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.
Ladies and Gentlemen... Hell has officially frozen over. Ludicra, the undisputed headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene, have infiltrated the mainstream:
WOW.. Ludicra are having quite an action-packed year! From the release of an amazing new album, to the low of an ill-fated start to their U.S. Tour, to the triumphant conclusion of that tour, to being featured in Rock Band and exposing millions of gamers to their beautiful Black Metal ways. There are those who will say Ludicra have sold out, etc. etc. blah blah blah... but what does "selling out" even mean here in the 21st Century?? It's an antiquated term... and I'd rather have a band like Ludicra reap the benefits of something like this than some anonymous crap band. Discuss amongst yourselves. The only bummer is that the band members aren't accurately depicted in the game...
Maybe the gaming industry still hasn't figured out how to accurately and realistically recreate The Black Hoodie... Anyway, as Umlaut used to say back in the 20th Century: Corporate Rock Rules!
Being part of The Metal Scene means more than simply having "a blog" and saying that you're part of "The Scene"; actions speak louder than words in the larger silence of being coolly apathic beyond your CDs and black tees. Ludicra are an important band, not simply for The Bay Area Metal Scene but for Metal as a whole IMO. The saga of their recent U.S. Tour is one of THE Metal stories of 2010 and I originally ranted about it HERE. However, naturally the story has since faded from the minds of most now that the tour has ended and the band have returned home. Authentic artists like Ludicra make sacrifices for their art. With this in mind, Umlaut has joined forces with Sensory Abuse to offer a limited edition Ludicra print with the proceeds going to help John Cobbett with his existing medical expenses.
This is a limited edition of 66 hand-numbered prints. It measures 19"x13" and is printed on heavy, canvas-like paper stock. For delivery within the U.S. the print will cost $20 (shipping included). For International Orders please add an additional $5. The prints will be appropriately sent in a black mailing tube. Use this button to purchase the print via PayPal (payment will be made to Sensory Abuse): You can also support Ludicra via the "Merch" link on the band's site or at the Profound Lore site. This is just a small way for Umlaut to give back to THE METAL. In this day and age I think bands get taken for granted since it's so easy to "download this" or "YouTube that" to the point where bands (and their music) become disposable. The short attention span here in the 21st Century seems to cause many good bands to be tossed into a silent void as another band's download becomes available. Ludicra are a band who should never be disposable.
"Silent... Into a larger silence.." - Ludicra
A huge THANKS to Sensory Abuse for donating his photograph, time, and expertise to this project... and THANKS to Profound Lore and Invisible Oranges for giving support and advice... and HAIL to Ludicra for being Lifers.
Possibly not since the Giants vs. A's Bay Bridge World Series of 1989 has there been a Left Bay vs. Right Bay clash of this magnitude. In the East Bay we had the massive Missing Link show at the fabulous Fox Theater (3,000 capacity) and in San Franfuckincisco was Ludicra at the usually non-Metal Cafe du Nord. Both shows featured the triumphant homecomings of local heroes: In Oakland it was High On Fire and Black Cobra and the S.F. show was Ludicra's triumphant record release show. Prior to heading over to The East Bay, Photo Ray and I met up at 21st Amendment for food and to catch up on shit. Then it was across The Bay Bridge for...
This bill was a veritable "Who's Who" of bands ripped from the pages of Decibel magazine. Unfortunately, there was Will Call drama as the guest list that I was on was late getting submitted, so I missed Bison B.C.'s set... which was a bummer. However, it was alright hanging out front passing the time by chatting with various Umlaut Nation friends and catching up with Jason of Black Cobra who came out his Rock Star dressing room to mingle with us civilians.
Band Vans
Black Cobra: Thankfully, the guest list finally arrived at Will Call and I got inside with minutes to spare before Jason and Rafa started their set; I also met up with The Drummer just as the houselights went down. Over the past 7 months since their latest album was released the local boyz have toured practically non-stop. Man, it was so cool to see my bruthas up on that big stage punching the crowd in the stomach with the song 'Negative Reversal' to start and for the next 30 minutes Black Cobra owned The Fox. Whenwedie later reported that in the photo pit he witnessed some of the people in the front row flinch the moment the set started because they weren't expecting that kind of volume from only 2 guys onstage.
It was awesome to watch the crowd get into the volume assault and I'm sure some new fans were made; I watched one kid as he started nodding his head to the music... then by the next song he was banging his head to the music... and not long after that he had his right arm extended giving Black Cobra the horns. Nicely done, lad... nicely done. Standing in the crowd, The Drummer and I agreed that we felt like proud parents watching our "kids" up there on the big Lock 'N Loll stage... and my pride for the boyz was magnified as Jason channeled The Nuge with his guitar moves (Note to the newbies: You CANNOT pull off those moves with short hair.. so grow your hair out, pussies!) and Rafa sported a SWEET Rainbow shirt. Trivia: Black Cobra brought in Billy Anderson to mix their sound for this show... and it was worth it.
After Black Cobra's set there was a nice little Umlaut Nation reunion of friends in the VIP bar... Drinks flowed.. and blood was spilled.. and if the boys wanna fight you better let 'em... and it won't be long 'til Summer comes now that boys are back here again.. or something like that.
Valient Thorr: Valient Thorr tries WAY too hard to be a good time party band; they even had “PARTY” flash on the screen behind them at one point. All I can say is that Valient Thorr tap into something that obviously isn't me and, like, I DON’T wanna party with them. Just being honest. The most entertaining thing about Valient Thorr was how we later kept seeing Valient wandering around the lobby and venue bar like he was looking for people to recognize him. Sorry, dude. Party.
Priestess: Holy shit... I have NO memory OR notes about Priestess. Where the hell was I when they were onstage?? Bizarre... Sorry, guys. If anyone can remind me what I was doing during this 40 minutes I’d appreciate it. Maybe I was abducted by aliens…
Baroness: There is so much hype around Baroness... There are so many people raving about Baroness. All I can say is that Baroness tap into something that obviously isn't me. I know using headwear generalizations is lazy, but during Baroness' set I glanced over to my right and there was a group of 4 young dudes standing together digging the set: 3 were wearing hipster beanies and the 4th had on a backwards baseball cap. Anyway... not that headwear means anything... but I'm just saying, in this case, maybe it does.
High On Fire: This was the final show of High On Fire's current U.S. Tour and in a nice random example of how The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways, as I made my way down front I found myself standing next to old Umlaut friend Radio Cuevas, who was back in town from SoCal. PERFECT! High On Fire swaggered onstage in their hometown and immediately punched their homies in the face with 'Frost Hammer' right out of the gate. Seeing High On Fire on their home turf of Oaktown is a rare event, but it was odd few locals seemed to know an older song like 'Devilution'. Unfortunately HOF weren’t playing a full set tonight as they had when I saw them at SXSW. Tonight they were allotted 45 minutes onstage and they made the most of it as most of Mastodon watched their set from stage left; I had a flashback to OzzFest 2005 at Shoreline when High On Fire watched Mastodon’s 2nd stage set from stage right and ‘Blood & Thunder’ was dedicated to them. The set-closing 'Snakes Of The Divine' seemed to get the most rabid reaction from the punters, but the highlight for me was the hypnotically heavy version of 'How Dark We Pray' that was like having a pillow pressed against your face and the volume sucking the air from your lungs. For the record, HOF were also the only band to say "motherfucker" onstage; keeping it real. Remember when High On Fire played their 1st show ever at the Covered Wagon (aka Annie’s) in S.F.? Me too.. "Frost Hammer!!! Frost Hammer!! Frost Hammer!!! Frost Hammer!!"
