Inaugural Chancla Rock Fest shines spotlight on city's artists

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Inaugural Chancla Rock Fest shines spotlight on city's artists

It’s one thing to have a vision for undertaking a festival featuring nothing but musicians from your city. It’s another to put it on for free.

But to declare plans for a second and third annual installment before the first note of the inaugural event has even been played?

Well, that takes some major cajones. A few cascarones on Easter weekend didn’t hurt either.

Welcome to the first Chancla Academy Rock Fest.

Featuring 20 all-San Antonio artists and headlined by national homegrown metalcore quartet Upon A Burning Body, the Chancla Academy Rock Fest also invited 30-plus vendors and any metalhead who dared have a good time, and possibly discover bands with whom they may not have been familiar, upon the grounds of Alamo Beer Company on Saturday, April 8.

The brainchild of Joe Cordero of Chancla Academy and Julian “JC” Cruz of JC Productions, the festival was a rousing, nearly perfect success.

Prior to the big day, Cordero and UABB guitarist Ruben Alvarez told local Fox affiliate KABB-29 that next year’s event has already been scheduled for the Boeing Center at Tech Port. Cordero added he has aspirations to stage the 2025 fest at the Alamodome.

As he prepared to introduce UABB to culminate the noon-midnight event — did we mention it was free? — Cordero boldly told the packed crowd, “If we’re lucky, all of us Latinos will invade the Alamodome in 2025!”

Cordero was even more specific with Alamo True Metal, saying next year’s fest will be held over two days and that 162 bands have already requested to be a part of it. That’s right: 162.

But first things first.

As with any concert festival, a little luck is needed to make it a good one, and everyone benefited from a perfectly sunny day following two days of torrential downpours.

Two stages adorned the Alamo Beer Company with each band having its own merch booth spaced out among the vendors on artificial turf grounds stationed next to railroad tracks. Heck, even the train conductors slowed down and periodically checked out the festivities. Several four-legged friends, including an adorable large husky on hand as part of Horizon Dog Training, enjoyed the surroundings as well.

Some concert festivals are about specific songs and performances. This one was not only about having a good time in a large setting post-Covid but merely showcasing the musical talent.

Aztec Eagles got things rolling at 1 p.m. on the main stage. With UABB ending at 11 p.m., that marked 10 solid hours of actual live metal, San Antonio style (see 210-photo gallery to the right) and ATM videos below).

In between, the festival included Above My Enemy, Perfect Season, PRSNT, 40% Dolomite, The Broken Page, Forever For Now, Makaria, Eyes Like Fire, Skum, Grieved, The Heroine, Silent Minority, Recreating Eden, Westcreek, Cauterized, Any Color You Like, Raven’s Banquet (formerly Quaranteen) and In Balance. Click on the bold links to watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of that band plus “King of Diamonds” and “Built From War” by Upon A Burning Body here.

A few highlights that deserve shout-outs:

— Recreating Eden vocalist Andrew Douglas has some serious pipes and clearly sings from the heart, while his bandmates created a lasting impression for this viewer witnessing them on stage for the first time

— The second stage in the parking lot was where the serious action was, highlighted by Cauterized allowing fans to come onto the platform and partake in singing

— Skum brought the energy to the main stage and arguably had the largest pits. It was the only band to attempt a Wall of Death, so that earned bonus points

— The Heroine’s longevity cannot be ignored. The group has been flying the flag for San Antonio hard rock and metal for more than 15 years — or as long as most of the Chancla Academy Rock Fest’s roster of mostly up-and-coming bands combined. Vocalist Lynnwood King, guitarist David Arias, bassist Wes “Guhlie” Vargulish and drummer Johnny Lightning bring it every time out

— Security and staff deserved major props. As is the case with most UABB shows, the barrier began to shake, rattle and roll even before the band was about to hit the stage upon P.A. completion of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.” But the guards had the scene under control and guided all body surfers to safety without incident

— Moshers helped fallen brethren to their feet. No fights or out-of-hand situations were to be found. And the music and beer flowed freely. Literally

Sure, the festival could have kept fans up to date with set times posted the week of, or at the very least day of the show on its own Facebook events page rather than forcing patrons to ask about them or only obtain them on site for a 12-hour event. And it would’ve been great to have food-truck options rather than be relegated to Alamo Beer Company’s limited (though delicious) menu.

But for a city that was forced to bid farewell to the River City Rockfest after the sixth annual rendition in 2018, it appears the Chancla Academy Rock Fest may just be San Antonio’s saving grace for metalheads to unite on a yearly festival basis.

Its free status is sure to say goodbye at next year’s cashless Boeing Center. And the fest most certainly figures to expand well beyond the exclusively local-band flavor of this year’s showing. But those are signs of growth sorely needed for our metal scene.

So what’s the best way to sum up the inaugural Chancla Academy Rock Fest? It was a prime example of the metal community coming together.

The way it should be. In the 2-1-0.

Chanclas optional.

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Anthrax & friends mosh it up on 40th anniversary tour

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Anthrax & friends mosh it up on 40th anniversary tour

Considering that Anthrax hadn’t been to the Alamo City in nearly five years and had to scrap gigs in Austin and Dallas last year due to bouts with Covid-19, anyone who prides themselves on the glass being half empty could’ve been excused for holding their collective breath last Friday night.

But really, there was no need to worry that Anthrax’s show would carry on at the newly renamed Boeing Center at Tech Port. The glass was more than half full.

That’s because Anthrax was alive and well. And they had plenty of music to bring along.

Try 40 years’ worth.

Headlining their 40th anniversary tour, Anthrax also brought cohorts Black Label Society and Exodus for a night of thrash and loud guitars to the delight of a nearly packed 3,100 capacity venue.

A video featuring many metal (and some non-metal) luminaries proclaiming their love and admiration for the band not only served as the introduction to Anthrax’s set on the stage’s curtain. It nearly threatened to last as long as Anthrax’s career.

OK, not really. But the lengthy clip merely whet the appetites of the audience that much more for what was to come. And lest anyone begrudge the “I’m Lady Gaga, and I LOVE Anthrax” inclusion, she has a Grammy performance with Metallica on her resume. Not to mention, one of San Antonio’s favorites — Saxon vocalist Biff Byford — has gone on record verifying that she knows the words to “Princess of the Night.”

And with that, Anthrax stormed out of the gates with the title track to 1987’s seminal Among the Living and “Caught In A Mosh.”

The pits didn’t take long to circle, and from there, the hits kept coming with “Madhouse,” “Antisocial” and “I Am the Law” (complete setlist at bottom).

No professional video was allowed, but you can watch ATM’s in-the-pit Facebook Live footage of vocalist Joey Belladonna, guitarists Scott Ian and Jon Donais, bassist Frankie Bello and drummer Charlie Benante in action on the Joe Jackson cover “Got the Time.”

Anthrax played its entire set with the album cover to last year’s XL livestream effort serving as a huge backdrop. That banner in its own right features the covers of each of the band’s records throughout its history that began in 1981.

The one-hour and 20-minue set predictably focused on the Belladonna era of the band, mostly from the ‘80s. Anthrax did break out one John Bush-era song, the first single of his stint with the band in “Only” from 1993.

The unexpected, and arguably most powerful, song of the night was “Keep It In the Family” from 1990’s Persistence of Time. The 7 1/2-minute anti-racism track has always been a personal favorite and remains so, even though Anthrax made the most impactful lyric of the song family friendly on this night. As they do on the livestream album, one verse went from “Don’t even try to tell me what you think is right, when to you blacks are niggers, and Jews are kikes” to “blacks are targets” (and the word Jews wasn’t even mentioned).

Just as surprising, Anthrax only played 11 songs.

Well, 11 1/4 if you count Ian singing the first verse of “Bring the Noise” prior to launching into the evening’s finale “Indians.”

That classic tune prompted this 52-year-old writer to jump into his first mosh pit in a decade but may have given him a false sense of security of being in better shape than he thought, because once the moshing stopped, it felt like his stomach was going to run up through his chest and out of his throat.

But it was oh so worth it. Back to the gym the next day.

The show marked the return of Benante after he had missed a couple of gigs earlier in the tour. And since the band was marking four decades to be proud of, part of that milestone included several interviews with ATM. Click here for a conversation with Benante aboard the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise in 2017, here to watch an ATM chat with Belladonna and Donais in Austin in 2016, here to listen to a funny chat with Bello, Benante again here from the 2015 River City Rockfest, and Ian with his wife Pearl Aday here.

XL (the Roman numeral for 40, if you didn’t know by now) was the theme not only for Anthrax’s milestone, but for the price of the T-shirts that many fans swept up.

But not to be outdone in the merch line, or on stage, were Black Label Society and Exodus.

BLS allowed photographers to shoot their entire performance rather than the standard first three songs that accompanies most concerts, and that rare opportunity came in handy midway through when frontman Zakk Wylde took a break from his frenetic guitar work and perched himself in front of a piano.

The ensuing tribute to Pantera’s late “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott and his drummer brother Vinnie Paul, “In This River,” highlighted BLS’ hour-long showing. It also carried a bit deeper meaning than prior performances of that song given that Wylde, along with Benante, have replaced the Abbott brothers in the reunited Pantera that will headline the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin on Aug. 20 (tickets here).

But there was no time for tears to be shed. Several montages of Wylde partying with Dimebag and Paul took over the big screen, then Wylde and his Doom Crew were back at it.

Bassist John “J.D.” DeServio, fellow guitarist Dario Lorina and original In This Moment drummer Jeff Fabb performed tracks from various albums including Grimmest Hits, Mafia and of course The Blessed Hellride. Personal favorites “Godspeed Hellbound” and “Overlord,” both from 2010’s Order of the Black, were nowhere to be found, however (see setlist in photo gallery). Watch BLS in action on new album opener “Set You Free.”

At many concerts, even of the metal variety, it takes awhile for the crowd to warm up and become active.

Not so when Exodus is setting the table.

The Bay Area thrashers tore into “The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves” from latest album Persona Non Grata, and fortunately, their set — for an opener — was nearly as long as that title.

Vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza, guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson and drummer Tom Hunting then taught the Boeing Center “A Lesson In Violence” and brought along other classics such as the mandatory “Toxic Waltz” and “Strike of the Beast.”

Prior to “Toxic Waltz,” Exodus teased the crowd with the iconic intro to “Raining Blood” as an ode to Holt’s time in Slayer. So allow ATM to indulge in its own tribute to the same by enabling you to watch our interview with Holt and drummer Paul Bostaph from the 2015 Mayhem Festival here.

Like Benante, the show marked a momentous return for Hunting, who has been dealing with stomach cancer. Also like his drumming cohort, Hunting provided ATM with a memorable occurrence aboard 70000 Tons, this one coming on the inaugural voyage in 2011.

The two of us happened to be next to each other in the buffet line on the top deck of the cruise liner when Hunting shared with yours truly that he had recently spoken with Kreator vocalist Mille Petrozza and that the latter had turned down an invitation to play on the cruise because he was skeptical about what the voyage would turn out to be in terms of an experience and/or vacation.

“I guess they’d rather be in 4-degree weather,” Hunting shared about Kreator turning down Miami and Cozumel to remain in Germany. But of course, Kreator has been on a few cruises since then, and in fact will be in S.A. on May 23 headlining the Aztec Theatre with Sepultura and Death Angel.

But that anecdote wasn’t the only memorable run-in with Exodus on the ship. Altus and Holt introduced several of us to the face-rearranging taste of vodka and tobasco sauce.

Although ATM footage of “Toxic Waltz” on this night cannot be shared here, take in Exodus’ performance via Facebook Live clip of “Piranha” and new track “Prescribing Horror.”

The throng at Boeing Center came together, literally, when Exodus initiated their patented wall of death, culminating a scintillating thrashy beginning to the night’s festivities.

Several hours later, by night’s end, Ian informed that same throng that Anthrax plans to spend the majority of the rest of this year working on a new album before touring again in 2024.

