The Golden Ticket

Exodus

The Regency, San Francisco

September 1, 2016

It was bizarre that Exodus would be on this bill supporting Killswitch Engage, but that was the case as our favorite Thrash band signed on for 3 shows in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas supporting KSE.  However, the bonus was that Gary Holt was back onstage with Exodus for these shows during a break in the Slayer touring schedule.  For the newbies:  Gary has been playing double duty with both Exodus and Slayer for the past several years.. which is both weird and cool depending on how you look at it.  As long as both bands are able to keep it going on their own terms I guess that's all that matters.

The Regency has generally been an easy venue to attend shows at but tonight parking took a bit more effort and I guess the terrorists have won because there were 2 imposing airport style metal detectors scanning punters at the entrance followed by a "should I smoke after this" extreme pat down search.  However, I'm pretty sure no terrorists made it into the building tonight to harsh the Metal so maybe the terrorists haven't won after all.  I guess.

As the middle band this evening (playing after that band Unearth who I know I've seen before in a Mayhem Festival (R.I.P.) parking lot somewhere..) the hometown heroes were allotted a criminally short 8 songs and 45 minutes onstage.  The mid-set 'Blacklist' is always a highlight for me.. but.. yes, I got teary eyed when Exo launched into 'Bonded By Blood'.. which is a song that now resonates for me in a more profound way than it did when I was a pimply-faced teenage Metalhead.  Then they followed it with 'Toxic Waltz' and (cue pathetic old man voice) I suddenly got all nostalgic hearing both of those quintessential Bay Area songs back to back. The hometown heroes closed with the still brutal 'Strike of the Beast' and for a few minutes the ghost of Ruthie's Inn visited us again.. then it was gone.  

It's true the Bay Area Metal scene (such as it is here in 2016) is based on nostalgia to a very large extent.. but what's wrong with that?  Most cities that had scenes saw them wither and disappear whereas it's impressive that the key Bay Area Metal bands (or at least their current 21st Century versions) are still alive and roaming the globe.  Not that I trip on it too much, but in this day and age it's easier for the Internets to ridicule and tear shit down instead of celebrating it.. but whatever.  Exodus.  Metallica.  Death Angel. Testament.  All still creating music.  All still touring.  Dog bless them.

On a personal note, I was completely gobsmacked when Gary Holt came onstage wearing a t-shirt with the cover of my old zine Whiplash on it!

[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

 

It was kind of emotional to be honest.  Thanks to Umlaut's old friend Tom for making the tee.

Sometimes the Rock Godz work in mysterious and ironic ways.  Example:  At Will Call along with my ticket I was given a glittery gold wristband.  When I asked what it was for I was told it was for After Show.. which was fine but I wasn't planning to hang out until the end of the night once Exodus were done.  Anyway, I put the wristband on and headed into the show.

After Exodus I was about to leave when a friend who I'd told about the gold wristband said a mutual friend working the show said that one (1) person had been given a gold wristband and that it granted the bearer All Access to all the magical places of the show tonight.  Evidently the venue's security were informed about this one (1) golden wristband during their pre-show briefing.  My response was "Really??"

So I went to the backstage door and showed the security guy the wristband and his response was "Oh.. YOU'RE the one with the gold wristband.." and he opened the door that allowed me into the magical, sweaty, and cramped backstage of The Regency.  Hilarious, right?  

The Golden Wristband.. There was only one...

Somewhere the ghost of Gene Wilder smiled.  "So shines a good deed in a weary world."

During my Willie Wonka golden ticket / wristband moment I had a nice visit with the Exodus guys on their bus before heading back to Casa de Umlaut.. and was walking up to my front door at just about 10:30pm.  A fun, short night for this old person.

No, I didn't watch a note of Killswitch Engage..  I've seen them around a half dozen times over the years.. and I'm happy for them that the one guitarist no longer wears a cape onstage.. but.. sorry KSE.. it's you not me.

Exodus were selling flip flops.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  Time is a weird thing and this show was an example.  A band who I've been following since their earliest days still grinding it out 30+ years later and seeming to still enjoy it despite being the middle band on a bill in a less than half full venue.  Dog bless them.

"It's time to run.. or fight.. off the strike.. of The Beast."

Pain Of Mind

Neurosis / Sleep / Vhöl
The Regency, San Francisco
March 4, 2016

It's funny that The Bay Area is revered for its Thrash Metal history but there's another era here that was just as influential on the generation of Metal that came after the Thrash scene that gave the world bands like Neurosis and Sleep.  Echoing what Metallica did a few years back, local heroes and icons Neurosis celebrated their 30th Anniversary with 3 sold out hometown shows featuring support from bands who have been their friends and comrades over the years.  The magnitude of this event was simply shown by how many people traveled from out of state and from far and wide to attend.  Tonight's opening night bill was the most epic and the most symbolic of the band's Bay Area roots with their brothers Al and Matt of Sleep (with Jason Neurosis now on drums of course) and Vhöl, a band featuring veteran musicians from such beloved bands as Ludicra, Hammers Of Misfortune, and Yob.