Between The Buried And Me: I can’t stand BTBAM. All I can say is that BTBAM tap into something that obviously isn't me. I just can't abide a "Metal" band whose singer runs back and forth between the front of the stage and keyboards... and, I've said this about BTBAM in this space before: The bassist holds his bass high up in that Jazz musician way which is simply NOT METAL. Note to The Kidz: If you play bass or guitar in a METAL band you should wear your weapons slung LOW like a gunslinger. Otherwise you look like you're dry humping your instrument onstage... which is fine if you're in a Jazz band... but dry humping is NOT Metal. During BTBAM's set we hung out in the bar where they had a video feed of the band onstage on one plasma screen behind the bar and on another screen they were showing the Sharks vs. Red Wings playoff game. Guess which screen had a crowd in front of it...
SHARKS WIN!
Umlaut doesn't follow hockey, but it was kind of cool to be *there* as the Sharks eliminated Detroit; dudes on ice skates were better than BTBAM that's for sure. As you've probably already figured out, this show brought out the worst of Umlaut's jaded Old Fart side... but I have to call shit like I see it. It was also amateur night with the alcohol consumption and mishaps… with a good number of “How did I end up on the floor??”-types and at least one casualty leaving the room on a stretcher. Party.
Mastodon: This was the 5th time I've seen Mastodon on this album / tour cycle and, as much as I've liked the Crack The Skye album, I can say that I'm officially burned out on it now. It's interesting that Mastodon are at a level of popularity where they can now be considered a gateway band who draws mainstream folks into Metal. I know alot of my peers have crossed Mastodon off their "cool band" list now, but Umlaut still digs them. However, due to our date with Ludicra back in S.F. we bailed after 3 songs, but I have to say those 3 songs were probably the best performances I experienced since the Mastodon show over a year ago at the Great American. When it comes to the Metal bands that kidz and hipsters are latching onto these days, I'd rather see Mastodon reap the benefits instead of, say, Between The Buried And Me.
Oh shit, I need to say THANKS to the 2 dudes who came up to me at different times during the show who said how much they liked this space. I sometimes forget that people read these rants. Cool Doomriders shirt as well, man.
If you bought one of every Black Cobra merch item you would have paid $95... and if you had bought one of every Mastodon merch item you would have paid $200. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. Then it was back across The Bay Bridge for...
The saga of Ludicra's U.S. Tour is one of THE Metal stories of 2010 and I originally ranted about it HERE... and Umlaut traveled to a foreign land to support the band a couple of weeks ago in Arizona. All of the drama they experienced from sea to shining sea finally led The Undisputed Headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene back home for this triumphant homecoming show... which also served as the "official" record release party for their amazing album The Tenant. Of course, it was ironic that this celebration came at the end of the tour, but in light of everything that has happened to the band it was perfect. There is no place like HOME.
Welcome Home Art at The Merch Table
After spending 7 hours at The Big Rock Show, Ludicra were the light at the end of the dark, Mainstream Metal tunnel that I wandered through in Oakland. In a surgically precise maneuver (one that is sure to be studied at The Metal War Institute by future Metalheads as a textbook example of a Metal strike..), Photo Ray, Whenwedie, The Drummer, and Umlaut sped back to S.F. in The Prius... docked it at Photo Ray's secret lair... caught a cab within literally 2 minutes... and walked down the stairs into Du Nord within 30 minutes of leaving Oakland. SURGICAL! As we descended into the club, Kowloon Walled City were finishing up their set; I've been meaning to see them but have managed to miss all of their recent local shows. Sorry, guys... next time. Anyway, as I walked into the bar I saw the familiar faces of friends and local Metalheads and I immediately knew this was where I was supposed to be. The big show in Oakland had been fun, but this was the real deal event of the night; this was the event that counted.
I can't get over how brutally gorgeous Ludicra's new songs are when they're performed live... especially 'A Larger Silence'. It's an experience that I don't think human language can properly convey because the songs operate on such a higher level... and few songs in recent memory blow up like 'In Stable' does onstage.
During the set I had a profound sense of belonging; everyone in the room wanted to be there for the same reason: LUDICRA. No one was there simply to "be there" or to "be seen". This event counted. This was not a Scenester event like the show in Oakland; this was a gathering of kindred spirits. Ludicra have the ability to create Inner Peace via Mayhem and that vibe was so thick in the air you could have cut it with a knife. As much as I worship Ludicra's new songs, the song that has sucked me in at every show I've seen on this album / tour cycle has been the set closing 'Walk The Path Of Ash' from their 2006 EP. The title alone has stuck in my head as the perfect statement of how Ludicra have risen above all the bullshit and stress in the name of their art this year. I tend to gravitate towards epic things and Ludicra are an epic band both on and off the stage. As I'd witnessed in Arizona a couple of weeks ago, the new songs and old songs like 'Veils' created a vortex of fury that was completely engulfing and made me forget about time and space; Ludicra are the type of live band who make me live completely in the moment... and that's rare because giving up control over myself is not something I do very often.
For an encore, and the final song of the tour, the band plunged into the 15 minute epic 'Awake The Grey' from their 1st album and it was as if they were purging all of the bile and stress and bullshit from the tour into the ether via the song. It was 15 minutes that will rank as some of the best time I'll spend with a band this year... and with that mesmerizing finale Ludicra's U.S. Tour ended. As the song ended a curtain of feedback was lowered and the band exited stage left to return to The Real World.
The Tenant album is a watershed moment in Bay Area Metal and mark my words that in the years to come it will be one of those albums that future generations of Metalheads will hear about, seek out, and become obsessed with... Mark my words. It's not simply an album for just this year, it's an album for all time. Umlaut saw Ludicra 4x over the past 2 months in 3 cities and 3 states; it was an honor and a privilege. I'm looking forward to when Ludicra emerge from their slumber to rage amongst us again in (hopefully) the near future.
Ludicra onstage at DuNord (Photo courtesy of Whenwedie)
After the feedback curtain fell upon the show we didn't want to leave. We hung out a bit longer, ordered another round of beers at the bar, and chatted a bit with the band and friends. THE SCENE. I didn't do a merch audit, but the nice screen printed gig poster (limited edition of 30) was only $10.. SOLD! On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. It was an epic way to end a long day. However, I have to say THE most METAL thing of the day has to go to Whenwedie's amazing King Diamond LEGO tattoo (King Diamond and LEGO: Both from Denmark... Brilliant!):
When I arrived back at Casa de Umlaut I found this postcard had been stuck in my front screen door by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka The Mormons… of course..): Something tells me Jesus probably digs Between The Buried And Me... Just saying.