All we can say to that is: bring it on. And continue bringing the noise.

ANTHRAX setlist: Among the Living, Caught In A Mosh, Madhouse, Metal Thrashing Mad, Keep It In the Family, Antisocial, I Am the Law, In the End, Only, Got the Time, Bring the Noise/Indians

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Local thrash guitarist soars with Soulfly in hometown birthday show

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Local thrash guitarist soars with Soulfly in hometown birthday show

There’s little doubt that Max Cavalera is regarded within the heavy metal community as being at the forefront of Brazilian metal. And just in case anyone would think his co-founding of Sepultura with his brother Igor wouldn’t justify that on its own, Cavalera has graced the industry with other outfits such as Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Killer Be Killed and Nailbomb.

Yet somehow, Cavalera may have been upstaged as far as “the story” goes when Soulfly returned Feb. 3 to the Rock Box. And he certainly didn’t seem to mind.

With Cavalera recently recruiting San Antonio / San Marcos native Mike DeLeon as Soulfly’s touring guitarist for the next nine weeks, the show marked the latter’s homecoming — on his birthday no less.

A member of Pantera vocalist Philip H. Anselmo’s solo band Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals as well as guitarist in San Antonio death-metal band Flesh Hoarder, DeLeon had the time of his life in one of his first gigs with Soulfly. And that was long before Cavalera introduced the band prior to encores “Eye For An Eye” and “Jumpdafuckup.”

Cavalera had the packed Rock Box serenade DeLeon with “Happy Birthday” and chants of “Metal Mike, Metal Mike!” as the man of the hour headbanged his mane. Then, after pointing to DeLeon and saying, “This guy is the fucking best,” Cavalera inexplicably twice called him Mike DeLeTron, although he may have been trying to make a play on words for the Soulfly tribe by calling him DeLeTribe.

Another possibility is that Cavalera confused DeLeon with the man to Cavalera’s immediate right — bassist Mike Leon.

That was a joke, folks.

But seriously, the former Havok bass player and Texas guitarist differ in first and last names by only two letters.

Soulfly thrashed and “destroyed this fucking place,” as is Cavalera’s wont. Also accompanied by his son Zyon on drums (click here to watch ATM’s interview with Max and his two sons from Soulfly’s 2016 tour kickoff at the now-defunct Korova), the band emphasized Soulfly’s first four albums dating back to the 1998 self-titled debut with several Totem tracks mixed in.

That included “Filth Upon Filth,” which blended with older tunes “Prophecy,” “Fire,” “Porrada” and “Bleed,” all of which can be viewed below.

It wouldn’t be a Cavalera show regardless of the band name on stage without some Sepultura, so the fired-up frontman pulled out “Refuse/Resist” before offering up the lone Nailbomb tune of the night, both of which can be viewed below.

The nine weeks are sure to fly by for DeLeon, a man who last fall was actually filling in for Zakk Wylde at the initial rehearsals for the reunited Pantera and informed this writer of that fact at a Steve Vai concert Oct. 9, roughly three months before it became national news.

And while Cavalera has made it clear that it’s been his intent to have revolving members on tour in Soulfly, DeLeon may in fact wake up several weeks from now and wonder if the whole journey has been a dream.

If that’s the case, he’ll have some photos and videos to look back on and perhaps one day tell his kids he didn’t just share the stage with the Ayatollah of Rock N’ Rolla for nine weeks. He’ll be able to say he shredded it and killed it.

And flew the flag for South Texas in the process.

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Geoff Tate unwraps classics and rarities with melting pot of musicians

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Geoff Tate unwraps classics and rarities with melting pot of musicians

Geoff Tate’s love affair with San Antonio, and in particular the Aztec Theatre, continued last Saturday night before a devoted, sometimes raucous crowd of approximately 1,000 fans.

But unlike Tate’s three prior Aztec stops, the Dec. 17 show with special guest Mark Daly spanned most of his iconic 30-year stint as Queensryche’s vocalist rather than singling out albums performed in their entirety. No, Tate’s sixth Aztec visit since 2014 in his last seven San Antonio stops — a 2019 trip to the Rock Box being the exception — featured a cornucopia of hits from various albums during a rocking, and Christmas-y, 1-hour and 39-minute showing.

Eleven months removed from performing Rage for Order and Empire from beginning to end last November (coverage here), and only half a year since requiring open-heart surgery as we discussed in our pre-show interview below, Tate continued to amaze as only he can.

Opening with the title track to 1990’s Empire (setlist in photo gallery), the former Queensryche vocalist dug into his vault on seldom-played tracks “Desert Dance” from 2003’s Tribe, “Sacred Ground” off of 1999’s Q2K (ATM Facebook Live footage here) plus “Cold” from 2013’s Frequency Unknown and the emotionally moving "Bridge” courtesy of 1994’s Promised Land (watch both here).

Other than omitting the entire introductory buildup on 1984 classic “Take Hold of the Flame,” to the point where the start of Saturday’s version was nearly unrecognizable, Tate’s and his band’s performance was nearly flawless. The inclusion of deep cuts mixed with Operation: Mindcrime standouts “Breaking the Silence” and “I Don’t Believe in Love” (ATM footage of both below) plus Empire staples “Jet City Woman” and “Silent Lucidity” made the evening as well-rounded as it could be.

And before one reads this and thinks they don’t need to hear the latter ballad anymore and be perfectly fine with that, let it be known that the best note emanating from Tate’s oft-imitated never duplicated voice came when he sang the “will protect you in the night” part. The last word of that stretch wasn’t held. It wasn’t screamed. It just sounded as perfect as it could get, enough to raise these eyebrows as the ears perked up. It was one of those moments where you just had to be there to see and hear it.

With the exception of a slight backing track on opener “Empire” — a song that calls for it given the abundance of mixes of Tate’s vocals particularly during the chorus — and a brief echo on finale “Queen of the Reich,” the entire show was devoid of distracting, lengthy delays.

In fact, Tate’s reinsertion of “Queen of the Reich,” a tune he had said he couldn’t relate to lyrically anymore — necessitating an elaboration on his part during our interview below — was a pleasant surprise given that he had insinuated fans would never hear him sing that tune again. Donning a Christmas hat and handing out more to his bandmates, Tate and his crew played a metal version of “Silver Bells” prior to ending the night with that first track from the 1983 self-titled debut EP (ATM footage of both below).

The fact that he not only played the song but attempted the patented opening scream on “Queen of the Reich” especially since he no longer tries it on “Take Hold of the Flame,” and specifically at that point in the show and given his open-heart surgery reeked of Tate sending the message to critics: “Yep, you bet your sweet ass I can still do it if I want to.”

And speaking of Tate’s band . . .

Guitarists Kieran Robertson of Scotland, Alex Hart from Boston and James Brown of Ireland, bassist “Smilin’ “ Jack Ross of Scotland, keyboardist Bruno Sa of Brazil and drummer Daniel Laverde from Cincinnati have also been coming to San Antonio with Tate the past several years. Sa, in fact, played guitar during the 2018 Operation: Mindcrime band performance.

On this night, all but Sa and Robertson pulled double duty as Ross, Brown, Hart and Laverde played with opening act Daly.

The Irish singer and guitarist released four-song EP Nothing to Lose two weeks earlier and hooked up with Tate for this tour thanks in large part to having songwriting credits on Tate’s trilogy of Operation: Mindcrime band albums from 2015-17.

In addition to putting on a stellar showing, Daly impressed perhaps even more with his sense of humor and banter with the crowd. Most of it can be seen via ATM’s footage of his Highly Suspect cover of “Lydia” and the EP title track below, so we won’t give it away. But another non-filmed dose of funny came when he introduced the band and got to Brown.

Referring to him as The James Brown, Daly asked his fellow Irishman how he felt. When Brown shrugged and said, “I feel alright,” the crowd serenaded him with tongue-in-cheek boos.

There’s not much left to say when it comes to Tate performing in San Antonio that hasn’t been mentioned in this space previously. He’s a model of consistency that always gives the crowd what it wants yet still has the gumption to mix things up with obscure tracks when he’s already performed the same classic albums repeatedly.

The fact that Daly opened up the audience’s eyes and ears to his talented musicianship as well made the evening a double whammy of fun and entertainment for those who continue to be dedicated to one of the Alamo City’s virtual adopted sons. And it appears musician and fans wouldn’t have it any other way.

GEOFF TATE SETLIST: Empire, Another Rainy Night (Without You), Desert Dance, I Am I, Sacred Ground, Best I Can, Real World, Breaking the Silence, I Don’t Believe in Love, Cold, Bridge, Screaming in Digital, Walk in the Shadows, Take Hold of the Flame, Jet City Woman, Silent Lucidity. Encores: Silver Bells, Queen of the Reich

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Judas Priest, Queensryche inject Alamo City with double dose of musical excellence

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Judas Priest, Queensryche inject Alamo City with double dose of musical excellence

It may not have been the month-long residency many artists have undertaken in Las Vegas the past several years. But when Judas Priest and Queensryche arrived last week in San Antonio, they packed their buses for more than a one-night stay.

Back-to-back performances at the new Tech Port Center + Arena last Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving before approximately 3,000 fans each night in the 3,100-capacity venue near Lackland Air Force Base saw a combined 90 years worth of molten metal take flight.

Could any other city the world over claim that?

It’s OK. We’ll wait for your answer.

Perhaps that was just part of the reason Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, while giving thanks to the late Joe Anthony for being the first disc jockey in the United States to expose Priest’s music in the 1970s and ‘80s to an American listening audience, said in part: “It feels so good to be back in San Antonio. It’s like home to me . . . the beloved Joe Anthony. Two nights here. It just goes to show that heavy metal is in the heart of San Antonio. It’s the heavy metal capital of Texas as far as I’m concerned.”

Queensryche vocalist Todd La Torre was not to be outdone on Night 2 when he said, “San Antonio is the most metal city.”

The dual nights followed a March 21 appearance by both artists at Freeman Coliseum. For non-math majors, that’s three visits to the Alamo City this year.

And it’s not like those on hand at Tech Port needed 50 years to realize Judas Priest is a special band. Nevertheless, the group’s reception of the Musical Excellence Award earlier in the month at the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, which saw Halford and original bassist Ian Hill reunite (one night only, for now) with guitarist K.K. Downing and ‘70s drummer Les Binks, was the cherry on top of the Birmingham, England, natives’ latest stop. It’s also something Hill discussed with Alamo True Metal here.

Celebrating 50 years of heavy metal and the 40th year of seminal album Screaming for Vengeance, the mighty Priest displayed a vast selection of hits including “Hell Bent for Leather, “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight,” deeper cuts “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” and “Judas Rising” along with the title track to its 2018 and most recent album Firepower, followed by that record’s “Never the Heroes.” Priest played the same identical set each night, but those who only attended Night 2 received an extra song in their classic cover of Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust.”

While it’s easy to say it’s not a complete Judas Priest concert without staples “Victim of Changes,” “Painkiller,” and “Metal Gods,” it was refreshing to see the five-decade mainstays throw caution to the wind, while riding on it, and change things up from previous tours.

But you can also say it’s definitely not a complete Priest showing without guitarist Glenn Tipton, who had been appearing for the encores in recent visits dating back to 2018 but whose bout with Parkinson’s disease undoubtedly prevented an appearance this time around. T-shirts were selling at the merch booth with sales from one specialty top going toward Tipton’s Parkinson’s Foundation.

Guitarist Richie Faulkner, sporting a fresh scar from his ruptured aorta endured onstage in September 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky, and subsequent 10 1/2-hour emergency open heart surgery, demonstrated that every show he plays from here on out is a major miracle of life as he continued to do what he does best on stage.