I've known Neurosis for around 25 of their 30 years and they are a very important band to me... Not only because of their music and vision.. but because I spent a good amount of time with them in those early years.. Hearing early demos of what was to become the Souls At Zero album at Steve VonTill's house in San Jose after he served the first vegan meal I'd ever had (here in the 21st Century neither one of us is vegan).  Going on tour with them a couple of times including a legendary night of debauchery and mayhem in Tijuana, Mexico.  Watching the Metal mainstream via OzzFest try to assimilate them and Neurosis deciding not to go towards that light but instead building an independent empire for themselves.  Neurosis is one of the few "old" bands who still blows my mind and reminds me of the mayhem I experienced seeing them with smelly crusties at random shitty venues and pizza parlors back in the days long before The Internet.  According to the Umlaut Archives tonight was around my 25th Neurosis show. 

Before the gig I stopped at a work function to celebrate the opening of a new store.  I had a good but brief time with my new co-workers over complimentary Lagunitas... and with cool stuff like this hanging on the walls around us:

Then I made a polite early exit and made my way across town to The Big Rock Show.

 
In surgically precise fashion I found a parking space across the street from the venue and inside it was old school style gathering of the tribe.  Many old friends from far and near.  It was good to see that kid who used to work at Tower Records in Mountain View who always wanted to talk about Black Sabbath with us... and who would bring his bass to work so he could practice on his breaks.. and then who formed a band which we thought was adorable.. and then he told us about the band and how the band was called Sleep.. and then he grew up, grew a beard, and became an icon.

It's a reassuring thing to bro-hug Al every couple of years.. our Stoner Rock Tiny Dancer.

It was a big deal to me that Vhöl were on the bill.  I believe tonight was only their 10th show ever and the 2nd time I've seen them... and their most recent sophomore album is a revelation.  Obviously I was initially drawn to them because the band is made up of members of some of my favorite bands like Ludicra and Yob.. but the new album is a diverse hammer of progressive punk-tinged volume that translated well onstage.  While members of the band disagreed with me when I saw them after their set I honestly thought they killed it.  So there.

 Vhöl 

[Underwhelming photo courtesy of Umlaut's iPhone]

As much as tonight was about celebrating Neurosis, honesty compels me to say that Sleep owned this Friday night for me.   I think it had to do with them playing a rare support role and lumbering onstage to deliver their riffage in honor of their old friends.  ‘Dragonaut’ live never gets old.  It’s still weird that Sleep are now like the sage old wise men.  It seems like only yesterday they were those young and precocious weed smoke infused scamps.  Sleep played all of the (bong) hits and it was trippy watching them be an opening band again.. in a great way of course.

Sleep

[Underwhelming photo courtesy of Umlaut's iPhone]

It was undoubtedly a huge moment for Neurosis to kick off their 30th year celebration in front of a sold out and rabid hometown audience.  The guys appeared onstage like a black fog off San Francisco Bay and launched into ‘Lost’ which I believe they had not played live in almost 17 years. Damn..  but as fanboy great as that was the set took a complete u-turn back to the future as they dropped nostalgia bombs from the Pain Of Mind album onto the hometown crowd.  Songs that had not been played in 20+ years lifted the event to another level.

When The Regency is sold out and packed it's possibly the most uncomfortable sweaty venue in The Bay Area... which only added to the dense sensory atmosphere.  There are some who lament that Neurosis have abandoned the visual side of their live shows.. and I get that.. because it's what made them the "Pink Floyd" of the dark underground.  I miss that aspect of the band's creativity to a certain extent... but now as the years continue to march on I think it's more appropriate that the band uses their music and audio aura to immerse a crowd.  You cannot be lazy at a Neurosis show now.  You're either paying attention or you should not be there.  I was almost brought to tears when they launched into the vintage strain of 'Takeahnase' and their equally vintage cover of Joy Division's 'Day Of The Lords' rang even truer now.   When it was all said and done.. 13 songs.. 2 hours.. and 30 years came back around full circle for Night 1 of this 3-night hometown stand.  The other nights just weren't in the cards for Umlaut and I was fine with that because this was the bill I "needed" to see and I'm glad I did.