The Gauntlet is one of Umlaut's favorite Clint Eastwood movies and also Umlaut's favorite movie set in Phoenix.
The plot is completely ridiculous but the finale is oh so METAL! Yes, Umlaut owns The Gauntlet on DVD and as we boarded Southwest Flight 686 I imagined myself as Ben Shockley returning to Phoenix.
The saga of Ludicra's U.S. Tour is one of THE Metal stories of 2010 and I ranted about it HERE. However, even before the drama unfolded, Photo Ray and Umlaut had already plotted to be in Arizona for this bill featuring not only the undisputed headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene (LUDICRA!) but also the mighty LANDMINE MARATHON! The fact that 2 of my favorite bands were sharing a bill made this road trip a no-brainer. However, after Ludicra's misfortune, the trip became even more important for Umlaut to be there simply to show support for bands who mean alot to me. Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Christians trek to wherever the image of Jesus appears in the bark of a tree or on a piece of toast. Umlaut goes where his bands are... because Metal (and Music in general) is as close to religion as I've ever experienced.
To quote *that* band: "Let the music be your Master... will you heed the Master's call?"
Our hotel was right out of No Country For Old Men and I hoped I wouldn't be pulling a bullet out of my leg in bloody bath water later that night. From what I was told, The Underground was a legendary Phoenix-area venue back in The Day and the fact that it recently reopened is a big deal. Very cool. Tonight's show was being held in the venue's basement gig space (appropriately called "The Basement"). The only buzz kill (literally) was that the venue doesn't have a liquor license, so Umlaut had to figure out something else to do during the show with his right hand instead of holding a beer.....
When we showed up at the venue the bands were shocked (or freaked out) that we'd made the trek, but I guess they still don't know who they're dealing with... Umlaut comes from the generation of Metalheads who had to WORK for their Metal. I was the nerdy Metal kid in the pre-Internet days who took a bus to a BART station and spent 90 minutes traveling each way just to visit a record store that MIGHT have a new import only 7" single or album by one of my favorite bands. No... I never called record stores to ask them if they had something in stock... The trek was part of the adventure... and now that Umlaut lives in a retarded version of adulthood here in the 21st Century that same mindset translates into how I follow bands. In my Inner Teenage Metalhead mind, it's perfectly reasonable to travel 800 miles to see two of my favorite bands in a basement club in bumfuck Mesa, Arizona. However, I guess I probably should have called first... My bad.
Best Quotes:
"What's San Francisco doing here??" - Christy of Ludicra
"You guys are insane..." - Ryan of Landmine Marathon
Nightgaun: Nightgaun belongs in that fraternity of Hardcore bands who have been playing basement venues like The Underground since time began. To be honest I lost interest after a song or two... but I think I would have dug them more if I could have had a fucking beer in my right hand. Sorry dudes... I know I was on your turf.. but Umlaut was thirsty... but not miserable.
Landmine Marathon: It felt like it had been years since Umlaut's Big Adventure with Landmine in Ohio and Texas, but it had only been just over a month. Time is weird, man. Also, this was my 7th time seeing Landmine and I've had to take a plane to 6 of those shows. WTF... Dude, they FINALLY played 'Steadfast Hate' with Umlaut in the room! It was the best 7 minutes I've spent in Arizona to date. EPIC. The vibe of their set was different than the recent Landmine shows I've witnessed, which had been out of town showcase deals in foreign lands. The vibe at those was different simply because Landmine was on the road as their self-contained combat unit out to fuck with any and all comers. Tonight it was about them detonating in front of a hometown crowd of friends. The energy was different in that there wasn't that nervous violence I'd witnessed a month earlier; Grace didn't kick any dudes in the nuts tonight. Since this was the middle of the week and a school night, instead of being fueled by on tour combat rage this set seemed more about Landmine using their time onstage as a catharsis for the bullshit of their real world week; like 40 minutes of volume therapy. Everybody's workin' for the weekend! I've said it before in this space: It's been cool watching Landmine perform under so many different circumstances and witnessing them be consistent in channeling their demons (or whatever) into mayhem that feels comfortable to me. They're like a noose of barbed wire around my neck that's about to give me that blast of enlightening silence. Landmine will be marching out on a U.S. Tour in June / July and they are the type of band who are more dangerous when they're away from home... So get in the ring, motherfuckers!
Black Hell: It was funny that I recognized the drummer as also being in the Phoenix band Sorrower; I think Umlaut has been around too many Arizonians recently. I wasn't familiar with Black Hell prior to the show, but unfortunately this was their final show. It was obvious they meant alot to the locals and I liked their retro Rock sound, which featured some excellent dual leads (LIZZY!) and strong vocals. For lack of a better comparison, they were like a more sober version of Saviours. It's a bummer this was their final curtain call, but it was cool I got to witness it... but a bummer they didn't have any merch (CDs / vinyl) for sale.
Ludicra: This was the final show outside of California for Ludicra on their arduous 2010 U.S. Tour; only 36 days previously Umlaut had witnessed what was basically the first show of the tour when the band supported and wiped the stage with Pentagram. Whereas Landmine Marathon were in their hometown comfort zone tonight, Ludicra were deep in their on tour combat zone. I was interested to see how The Undisputed Headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene were channeling the drama and daily grind of touring (27 shows in 27 days!!) into their performance; I got my answer as the first notes of 'Stagnant Pond' kicked the set off. Having seen Ludicra at least a dozen times at home, it was an epiphany of sorts watching them destroy a crowd in a foreign land. The Arizona crowd was in the palm of their hand from the start and many seemed to know the new songs. When they launched into an old song like 'Veils' it was as if a landmine (pun intended) had gone off in the small room as the new Ludicra did the Wonder Twin Powers thing with the old Ludicra. Fucking mind blowing... and the Arizona crowd got some really nice pit action going; I can't remember the last time there was a pit like the one in this basement at a Ludicra show in S.F.. The crowd also pressed down front and it was cute to see a pair of young Metal girls with their arms around each others shoulders raging in unison in front of Laurie. Man, after weeks on the road Ludicra are performing at a terrifying level of precision now. Even via a basement venue's PA Ludicra's music transcended the average and approached something larger. Ludicra are the type of band who could change your life; their music is that cerebral and that violent and that beautiful... and that terrifying. Listen to their albums... see them live... DONE.
Then it was over... Two of Umlaut's favorite bands... on the same bill... in the desert. All that had been missing was a fucking beer in my right hand. Cheers to Photo Ray and to Lilia for the shuttle service. Cheers to Ludicra for being such a terrifying force on and off stage. Cheers to Landmine Marathon for including me in their desert violence and for being Umlaut Nation friends. Oh, and cheers to Metal Val for keeping a secret.