Veteran producer and guitarist Andy Sneap returned as well, while drummer Scott Travis subbed out his usual introduction of “Painkiller” for the title track to Screaming for Vengeance (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

No professional video was allowed of Judas Priest, but you can watch them via more ATM Facebook Live footage from the first night on “Genocide,” “Steeler,” “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” and “Halls of Valhalla.” Also check out “Beyond the Realms of Death,” “Judas Rising” and “Devil’s Child.”

Recognition from the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame can be a funny thing. It obviously means a lot to the musicians who put in the work and longevity. From a fan standpoint, it only seems to matter when an artist that is long overdue to receive such status doesn’t, thus setting off a chain of rebellious emotions that serves as the basis of heavy metal music in the first place.

Enter bands such as Iron Maiden. Motorhead.

And Queensryche.

Perhaps the latter will get there one day. To its lifelong fans, however, the place among the Rock Hall’s elite doesn’t need to be solidified officially because it already began with the band’s 1983 self-titled EP and full-length follow-up The Warning in 1984.

Queensryche spotlighted those two records among their opening tracks each night (see setlists below and in photo gallery), as evidenced by ATM footage on Night 2 of “En Force.” La Torre, original guitarist Michael Wilton, guitarist Mike Stone, original bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Casey Grillo kept the hits coming on “Take Hold of the Flame,” “Screaming In Digital” and finale “Eyes of a Stranger.”

Unlike the show in March, Queensryche also brought some terrific new music with them. Having released Digital Noise Alliance on Oct. 7, the band debuted “Behind the Walls” and “In Extremis” (ATM footage below photo gallery). The album marks the fourth already with La Torre on vocals, and fans should start getting used to hearing more of his material without the frontman almost apologetically telling an audience that the group is going to take a break from the classics and hits to unveil new tunes.

After all, La Torre is marking his own decade in Queensryche. So it’s about time fans more than simply try out his other albums The Verdict, Condition: Human and Queensryche and actually keep them in their own regular listening rotation.

At these Tech Port shows, La Torre’s delay throws were much less pronounced and shorter than the March concert at Freeman, mere mention of which in this space caused a seismic reaction among Internet trolls even though the words “lip syncing” were never uttered here. In fact, one of the few times the delay was especially recognizable this time came not via singing but rather when La Torre boasted at show’s end, “We are the one, the only Queensryche,” with the band’s name reverberating throughout the venue.

The Seattle veterans mixed things up both nights more than Priest. Having played “NM 156” and “Operation: Mindcrime” on the first night, Queensryche subbed out “Walk In the Shadows” and “The Needle Lies,” respectively, on Wednesday.

Here’s hoping they’ll go on a headlining tour next year that will feature even more of the past four albums — records yours truly had been listening to consistently long before Internet backlash spewed ATM’s way because Queensryche has always been a personal favorite no matter which of its vocalists is holding the mic.

How many haters could say that about their Queensryche fandom or say they’ve never missed a Queensryche visit to their town the past 17 years?

It’s OK. We’ll wait.

As the long-standing original members, Wilton and Jackson also shouldn’t have to apologize for making new music they should be proud of, nor in effect ask an audience to listen openly to new music. When fresh material mixes with the classic catalog the ‘Ryche possesses, there aren’t many bands that can say every album can hold a candle — or at least a flame — to its predecessor the way Queensryche can.

As if two consecutive shows by these heavyweights wasn’t enough, Night 2 brought out a who’s who of South Texas rockers that took in the action from the Tech Port’s lone suite.

Among the masses were Disturbed bassist John Moyer, Fates Warning/Sebastian Bach/Halford/ex-Riot drummer Bobby Jarzombek (who’s playing for country legend George Strait these days), Riot bassist Don Van Stavern, Heaven Below singer/guitarist and Lita Ford guitarist Patrick Kennison and Buckcherry drummer Francis Ruiz (see photo gallery).

What they heard — Priest’s Harley-Davidson on “Hell Bent for Leather” notwithstanding — was one of the loudest shows in recent memory. And that was before Priest unleashed its blowup Birmingham bull for finale “Living After Midnight.”

What several others heard were arguably the two loudest shows in the Alamo City since Covid-19.

Judas Priest and Queensryche were the right way to celebrate nine decades of music that will always stand the test of time. Not only were they the perfect antidote to drown out one’s annoying family members at Thanksgiving dinner since ears were still ringing 24 and 48 hours later. They were, and will always be, reasons to hold ‘em up high rather than hanging ‘em out to dry.

JUDAS PRIEST SETLIST: Hellion/Electric Eye, Riding on the Wind, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Jawbreaker, Firepower, Never the Heroes, Beyond the Realms Of Death, Judas Rising, Devil’s Child, Genocide, Steeler, Between the Hammer and the Anvil, Halls of Valhalla, Diamonds and Rust (2nd night only), The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown), Screaming for Vengeance. Encores: Hell Bent for Leather, Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight

QUEENSRYCHE SETLIST (Night 1): Queen of the Reich, Warning, En Force, NM 156, Behind the Walls, Empire, Operation: Mindcrime, In Extremis, Take Hold of the Flame, Screaming In Digital, Eyes of a Stranger

QUEENSRYCHE SETLIST (Night 2): Queen of the Reich, Warning, En Force, Walk In the Shadows, Behind the Walls, Empire, The Needle Lies, In Extremis, Take Hold of the Flame, Screaming In Digital, Eyes of a Stranger

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Into the Pit: Judas Priest's Ian Hill

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Into the Pit: Judas Priest's Ian Hill

The mainstays of British heavy metal are coming back to the Alamo City next week. And this time, they’re bringing a newly minted status as official Rock N’ Roll Hall of Famers with them.

But unlike the other dates on the second leg of their 50th anniversary North American tour, Judas Priest will be playing multiple shows Thanksgiving week at the Tech Port Center + Arena on Nov. 22 and 23 with Queensryche (tickets here).

How lucky are you, San Antonio?

The concerts mark the 40th anniversary of seminal 1982 album Screaming For Vengeance. In addition to the gig Judas Priest played in March at Freeman Coliseum, next week’s shows will be the second and third performances here in 2022 by vocalist Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, drummer Scott Travis, and guitarists Glenn Tipton, Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap.

Hill went Into the Pit with ATM yesterday to discuss it all, including the band’s Hall of Fame experience and one-night reunification with guitarist K.K. Downing and drummer Les Binks, as well as the group’s storied history with our city and what to expect on stage next week.

Click the video box below to hear our entire chat and the other videos from what transpired in Cleveland a week and a half ago.

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Return of W.A.S.P. leaves Tech Port blind in Texas, deaf to anti-censorship

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Return of W.A.S.P. leaves Tech Port blind in Texas, deaf to anti-censorship

For the past decade, iconic W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless spent most of his touring adventures in nations other than the good ol’ U.S.A. You’d have to go back even further since W.A.S.P. was last in the Alamo City.

Blind in Texas, indeed.

As such, local promoters Din Productions have been attempting to bring one of metal’s most don’t-give-a-bleep bands back to San Antonio the past eight years. That finally came to fruition last Friday night at Tech Port Center + Arena as W.A.S.P. headlined its 40th anniversary tour with Michael Schenker (celebrating his 50th year) and openers Armored Saint, who have also been around for four decades.

The rare appearance brought out South Texas metal royalty in the form of Dangerous Toys singer Jason McMaster — fresh off a stint filling in for Accept vocalist Mark Tornillo — Fates Warning and George Strait drummer Bobby Jarzombek and Riot bassist Don Van Stavern, along with musicians from local bands Jessikill, Even In Death and X.I.L. to name a few.

What they saw was a set comprised of W.A.S.P.’s good ol’ days. What they heard, but may not have immediately recognized, was a Lawless who shunned some of his most angst-ridden lyrics for PG-rated versions no one would have expected.

Lawless had billed the tour as going “back to the beginning” with an emphasis on the first few albums. He reportedly had also stated the stage would represent a carnival-like atmosphere.

Taking the platform at 9:51 p.m., the 76-minute performance that ended at 11:07 p.m. comprised nearly half of the 1984 self-titled debut album while most of the remainder spotlighted the 30th anniversary of fifth record The Crimson Idol.

Perched behind his mammoth and menacing skull-adorned mic stand, Lawless was joined by guitarist Doug Blair, bassist Mike Duda and drummer Aquiles Priester. W.A.S.P. took to the stage with a medley of first-album tracks starting with “On Your Knees.” The next two snippets in particular, “The Flame” and “The Torture Never Stops,” sounded eerily like the album versions of Lawless’ 1984 voice — at least while being witnessed from the photo pit in front of the stage. Even if that was the case, “The Flame” deserved a full-length performance not only for being one of the best tunes in W.A.S.P.’s arsenal but a track that’s rarely played live and doesn’t appear on either of the group’s live albums.

Lawless and Co. ended the medley with a portion of the title track to 1986’s Inside the Electric Circus. The carnival banners, one of which was titled “Arena of Pleasure,” would’ve led one to believe that most of the ‘86 album and/or the latter 1992 track would be played. But that was a smokescreen.

For Lawless, limiting some tracks to a medley is a good problem to have. W.A.S.P. has so many signature songs (no, they’re not going to be referred to as “hits” within this space), it’s impossible to leave dedicated fans who own every single album completely satisfied unless the band performed for three hours.

Given the decade-plus absence, three hours wouldn’t have been too much to ask for.

On the stage’s printed setlist (see 21-photo gallery below), Lawless scratched off previously played-in-Texas tracks “Crazy” and “Heaven’s Hung In Black” — from 2009 and 2007, respectively — along with a half-and-half of “Hellion” and “I Don’t Need No Doctor.” He made up for the pleasant surprises those would’ve been by inserting the 9 1/2-minute “The Great Misconceptions of Me,” although the timing was a bit off and the band didn’t appear in sync at the start of it.

But even more than the medley’s pros and cons, two other aspects of the night were the most glaring:

1) Lawless never addressed the crowd other than his customary, “All I need is my L.O.V.E. Machine” intro and at show’s conclusion with “Good night, San Antonio! We’ll see you next time” before he and the band abruptly left the stage. It was as if he had turned into Alice Cooper, playing a character rather than being a human who engages his audience. But even Cooper becomes human at the end of his gigs and fully introduces his band during a jam session after his theatrics have completed.

2) Lawless stunningly inserted cleaner lyrics during “Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue),” shunning the 1992 album version and demonstrating that he apparently no longer cusses, at least in concert.

When you’re listening to The Crimson Idol and hear Lawless bellow, “I’m a cocksucking asshole, that’s what they call me,” you can’t help but headbang and go bonkers while flipping a middle finger or two to Tipper Gore as if you were taking part in that mid-’80s PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) hearing. However, not only did Lawless not utter those words true to his original lyrics, he changed them to omit the curse words.

Album version:

  • I’m the president of showbiz, my name is Charlie

    I’m a cocksucking asshole! That’s what they call me

    Here from my Hollywood tower I rule

    I’m a lying motherfucker

    The chainsaw’s my tool

Friday’s live version:

  • I’m the president of showbiz, my name is Charlie

    I’m a bloodsucking rat’s hole (or rascal)

    That’s what they call me

    Here from my Hollywood tower I rule

    I’m a lying little monster

    The chainsaw’s my tool

Lawless also changed “Don’t mind the faggots, and the ruthless scum” to “maggots.”

W.A.S.P. had given new meaning to “shock rock.”

Lawless in fact had done the very thing he stood against for all the prior decades while helping to fly the flag of heavy metal: he censored himself, in effect placing a parental advisory sticker over his own mouth.

At least it proved Lawless was really singing, erasing any blip of prior doubt that may have existed during the first 20 minutes of the gig spent in front of the stage. Watch it all unfold with ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “Chainsaw Charlie” here.

The first part of that footage is “The Idol,” which peculiarly saw Lawless and Duda leave the stage during an outstanding 3-minute solo by Blair. The vastly underrated guitarist also shines on other more recent, somewhat lengthy ballads such as “Miss You” on W.A.S.P.’s last album, 2015’s Golgotha.