Since I no longer work in the merch biz I didn't do a merch audit; change is good.  However, the merch line was hella long all night but the event screenprint was only $20.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me fag.  In hindsight I realize it's not very common to follow a band for 20 or 30 years of your life.  For Neurosis to still be around and completely relevant and with their integrity intact is something to behold.  No seed will grow of this barren Earth, like, forever, man..

Abracadabra

High On Fire / Pallbearer / Lucifer
The Regency, San Francisco
August 1, 2015

I didn't see any bands play live in July.  I can't remember the last time I've gone that long without standing in a room with a band and a PA system.  However, sometimes life throws a web of stress at you so thick it's hard to untangle yourself from it.  I'm still entangled but I guess when life gives you lemons.. make lemonade.. or in Umlaut's case get back to seeing bands.  If anything they're a distraction from "real life".

An early evening family commitment had me an hour south and I wasn't sure I would be able to make it to the show at all.  Thankfully the Rock Godz work in mysterious ways, as did the Traffic and Parking Godz, so I made it into the city and found a parking spot only 2 blocks from the venue.  This was amazing considering it was a Summer Tourist Season Saturday night!  Given this good fortune I breezed into The Regency just as Lucifer were starting their set.

I was dubious when I heard Lucifer had risen so quickly out of the ashes of The Oath even though the new band was a collaboration between Johanna of The Oath on vocals and Garry Jennings of Cathedral (!) on guitars.   I liked The Oath and saw them live in London in December 2013 at a Rise Above Records show (headlined by Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats.. natch!).  Unfortunately, The Oath seemed off that night and I was disappointed.  Fast forward to tonight in San Francisco and I'm happy to report that Lucifer more than made up for that night in London.  They were fookin' great!

[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

Despite my fandom of The Oath, I had only heard the debut Lucifer 7" and had not paid a lot of attention to the debut album that recently dropped.  As I just said.. I was dubious.  So it was perfect that I became a legit fan seeing them live and onstage.  Johanna was much more confident tonight than when I saw her front The Oath and projected a Stevie Nicks-like charisma.. and that's a good thing.  Lucifer's sound is rooted in Classic Metal and Rock which is Umlaut's DNA.  However, unlike other recent new bands who have attempted to conquer this route (i.e. Blue Pills), Lucifer nails it because they bring the essential swagger to the mix.  The moment I became completely in league with Lucifer was when they pounded out the new song 'Abracadabra' with its timeless mid-tempo voodoo stomp.  I was hooked..  "Abracadabra... say the magic word.."

Just tonight I read a new interview with Johanna where she listed her Top 5 albums and this says where Lucifer is coming from perfectly:

• King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
• Aphrodite's Child - 666
• Black Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy
• Scorpions - In Trance
• Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

There you go.

During the changeover I grabbed a beer with Photo Ray and also saw several other friends and acquaintances.... which reminded me that one of the things in life that's always kept me sane and grounded is seeing bands I like and experiencing it with like-minded friends.  Reality check.  Noted.

Pallbearer.. Damn.  It's astonishing how great they've become as a live band since their first tour only 2 years ago.  It's not often at this point in my life that I'm able to witness a band go from tentative live band with a great debut album to a seasoned live band with a couple of great albums.  I'm always impressed seeing a band become more confident and polished as a live entity... and with Pallbearer it's more entertaining because 2 years ago it was a novelty they were from Arkansas.. and now they look like they could be from New York City (haircuts!).  I don't mean that as a negative.. I mean it shows that Pallbearer have become more worldly from their travels and it translates to what a potent live machine they are now.

[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

Pallbearer.. Damn.  They profoundly crushed the 415.  Someday I will see the band play a full headline set.  This was my 3rd time being in the same room as the boys from Arkansas and the 3rd time I've seen them play no longer than 45 minutes.  No matter.  It was still one of the best sets I'll see all year and I was surprised they dropped their signature song 'Devoid Of Redemption' so early in the set.. but it set the tone.. and tone is what a great band like Pallbearer is all about.

According to the Umlaut Archives this was least the 20th time I've been in the same room as High On Fire and their equipment dating back to one of their first shows.  That being said.. It's not that I don't still care.. but they are a band I know I take for granted these days.  Anyway, by the time their set ended I had been back at Casa de Umlaut for awhile.

I'm out of practice and didn't do a merch audit.  However, Lucifer's merch guy seemed to know me.. I assume from Murder.. which was cool.  For the record I supported Lucifer and Pallbearer with merch purchases.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  Besides blowing off attending shows last month I've also been blowing off updating this site.  I just haven't been motivated to put words together lately.

For what it's worth:  In June I saw Ides Of Gemini, Whitesnake, Acid King, and the final Mayhem Fest with SLAAAYER and King Diamond.  All were great shows.. but I just didn't feel like writing about them.  However, this amazing moment happened:

"At the sound of the Demon Bell..." 