Landmine Marathon ... 1/5 of Ludicra... Umlaut..
If you bought one of every Landmine merch item you would have paid around $80. On the way back to San Francisco, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags... which makes sense I guess. On the local news the next morning they announced that Shakira was arriving in Phoenix to protest Arizona's new immigration law. In the rental car the next morning, Phoenix Rock Radio 93.3 played 'Arizona' by the Scorpions and Klaus & Co. said it all: "Arizona really was a gas!" ... but not in the same way that Belsen was a gas for the Sex Pistols.. I hope.
Maybe The Gauntlet wasn't so far fetched after all! I need to watch it again...
The tale of Ludicra has quickly become THE story of The Bay Area Metal Scene for 2010. The outpouring of support for them in the wake of a medical emergency has been beyond amazing. It's also reminded me why I'm proud to say The Bay Area is my place of birth and my homeland. The San Franfuckincisco Bay Area Metal Scene is a tight community, but it's inspiring to see how The Metal Scene nation / worldwide has responded. METALHEADS: We take care of our own.
Earlier today, longtime Umlaut friend Billy Anderson asked me to post his contribution to Ludicra's cause. For the newbies: Billy is a legend for his work producing bands such as Sleep, Melvins, Eyehategod, Mr. Bungle, Black Cobra, and MANY others. His discography also includes Ludicra's Another Great Love Song album.
Lifers forever, man. To quote Billy: "This is not a hobby." So, without further ado, here's Billy:
To all fans of good music and musicians, to fans of music that i have worked with and stand behind, and to wishers of good will and gesture, and especially to to keepers of the faith:
PLEASE HELP LUDICRA.
(Included in this note is a link to the Profound Lore Records site with info galore, and a link to the press release put together by Nathan Carson of Nanotear Booking and Wolves in the Throne Room from Olympia WA. It has gone out to Blabbermouth, Pitchfork Media, and other online and music related media outlets.)
John Cobbett, guitar wizard and co-founder of Ludicra, founder of Hammers of Misfortune-to name only a couple- is in dire need of your help. He is at this moment being released from the hospital in Washington state after having been there almost a week after a misdiagnosed appendix attack, then the eventual rupture, near death and eventual treatment of appendicitis-all while embarking on Ludicra's biggest and most important tour in its 12-year history...
The outpouring of support from the music community has been plentiful and inspiring so far.. John is out of the hospital today (Wed. 4-7-2010) and resting in the Northwest before rejoining the rest of Ludicra in New York on the 13th..I believe they are playing at least a few shows as a 4-piece until John meets them, so...catch those shows as an EXTREME rarity and buy a shirt and bring friends!!! Please forward this to anyone who might be concerned or is a fan of Ludicra or Hammers of Misfortune, as a personal favor to John, the band, myself and the spirit of true and real music.
Please help if you can. 10 bucks, 20 bucks, 13 Pesos, A few Rupees, whatever you can do... Even if you are dirt-ass broke, go see them on the rest of their tour when they come to your town and call all your friends in other cities of the tour, post tour dates, buy merch, support the tour in any way you can. Because its important.
Wolves in the Throne Room has stepped up and made a generous offer to anyone who raises a certain amount of money. In keeping with that notion, i want to do my part as well in one of the ways i can..
My offer:
This offer is extended to: Any band, label, management or booking agency, radio station, gear broker, band member, friend of band member, understanding and awesome girlfriend, well-off and supportive parent or family member of anyone associated with music and the recording of it-- Any entity or combined effort of entities mentioned above that can raise a substantial amount of money (starting at $100 US-and above, up to any amount you can raise..) to donate to John Cobbett/Ludicra, I hereby offer my professional services as Producer/ Engine-Ear. Dollar for dollar.
If your band, radio station, store, etc (i will call it "entity" ) raises and donates 100 bucks, i will donate to your entity 100 dollars worth of my time/services to your entity. If you raise 5 grand, i donate 5 grand worth. Simple. This offer is extended with no real "expiration date", as i am sure John's medical expenses combined with touring expenses will set John and Ludicra back for quite some time.
I offer this as a gesture of good will and faith, and a bit of a fundraising challenge. And on a more personal note, John totally saved my ass when we were recording "Another Great Love Song"-scooping me from a near-death zombie state, rushing me to a couple E.R.s and helping cover me financially when i had a nasty and untreated tooth infection. I never forgot that.
BACK STORY:
The back story is, for me, the main reason this is all such a dire circumstance and the reason there is a need for the music-NAMELY THE METAL-community to unite and pull together for the greater good.
Ludicra are not only one of my favorite bands ever, they are also my good friends, most of them for well over a decade. John Cobbett, Ludicra, and Hammers of Misfortune are long-time unsung spokes-heroes for San Francisco music and metal in general. They have slugged it out for over a decade with no major touring or even recognition on the level they deserve. They caught a break when asked to do a direct-support slot on Mayhem's upcoming U.S. tour. But just when they FINALLY get a wind behind them- Mayhem cancelled. Ludicra, bloodied but motivated-forged ahead. Along with the steadfast skills of Nathan Carson at Nanotear Booking and the other bands/their people, the tour was booked anyway. To kickstart the tour in San Francisco, Ludicra opened for Pentagram. Though John had his first (and misdiagnosed) attack of appendicitis and been in the emergency room for hours JUST before the show- he showed up at doors, no soundcheck, and to a packed hometown audience, Ludicra routinely and summarily DESTROYED. Days later, after the very first "official" show of the tour in Portland, Or., John's appendix burst, endangering his life and putting him in the hospital-and in the arms of the health care system, uninsured. He's been in the hospital for almost a week now at the mercy of the system, surgeries, and unthinkable bills. Each day that passes is one more show Ludicra cannot play. And another day the rest of the band is away from home and losing precious money.
There you go. Like the statement/ release made by Wolves in the Throne Room, i don't want to sound like a telethon or infomercial or cause anyone to feel sorry for John or anything like that. This is a genuine call to arms for anyone who cares about metal, about music and about a great band who is finally getting their due. Its also a way to give a bit of yourself to help John Cobbett, an important and legendary figure in music in San Francisco and certainly, the world.
Thank you for reading.
REGARDING THE OFFER MADE BY ME:
Please email me to make arrangements about redeeming my services. billy@billyanderson.net
To make a donation to LUDICRA/John Cobbett directly through Profound Lore, simply send a payment via paypal here: profoundlorerecords@gmail.com
This is the general donation fund.
Anyone wanting to take advantage of my offer, PLEASE put in the subject: LUDICRA John Cobbett/BILLY ANDERSON OFFER
I will arrange with Ludicra/Profound Lore the documentation and eventual settlement between anyone who meets the challenge and the eventual redemption of the final amount. Thank you.
Ludicra are one of the most inspiring Metal bands that Umlaut has ever witnessed. The fact that they're a hometown band is even better, and they are part of a VERY long list of amazing Metal bands that have been spawned here in the San Franfuckincisco Bay Area.
