the clock but the set lasted 3 beers for me and finished off with a nice version of 'Snakes For The Divine'.
This was my 4th High On Fire show this year (in 2 states and 4 cities) and easily my favorite. The crowd and the vibe of the show felt like I was seeing the band 10 years ago again... They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well here's 1,000 words about the vibe during High On Fire's set:
Fireplace blazing in the foreground... High On Fire blazing in the background. 'Nuff said. After High On Fire finished we hung out near the bar... briefly said "Hi" to Matt... and I looked at my watch and it was only 11:00pm. WTF... I imagined our evening ending in very boring fashion back in our room drinking beer and watching t.v... and that's when MAGIC struck.
We talked and chatted amongst ourselves as the vast majority of the crowd trickled out and left to find their way out of the mountains back home. The dozen or so people who were left were either Brookdale employees or guests who were staying overnight like us... and that's when one of the employees got our attention and asked "Do you guys wanna go on a ghost tour??!" FUCK YEAH WE DO! So for the next 2 hours we followed a skitchy female Brookdale employee on a rambling but informative tour of the Brookdale Lodge and the surrounding grounds.
There is a secret entrance to a tunnel at the back of that fireplace that was built by gangsters in the 1950's (!). At that time the lodge was in decline and a criminal element took over The Brookdale and built a series of secret passages and tunnels on the property (!). In its glory days from the 1920's through the 1950's the Brookdale was a secluded getaway destination for A-List celebrities including Marilyn Monroe (!), James Dean (!), Rita Hayworth (!), Mae West (!), who were among other movie stars and politicians who stayed at The Brookdale. The debauchery that took place within those walls back then must have been EPIC!
Marilyn, Joltin' Joe... and James Dean at The Brookdale
The Meat Locker: During the 1950's when The Brookdale became a hub of criminal activity, The Meat Locker is reportedly where mob murders took place because it was soundproof. Only the locker's door remains intact in a wall and the actual space has been opened up to become part of a bar area that's currently being renovated.
The Mermaid Room: What remains of The Mermaid Room is around 20 feet from the stage where High On Fire played. Back in The Day it was a bar area and features a large window that looks into the lodge's swimming pool (which we visited a bit later in The Pool Room). At one time in The Brookdale's sordid history, prostitutes in bathing suits would swim past the window wearing numbers so patrons could select them ("Mermaid Room"). Once selected they would rendezvous across the road in The Brookdale's cottages; the patrons would be discreetly delivered to their "dates" via a secret tunnel that began in a closet behind The Mermaid Room's bar.
The Mermaid Room's window looking into the swimming pool..
In 1972, a 12-year old girl drowned at the bottom of the swimming pool in full view of guests in the Mermaid Room... and the pool has been closed ever since. Yup, there's been an unusual amount of death at The Brookdale!
The Brookroom Dining Room: This mindblowing space was built in the 1920's and encloses an existing mountain stream so that the water runs down the center of the restaurant!
The Brookroom from downstream at night and in the morning..
It's hard to describe just how brilliant The Brookroom is in person... the sight, sound, and smell of the mountain water gives the space a magical quality. I could almost imagine the room packed with Hollywood-types 60 years ago partying and living like they were immortal... but now they're dead and The Brookdale is a reminder of their faded fame and beauty. The debauchery that took place within those walls back then must have been EPIC!
The Brookroom from upstream..
The Brookroom from one of the dining areas..
In the 1940's, 9-year old Sarah Logan (the neice of the Brookdale's then-owner) fell into the stream and drowned. Sad... but her ghost is evidently the headlining paranormal entity at The Brookdale. Upstairs from the stream on the 2nd level is the room that was Sarah's playroom. Our skitchy tour guide wouldn't go inside because it freaked her out... but of course we did:
Kind of spooky.. but not really... and Sarah didn't come out to play. She was probably scared of that guy's Down hoodie.
The Pool Room: Located behind the main building, this is where the indoor swimming pool featured in The Mermaid Room is located.
The swimming pool..
The Pool Room (where a 12-year old girl drowned in 1972) was huge, cold, and dark. We hung out in there for a bit as our tour guide told a few more stories... and as we were leaving there was a loud noise and "something" hit one of the far walls. I shit you not... and I was not drunk. I think the ghost of the 12-year old girl was pissed at us for disturbing her.
After a short break back at The Lodge to gather more beers, our guide led us across the road to the cottages where hookers had serviced their customers back in The Brookdale's bad old days. Here in the 21st Century they serve as staff housing.
Stumbling around in the woods at 1:00am in the Mountains of Madness...
As our guide led us into a specific vacant cottage I had a VERY intense sense of deja vu and realized that I had been there before... and then it hit me that our friend Mary Ann (who was with us) had LIVED in this very cottage for 5 months when she had rented it 10+ years ago from the Brookdale's previous owners!! We had even helped move her into the place! I had completely forgotten about it... BIZARRE!! If the guide's story was to believed (and at this point her skitchy, speedy demeanor was wearing thin) a man had murdered his wife and 3 children in this cottage back in the 1960's or 70's. However, as compelling as I thought our friend Mary Ann's story was... and eventhough Mary Ann was sharing details about living in the cottage with other members of the tour group ("YOU lived HERE??!")... the skitchy guide blew us off and continued on with her "tour". Oh well... As the clock passed 2:00am our tour ended up back at The Lodge and we made our way to our room and promptly passed out... and, for better or worse, none of us experienced any paranormal weirdness during our slumber. Bummer.
Despite its glamorous and bloody history The Brookdale here in the 21st Century is kind of a dump that's in the middle of numerous renovation projects under its latest owners (who bought the property 3 years ago). Some of these projects seem kind of half ass and sloppy... but I wish the owners all of the very best because The Brookdale has so much potential to be a really cool and kitchy destination spot again. The fact that The Brookdale is so infamous for all of the murder and death that happened on its grounds makes its revival potential even cooler. By the way, although High On Fire stayed at The Brookdale like us, they opted not to participate in the Ghost Tour. Not very Metal of them... Just saying. However, I will now forever associate the song 'Frost Hammer' with The Brookdale...
Beer count = 5. If you bought one of every High On Fire merch item you would have paid around $150. On the way back to San Francisco, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. According to the Umlaut Archives this was my 78th and final gig of 2010... and I visited the Mountains of Madness and escaped with my sanity intact (I think...).
"At the time, his shrieks were confined to the repetition of a single, mad word of all too obvious source: "Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!"" - from At the Mountains of Madness.