Anyway, this site is not dead... but after 11 years I guess it's on semi-hiatus.  At least until the writing bug hits me regularly again.  Stay tuned.

The Dark Granulating Satanic Mills

The Decibel Magazine 2014 Tour
Carcass / The Black Dahlia Murder / Repulsion / Gorguts / Noisem
The Regency, San Francisco
March 26, 2014

Tonight was one of those magical times when everything became one with The Metal.  The blessings from the Metal Godz began when I found a parking space that was literally only 70 steps (yes I counted..) from the venue's entrance.  Hail!   There was also zero Will Call drama and the Will Call person was a Murder fan.  Praise be..

Once inside I was disappointed that Noisem were already finishing up their set due to the early start time.  Sorry I couldn't get there earlier, guys... but the brutal 5 minutes or so of Noisem that I did catch was better than some full sets I've seen by other bands in recent times. Next time for sure.

I should mention that tonight was sold out, which gives me hope that (1) The Kidz actually like the good Metal bands and (2) The Kidz actually read the good Metal mags like Decibel.  Full disclosure:  Decibel is the only music magazine that Umlaut subscribes to... which means I pay for it in order to support.  Comps are for posers.

During the changeover, the bar / merch area of the lobby filled to capacity.  The Regency was packed tonight and it was kind of inspiring seeing so many kidz in the house but not as many of the regular Metal faces.  Maybe there really is a "Metal Scene" lurking in The Bay Area that embraces the present instead of simply clutching onto its glorious past after all.  I caught myself thinking "Where did all of these people come from?"  While it was cool seeing the tribe gathered, I was thankful most of the punters didn't seem to know about the bar on the other side of the lobby that was comfortably empty.  It's also the bar that serves the better beers.  I guess it's not a "secret" anymore... Ooops.

Gorguts obliterated The City By The Bay.  Not since the return of Voivod has a Canadian band made me bow down and made me avert my eyes to their greatness.  Technical.  Precise.  Progressive.  Aural density that was heavy as fuck.  My brain thanked me for bringing it into the presence of this thinking person's Metal sledgehammer. 

 Gorguts 

Gorguts are the type of crushing cerebral Metal band that keeps my jaded self from giving up on Metal.  I usually start feeling that way when I see a shite band like Five Finger Death Punch being hailed as today's "Metal Gods".  Thank dog for Gorguts and their unorthodox onslaught led by the virtuosos on the 7-string guitar and 6-string bass.  My favorite band of the night.

The Regency is the one local venue where you can completely escape the stage area in between bands by going through closed doors.  It's like being back in school and having recess in between classes.  This gives shows there a more social vibe than other spaces.  It's not the best space, or even my favorite space, but I've grown to enjoy seeing shows at The Regency much more in recent times.  Tonight was also a rare occasion when my Murder In The Front Row co-author Harald O. and I were in the same room at the same time.

 Murder Unmasked... and 'Shandi' was not in our setlist.

It was mind blowing that Repulsion were on the bill for only the San Francisco date; their highly anticipated set lived up to all of the expectations and history.  It was impressive how confident and blistering the veteran band was despite their limited recent live appearances compared to the other bands on the bill.  Also, the full circle nature of having them sharing the stage with Carcass in San Francisco of all cities was pretty damn cool, man.  The room was overrun with the vintage aural stench that Repulsion spewed one song after another... and the room reacted with crowd action worthy of such a legendary band.
 

Repulsion

As I mentioned earlier, tonight was not only a gathering of great bands but the atmosphere in general was on another level as well.  It didn't feel like this was just another generic Metal show.  I don't know if it's because I'm an old man, but more often than not at Metal shows it just feels like people are simply "there".  There's no underlying sense of a higher common cause; tonight was not like that.  Blame Decibel Magazine I guess.  It's how all Metal shows should feel like; a gathering of the tribe.

I've seen The Black Dahlia Murder around a half dozen times and I've never connected with them.  Part of it is probably because I have a hard time taking bands with more than 3 words in their name seriously; I'm just old fashioned that way.  However, the kidz love Black Dahlia and I decided before the show that I would embrace the night and watch every band which goes against my usual jaded self.  Anyway, three songs and I was out, but the kidz love Black Dahlia.   Not surprisingly, The Black Dahlia merch table had the longest line.

I love Bolt Thrower, but Carcass are England's greatest Metal band right now.  The most pleasant surprise of the night was that the crowd did not thin out after Black Dahlia as I expected.  Good on the kidz! Although it had only been 48 days since England's finest had last been on this very same stage, their set tonight was more triumphant and all conquering.  The classic 'Buried Dreams' made the first incision and it was a quintessential Carcass evisceration for the next 90 minutes or so. My favorite song of the set was the new 'The Dark Granulating Satanic Mills' with its infectious chorus of "Six, zero, two, six, nine, six, one". 