I'm a Lifer. Metal has been part of my life since I was a teenager here in The Bay Area during the magical, amazing era of the early-80's. For the newbies: Click HERE for a quick visual history lesson. Metal is not a casual thing for me, especially as I've gotten older. It's one thing that acts as a reality check about who I am as a person... and, ironically, it's something that is part of my professional life as well. Metal is, and should be, a lifestyle... and I don't mean just in regards to your fashion sense. If you're serious, Metal is a religion... and it's the closest thing to a religion that I've ever embraced. Metal has helped me to focus my worldview, focused my thoughts when I've needed it, been my friend when I was a lonely, and has also introduced me to some of my best friends... and it continues to do all of those things for me. Metal is not simply "music" to me.
Ludicra are Lifers too. Most of you reading this already know about their current situation, and it breaks my Metal Heart to think about the frustration and stress the band is going through; this trek should be Ludicra's triumphant march across the continent. It's hard enough being an artist here in the 21st Century without having to deal with this kind of reality. Of course, it's terrifying (in a GOOD way) to think how Ludicra will take this adversity and channel it into their music... but first they have to take care of business. Below is the latest info on the band's tour and also how you can help them if you're so inclined. True artists who make sacrifices for their calling are a rare thing these days... alot of other bands would have returned home... defeated... beaten down... but Ludicra are Lifers. METAL.
Figure with word going around on the status and fate of LUDICRA’s “De-Cancellation” tour, it’s time we gave an official update on the situation. The plan is for LUDICRA to soldier on their tour in St. Paul, MN (on April 08) as a four piece until John Cobbett full recovers and can re-join the band for the rest of the tour. Read on how you can help LUDICRA in this time of need...
After having their first big break, in their illustrious ten-plus year career, yanked from them when Mayhem unceremoniously decided to cancel their initially planned return to the U.S. (where LUDICRA were direct support), LUDICRA weren’t going to let this blemish get in the way of touring in lieu of their new album “The Tenant” (which has, so far, become one of the most acclaimed albums of the year). So the band decided to last-minute book a full-on 31 date tour in place of the canceled Mayhem one.
As the tour began, the second day in the tour, guitarist John Cobbett (also the mastermind in HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE of course) felt a pain in his stomach/abdominal area and it was revealed he had appendicitis and that his appendix had burst, along with having an abscess growing inside his body which, in a weird twist of fate, actually helped him. Prior to the tour, before the Pentagram show in SF which LUDICRA recently played, Cobbett felt the symptoms of such a sickness and went to get checked out. Even though he went to get checked out though, the ever reliable and helpful (sarcasm) doctors at San Francisco General Hospital simply dismissed it and told Cobbett there was nothing wrong with him.
So in Olympia WA, Cobbett had to be rushed to the emergency room to be tendered to. He is currently still in the hospital in Olympia and is awaiting word on the doctors of when he can re-join his band mates and is recovering really quickly.
The outpouring from the fans of support has been immense and it just shows the kind of dedicated community a band like LUDICRA can create.
DONATION INFO
There have been people showing interest and asking on how to make any kind of donation as these medical bills continue to surmount and pile up (that’s U.S. health care for you). But we have posted several donation options (which will remain active for the duration of the tour) for those who want to donate (anything helps of course) and help LUDICRA:
Option 1: If you would like to make a donation to LUDICRA/John Cobbett directly through Profound Lore, simply send a manual payment via paypal here: profoundlorerecords@gmail.com and in the subject line please write “Ludicra Donation” just so we can distinguish it.
Option 2: LUDICRA’s friends WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM have also reached out to help. They have posted all their donation info etc. via their myspace blog HERE.
Option 3: Casey C-P , has created a cool poster for the band’s show in Portland and is selling them. All proceed from sales of this poster will go towards LUDICRA. Go HERE to see where you can buy the poster.
Of course any updates (prior to us leaving on April 12th for Roadbrun Fest) will be posted. For the most recent updates on LUDICRA, best to check our twitter account HERE.
And of course we want to thank all the LUDICRA supporters out there who have shown their concern and support towards one of the best American metal bands today. Your support means a lot.
So the De-Cancellation tour now looks like this:
04/08 - St Paul, MN @ Turf Club 04/09 - Milwaukee, WI @ Jackpot Gallery 04/10 - Chicago @ The Underground Lounge (w/Clad in Darkness) 04/11 - Indianapolis, IN @ Melody Inn 04/12 - Lansing, MI @ Mac's Bar (w/Wastelander, Sauron) 04/13 - Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar (w/KRALLICE, CRUCIFIST) 04/14 - Toronto, ON @ Rancho Relaxo (w/KRALLICE) 04/15 - Montreal, QC @ Il Motore (w/KRALLICE) 04/16 - Portland, ME @ Geno's (w/Ocean, KRALLICE, Aok Suicide Forest) 04/17 - Boston, MA @ O'Briens (2pm day show) (w/Tombs, KRALLICE) 04/18 - Brooklyn, NY @ Europa (w/KRALLICE, CASTEVET, Attake) 04/19 - Philadelphia @ M Room (w/Lair of the Minotaur, Tombs, KRALLICE) 04/20 - Baltimore, MD @ Hexagon (w/Tombs, KRALLICE) 04/21 - Richmond, VA @ The Triple (w/KRALLICE) 04/22 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn (w/Music Hates You) 04/23 – Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light 04/24 – Little Rock, AR @ Downtown Music 04/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo's 04/27 - Las Cruces, NM @ The Trainyard 04/28 - Phoenix, AZ @ Nile Basement (w/LANDMINE MARATHON) 04/29 – San Diego, CA @ Radio Room 04/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Sabor Lounge 05/01 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Coaster's (w/Dusted Angel) 05/08 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord(w/Kowloon Walled City - CD release show for “The Tenant”)
The undisputed headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene are being challenged by misfortune. Help them if you can, because it's not easy being an artist these days... and this type of situation is terrible under any circumstances.
***All profits from the sale of this poster will go toward the medical bills of Ludicra's guitarist, John Cobbett.***
This poster was for bay-area black metal maestros, Ludicra, and the Portland kickoff date of their 5 week spring tour. Unfortunately disaster struck on the second night of the tour, when lead guitarist John Cobbett's appendix burst. They have had to cancel dates, and the fate of the tour is uncertain. John is recovering well, but he is now crippled with medical bills and the band is losing money due to the canceled tour dates. Which is where this humble designer comes in. I am donating all proceeds from this poster (after taking a small portion to cover printing and shipping costs) toward Cobbett's medical expenses.
Awesome poster for a great price and a great cause = no brainer.
After having seen my last 8 shows in Ohio and Austin, it was nice getting back into the routine and see a show on my home turf again. Not long after getting into the Will Call line we ran into Bob, who used to work at the legendary Record Vault back in The Day. It was nice going to a show and see alot of familiar faces and Umlaut Nation friends.... The Scene... Home.