A PG-rated W.A.S.P. is not the W.A.S.P. most in attendance grew up with and is not reminiscent of “back to the beginning.” Was this really the man who came up with an album called Kill. Fuck. Die? And what about the ultimate F.U. to Gore and Crew — “Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)?”

Glad you asked.

After much debate the past several years as to whether Lawless would ever perform that track again, the screen from behind some of the carnival banners that had showcased some of the group’s MTV videos spelled out the story behind the PMRC and its largest musical nightmare. W.A.S.P. would perform half of the track, allowing the roughly 1,300 in attendance to do the honors on the “Fuck Like A Beast” part before segueing into half of “The Real Me.”

The latter, W.A.S.P.’s intensely brilliant 1989 cover of The Who tune, was unfortunately the only taste of personal favorite album The Headless Children. But Lawless demonstrated an awesomely nice touch by giving thanks, via the big screen, to every past and present member of his band over the past 40 years by name and in photos where possible.

W.A.S.P. closed with “I Wanna Be Somebody,” a tune the vocalist revealed during a nationally syndicated 1987 radio interview with Z-Rock had been inspired after he heard the line uttered on an episode of TV classic “Barney Miller.” Watch ATM footage of the evening’s finale below right.

Meanwhile, the need-no-introduction “Blind In Texas” was played but came across as just another song (ATM footage below). How great would it have been to receive an extended version during which staples of the city would be shown on the screen as the band jammed during the “Hey dude, let’s party” part? “San Antonio” would’ve been a perfect spot for this given that its mention comes at the beginning of a verse.

Still, those on hand should’ve been grateful they got to witness Lawless and his band once again at last, especially given the alternatives that occurred prior to and after the Tech Port concert. For instance, “Blind In Texas” was not performed in Corpus Christi, according to those who attended that show. And, the next night in Dallas, W.A.S.P. did not play at Amplified Live after the gig was halted by the fire marshal following Schenker’s and Armored Saint’s performances.

Yours truly has always considered Lawless and Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine two of metal’s brightest lyricists — a pair of men you’d want to go to battle with should anyone ever try to bring down the music millions of us worldwide hold so dearly.

And W.A.S.P. will always be one of this writer’s favorite bands whose songs will never grow tired or old to these ears.

But while there was nothing wrong with Lawless toning down his angst and language compared to the past, there was also nothing wrong with wanting a Blackie filled with the seduction of silver and Lawless greed we’d grown accustomed to love. The Lawless who was ruthless and stuck to his principles.

I wanted my Blackie live . . . in the raw. Only the former occurred. A future visit, without waiting another decade for it, would be most welcome for another chance at the latter.

SETLIST: Medley (On Your Knees, The Flame, The Torture Never Stops, Inside the Electric Circus), L.O.V.E. Machine, The Great Misconceptions of Me, Wild Child, The Idol, Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue), Blind In Texas: ENCORES: Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)/The Real Me, I Wanna Be Somebody

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50 years as guitar stalwart just nifty for always-solid Michael Schenker

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50 years as guitar stalwart just nifty for always-solid Michael Schenker

Michael Schenker hasn’t been performing in San Antonio since he was 16 years old. It only feels that way.

But the guitar god has been playing since that tender age, and 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of his recording debut way back when on Scorpions’ Lonesome Crow album.

Schenker marked the milestone last Friday night while providing direct support to W.A.S.P. on the latter’s 40th anniversary headlining tour at Tech Port Center + Arena. This time, the veteran instrumentalist brought an all-new lineup of vocalist Ronnie Romero, guitarist/keyboardist Steve Mann, bassist Barend Courbois and drummer Bodo Schopf.

Although Schenker this time left all Scorpions offerings at home — unlike his two previous visits with vocalists Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley and Doogie White under the moniker Michael Schenker Fest — his band’s performance was no less one to appreciate.

Once again billed as Michael Schenker Group, it was proven long ago that no matter his band’s label, Schenker’s showings are always special. Performing 11 songs for approximately 70 minutes, Schenker featured six UFO classics intertwined with past and more recent MSG tunes. Watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “Lights Out” and the rarely played 1983 MSG song “Red Sky.”

Schenker’s patented Flying-V, which he discussed exclusively with ATM during his 2018 visit (watch here), was in full effect once again. However, the Tech Port Arena only has one side of the balcony that housed some of the approximately 1,300 fans on hand, and it was opposite of stage left, which is where Schenker chose to remain throughout his performance, including during his customary extended jam on UFO mainstay “Rock Bottom.” For those lucky enough to be closer to the man, Schenker’s skilled hands were also a sight to behold during “Let It Roll” and “Armed and Ready,” both of which can be viewed below the 25-photo gallery.

Schenker released Universal in May with Romero on most of the songs’ vocals, but none of those tunes were played. Rather, the set included “Sail the Darkness,” which Romero revealed was the first tune the pair wrote together on 2021 album Immortal.

Romero may have been making his live San Antonio debut, and he shined on vocals. It’s not easy to step in for a musician of Schenker’s stature, particularly given Schenker’s history with his aforementioned slew of more renowned singers, but Romero more than passed the test. Mann, Courbois and Schopf also were seamless additions to the latest reincarnation of MSG.

Schenker was only slated to join W.A.S.P. on five dates, with four of those happening in the Lone Star State. In some eyes (of Texas), that was perfectly appropriate given that Schenker is often in a class by himself — and demonstrated why once again in his latest Alamo City exhibition of excellence.

SETLIST: Into the Arena, Doctor Doctor, Looking For Love, Lights Out, Red Sky, Shoot Shoot, Sail the Darkness, Let It Roll, Armed and Ready, Rock Bottom, Only You Can Rock Me

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Armored Saint delivers opening punches on star-studded anniversary bill

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Armored Saint delivers opening punches on star-studded anniversary bill

Readers and followers of Alamo True Metal over the years have grown accustomed to concert coverage encapsulating each band on the bill in the same piece. But last Friday’s show at the new Tech Port Center + Arena staked claim to one of the rare exceptions of allotting each artist its own just due space.

After all, how can a guitarist celebrating his 50th anniversary such as Michael Schenker be limited to a few sentences buried within a report highlighting a headliner in W.A.S.P. not only marking its 40th anniversary but its first show in the Alamo City in more than a decade?

And for the purposes of this particular report, a more appropriate question would be: how can a blistering, heavy, veteran and talented-across-the-board group such as Armored Saint be treated as an “opening act” in writing given that its status as such on this bill was as much of a misnomer as misnomers can get?

So let the march of the review of the Saint begin.

You can’t open a three-act heavy metal concert with a song entitled “Reign of Fire” and not come out balls blazing, and that’s exactly what Armored Saint did. Thing is, vocalist John Bush, guitarists Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan, bassist Joey Vera and drummer Gonzo Sandoval sustained it throughout their 10-song, approximately 45-minute showing.

But should that really come as a surprise?

Not only has Armored Saint kept its original lineup with the exception of the 1990 passing of guitarist Dave Prichard due to leukemia resulting in Duncan’s addition to the band, but the strong and tight quintet is marking its own 40th anniversary this year. It showed on stage as Armored Saint displayed the crispest sound of all three acts and easily had the most energy. Watch them in action via ATM’s Facebook Live footage of personal favorite “Chemical Euphoria,” below on 1991’s “Symbol of Salvation” and 2015’s “Win Hands Down” and via the 27-photo gallery.

Phil Sandoval was a beast on guitar without demonstrating showmanship that was too flashy. He let his guitar skills and playing do the talking while striking brief poses that were appropriate for the parts of his riffs he wanted to emphasize without those poses distracting the audience from the sounds he was constructing.

There was no letup on the part of his brother Gonzo behind the kit either, as Armored Saint’s heaviness may have caught the roughly 1,300 in attendance off guard for anyone expecting the Saint to be a “warmup” act in every sense of the word.

Bush has always been one of metal’s most passionate vocalists, something we discussed in 2015 when Armored Saint opened for Saxon (watch here), and that was evident on old and new tunes alike such as classics “Long Before I Die” and “Last Train Home” plus 2020 Punching the Sky tracks “End of the Attention Span” and “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.”

While most metalheads are familiar with Bush’s mid-’90s era as the vocalist of Anthrax that placed Armored Saint on an 8-year hiatus, fewer may know other interesting facts about him, some of which were discussed in the aforementioned video interview:

  • He appeared in the 1983 Huey Lewis & The News video “The Heart of Rock N’ Roll,” exiting the limo toward the end of the song. Bush told ATM his appearance came about because Armored Saint and Lewis’ band shared the same record label

  • Bush joined Metallica on “The Four Horsemen” during the latter’s 30th anniversary gigs in 2011 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, where Metallica went into detail about how Bush could’ve auditioned to be their vocalist in 1983 but turned it down

  • Bush used to do voiceovers in Burger King commercials

But on Friday night, Bush’s vocal cords did what they do best, and he and Armored Saint were still going strong on finale and 1984 title track “March of the Saint.”

The only complaint about Armored Saint’s set? It was too short. Somebody bring these guys back to the Alamo City as headliners, stat!

Can Armored Saint deliver?

Was there ever any doubt?

SETLIST: Reign of Fire, End of the Attention Span, Long Before I Die, Last Train Home, Chemical Euphoria, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, Symbol of Salvation, Win Hands Down, Can U Deliver, March of the Saint

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Steve Vai's hydra-licks whet appetites of Aztec's guitar aficionados

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Steve Vai's hydra-licks whet appetites of Aztec's guitar aficionados

Considering he’s a guitarist who’s just a tad accomplished, Steve Vai doesn’t need any special gadgets or concoctions to draw attention to himself in concert.

But that’s the operative word: need.

Vai loves to play with toys, especially of the expensive and six-string electrical variety. His latest gadget — which might appear to some as if it came from a guitarist’s junkyard at the same time the instrument’s enthusiasts would classify it as a thing of beauty — simply added to his legacy and was on display last Sunday night during a 2-hour, 10-minute sans opening act performance at the Aztec Theatre. In support of Jan. 28 release Inviolate, Vai broke out his three-fretboard (acoustic, electric and bass) Hydra for new track “Teeth of the Hydra” (ATM footage below).

If only Vai had three hands to play each fret simultaneously.

It’s always a challenge for an instrumentalist to captivate an audience’s attention for an entire show, but the veteran musician made it look easy. Which came as no surprise.

After all, Vai began his recording career in 1980 with Frank Zappa. He’s won three Grammy Awards and released 10 studio solo albums. He appeared in the 1986 movie “Crossroads” with Ralph Macchio. And of course, there’s that whole David Lee Roth and Whitesnake thing.

Vai focuses strictly on his solo career on tour, and his bandmates not only help him do that, but they each get to enjoy a brief solo of their own time in the spotlight. Guitarist Dave Weiner, bassist Phlip Bynoe and drummer Jeremy Colson brought the rhythm, the rock and the “Greenish Blues” (ATM footage below) to the Aztec while Vai periodically interspersed dialogue with the appreciative two-level crowd. Watch him in further action via ATM Facebook Live footage of “Tender Surrender” and “Whispering A Prayer” and “Dyin’ Day.”

Vai at one point explained that he had to move his entire North American tour to the fall after injuring a shoulder while yanking some tough dough from his pizza oven while cooking for former Roth bandmates Billy Sheehan and Gregg Bissonette — a mishap that required surgery.

As if his virtuoso guitar playing and occasional story telling weren’t entertaining enough, Vai delivered variety to his show in other ways.

Prior to popular Passion and Warfare track “For the Love of God,” Vai forewarned he was about to oversee “something a little different.” He brought out a member of his European tour crew, a man named Dani G., who serves as Vai’s video editor but is also a chef, mixed martial arts fighter and opera singer. With that, Dani G. provided the only vocal accompaniment of the evening, opera style — and did so while wearing a Gojira shirt (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

On finale “Taurus Bulba,” Vai made the evening one not to forget for a young boy, bringing him on stage to jam on one of his many conventional guitars (see 25-picture photo gallery below). After he and his band acknowledged the final round of applause, Vai ended up posing for pics and signing autographs outside the Aztec, thereby making the night memorable for plenty of adults as well.