 

Carcass

I also appreciated how Jeff Walker wore an Electric Light Orchestra tee onstage.  I'm at the point where I've seen Carcass close to a half dozen times now and tonight's set solidified them as one of my all-time favorite bands.  This year is a strange year already as my interest in Metal has flat lined (again) and it doesn't feel like it did 4 or 5 years ago when almost everything "Metal" was exciting to me again.  Yes, Umlaut is fickle but all the gratitude in the world to Gorguts, Repulsion, and Carcass for plugging the Metal side of my brain back in again at least for another night.  Metal is a war and not just a battle and it's one battle at a time for me right now.. Hope I die before I get old.

There was so much merch for sale, but if you bought one of every Carcass merch item you would have spent around $265.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag... but at least I only had to walk 70 steps.  Before my return to Casa de Umlaut, one thing led to another and I found myself parked on a San Francisco side street eating drive thru food after the Metal show.  How old am I? 

"No thanks.  I don't need any crack."

All show photos courtesy of the great Photo Ray!

Weekend Of Horror

Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEvil
The Regency, San Francisco
February 6-8, 2014

The exciting sequel to Too Much Horror Business!

Yes, it's taken me a couple of weeks to pull this out of my brain... but better late than never.  Anyway, sometimes you have a friend when you're a teenager and that friend grows up to be a multi-millionaire Rock Star... and sometimes that millionaire Rock Star friend spends his hard earned money on insanely rare and cool things that meant a lot to him when he was a kid.  You can read more about this friend's collection HERE.

Thursday:  Preview Night
Tonight was the advance preview night for "VIP" fans and guests that featured Mr. KRK Hamster hosting a food 'n drink party in the upstairs Masonic Temple of The Regency aka The Lodge (!).  It's an amazing space and it was made even better by having artifacts from KRK's horror collection displayed effectively all around the room.  At one point this fanboy moment happened:

Carcass. Fanboy.

[Pic courtesy of Cable Car]

Yes, only half of Carcass caused me to get a "deer in the headlights" look because inside my head I was screaming "HEARTWORKCHANGEDMYLIFE!!"  Nice guys and one of my favorite bands, like, ever.   At another point I had a brief conversation with Kirk Von Hammett (aka The Host) and it was so cool that the very first thing he said to me was how excited he was to be playing with his old band Exodus.  He was genuinely giddy.  Not all Rock Stars are jaded muthafuckers.

Not Playing

Tonight was the social evening and I was able to hang out with several out of town friends who I had not seen in awhile and several local friends who I also had not seen in awhile.  Some good food was served by people in zombie makeup... but the beer selection was, for lack of a better term, lame.  Budweiser vs. Heineken.  Oh well.. It was still a really good time.  Then the next day it was...

Friday:  Exodus / Carcass
After some initial Will Call drama the Rock Godz worked their magic and this happened:

I'm with the band.

From that moment on the day and evening was pretty much a blur.  Scott Ian sat in a chair on the main stage for 3 hours having makeup applied by a Hollywood makeup artist to "transform" him into Jack The Ripper.  Three. Hours.  It was literally like watching paint dry.  Needless to say Umlaut did not watch the entire process.  The end result was pretty cool, but I wonder what the appropriate time ratio is for keeping elaborate monster makeup on versus how long it took to apply.  Maybe Scott is still wearing it..

The vendor area in the basement was interesting but I wasn't in a buying mood.  However, it was an impressive mix of the standard toy and collectible vendors as well as Iron Maiden's original artist Derek Riggs (!) and Doyle of the Misfits (?).  One of the most poignant images of the weekend for me was a throng of people crowding around Riggs' table to meet the creator of Eddie while at the table right next to him Doyle (in full makeup and devilock) sat quietly alone staring at his phone and texting.  I remember Halloween too, Doyle... I remember.

Anyway, as the time for the bands drew near they cleared out the main room so Carcass could soundcheck.  Which was awesome because there were maybe only 5 other people in the room.. and it looked like this via Umlaut's blurry iPhone:

After watching Carcass getting their levels set we few, we happy few, wandered down the street to get some food and caffeine fuel before returning for show time.  By now the main room had been reopened and was nicely full for the return of the Grind Gods to San Francisco.