Once inside I had a flashback to a conversation I had last week in Austin at SxSW with someone about Orchid. We were sitting on a curb in Austin, killing time, and my friend was saying how they should have chosen another Black Sabbath song title for their name since there are, like, a dozen other bands named Orchid. He had a point. I'll cut *this* Orchid slack because I DO like them and I dig their new CD... but, man, they do cop ALOT of Black Sabbath circa 1970-71... The Orange amps... The Red SG. Their song 'Into The Sun' is the riff from 'Symptom Of The Universe'... The riff in their song 'Eastern Woman'... err.. "pays homage" to the riff from 'Children Of The Grave'. Their song 'No One Makes A Sound' is a bastard child of 'Supernaut'... but at least the bassist doesn't play a Rickenbacker. Sorry, Umlaut is a massive Sabbath geek... and anyone who's listened to their first 4 albums as intimately as me knows what I'm talking about. However, I don't mean to harsh on Orchid.... Hopefully they will bring something of their own to the Sabbath template in the future, like how Sleep used the Sabbath template but brought their own shit to the mix. I dig Orchid... and if I smoked weed they'd be playing during my nod time.
During Orchid's set there was some unnecessary drama with security over me accidently spilling some of my beer on a lady. Dudes, I was NOT drunk... sometimes gravity and an awkward move causes beer to spill... and I apologized to the lady and she accepted. No harm, no foul.. No need to go Jock on me.
Slough Feg has they've been around S.F. FOREVER. Back in the early-90's, when Umlaut was a xeroxed 'zine, the 'zine buyer at a now defunct comic store on Haight Street was an Umlaut fan and he always carried my issues... and he was the bassist in Slough Feg at the time (I forget his name). Fast forward to the 21st Century and I know people revere Slough Feg's brand of retro Metal and their longevity... but I've never connected with this band. As with Orchid, I understand why the kidz like it... but my old Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden albums still hold up for me.
LUDICRA... NOW we're talking! They were the main reason why I was at the DNA tonight; THE undisputed headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene! Having just seen Ludicra at Scion Fest in a basement I was beyond psyched to see them play a full set on a proper stage with a proper sound system behind them. Umlaut had some quality hang time with Ludicra in Ohio... and prior to their set I had some Ohio deja vu moments as I touched bases with Aesop at the merch table, Photo Ray and I chatted with Laurie about her Scion Fest experience... and I watched some of Slough Feg with Cobbett. The Scene. Home. As Ludicra were setting up their gear somebody came up to the stage and gave Cobbett a copy of George Benson's Weekend In L.A. live album.... and Cobbett played the riff from Benson's 'On Broadway' on his Les Paul. HILARIOUS! Music Geeks in The House!
According to The Umlaut Archives this was my 10th time seeing Ludicra. It's not often that I feel compelled to be against the stage for a band, but Ludicra are one of those bands who I've always been right up front for... They opened with a double shot of the new songs 'Stagnant Pond' > 'In Stable' and I was immediately sucked into the Ludicra universe as I've always been since the first time I saw them.
Ludicra's diabolical mix of Metal and Prog Rock is a force of unholy nature whose fury always catches me off guard when they play live. No matter how many times I've seen them, I'm never prepared for the intensity of their onslaught. The band is one of the most compelling and undeniable live bands I've ever seen. Ludicra create a wall of darkness and volume that is simply impenetrable.
During their set, as I have in the past, I've simply closed my eyes and let the band's music get into my head. Yeah, that's probably kinda Hippie Shit... but it's the reaction I have. Ludicra on this night was a religious experience... and I don't mean a "God" experience... I mean their songs and fury took me to a different place. The complexity of Ludicra's music (the interweaving guitars, melodies, vocals, heaviness, dynamics) is something that seems to translate BETTER onstage than on their recordings, which is the opposite of alot of bands. The new songs are just mindblowing and as brutal as Ludicra are I find their volume strangely and profoundly calming. Inner peace through mayhem. HAIL!!
I missed Pentagram last year when they played S.F. because I was out of town. Oh, man... Pentagram 2010... or aka The Bobby Leibling Band as a friend described it. Seeing Pentagram was in stark contrast to the Saint Vitus show a couple of months ago. Saint Vitus, another resurrected band from the past, were in top form musically and sounded completely relevant.... 2010's version of Pentagram not so much. Alot of it was probably due to the fact that the band's guitarist quit a week ago the day before the current U.S. Tour was scheduled to start... and evidently the new guitarist was hired within 6 HOURS. As we were waiting in the Will Call line, an old friend told me that during soundcheck Bobby told him their set would run 5 songs plus a "jam session". Uh-oh..... "Jam session".....
As Pentagram took the stage I knew what was coming. Whereas Ludicra came onstage as a unit, Pentagram looked like "The Bobby Leibling Band": The singer with some musicians. They didn't look like "a band"... and during the first song Bobby stood behind the new guitarist and I don't know if it was to coach him through the song... but it started getting a bit too homoerotic to me and I started feeling uncomfortable watching it... Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just prefer my Rockers to ROCK and not RUB. Just saying...
Anyway, I was just hoping they'd play the one song I wanted to hear earlier rather than later... and, thankfully, the 2nd song of the set was 'Forever My Queen'... and so we hit the exit. From what I heard later, I'm glad we made an early retreat before the 20 minute train wreck jam session...
I didn't do a merch audit, but before heading back to Casa de Umlaut we stopped for a midnight burrito in The Mission. Perfect. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. As I said earlier, it was nice to be seeing a local show again... The Scene. Home.
Only one word can describe this weekend: EPIC. I'm also just going to say this right now: Whatever I end up writing here will NOT completely convey how EPIC this weekend was... Scion Fest 2010 was overwhelming, man. Overwhelming in the best possible way.
Very early in the morning Photo Ray and Umlaut flew to Phoenix to catch a connecting flight to Columbus. This was a calculated move in order to meet up with Umlaut friend's Landmine Marathon, who were scheduled to open the main stage at Scion Fest. However, the EPIC nature of the weekend was set into motion not long after we arrived at the gate as 2/5 of Ludicra and those road dogs the Saviours all arrived at Gate 18 to catch the same connecting flight. WOW... a Bay Area Metal Scene takeover in the Phoenix Airport.... and so Flight 666 took off for that foreign land known as Ohio.
After landing in Columbus, we waited with the Rock Stars as they gathered their gear from baggage claim and then made our way to the taxi stand... and the MAGIC of the weekend started.
Not long after Landmine started to deal with the most uncooperative taxi drivers I've ever encountered, who should come lumbering up with their luggage carts but the almighty Shrinebuilder! Nice timing and it warmed my heart when Al started chanting "Umlaut, Umlaut.." as he walked up to me.... and it was funny as Scott, Al, and Dale all asked "What are YOU doing here??"
Shrinebuilder waiting for a cab..
Seeing old friends in unexpected places rules, right?