Variety. Multi-talented. Mega-accomplished.

Simply Vai.

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Accept & company rock balls and walls of new 1902 Nightclub

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Accept & company rock balls and walls of new 1902 Nightclub

No matter how often they play our city, no matter how many lineup changes they endure, Accept fits right in the conversation with that death and taxes thing. Because when it comes to the German metal band putting on more than a good show, you can book it.

The latest example came last Tuesday when Accept’s 19-song, 1-hour and 47-minute performance satisfied an intimate but enthusiastic weeknight crowd at a new venue that was just as much the story as were the five bands on the bill.

Narcotic Wasteland — a death-metal project fronted by singer/guitarist and longtime former Nile member Dallas Toler-Wade — provided direct support as a most peculiar choice given the contrast in styles with the headliners. Local support came courtesy of Resist Control and Even In Death, while Austin natives Black Thorn Halo kickstarted the show at 6:30 p.m.

The stylish and new 1902 Nightclub on the grounds of The Espee Pavilion, known to longtime residents as Sunset Station, provided the luxurious backdrop. The rectangular stage gave way to a slightly wider runway for the general-admission diehards. They in turn were surrounded on both sides of the club by merch and VIP booths. Directly across the stage, at the opposite end of the club, was a short stairwell that housed perhaps 10-15 standing fans who had the option of curving around either side upstairs and taking in the action from the balcony (see 60-photo gallery below).

Led by guitarist and lone remaining original member Wolf Hoffmann and fronted for the past 13 years by one-time TT Quick vocalist Mark Tornillo, Accept is touring in support of Too Mean To Die. The band came out blazing with that album’s first two tunes: “Zombie Apocalypse” and the rockin’ title track before offering up the title track to Restless and Wild, one day following that album’s 40th anniversary (see setlist in photos).

These days, Hoffmann and American singer Tornillo are accompanied by guitarists Philip Shouse and Uwe Lulis, bassist Martin Motnik and drummer Christopher Williams. Naturally, as the headliners, Accept was afforded the best lighting of the night. What was a bit surprising was the fact each of the four preceding bands were solely subjected to red lighting, a dreaded choice for photographers covering any show that chooses that type of backdrop and not exactly the best selection for fans and musicians to see one another.

Note to all promoters and venues: if you’re going for the hell or blood look, ditch the poor effects and enable all in attendance, including the performers, to be seen in the best light. Pun intended.

Moreover, Accept was the only band whose set allowed photographers to shoot from the balcony, both behind and above the stage, thanks to the graciousness of promoter J.T. Powers and the 1902 Nightclub staff.

While the size of the 1902’s stage may not have been too ideal for six band members to move around much, it didn’t deter Accept from kicking maximum ass and pleasing the fans. A good mix of 1980s classics from the Udo Dirkschneider era to Tornillo’s time on tracks such as “The Abyss” and “Hung Drawn & Quartered” satiated the appetites of those on hand.

Tornillo didn’t shy away from any high or difficult notes, particularly his patented pulsating pitch shortly into “Teutonic Terror” (ATM footage below). You can also watch Hoffmann and Crew shine via ATM Facebook Live clips of “Midnight Mover, “Princess of the Dawn” and “Fast As A Shark,” and closers “Son Of A Bitch,” “Balls to the Wall” and “I’m A Rebel” — the latter being their 1980 cover of the song written by Alex Young, the brother of AC/DC’s Angus and Malcolm Young.

Toler-Wade and Narcotic Wasteland were the aberration of subgenres on the program, but that didn’t sway the frontman from turning up his intensity. Toler-Wade brought the energy and angst both in song and in directing the soundman on multiple occasions to address an issue, going so far as to say, “Fix that fucking feedback, or I will kill you.”

He was kidding. I think. But you don’t mess with the man with the microphone. Especially a death-metal guy. Watch them in action on “Pharma Culture” and “Bleed and Swell” and below on finale and new single “Morality and the Wasp.”

Resist Control received top billing among the local and area bands. As vocalist Jerry Garcia said, his group is not one to play many shows — and certainly doesn’t perform as many as preceding group Even In Death — but it was nice to see the quartet receive a higher than usual status. Watch them on “Already Dead” and “End Of My Axe” and below on “Hell Is Not Real.”

Like Accept, locals Even In Death have undergone a slew of lineup changes over the recent years, with vocalist Sean Nations and guitarist Anthony Carrillo remaining the constants. They’ve been a fixture on the local scene, performing at virtually every existing venue in town and released full-length When Hell Freezes Over in 2020. Watch them in action here and below on finale “Fire All Your Guns.”

Black Thorn Halo made the 80-mile trek from Austin to kick things off. Four nights earlier at Bonds Rock Bar, drummer Eric Mulero and guitarist Craig Leach performed as part of female-fronted cover band Denim & Leather. Fronted by Rafa Lopez, the group’s set was abruptly cut short before professional video could be shot, but you can watch them via ATM Facebook Live footage of “Kill the Pain.”

All in all, there was one too many openers for a Tuesday night show. If you asked the youth who slept on his father’s shoulders in the balcony for the majority of Accept’s and Narcotic Wasteland’s sets, he might say two or three too many. But for those who stuck it out from beginning to end, there was plenty headbang for the buck.

Accept delivered the goods and played as pleasing a set as you could get over a nearly 45-year discography, while the support acts demonstrated what they’re made of as well.

If this was an indication of the type of shows the 1902 will host going forward, then the Alamo City has gained another worthy venue and promotion group to keep your eyes on.

Let’s hope the night wasn’t a one-hit wonder. The more teams behind the metal scene, the merrier.

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'Badass bitches' strut their stuff with hale of riffage and talent

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'Badass bitches' strut their stuff with hale of riffage and talent

For all the array of colorful lasers and rocking songs on display last Thursday night at Tech Port Center + Arena when Halestorm, The Warning and New Years Day rolled into town, there was an interesting prop missing that would’ve set this tour apart from all others, and yet been perfectly appropriate.

A row of empty wine glasses.

When you have one of the premier voices in rock in the form of singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale — someone this writer could listen to sing all day — whose octaves could send wildlife scurrying for shelter, you can’t help but wonder how many glasses her vocal cords could shatter.

Well, maybe next tour.

The absence of said accompaniment certainly did not lessen the quality of show put on by the headliners and their support acts (see 55-photo gallery below). As Hale herself said prior to introducing “. . . Strange Girl” and invoking a piercing prelude scream on “I Miss the Misery” (ATM Facebook Live footage here) — “Gentlemen, I don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but you are surrounded by some badass bitches tonight.”

That point was certainly difficult to argue.

Hale’s emotion pours from her being into your soul when she sings, particularly on rockers such as personal favorite “Love Bites (So Do I)” and slower tunes such as the trio of songs she turned into a piano medley: “Break In,” “Dear Daughter” and new track “Raise Your Horns” (ATM footage below).

While Halestorm’s latest album is Back From the Dead, from which the group performed six of its 11 tracks, the all-original lineup of Hale, her brother drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith has hardly been dormant, particularly in Texas.

It’s been fun to watch the group grow and evolve from a 2008 performance opening for Staind at the Austin Music Hall, to supporting Alice In Chains in 2009 at the AT&T Center for Bone Bash, a 2010 stop in Corpus Christi on the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival (watch our bus interview from that show here), to the 2012 Mass Chaos Tour with Staind and Godsmack at the Alamodome, to the 2015 River City Rockfest to a headlining gig at the Aztec Theatre in December 2018.

At Tech Port, the band’s maturity, enthusiasm for playing alongside one another more than 14 years later, and musicianship were exhibited more than ever. Arejay Hale provided another riveting drum solo culminating with his patented oversized sticks (how the hell did he twirl one of them?), while Smith held down the low end and Hottinger traded riffs with Lzzy Hale, who saved her best vocal for last on “The Steeple” despite having sung for nearly 90 minutes by that point.

Had the wine glasses been on stage even before Halestorm hit the platform, it’s no stretch to say the crowd’s reaction to The Warning may have shattered them as well. Although the numbers may have approached 1,000 for this weeknight show in the 3,100 capacity indoor venue, the dedicated faithful were blown away by the three sisters from Monterrey, Mexico, who were making their San Antonio live debut, making one wonder when the last time was that a support act elicited that much excitement from an audience.

As Lzzy Hale eloquently referred to them, her “sisters from another mister” took the stage by storm and may have even stolen the show.

The Villarreal ladies — singer/guitarist Daniela, drummer Paulina and 17-year-old bassist Alejandra “Ale” — brought the heat and energy and kept the fans riled up with one energetic song after another. Most of the tunes came from new album Error, which dropped June 24, including “Disciple” and “Evolve” (ATM footage below).

Daniela’s own unique voice along with her electrifying guitar playing teamed with Paulina’s intensely upbeat drum playing and Ale’s bass thumping on other tracks such as “Z,” 2018 title track “Queen of the Murder Scene,” “Money” and their cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” It was the latter that spawned a following for the band in the first place in 2014 thanks to YouTube and the ability to go viral, in turn leading to a complimentary endorsement and reaction from none other than Kirk Hammett that enabled The Warning to take part in the Metallica Blacklist tribute album. Watch ATM Facebook Live footage here.

It would be a crime if The Warning wasn’t brought back to town sooner than later by local promoters. If any of them were on hand to see the band play on this night, it’s likely a safe bet they’re already working on it. Fingers crossed. The Warning’s overall performance needs to be seen to be believed.

New Years Day, meanwhile, opened the festivities, once again supporting Halestorm in the Alamo City as they did four years ago at the Aztec.

Fronted by original vocalist and band founder Ash Costello, the group from Anaheim, California, got things started with its bold, but mostly unrecognizable, version of Pantera’s “Fucking Hostile” and “I’m About To Break You” (ATM footage below) as well as new single “Hurts Like Hell.”

Costello also made a San Antonio appearance earlier this year with her side project The Haxans at Paper Tiger.

For at least one night, Lzzy Hale, The Warning, and Costello demonstrated that with every passing day, metalheads and music reviewers don’t need to distinguish musicians by gender anymore. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with retiring the term “female-fronted” for a more politically incorrect one.

Yep. “Badass bitches” works just fine.

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Tierra Sagrada fest takes S.A. on nostalgic ride down Memory Lane

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Tierra Sagrada fest takes S.A. on nostalgic ride down Memory Lane

It took three years and a brand new venue for the first installment of the Tierra Sagrada Festival to finally come to fruition last Saturday. So what was an extra hour and five minutes or so?

The return of two of San Antonio’s favorite classic rock and metal artists — Legs Diamond from California and Moxy of Canada — highlighted the gathering originally scheduled for the 5,200 capacity historic outdoor Sunken Garden Theater in the fall of 2020 pre-Covid-19 that found its way to the less than 5-month-old 3,100 indoor capacity of Tech Port Center + Arena.

The bill also featured nothing-to-sneeze-at acts Lita Ford and Jack Russell’s Great White, the reunion of Kingdom Come and local openers Jessikill, who were fresh off their first major national tour opening for Yngwie Malmsteen this past spring.

The influence of the late disc jockey Joe “The Godfather” Anthony was palpable, as he helped give many bands, including those from other countries, their first taste of American radio exposure in the 1970s and ‘80s. That included not only Legs Diamond and Moxy, but also the Scorpions, who just happened to be playing down the road at Freeman Coliseum.

In fact, Moxy’s lone remaining original member, guitarist Earl Johnson (see start of the 107-photo slideshow below) is quoted on Wikipedia as once saying: “We did an interview with a DJ in Texas. I asked him what songs of ours they were playing. He said, ‘First we play the first side, then we play the second side.’ I just about fell off my chair.”