Carcass opened with '1985', the first song off their insanely great new album Surgical Steel, and then went into the brutally iconic 'Buried Dreams', the first song off their insanely influential (for Umlaut at least) album Heartwork.  Nicely done, lads.  I will admit to being concerned when Michael Amott left the band in 2012, but the current guitar duo of Bill Steer and new guy Ben Ash were steel encased solid and surgically brilliant.  I should not have worried.  It was also very cool that Jeff Walker gave The Bay Area and Bay Area bands a heartfelt shout out in between songs at one point.  Carcass are a band that changed my life at a time when I thought I was too old and *done* with Metal.  I didn't think anything in the genre could inspire me again.  Carcass restarted my Metal heart and seeing them again reminded me of their role in my life.  However, since Carcass will be back here at this same venue in March on the Decibel Tour, halfway through the set I made my way back upstairs to say "Hi" to tonight's headliners and witnessed this:

Holt Awaits

It seemed like all of the throat-scratching fog from Carcass' onstage smoke machines had drifted upstairs because the dressing room hallway was choked full with it... (cough cough)... So I went back downstairs and witnessed the rest of Carcass' beautiful evisceration of San Francisco from stage right.  Then I think I met friends in the lobby for a beer.  I think.  Probably.  Needless to say I'm really looking forward seeing Carcass again when they play a full headline set next month.

Carcass Stage Right:  Tools Of The Trade

I missed Exodus' rare headlining hometown show in December so it was a priority for me to soak up as much of their old school energy as I could.  Unfortunately, the Umlaut Archives doesn't have an accurate count of how many times I've seen Exodus. However, it's safe to say it's around the 40 show range dating back to when Kirk Von Hammett was still in the band.  Tonight was full circle special for that history alone.

Exodus came out and played a steamroller 8-song set that culminated with their original guitarist KRK joining them on 'Pirahna' and then a very inspired (the actor who was the original Godzilla was one of FestEvil's guests) cover of Blue Öyster Cult's 'Godzilla' featuring Godzilla himself dancing onstage.  Godzilla is much shorter in person.  Later I asked Gary why they hadn't played an early Exodus song from the KRK era... like 'Impaler' or 'Whipping Queen' or 'Death and Domination' or 'Warlord'... and he said it would have been "too much work".  Fair enough.

"How does 'Impaler' go again?"

[Pic courtesy of Photo Ray]

"History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of man.."
[Pic courtesy of Photo Ray]

In all seriousness, it was profoundly awesome to see KRK so happy and obviously having F-U-N onstage.  Let's be honest, I'm positive that sometimes being in Metallica is more like a job than being in a band. That's not meant as a negative, it's just what comes with the territory of being in the biggest Metal band of his generation.  So it was just awesome seeing KRK being that pimply-faced kid again onstage. Somewhere Baloff smiled.

Ironically, because I had just seen them a week before and had been geeking out on them again, I happened to be wearing a Blue Öyster Cult shirt tonight.  It was a completely random coincidence; sometimes The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways.  Later at the After Party I had some quality time with a couple of old friends who I've known since before any of us could buy alcohol legally.. and this happened:

 

Holt. B.Ö.C. shirt.

[Pic courtesy of Cable Car]

Hammett.  Hanneman.

 [Pic courtesy of Photo Ray]

Right after this photo was taken KRK reminded me that he's known me since he was 19 years old.  Trippy... and pretty cool he even remembers that, right?   Then 24 hours later it was...

Saturday:  Death Angel / Orchid
Due to a prior commitment I had to forgo the Horror part of the fest and arrived not long before the band portion of the day was to start.  One thing led to another and despite my late arrival I ended up here:

Standing at stage right with Orchid I asked if they did a pre-show band bro hug before playing... and they did one right in front of me.  Awww!  I then had a special geek chat with Mark and Theo before they walked onto the hot 'n sweaty stage to pound their hometown under their boot heel of tone.  The local lads were given a full hour so they were basically able to recreate their recent European headlining set on a big stage in front of family and friends.

If I had to choose I'd have to say Orchid was my favorite set of the weekend.  The other bands on the bill are veterans with years in the trenches and who are used to having "famous" friends and admirers.  While Orchid are not kids, the deserved adulation and attention they've been getting recently is something they're not used to yet.  Their fanboy appreciation about being asked by KRK to play at his event was profoundly cute (for lack of a better more endearing term) and translated into how they took over The Regency's stage confidently and made it their own for their allotted time.  Great guys.  Great band.

Tonight was the 3rd show on Death Angel's latest U.S. Tour and it's pretty amazing how the band has come back to be such road dogs in the last several years.  All of that work has paid off as they were the most well-oiled Metal machine of the weekend despite a couple of the guys being sick with flu (cue Purell).  Thirty or more years on from the Murder In The Front Row days and I'm not ashamed to say I get kind of emo watching Death Angel here in the 21st Century.  The current version of Death Angel is so good it's frightening and it's inspiring to see a band that has survived and adapted but remained true to their roots.  It was also an appropriate reality check that tonight also happened to be Mark's birthday, which was celebrated onstage with a cake presented by some of his best friends.  Adorable!  At one point while I stood at stage left between songs this happened:

Mercyful Fate Fanboys

Okay, now get back out on that stage, Mr. Guitarist...