The tone for the next 36 hours or so was set as soon as we arrived at the hotel. The scene inside the lobby was intensely SURREAL with the space filled with bands waiting to check-in or just hanging out. It was like a scene from Almost Famous, but made more crazy because there was also a TEACHER'S CONVENTION staying at the hotel! Crusty musicians mingled past gawky teachers and one band member I know later told me a teacher offered him food because she thought he was homeless (HAHAHA!)! During the elevator ride to our rooms with some of the teachers one of them asked if we were there for "the music festival". When we said "Yes" the following exchange occurred:
Teacher #1: "What kind of music?" Me: "Loud....." Teacher #1: (staring at me blankly...) Teacher #2: "Do you mean, Rock music?" Me: "Yes....."
At this point I guess I'm supposed to say "Cue 'Hot For Teacher'"... but I won't.......... okay..... I will.
Awhile later, Photo Ray and I found ourselves at a pub across the street called Michael O'Toole's. We sat in the corner of the bar and people watched the normal Happy Hour types go about their fun. As our food arrived, a dude wearing a backwards baseball cap and a Slayer - Strictly F/X pyro crew shirt sat on the stool next to me. Ironically, Umlaut has the same shirt and I commented "Nice shirt.." to which the dude replied "Thanks. Slayer gave it to me.." and when I said "I have one too.." he kind of did a double take. During the uncomfortable silence that followed I kept thinking that the dude looked totally familiar, but I couldn't place him. Finally he turned to Photo Ray and I and asked "Are you guys playing the festival?" Long story short, it turned out the dude was fucking Pat O'Brien, lead guitarist of fuckin' Cannibal Corpse! Fucked with a knife, man... We ended up chatting with him about his band... Ozzy... Lemmy... and he ended up buying us shots of Maker's Mark. METAL! We would encounter Pat several more times before our stay in Ohio was over. A nice dude.
Later that night the hotel bar was the scene of an EPIC hang session. The amount of Metal in the bar was truly stunning... the conversations were truly stunning... the amount of alcohol consumed by some was truly stunning.... and it was stunning how many current and former San Francisco / Bay Area Metal people and bands were in the house. It was like we were all hanging out back at home, except we all NEVER hang out at home together. You meet some really amazing people on the road, man. Also, it was really cool for me personally because I was able to meet up with old friends like Dale of Shrinebuilder and Harald O. of D.R.I... who I've known since we were both teenagers in Silicon Valley, California. Life is strange.. How the Hell did we end up in Ohio, man!?
Photo Ray... Umlaut... 3/4 of D.R.I.
The highpoint of the night for Umlaut was being able to introduce certain band members from Arizona to their Rock Star heroes. Awww...
The next afternoon we went to the Will Call tent to collect our passes and I was impressed by how well organized Scion Fest was.. For the newbies: Scion Fest is a FREE Metal festival sponsored by Scion / Toyota. Yup, all tickets were free to anyone who registered online (last year's Scion Fest was held in Atlanta). The festival was spread out over 4 different venues (Newport Music Hall, Skully's, Bernie's Distillery, and Circus) with 24 bands scheduled to play. All of the venues are located on High Street and, not unlike SxSW, the venues are all a straight shot from each other. The furthest two venues were around a mile apart, but shuttle vans were operating to ferry Metalheads to and from the venues. Like I said, the event was very well organized AND I was surprised by the lack of overt Scion advertising anywhere around the festival site. Interesting...
After collecting our passes at the Will Call tent, we rode over to the venue with Landmine Marathon and watched their soundcheck at the Newport Music Hall. The Music Hall was the main stage of the festival and it's a cool, decrepit old theater that seats around 1,500 people. It's always fun to walk into a venue via the back door, but this time it felt so Metal since Newport Music Hall has faded glory character and it was raining, which added to the METAL atmosphere. When the doors opened there was some time to relax before the mayhem; one of these people is NOT in a band:
Landmine Marathon (Newport Music Hall): A sizeable crowd arrived early for Landmine's opening set and I was impressed how the vast majority went to the front of the stage instead of hanging at the back by the bars. Even if the festival was free, people were there for Metal. I'll just cut to the chase and say this about Landmine's set: THEY FUCKING KILLED IT. ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT. I know they will say otherwise... and they had to struggle with playing on the festival's rented equipment instead of their own gear... and they were playing the big stage when they would rather have been on a small stage in a club down the street... but THEY KILLED IT.
I've said this many times in this space: My favorite bands are the ones who take a less than perfect situation and make it their own... and that's exactly what Landmine did. For their 40 minutes in Ohio they OWNED that big stage.
Hate Eternal (Newport Music Hall): To be honest, I wasn't familar with Hate Eternal at all... although I think I've seen them before. I guess that says it all right there... but to be fair I spent almost their whole set hanging out in the merch area with friends.
3 Inches Of Blood (Newport Music Hall): I've seen 3IOB before and I really like them live... Their Old Metal sound translates well to the stage. I found it interesting that the guitarist who looked so much like vintage James Hetfield the last time I saw them had ditched the white Flying-V for a Les Paul... so he doesn't look so much like vintage Hetfield anymore. Anyway... 3IOB earned big points for using the music from the Star Trek (Original Series) episode 'Amok Time' as their Intro Tape... "Kal-if-fee!"... although at the time I couldn't remember the name of the episode (GEEK!). As Photo Ray pointed out, you can't really go wrong with songs about Thor's Hammer. Word.
Lightning Swords Of Death (Bernie's Distillery): Halfway through 3IOB's set we wandered down the block to the next closest festival venue: Bernie's, which is one of the funkiest venues I've been in.. From the front doors you immediately walk downstairs to the basement of the building. After you turn a corner you enter a space with a dining area and sandwich counter to the left and to the right is a dark bar and a dark open area with a low ceiling and a "stage" (maybe 2 inches high) shoved in a dark corner underneath pipes and floor supports only inches above the bands' heads. Even with only around 50-60 people in the space it was impossible to see the band. I tried to move around and get a good angle but getting an unobstructed view of the "stage" was not to be. After listening to Lightning Swords for a bit I *think* we wandered back out onto the street and got something to eat at a pizza parlor.
D.R.I. (Newport Music Hall): D.R.I. had the main floor of the Music Hall packed and the crowd action was really good... BUT I couldn't get past the fact the bassist is the old clerk from the Photo Drive-Up in Sunnyvale, California who I've known since we were teenagers. However, the Midwest crowd ate up D.R.I.'s set and no matter what, it's just simply cool to see Spike onstage healthy and playing guitar! The kidz (and adults) still like the Crossover stuff.
Ludicra (Bernie's Distillery): We cut watching D.R.I. short to run back down the street to Bernie's to see local S.F. heroes Ludicra in the basement. They must have gone on early because they were already playing as I turned the corner into the basement. What a bizarre venue! The low ceiling and the non-existent stage made it impossible to see the band, but they sounded amazing even in that bunker. I had listened to Ludicra's new album (The Tenant) on the plane... and the new songs are even better live.. even in a basement. We heard later that Laurie Sue accidentally smashed her head on John's headstock and "blood was everywhere", but I couldn't see that action! METAL.
Voivod (Newport Music Hall): For my money Voivod had the best stage backdrop of the festival.