Legs Diamond participated in a meet-and-greet the night before at Fitzgerald’s, which included an unexpected appearance from Scorpions drummer Mikkey Dee. They then hit the stage at 11:53 p.m. after technical issues at the Tech Port forced festivities to begin more than an hour late, cutting Jessikill’s scheduled six-song set in half and backlogging the rest of the night. By the time Legs Diamond performed San Antonio favorite “Woman,” it was after 1 a.m., and a fraction of the 1,500 on hand remained for a set that had been slated to end between 11:30 and midnight.

The view of a half-filled arena that’s mid-sized to begin with was disappointing given the stature of the six bands. However, given that the Scorpions were also in town along with Collective Soul and Switchfoot at the Majestic Theatre, promoters Din Productions were not complaining. And despite the lengthy delay at the start that, according to one source, was caused by Jack Russell’s Great White insisting on using their own soundman which led to backstage bickering, the difficulties and lateness failed to put a damper on the music.

Or the reaction to it.

Still featuring original members in lead guitarist Roger Romeo, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Michael Prince and drummer Jeff Poole and fronted these days by Keith England, the West Coast outfit rocked the house with a bevy of classics from the ‘70s and a few tunes from the ‘90s. See Legs Diamond in action via ATM’s Facebook Live footage on “Rock Doktor” and “Remember My Name,” as well as below the slideshow via “Town Bad Girl” and “Pain Killer.”

Despite each band experiencing its own bout of technical issues, Moxy had the crispest sound of the evening. Led by Johnson, who promised that the band will return next year, the group from north of the border powered through its set to the delight of all on hand. Several songs were performed with an enlarged black-and-white photo of the late original vocalist Buzz Shearman serving as a backdrop. Johnson’s newly assembled band following Moxy’s 40th anniversary, featuring vocalist Nicholas Walsh, guitarist Rob Robbins and bassist Rod Aldon, demonstrated how tight of a unit they are on “Midnight Flight” and “Can’t You See I’m A Star” plus “Out of the Darkness,” “Fantasy” and “Sail On Sail Away,” each of which can be viewed below.

Lita Ford preceded Moxy, bringing tunes from her classic mid and late ’80s albums plus 1991 rocker “Larger Than Life” and 2012’s “Relentless” (see setlist in slideshow). Patrick Kennison of Heaven Below and formerly of The Union Underground once again returned to his hometown as Ford’s guitarist, while Bobby Rock provided the only drum solo on the entire night (ATM footage below), 36 years after he humorously destroyed his kit in Vinnie Vincent Invasion’s first video in 1986, “Boyz Are Gonna Rock.” Watch additional ATM footage of 1988 hit “Back to the Cave” that includes an extended jam session.

Once Russell’s band sorted out its technical issues and differences, the quintet rocked the house on a bevy of classics such as “All Over Now,” “Lady Red Light” and “Mista Bone.” Guitarist Robby Lochner won the unofficial award as the most energetic musician on the entire bill, constantly parading throughout the stage while rocking the axe, while former Alice Cooper drummer Ken Mary was behind the kit.

But yours truly was, well, truly disappointed to learn after the show that Russell’s other guitarist and keyboard player was original Leatherwolf vocalist and guitarist Michael Olivieri, whose latest beard style made him slightly unrecognizable to this dedicated and longtime Leatherwolf fan who was not expecting him to be performing Great White tunes.

Nevertheless, Russell demonstrated his voice is still in top shape even if his body continues to make things difficult for him. Fourteen years after performing while leaning on a cane at the now defunct Scout Bar following back surgery, Russell churned out other hits such as “Save Your Love” and "Desert Moon.” The latter sadly will always mark a controversial period in Great White’s existence given that Russell said he would never perform that tune again following the fire in 2003 that killed 100 people at their concert in Rhode Island. In fact, Great White would continue to open with that song for several years, including at the Scout Bar show.

An appreciative Russell told the crowd, “Thank you for not going to see the Scorpions” and that it was “pushing me to the limit, and I love it.” He then ended the set with Great White’s two biggest hits, “Rock Me” and “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” (footage below) before walking off with a cane and slight assistance from a staffer.

The first national act to hit the stage was the reunion of Kingdom Come. Featuring three-fifths original members in lead guitarist Danny Stag, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Rick Steier and bassist Johnny B. Frank, the band was missing original vocalist Lenny Wolf and drummer James Kottak for vastly different reasons.

Wolf did not want to take part in any sort of reunion tour, necessitating the usage of Keith St. John to front the group the past four years. But it’s Kottak who has been much maligned since his drinking issues led to his dismissal from the Scorpions several years back and resulted in a pair of scathing reviews of Kingdom Come’s gigs in Sweden earlier this year. Kottak then reportedly told fans “Don’t waste your time” in announcing he would not be at Tech Port, which also begged the question of whether he would turn up at the Scorpions show and confront (or hang out with, depending on your perspective) his former mates.

Filling in for, or permanently replacing, Kottak was Slaughter drummer Blas Elias, who was performing for only the second time with Kingdom Come. Watch him and the band in action below on “Do You Like It” and one of the most emotional and best ballads ever recorded by anyone on the group’s 1988 self-titled debut album, “What Love Can Be,” below.

You can also check them out via ATM Facebook Live footage on finale “Get It On,” during which St. John successfully motivated the slow-starting faithful to rise to their feet and remain there for the rest of the night. Kingdom Come also used its biggest hit to toss in some Led Zeppelin crowd participation sing-alongs both as a show of influence from one of the all-time greats, but also likely as a middle finger to critics who incessantly labeled Wolf and the band as a Zeppelin clone dating back to its 1988 Monsters of Rock tour inclusion with Van Halen, Scorpions, Dokken and Metallica.

Jessikill bore the brunt of the delayed start with its scheduled six-song set slashed to three. But as the only hometown band on the program that was playing arguably for the first time ever with a gigantic version of its logo adding to the visuals, Jessica Alejo, Jyro Alejo and Arturo Knight kicked things off in a big way with “Dead of Night,” “Right Now” and “Lightning.” However, just as the keyboards to fourth song “The Beast” kicked in, their sound was halted. Thus, no video footage was able to be filmed.

But at long last, Tierra Sagrada’s initial showing was added to the history books. An extended night of classic Rock N’ Roll mixed with a small handful of more recent tunes could only be delayed, not canceled, by a global pandemic and overcame tech issues and the presence of other bands playing elsewhere in town.

If only San Antonians could teleport between shows.

Alas, fans experienced a night of rock that should tide them over until Tierra Sagrada’s second installment arrives Nov. 4 featuring W.A.S.P., Michael Schenker and Armored Saint, also at Tech Port.

So for those who made the choice to see six bands instead of two, it was clear the state-of-the-art building mere miles from Lackland Air Force Base may not have been the only place to rock out. But it was definitely a great place to be.

And to hold one’s horns high enough for The Godfather to take notice. And maybe even offer up a smile of his own.

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Germany's 'ramming stone' rams Alamodome with explosively fun Zeit

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Germany's 'ramming stone' rams Alamodome with explosively fun Zeit

Unlike other storied metal artists from their homeland, witnessing a Rammstein live-music spectacle can’t help but beg the question: what is the allure to American fans of a band that sings nearly all of its songs in German?

Popular sing-alongs such as “Du Hast” may have something to do with it. So too could be unorthodox costumes. How about a keyboardist who plays while walking on a treadmill?

The most explosive show in metal, complete with a flamethrower lighting up the stage triggered by a bloodied-chef vocalist, certainly plays a major part. It’s an attraction that must be seen to be believed from the group whose name translates to “ramming stone.”

But all of that combined still could thank Rammstein’s 2 1/2 decades of controversial yet catchy music for causing approximately 40,000 metalheads to partake in the group’s first San Antonio visit in 10 years last Saturday night at the Alamodome.

So what if the lyrics aren’t in English!

While this must be what it feels like for fans in other nations to sit through their favorite artists singing in a language secondary to their own, at least English is the universal language. Nevertheless, in metal speak, headbanging and tossing them thar horns skyward is as universal as it gets no matter the words on the other end.

That’s what helped make Rammstein’s latest visit one for the memory books.

Touring in support of Zeit — “time” — the German band that has not once altered its original six-pack lineup since forming in 1994 put on another dazzling display of part rock show, part apocalyptic meltdown (see 67-photo slideshow below).

Preceded by French pianists Duo Abelard performing Rammstein songs instrumentally (no media photography was approved for its performance), Rammstein would begin the show with an announcement prior to its entrance beckoning “the band respectfully asks that you do not film the show.” Of couse, that plea would fall mostly on deaf ears.

And so Rammstein began its fiery journey appearing one at a time. Drummer Christoph Schneider, bassist Oliver Riedel, keyboardist Christian “Flake” Lorenz and guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe set the stage for vocalist Till Lindemann. As the methodical proceedings of Zeit’s opening track “Armee der Tristen” filled the dome, a singular sound-off of pyro that could only be described as bombastic set its own stage for the next 2 1/2 hours.

Unfortunately, media members were forced to miss 5 1/2 songs beginning with third offering “Links 2 3 4” while sorting through instructions and waivers in the bowels of the Alamodome for the permitted photography that was to come halfway through the set. Thanks to some of those who ignored the no-video request, it was discovered post-show that some of the action missed included a baby carriage being set on fire and Lindemann donning a contraption that had flames bursting out of his chest.

And those were just appetizers. The largest fire of the night came courtesy of Lindemann’s flamethrower during “Mein Teil” as the singer dressed as a chef with a blood-soaked hat and apron who “cooked” Lorenz while the latter was standing in a pot.

Other fan favorites such as “Du Riechst So Gut,” “Engel,” “Sonne” and “Sehnsucht” helped soothe this writer’s brief disappointment in the band leaving out the 2002 Vin Diesel-led “XXX” movie hit “Feuer Frei,” “Amerika” and “Mutter” — though Rammstein did play four tunes from the album of the latter’s name. Considering this night marked the third consecutive September the band and the Alamo City attempted to make this show happen due to Covid-19, the third time was definitely the charm, particularly for those who’d been holding onto tickets since 2020. Heck, the occasion was so big, Landers and Kruspe even shared a kiss at one point, to loud approval.

With apologies to German brethren Scorpions (in town tonight at Freeman Coliseum), Accept (headlining the 1920 San Antonio nightclub at The Espee Pavilion on Tuesday, Oct. 4), Udo Dirkschneider, Kreator, Doro Pesch and Helloween, any video circulating from this show in spite of Rammstein’s pre-show request can be blamed on a simple formula: everything is bigger in Texas + Rammstein always puts on a huge production = one of the loudest gigs in recent memory.

It’s why some exited the dome claiming they couldn’t hear what their significant other was trying to tell them, even once outside in the quiet hazy summer night.

And it helped explain that the task of answering why American metalheads are fascinated by a band whose only usage of English was in the form of “San Antonio” and “you’ve got a pussy. I’ve got a dick. So what’s the problem? Let’s do it . . . quick” ultimately gave way to just going with the flow — and headbanging with the pyro.

Danke schon, Rammstein.

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Into the Pit: Kurt Deimer & Phil X

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Into the Pit: Kurt Deimer & Phil X

When it comes to touring the country, Kurt Deimer hasn’t exactly been playing hooky. Then again, that depends on your definition of the word.

No, Deimer and his band haven’t been calling in sick or choosing to do things other than what they’re supposed to be doing. Rather, the self-described “hooky rock band” has been hitting the road providing direct support to some of rock and metal’s best.

And the dates just keep on coming.

Deimer will return to the Aztec Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 15, as part of a string of Texas shows opening for Tesla (tickets here). The trek, with scheduled stops in Dallas, Houston, Midland and Lubbock, follows Deimer’s first major tour last year opening for original Queensryche voice Geoff Tate that included a performance at the Aztec (coverage here) plus a jaunt this past spring that found Deimer supporting Yngwie Malmsteen. The latter tour featured San Antonio’s Jessikill as the opening act.