Anyway, 'Seemingly Endless Time' was, as it usually is, my favorite song of the set but the new song 'Fallen' was especially crushing as well. The set and event closing cover songs jam with KRK on 'Heaven And Hell' and 'Trapped Under Ice' sealed the fact how special this event had been.  In all seriousness, it was profoundly awesome to see KRK so happy and obviously having F-U-N onstage with the band whose demo he produced a million years ago.

Let's be honest, I'm positive that sometimes being in Metallica is more like a job than being in a band. That's not meant as a negative, it's just what comes with the territory of being in the biggest Metal band of his generation. So it was just awesome seeing KRK being that pimply-faced kid again onstage.

Apologies that I all but glossed over the Horror aspect of the weekend which was just as impressive as the music side.  Actually, it was probably more impressive to many attendees but truth be told I am a very casual Horror fan.  I watch Walking Dead and read the Walking Dead comics but that's literally it for me and Horror.  I'm just not qualified to comment on it, no matter how cool it all looked to my casual Horror fan eyes.  Yes, that guy who's a makeup artist and a producer on Walking Dead was there.  Yes, the actors who were Ultra-Man and Godzilla were in attendance.  Yes, P.J. Soles was there.  Again, sorry... but I'm sure there are other places on The Internets to read about that side of this event.  Yes, this means I'm not Metal and I am a poser.

I will say that in addition to the music (and the Horror), Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEvil had a profound sense of community around it.   The Bay Area vibe was very thick in the air for me due to the host being a local boy made good and the double digit number of friends who were in attendance.  I'm sure this event would still be special if it were held in other cities, but there's something very special about home cooking.

I didn't do a merch audit and I forgot to score the special event tees that Carcass and Exodus did for the weekend.  Oh well... However, it was obvious that there were more SLAAAYEER shirts than any other band shirts amongst attendees.  Interesting.  On the way back to the car all 3 nights, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  Full disclosure:  Writing this blog entry felt like a homework assignment and was a real struggle as I wrestled and did hand to hand combat with the words and sentences.  Writing can be hard.

Click HERE to see more of Photo Ray's awesome photos from the weekend.

Haze Over Umlaut

Ghost
The Regency, San Francisco
April 25, 2013

Ghost have come a long way since the first time I saw them over a year ago.  It's been great to follow a band from obscurity to popularity again, but with Ghost it's felt more special because they don't fit the mold.  Making Satanism F-U-N via catchy songs is not a standard genre that a major label like Universal Music usually embraces especially here in the 21st Century... but the Rock Godz work in mysterious ways.  Before tonight's ritual I met up with some good friends at Tommy's Joynt where the conversation included way too much chat about KISS and Ace Frehley.  Then we few, we happy few, made our way down Van Ness Avenue to The Regency.

I have a love / hate thing with The Regency.  I hate going there because the parking in the neighborhood sucks.  However, I love The Regency because the lobby at a Metal show is generally a great gathering place to see friends both old and new... and tonight was no exception.  In fact, I decided not to check out Ides Of Gemini because I was having such a good time socializing.  Sorry Ides Of Gemini... but I was to catch up with them 48 hours later.

It's pretty amazing that Ghost went from headlining the small Bottom of the Hill to the somewhat prestigious hall that is The Regency in just over a year.   Some would say it's because of "The Hype" but in Ghost's case I think it's simply a good band finding its audience quickly.  All of you bitter old Metal fans can mumble in disagreement and outrage until you pass out.  I pity you all for missing out on all of the F-U-N... because Ghost are F-U-N.. and what's wrong with that?

The anticipation for Ghost's arrival was thick enough to cut with an imaginary knife as the house lights dimmed.  It became even thicker as the Nameless Ghouls marched onstage to begin tonight's ceremony with the opening tracks of the new album.  The instrumental 'Infestissumam' led into 'Per Aspera Ad Inferi' that heralded the arrival of Papa Emeritus II onto the San Francisco stage... and all Hell broke loose for the next 70 minutes.

Photo courtesy of Photo Ray

Judging from the crowd reaction, I realized that the majority of the 1,000+ in attendance probably had not seen Ghost live before.  Songs from the debut album garnered the biggest response, but the new songs worked even better live.  The new song 'Year Zero' really put into focus how far Ghost have come.  It has that huge epic intro chant that melts into an 80's style electro underbeat that makes it as much of a Dance anthem as a Rock anthem as a Satanic anthem. When unleashed onto a big crowd the song is as infectious as all Hell.