Although it was weird seeing them without Piggy on guitar (R.I.P.) they still laid down an absolutely solid set; the old songs sounded so great! I watched VoiVod's set with old Umlaut friend Scott Kelly (Neurosis, Shrinebuilder) who was in full-on geek mode. Before VoiVod's set Scott mentioned he had to get to his gig (a mile down the street at a place called Skully's) right afterwards and that we should share a cab down there. Long story short, I felt like the Make-A-Wish Foundation when I invited one of my Arizona band friends to join me and one of his heroes for the cab ride. It was a short ride, but the conversation was magic. I think it's safe to say it was my favorite cab ride ever.
Yob (Skully's): Skully's was easily the most annoying venue of Scion because it had the highest number of Hipsters crammed inside; I guess every city has that problem. Ironic moustaches were in full effect. Unfortunately we only saw the last 2 or so songs of Yob's set... which is a bummer since The New York Times raved that Yob are "one of the best band in America" after witnessing their set. Good for Yob... I do dig their last album... too bad I missed them in Ohio since they don't play that often.
Shrinebuilder(Skully's): We made our way fairly close to the stage as Shrinebuilder finished setting up. When the houselights went down the lights still glared onto a disco ball which caused Al to say "Can you turn off that fucking disco ball!"... which they did and the band launched into 'The Architect' and I really dug the first couple of songs before I realized I didn't want to be jammed down front anymore (especially since I'd seen Shrinebuilder twice already). I joined Photo Ray and 1/5 of Landmine Marathon back at the bar for the rest of the set.
Upon leaving Skully's we were starving and, once again, the Midwest impressed me by having things that you simply don't find in San Francisco. Right outside of the venue was a food cart serving a selection of gyros that were both inexpensive AND delicious. It was something that kept the mood of the evening going as Photo Ray, 1/5 of Landmine Marathon, and I piled into a cab to find the After Show party that Scion's organizer had e-mailed us about earlier. During the cab ride I had an epiphany and remembered the name of the Star Trek (Original Series) episode whose music 3 Inches Of Blood had used as their intro tape (GEEK!). I texted this important trivia to another 1/5 of Landmine Marathon who was on the other side of town; mission accomplished. The cab took us to a darker part of town (literally... there was nothing else lighted around the club) and we entered a place called Carabar.
Saviours (Carabar): A cool, long space! A BIG bar area on one side and a small stage tucked in the back right hand corner (For the S.F. locals: Picture Bottom Of The Hill maybe 3x bigger). Saviours were setting up onstage to play their 2nd set of the night (earlier in the night they'd played at the festival's 4th venue... a club called Circus that we didn't make it to..). We made our way to the front and it wasn't long before Saviours launched into a blistering version of 'Acid Hand' and it was game over, man. It was a riotous set and, the more people gave the band shots of Jäger, the BETTER they played! It was AMAZING and they did the Bay Area proud by blowing the roof off the drunken, late night crowd. At one point a woman who was in her 60's (we learned later she is in the bar practically every night...) pushed her way to the front to air guitar and rage in her own private mosh pit; I did a total double take when I first noticed her. Hope I die before I get old too!
Vid by Umlaut
Saviours closed the night with a magnificent cover of Blue Öyster Cult's 'Hot Rails To Hell' that was simply... perfect.
Some local band took the stage after the Saviours, so we finished our beers and went out to the sidewalk to figure out how the Hell we were going to get back to the hotel. The area around the club looked deserted and, although a cab did stop to pick people up out front, there was already a fairly long line of people waiting for the next cab... and the next cab... and the next cab. I imagined us standing there for hours. Perhaps emboldened by our weekend of METAL (or maybe the beers we'd drank), we set off walking down the street towards the darkness of the surrounding neighborhood. Up to this moment our Scion Fest / Ohio experience had been absolutely perfect. Being the eternal pessimist, I thought this was when things were going to go wrong. We walked about a half a block when, lo and behold, A CAB turned down the far end of the street towards us! BUT then it quickly made a u-turn and went in the opposite direction! WTF?! Here we go, right? However, not 30 seconds later ANOTHER CAB turned down the street towards us... and he stopped to pick us up! Within 15 minutes we were walking back into the hotel lobby... where we saw Pat of Cannibal Corpse AGAIN who stopped to chat with us AGAIN; I didn't tell him that I'd missed his band's Scion set... Anyway, it was the perfect way to end the weekend... or was it?
The next morning we met Landmine Marathon downstairs for brunch / early lunch... but after wandering around a couple of blocks we realized it was SUNDAY in OHIO and everything was closed. WTF... Luckily Matt Landmine remembered that a certain pizza chain had a location nearby and he arranged for a delivery of 3 pies to us in the hotel lobby. How Metal was that!? Very...
After one last hang out in Ohio, over pizza, it was time to get to the airport. It was hard to let the weekend end, but alas it had to... For the record, my theme song for the Scion weekend is 'Acid Hand' by Saviours... I listened to it, like, 3x in a row on the plane on the way home. From Columbus we flew to Denver to catch the connecting flight back to Alcatraz... and Flight 666 continued with Yob and 2/5 of Ludicra being on the same flight. It was in Denver that the magical weekend had its magical conclusion.
We had only around an hour layover in Denver before our flight back to Alcatraz. Within a few minutes of getting off the plane I was leaning against a wall checking my iPhone messages when I noticed somebody standing next to me. I looked up and it was Paschke, my Old Metal buddy from San Franfuckincisco who I hadn't seen since last December!! He was on his way to NYC and his connecting flight had been delayed so he just happened to be wandering the terminal when he saw me.... What are the ODDS of that happening?! I trip on coincidences like that, man...
Unbelievable, right? The Rock Godz work in mysterious way...
Yeah, I'm leaving stuff about Scion Fest out... like the vomiting... and the falling down... and the desecrating of the hotel Bibles... and the "Do you want to come up to my room and look at drugs"-ing... What happens in Ohio, stays in Ohio. THANKS to Adam of Scion for the All Access hook up. A special shout out to Photo Ray,Team Landmine (Matt, Ryan, Grace, Mike, Dylan, and Valerie), Harald O. of D.R.I., Ludicra, and Al, Dale, and Scott of Shrinebuilder. Good times.
On the way back to San Francisco, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags... which makes sense I guess. I was able to see 10 of the 24 bands at the festival and I know I didn't really rant about them too much. Also, I'm not sure I even accurately captured my Scion Fest experience, but I guess it's simply a case of "You had to have been there"... The vibe of the entire weekend was pretty fucking cool and the best part was being able to hang out and bond with friends, both old and new and from near and far, with MUSIC being the glue that binds us together... and not just MUSIC... but METAL. It was really cool, man... Really cool.
Best back patch ever...
Click HERE to see Photo Ray's awesome photos from the weekend!
Maybe the gaming industry still hasn't figured out how to accurately and realistically recreate The Black Hoodie... Anyway, as Umlaut used to say back in the 20th Century: Corporate Rock Rules!