Fresh off last November’s release of debut EP Work Hard, Rock Hard, Deimer and crew possess a sound different than the current state of rock music, in large part to Deimer’s deep voice that combines singing with telling stories through his lyrics in a talking state, as evidenced in videos such as “Hero,” “My Dad,” and the Pink Floyd cover “Have A Cigar” that can be seen below. In addition, not only did Tate provide Deimer with his first major touring opportunity, but he co-stars on Deimer’s tune “Burn Together” (also below).

Guitarist Phil Xenidis, affectionately known as Phil X, has teamed with Deimer to provide stellar licks throughout the EP and on stage. The Canadian guitarist sports his own band The Drills and took over in some group called Bon Jovi nearly a decade ago when Richie Sambora left that mega-successful band and, to the surprise of many, never returned. Phil also spent time in Triumph and with Aldo Nova.

Deimer and Phil X spoke with me exclusively on Tuesday to discuss these and other topics — not the least of which is Deimer’s forthcoming horror movie project, Hellbilly Hollow, and the two major American actors who paved the way for it.

Click on the video box below to watch and hear our entire conversation.

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'Into the Pit:' Mark Tremonti

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'Into the Pit:' Mark Tremonti

The latest project undertaken by a three-time Guitarist of the Year whose riffs have reverberated from Wembley Stadium to World Wrestling Entertainment is so far off base, you wouldn’t categorize it as “the last thing you’d expect” because it wouldn’t even land on the radar of what many would foresee from him.

But Mark Tremonti, guitarist of Alter Bridge and Creed, and lead vocalist/guitarist of solo band Tremonti that has produced five albums in the past 10 years, isn’t one to live life with regrets. Tremonti, who was honored by “Guitar World” as Guitarist of the Decade and named the fourth greatest heavy metal guitarist ever by “Total Guitar” magazine, is not interested in saying “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve” 20 years from now.

So Tremonti found something to more than tide himself, and fans, over prior to the Oct. 14 release of Alter Bridge’s forthcoming album Pawns & Kings. And the project is accompanied by a special purpose that hits close to home for him.

Tremonti put on a suit and tie, rounded up members of Frank Sinatra’s bluegrass popular singing band, and dropped Tremonti Sings Sinatra on May 27. It’s a complete album of Tremonti performing 14 of Sinatra’s classics — hits such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “My Way” plus deep cuts like “Luck Be A Lady” — while teaming with an initiative called Take A Chance For Charity. All proceeds of the album’s sales benefit the National Down Syndrome Society after Tremonti and his wife discovered that their newborn daughter Stella was afflicted with Down Syndrome and needed open heart surgery, to boot, at 11 months.

In the trailer below, Tremonti discusses how the project came together following the approval of the Sinatra Estate. You can also watch a pair of his new videos below, then click on the SoundCloud widget at the bottom to hear our entire exclusive 1-on-1 conversation from Wednesday.

“Mark’s take on Sinatra is nothing short of uncanny,” Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, whose solo band features Alter Bridge vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy on lead vocals, said in a press release. “I could never have expected one of my fav metal guitarists to do such faithful renditions of Sinatra classics. Not only instrumentally, but vocally! And these recordings are for a cause near and dear to my heart; I was very close to an uncle who had Down Syndrome when I was growing up. I fully appreciate and support Mark’s commitment to NDSS.”

The likable and talented musician discusses the album in greater detail with ATM. Tremonti also names some of the celebrities he’s challenging to follow in his out-of-my-comfort-zone footsteps with Take A Chance For Charity, reveals which Sinatra tunes were his favorite and most challenging to record, whether he’ll be able to bring the act on the road and in particular to the Alamo City, and Tremonti also offers up a compliment of a lifetime he received from one of metal’s all-time greats.

But as is the case with all ATM interviews, there’s more to the conversation than meets the eye.

Click. Read. Watch. Listen. Learn. Enjoy.

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Asesino and locals rock Bonds - y tu mama tambien - to the core

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Asesino and locals rock Bonds - y tu mama tambien - to the core

For those who may have ventured upstairs inside Bonds Rock Bar a couple of Sundays ago unfamiliar with the headlining band on stage, the first question likely to come to mind might have been: Who are those masked men?

And there may have been a decent chance that any stragglers on this night would have been familiar with at least two-thirds of Spanish-singing Asesino via their unmasked, more well-known, bands. But in truth, the dedicated crowd of roughly 75 moshers and onlookers at the veteran downtown establishment knew who they came to see June 26.

Fronted by Tony Campos — bassist of Static-X, Ministry, Prong and Fear Factory among others — and led on guitar by Fear Factory co-founder Dino Cazares, Asesino blitzed through 20 songs en Espanol after locals Flesh Hoarder, Semper Acerbus and Outlook Grim warmed things up with a mostly metalcore style of heavy metal.

Cazares is known as Asesino’s namesake, which translates as “murderer.” Campos, who goes by Maldito X, gets to flaunt his sense of humor as frontman and take part in a band where he not only provides all vocals but does so in his native language. The trio is rounded out by drummer Emilio Marquez, who goes by Sadistico.

Although their masks made them look more like bank robbers than intimidating killers (maybe that’s a good thing given the state of the world today), Asesino brought the heaviness on several offerings including “Cyko Maton” and “La Ejecucion.”

Shortly after ripping through “Padre Pedofilio” (Pedophile Father), “Puta Con Pito” (various translations involving a whore are possible) and “Y Tu Mama Tambien” (And Your Mother As Well) — each of which can be viewed via ATM footage below — the trio went from would-be bank thieves to autograph signers and photograph subjects with their fans (see 37-photo slideshow including setlist below).

The trifecta of San Antonio artists setting the stage for Asesino brought it as well.

Flesh Hoarder features Flying-V lead guitarist Mike DeLeon, who provided the Pantera leads last Nov. 12 at Vibes Event Center as Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals performed “A Vulgar Night of Pantera.” Watch them in action on this night via ATM’s Facebook Live footage of “Tortured Beyond the Grave” and “Necrotic Slut Chunks.”

Semper Acerbus can be viewed in similar fashion on “Daymare.” Ditto for openers Outlook Grim on “Power.”

The identities of the masked marauders with loaded musical pedigrees may not have been as mysterious, after all, as the identity of Cazares’ new vocalist in Fear Factory, which he has still not revealed following the late 2020 departure of his long-time friend Burton C. Bell. But as Asesino continued to parade through Texas and Mexico on this rarest of live occasions for the band, those on hand could appreciate the presence of established national musicians making themselves at home in the cozy downtown San Antonio rock bar owned by the Eguia family.

Score one for the underground scene — y tu mama tambien.

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Cavalera brothers revisit their roots times two

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Cavalera brothers revisit their roots times two

Max and Igor Cavalera have been coming to San Antonio and South Texas basically since the beginning of their seminal band Sepultura. In other words, longer than they once went without speaking to one another. And that was for a full decade.

The brothers who make up the first family of Brazilian heavy metal carved separate paths during those tumultuous years. Singer and rhythm guitarist Max, of course, went on to other bands and projects such as Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulfly, Nailbomb and Killer Be Killed. Igor remained in Sepultura through 2006 before departing. And as Max revealed here exclusively to Alamo True Metal six years ago during Soulfly’s United States tour kickoff at The Korova, the tragedy that struck the Abbott brothers of Pantera influenced him to bury the hatchet with his own sibling.

Nowadays, Max and Igor are using their pent-up energy more constructively — by making music together once again. But in 2022, they’ve gone back to their roots, as was the case last Thursday as Cavalera Conspiracy performed Sepultura’s 1989 and 1991 albums Beneath the Remains and Arise, respectively, to an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd of 700 reported as sold out at the Rock Box.

From the moment Max Cavalera bellowed, “We’re going old school on your ass,” the heads began banging and the bodies started surfing across the barrier following warmup acts Cephalic Carnage from Denver, Healing Magic of Phoenix and local thrashers Metalriser (see 53-photo slideshow and ATM video footage of each artist below).

Venue security was quickly put to work with every word of encouragement uttered by Max Cavalera, particularly when he ordered the crowd to “Destroy this fucking place!” Metalheads didn’t need to be told twice as the pits swirled virtually throughout the entirety of both albums. Watch bonus ATM Facebook Live footage of “Sarcastic Existence” and “Slaves of Pain” from the former record and “Arise” and “Dead Embryonic Cells” from the latter.

With former Havok bassist Mike Leon (who’s also in Soulfly) and lead guitarist Daniel Gonzalez providing the riffage, Cavalera Conspiracy / classic Sepultura, if you will, took names, took notice and conquered the Rock Box as expected. Following “Orgasmatron,” they even broke into a snippet of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” (ATM footage below). At one point, Max Cavalera couldn’t resist offering a bit of “Territory” from one of Sepultura’s albums not scheduled to be played — Chaos A.D. — though that seemed to make the complete exclusion of Sepultura’s most popular song “Roots Bloody Roots” that much more conspicuous by its absence.

The opening acts provided their own brand of metal. Whether it was everyone’s cup of tea would’ve been in the eyes and ears of the beholders.

Cephalic Carnage is a veteran group that has been around nearly as long (1992) as Sepultura. Fronted by lone remaining original member Lenzig Leal, who’s a grindcore version mostly in look and somewhat in sound of AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, the quintet displayed its humor among the distortion and carnage of its style by dedicating a song to masturbaters in the audience and having the crowd chant “Weed” and “Beer.” Metalcore and grindcore don’t do much for this writer, but Cephalic Carnage did win points by paying homage on “Sleeprace” (ATM footage below) to San Antonio’s own S.A. Slayer (for those reading this outside the Alamo City and Texas, Google ‘em). You can also watch them on “Piecemaker” and below after donning a few silly masks on finale “Black Metal Sabbath.”

Healing Magic, a singer/guitarist and drummer duo from Arizona, headbanged its way through a noisy yet appreciative and energetic set that included “Solar Valley” and “Leaving Ashes” (ATM footage below)

But it was veteran (yet still young) local thrashers Metalriser that stole the show among the three openers. Continuing to be led by founder, singer and rhythm guitarist Joel Estrada, Metalriser is always a treat to see in action not only because they’re one of the heaviest bands on the local scene, but because they bring the angst and energy every time out. Case in point is provided on "Hell’s Gates” and below on finale “D.I.Y.” Bassist Nick Gamboa has provided a shot in the arm to Estrada’s somewhat frequent lineup changes for the past three-plus years, while guitarist Mario Prz Jr. and new drummer Brandon Mascheo helped amp up the level of thrash more intensely than most openers do, but one that was worthy of setting the stage for the Cavaleras.

All in all, seeing the Cavaleras in action together never gets old and only reinforces their influence on many of metal’s bands from across the globe. To say that the crowd went home happy, sweaty and some maybe even a bit battered and bruised would be to underscore just how good of a time was had by all. Max Cavalera would likely be the first to tell you that’s what heavy metal is all about.

Well done, first family of Brazilian heavy metal.

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Hardworking men The Heroine celebrate new album with pair of novice brethren

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Hardworking men The Heroine celebrate new album with pair of novice brethren

For more than 15 years, The Heroine have been treading along the San Antonio music scene, aiming to garner recognition locally and nationally as one of the hardest working bands in this city.

The core of the group — vocalist Lynnwood King, bassist Wes “Guhly” Vargulish and drummer Johnny Lightning — made it to the final six out of thousands of national entries into a Guitar Center contest in 2008 to see which band would open the inaugural Cruefest, earning the right to strut their stuff in the finals before Motley Crue’s four revered members at The Whisky in Hollywood, California, before losing out to The Last Vegas.

The Heroine is also the only band — again, local or national — to play every single River City Rockfest in its hometown from 2013-18 before the festival’s eventual demise. During that time, The Heroine released Playing For Keeps in 2015 and toured relentlessly for years behind that record.