The band and their new staging looked absolutely magnificent on the big stage of The Regency. 'Ritual' is one of those rare songs that instantly became a classic and the response to it was almost 'Freebird'-like.. except it's a song about human sacrifice.  A year ago, after seeing Ghost for the first time, I said in this space that I'll never see any of the band's songs performed in exactly the same way again... because the next times they come around the crowds will be bigger and the shows will be bigger... and that's exactly what has happened.  Hail Satan.

Appropriately, San Francisco was the 6th time I've seen Ghost... so to quote them I say "6.. 6.. 6.. evoke the King of Hell."  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. Tonight Ghost proved they belong on a big stage, but as I left the show I felt nostalgic about seeing them at least one more time in an intimate setting like on their debut U.S. Tour.  Be careful what you wish for...

Click HERE to see Photo Ray's awesome photos from the evening!

Then 48 hours later it was...

Ghost / Ides Of Gemini
The Showbox, Seattle, Washington
April 27, 2013

One thing led to another and I found myself in the Emerald City again for the first time since my Slaycation awhile back.  It felt good to see a show outside of my Bay Area zone and the Seattle crowd had a similar vibe but perhaps were not as jaded as San Francisco can be.  Sorry hometown, I love you, but sometimes you're a bit too serious. As I entered the venue I was completely surprised how intimate the Showbox feels and the crowd ended up being just over half the size of the S.F. show.  It was going to be a special night.

Umlaut had not watched Ides Of Gemini in San Francisco but I was interested in checking them out since they're on the Neurot Records roster.   I liked them and they fit the foggy surreal feeling that I had been having all day in Jet City.  Yes, I will buy their music.  Yes, I will see them again.

After so many years as a Music Geek, at this point when I've seen a band multiple times I start tripping on the little things during their performances.  Besides the smell of incense that was blowing from the stage, tonight I was tripping on the uncapped water bottles onstage, each with a straw in them.  So THAT'S how Papa and the Ghouls stay hydrated onstage!  Number of times Papa glided back to his water bottles for hydration during the set = 4.  Yes, the Geeks shall inherit the Earth.

[Photo courtesy of Cable Car]

The reason why Ghost are my current favorite band is because they sing about Satan.. and evil.. but they do it in a F-U-N way.   Seeing them live isn't like seeing the standard "Satanic" band and being engulfed by anger, and nihilism, and growling.  Ghost offer Satan in a catchy, retro horror package laced with humor and amazing melodies that make their message even more effective.  People are smiling and laughing during a Ghost show... and what's wrong with that?!  We're laughing with Satan not at Satan... Although I don't really consider Ghost a "Metal" band anymore, when I was a kid I got into Metal bands like Iron Maiden because their songs and lyrics offered an escape from reality.  Ghost have hit that nerve for me here in the 21st Century.  People need to lighten up and stop over thinking what Ghost are supposed to "mean" for "Metal"; the band is simply F-U-N... and if you can't relate to that you can go back to your Hatebreed MP3s.  Y-A-W-N.

[Photo courtesy of Cable Car]

I (and many others) literally laughed out loud when Papa introduced 'Elizabeth' by saying "This one's for the ladies..." and introducing the main set closing 'Ritual' with "How do you say it.. Let's wrap this shit up.." in his spooky old man voice.  F-U-N in the name of S-A-T-A-N.  A kid at the rail in a wheelchair was an inspiration to me.  After 'Ritual' he grabbed onto the rail to raise himself up to flash the horns to the band.  For a second I thought Papa was healing him so he could walk again.

As 'Monstrance Clock' ended Ghoul Guitarist at stage right (White Gibson) flicked his pick into the crowd in my general direction.  Those around me looked for it but it seemed to have disappeared into the ether.  Then I looked down and this was basically on my right foot:

That never happens to me at home.  Hail Satan!

Number of people at the show besides me who had Metallica's 1st demo tape in 1982 = 2 (Hail K.J. and Cable Car!).  If you bought one of every Ghost merch item on this tour you would have paid $325.  Yeah, the merch looked great.  On the way back to the hotel, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  The next day was Sunday and on the way back to the Sea-Tac we stopped to pay homage to some dead idols.  First stop was the Jimi Hendrix Memorial and gravesite where people have left lipstick traces on Jimi:

Then it was a profound visit to the final resting place of The Dragon and The Crow:

Visiting the graves of such icons long gone reminded me that life is too short... and it's too short to worry about reasons not to like a band or rationalize why they're "not Metal".  I don't give a shit what the haters think about Ghost; I love 'em.  To quote from the new album "Come together.. together as a one.. Come together.. for Lucifer’s son.."

F-U-N.