So excuse the core trio, along with guitarists David Arias and Joey Villalobos, if they were just a tad relieved, excited and grateful to finally see the fruits of the follow-up record, Out For Blood, come to life May 21 during a CD release show at 502 Bar. Fittingly, as frontrunners of the local scene, The Heroine brought along a pair of artists playing their debut gig that hope to achieve the career duration, and follow the roads paved by, The Heroine in Westcreek and Poets Of Propaganda.

According to King, there were a variety of factors in why seven years elapsed between albums. But that rough road made it all the more special on this night as The Heroine played eight of the new record’s 11 tracks, including opening intro “Let’s Go” and “Mamacita Por Vida” (ATM Facebook Live footage here). The group added older single “Who Do You Love” and 2015 track “Hardworking Man” (ATM footage of the latter below; see setlist in 34-photo slideshow).

“I think it’s more “Thank God,” you know,” King told ATM after the show about Out For Blood finally seeing the light of day. “It’s more relief because we’ve had so many obstacles we’ve had to overcome as a band. We had our super highs when we were signed to Universal, and then that whole deal broke us. Coming back and regrouping, and writing, we spent all of 2020 and ‘21 writing. We started recording about eight of the tracks that are on there with this lineup.”

For King, the CD release gig, and any other future performances, nearly didn’t come to fruition due to the global pandemic.

“Jay, I’m serious, I thought we were gonna break up. It just nailed us,” King said. “I was out for 10 days. The band didn’t really get a chance to talk. We knew we were finishing the record. But we didn’t hang out, we didn’t rehearse, we didn’t see each other for almost six months. And then we got together and played our first show together (since then), and it was like we didn’t miss a beat.”

With King slinging his mic stand in his patented way, Vargulish laying down the low end, Lightning pounding the drums with backup vocals, and Arias and Villalobos providing the licks, The Heroine gave newcomers to their live shows in attendance, and those who’ve been watching them perform for 15 years, a taste of what the band is all about on stage.

In addition to the high energy The Heroine is known for, King and Co. scaled back on the Christianity aspects that often dotted their gigs in the past, at times in favor of more humor. Case in point: King at one point joked that Vargulish was “single and ready to mingle,” adding, “Ladies, he has a 789 credit score!”

Meanwhile, Westcreek and Poets Of Propaganda were on the opposite end of the spectrum from The Heroine. Each band was making its live-performance debut and came through having gotten the first one out of the way.

Westcreek had to endure roughly 30 extra minutes of sound issues prior to eventually taking the stage but certainly didn’t lack for support from friends and family, particularly in the form of one female who pierced nearby ears with frequent screams of, “Wooo! Let’s go Westcreek” while the band was attempting to sort out the issues causing the delay.

Finally, Westcreek — which will play its second gig ever Saturday, June 25, at Bonds Rock Bar with Meridian, Skum and a few others ($10 cover) — got the music rolling and was the heaviest band of the three on the bill. Vocalist/guitarist Daniel Bas, guitarist John McKinnis, bassist Eddie Nava and drummer Rocko Cortez can be seen in action on “Take Control” via ATM footage here) and below on “This Life.”

Poets Of Propaganda, featuring vocalist Christopher DeLallo, King’s cousin on guitar Chris Gamez, bassist Terry Sleaze and drummer Dom Galindo, had the simultaneous honor yet nervous energetic task of kicking off the night for their inaugural gig in front of their respective friends and family. They settled in as a unit after a couple of songs and can be seen in action here and below on “Tread Depth.”

While those two bands will likely never forget their first, the evening was another notch in the roller coaster career of The Heroine as the group was able to unveil at last a new rocking album with short, hard-hitting songs that can finally accompany the tunes they’ve been playing live for years.

It also allowed King, at least after the gig, to reflect on how far his band has come — and what may lie ahead.

“I think that 2008 was a validation for the band,” King said of The Cruefest contest. “It validated that the band was good and had the potential to do whatever it wanted to. We were able to pick up endorsements and have some good brands that are still part of our lives. Gibson and Ernie Ball Strings, they give us guitars, they put us on winter and summer NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants).”

But with the steps forward come steps backward sometimes as well.

“It’s a struggle,” King said. “It takes a lot of faith, belief in yourself. We had a tour planned with Voivod in June that our agent submitted. And it just didn’t work out. That was supposed to be our CD release tour. We thought we had it, and it turned out it didn’t work out the way we thought. Stuff like that. Being in a band, there’s highs and lows. You get so stoked, then so down, it’s just one of those things. You have to stay positive.”

While the plan is to tour as much as possible behind the new record, which may feel like a rebirth of sorts thanks to the time off from Covid-19, King isn’t expecting more success to happen overnight.

“I think it’s going to be a struggle all the time,” he said. “It’s always been a battle, especially as you get older. There’s responsibilities and families. But I think that struggle gives us that edge, it makes us more passionate.”

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Rock Box becomes Appreciation Society for Fozzy, John 5 and upstart bands

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Rock Box becomes Appreciation Society for Fozzy, John 5 and upstart bands

The Jericho Appreciation Society was out in force last Saturday night at the Rock Box. And much like those who keep up with the current All Elite Wrestling weekly storyline and faction involving eccentric Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho, local patrons sang along to the group’s smash title track to 2017’s Judas (ATM footage below).

Unlike those who may strictly know of Jericho from his adventures inside the squared circle, however, San Antonians didn’t just appreciate one Fozzy song. Heck, they didn’t just show their approval of the headliners given that John 5 and The Creatures was also on the bill.

Support acts GFM, Krashkarma and The Nocturnal Affair weren’t exactly slouches either. In fact, other than Fozzy’s contagious energy and John 5’s wizardry on guitar, it was the Hollywood-based duo of Krashkarma — by way of New Jersey and Germany — that stole the show; something no band billed second out of five has any business of doing.

But more on that later.

Backed by longtime guitarists Rich Ward (ATM interview here) and Billy Grey, Jericho was also joined by bassist P.J. Farley of Trixter fame and new drummer Grant Brooks. The show took place six days prior to the newly released Boombox, but that didn’t stop Fozzy from playing four of the album’s singles including opening the show with “Sane.” Jericho & Crew also offered up “I Still Burn,” “Purifier” (ATM footage below), “Nowhere to Run” and a fifth album track in their cover of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax.”

Fozzy has supported Saxon and Sevendust previously in the Alamo City, with one of those shows featuring a post-performance interview with Jericho in which he spoke about how the idea of forming Fozzy originated in San Antonio (watch here). The band has now been coming here for nine years and finds itself in headline mode, with Jericho intertwining tour dates with his ongoing AEW involvement throughout the country.

One thing the singer, wrestler, podcaster, author and Rock N’ Wrestling cruise voyage architect has always been gifted at is working up a crowd, and Saturday was no exception. At one point, Jericho told the Rock Box’s incessant chanters of “Fozzy, Fozzy” that they were the “craziest of the tour thus far.” Unlike every singer who says that to his or her audience, however, Jericho quickly invited fans to look up YouTube footage of Fozzy’s previous performance to prove he doesn’t say that at every gig before adding, “No, I’m serious, you guys are the craziest so far!”

Fozzy’s 75-minute showing also included older tracks “Do You Wanna Start A War,” “Lights Go Out” and “Sin and Bones” (ATM Facebook Live clip here) and an extended guitar jam during “Enemy” (ATM footage below). Whereas previous visits included their cover of Abba’s “S.O.S.,” this show ended with Fozzy’s version of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.” With Ward and Grey commanding the stage from one side to the other and Jericho doing his usual thing, the Rock Box didn’t take long to “become, become, becoming” the place to rock.

Fans could also be grateful for the fact John 5 was back on stage because that nearly didn’t happen. Having postponed three shows the previous week due to a Covid-19 presence within the group, only to resume two days earlier with a headlining show in Austin, bassist Ian Ross fell ill, dropping The Creatures to just John 5 and drummer Alex Mercado. An announcement was made serving as a prelude to loud and encouraging applause since “the show must go on.”

A crew member took to the dark stage in a humongous John 5 head (see 111-photo slideshow below). Then the established solo guitarist and Rob Zombie axeman followed suit as a young girl at the front of the barrier repeatedly screamed, “Oh my God! It’s John 5!”

Concentrating on instrumentals from latest album Sinner and the records that recently preceded it, John 5 didn’t speak until he had performed seven tunes (ATM Facebook LIve footage of three tracks here), a bit of a solo and wowed the crowd with a portion of “The Star Spangled Banner” courtesy of his tongue.

“Good evening, motherfuckers,” was John 5’s greeting before he added, “Well, it won’t take long to introduce the band. Our only Creature, give it up for Alex on the drums. . . . I don’t know if it’s stupidity or ballsy to come up here with only guitar and drums, but I wouldn’t cancel on you guys. I love you too much!”

Though John 5 followed his printed setlist (see slideshow), he had to omit “The Black Grass Plague” saying that he was being cut short. In truth, he was allotted a 50-minute set in support of Fozzy and performed 52 minutes, making time for his patented medley of cover-song riffs (ATM footage below). Listen here to our prior interview in which John 5 addressed the inspiration for his instrumental titles, the album he made with David Lee Roth that still hasn’t been released and other topics.

The three bands setting the stage for the famous acts didn’t disappoint.

GFM (Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh) dub themselves “Beautycore.” The trio of ladies from Jacksonville, Florida, took to the stage with one of the members’ mother tossing out mini-gifts to the crowd. The band wore cheerleader outfits, provided a mix of melodic vocals with death-metal growls and proclaimed its love for Jesus. Watch ATM Facebook Live footage of “Taking Over” plus video below of their final two tracks as GFM prepares to release two-song EP Framing My Perception on May 27.

But it was the duo of Krashkarma that made the most impressive impression.

Comprised of Germany’s Ralf Dietel on lead vocals and guitar and New Jersey resident and band founder Niki Skistimas on drums and vocals, Krashkarma signaled right away that their performance would not be typical.

Skistimas and Dietel made their entrance from behind the crowd, with the former playing a marching-band style of snare and Dietel utilizing a bullhorn. Upon taking the stage, Skistimas’ kit was set up with a side view a la Robert Sweet of Stryper, but at the forefront of the stage. Dietel, sometimes utilizing a bow on his guitar as did John 5, informed the audience upon introducing “9Lives: 1, 2 Die” that his guitar was capable of playing bass as well, emphasizing that there were “no tricks” (ATM footage below).

Skistimas, who also played in The Blue Bonnets which included Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s, shared with ATM after her set that Krashkarma was originally a quartet and that she met Dietel several years ago at NAMM, the annual National Association of Music Merchants gathering in Anaheim, California. Skistimas and Dietel definitely kept the crowd’s attention throughout their set. As if their unique entrance and setup wasn’t enough, they played dueling harmonicas with each member taking turns standing atop the drums to give the fans a better look and to encourage participation. Skistimas even brought out a mallet as a prop on “Girl With A Hammer” prior to “Tears of Gasoline” (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

The Nocturnal Affair from Las Vegas kicked off the night with its five members stretched along the width of the stage in single file. Singer/keyboardist Brendan Shane was far stage right with the drums stage left. The group released debut full-length (Meta)morphosis on March 28, which was produced by Austin resident and Disturbed bassist John Moyer. Watch ATM footage of new single “Down” and below of “Ghosts on the Horizon.”

The mixture and variety of unfamiliar bands that rocked and proved to be unique in their own way, combined with the veteran musicianship of John 5 and Fozzy, made for a stellar and entertaining night of Rock N’ Roll. And it would be remiss not to say that a large reason for this was the tireless work of venue owners Micaela and Steve Rodriguez, their security and bar staff and Twin Productions Promotions.

Not only was that good news for the ultimate sports entertainer who sings heavy metal songs on a mic. But also for those on hand reaping some favorite bands while discovering a few new ones.

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