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Summer Festival Preview - July |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Alex Therrian
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Monday, 30 June 2008 |
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It was just a couple
years ago when this preview wasn’t very long at all.
In fact, there weren’t that many festivals the entire summer, let alone
enough to break them down by month. But with tour costs rising and
bands paying more for gas, hotels, and groupies, more bands are opting
for the festival circuit this year, more so now than ever. This year
offers a slew of festivals that cover nearly every major market in
the country. At first glance, it looks like Jack Johnson and the
Flaming Lips are hellbent on playing every one of these festivals
this year. Here's what's going on in July.
 Rothbury Festival - July
3-6, Muskegon, MI The
hippies and jam bands that passed on Bonnaroo will be heading to MCB’s
homestate of Michigan for a 4th of July weekend festival on the
west side of the state. The first year for this festival will be an
interesting affair, mixing a diverse lineup and trying to be the
first sustainable festival in Michigan. Dave Matthews Band, John
Mayer and current jam kings, Widespread Panic, will headline the bill. Primus and Snoop Dogg are two of the more puzzling names on the bill, but will be
different enough to get plenty of fans for their sets. The Crystal
Method will host a DJ set one of the nights, while 311 plays their
first festival in well…forever. Expect a full preview here, later this week.
What to expect: The
Bonnaroo crowd from 2003, and lots of green activities, including green plants in baggies.
Tickets: Four day
passes for $224.75 are available and limited number of VIP Weekend passes at $475 each available.
Website:
www.rothburyfestival.com
Pitchfork Music
Festival- July 18th-20th, Chicago, IL
Yeah, Bohb had a tough time getting to Pitchfork last year, so we’re hoping he can
make it this year. The first night promises to be a classic night in
hip-hop where Public Enemy performs their iconic It Takes A
Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back album in its entirety.
Saturday will feature ex-Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker and the indie band
du jour of the moment, Vampire Weekend. Definitely check out British
rapper Dizzie Rascal that day as well, as well as the Wu-Tang
combo of Ghostface and Raekwon and the humorously titled F—k
Buttons. Spoon and Dinosaur Jr.
headline the final night of the festival.
What to Expect:
Hopefully no women trying out for “Flavor Of Love 4” and
plenty of tributes to Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
Tickets: One day passes
are $30, three day passes for $65.
Website:
www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com
Mile High Music Festival- July 19th & 20th, Denver, CO
For those jam fans a little closer to the West Coast that couldn't make it to Bonnaroo or Rothbury, Denver is hosting its own festival this summer. The Mile High Music Festival boasts a strong lineup, with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers headlining a Saturday that also features Citizen Cope, Spoon, Lupe Fiasco and O.A.R. Sunday's show will feature a huge double headline of Dave Matthews Band and The Black Crowes as well as John Mayer, The Roots and The Flobots. This is one festival that gets it right by packing a lot into a shorter amount of time.
What to Expect: West Coast jammers that will be more worried about offsetting their carbon footprint than hooking up with hippie hotties.
Tickets: 2-Day passes for $150
Website: www.milehighmusicfestival.com
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Artist Spotlight - Filter |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Alex Therrian
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Thursday, 26 June 2008 |
We did a little blurb
on the band’s show in Royal Oak right before their Rock on the
Range date, but we didn’t get much of a chance to talk about
their new record and tour then; so here it is.
After a quick mini-tour
back in May, Richard Patrick and company is criss-crossing the
Midwest on some upcoming dates behind the release of their new album, Anthems For the Damned. The album keeps things modern
enough, but keeps Patrick’s vocals in the forefront and the
signature Filter sound. First single “Soldiers Of Misfortune”
is obviously a dig at the current war, but sympathizes with the
soliders on their plight overseas. The single did well on rock radio,
but there are plenty of other songs worth talking about: Tracks like
“What’s Next” and “The Take” sound damn
good live, as evident with their early songs on tour and harkens
Patrick’s first band he played in... something called Nine Inch
Nails (Heard of it? Yeah, thought so).
Songs like “Cold”
and “Kill The Day” give listeners a taste of the softer
side of the band, and recalls one of the band’s biggest songs,
“Take a Picture.” After not releasing an album since
2002, Patrick was done with his record contract and decided to
release “Anthems” on his own, on Pulse Records, a label
he created. The band is zeroing
back in on the Midwest in the next couple of weeks, with a show on
June 30th at Gatorz in Toledo and the Machine Shop in
Flint on July 3rd. Filter plans on being on the road
throughout most of the year, as the band gets in full swing with a
re-energizing album and a tour that’s just as good. Make sure
you celebrate the 4th of July week with Filter in between
the fireworks.
Filter has two
shows in the area coming up; June 30th at Gatorz in Toledo
(near University of Toledo), tickets are $20 and are available
through www.ticketmaster.com.
The July 3rd show at the Machine Shop in Flint are $15 and
are available through www.etix.com.
Additional dates can be found at www.official-filter.com | | No comments for this item |
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Interview w/ Brendon Small - Creator of “Metalocalypse” |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Art Michalski
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Wednesday, 25 June 2008 |
 Brendon Small, creator of the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse is a busy man these days. Not only in the midst of the second season of the show, but he is out touring behind the multimedia experience that is Dethklok “Deth Tour” rolling through the States right now. The fans of the hit cult show on Adult Swim went out in droves and bought the cartoon band’s The Dethalbum which became one of the top selling metal records of the past year. During the interview with Brendon, we discussed the inner workings of the show, as well as what to expect on the tour. Here is my interview with Brendon:
MyCityBuzz: Where did the influences for the look and mannerisms of the band come from?
Brendon Small: The influence of the band in general came from death metal and those type of bands. When thinking up the lead singer on the show (Nathan Explosion), we thought about the band Cannibal Corpse and their lead singer (George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher) and thought he was large enough and had that presence to make it work. When we thought of Skwisgaar (Skwigelf; guitarist in Dethklok), we looked at Swedish guitar shredders like Yngwie Malmsteen and people like that. Him and Toki (Wartooth; rhythm guitarist) are always battling because in the metal world, the Swedes look down upon the Norwegians. With Pickles (The Drummer), we looked to the archetype of guys like Roger Taylor of Queen; kind of his look, not so much in his actions. You want to make the characters look human and their actions believable, instead of having abstract looking characters and cardboard cutouts, things like that.
MCB: With the band’s toys (helicopter, etc), did you want the band to seem like superheroes as well?
BS: Not really, with these guys we wanted to show that money buys everything. They kinda have a Howard Hughes situation going on. They can buy everything that they want and do just about anything they want. They come off as spoiled f---ing brats at some points. Some of the ideas that they have on the show are completely insane. These guys aren’t superheroes, they’re super ego-maniacs. The show is as much about the life of celebrities as it is about metal.
MCB: How do you feel the show fits in with the rest of the shows on Adult Swim (Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Robot Chicken)?
BS: I’m not too sure. I haven’t paid too much attention to the other shows on the network. I’ve seen Robot Chicken once and it looked like more sketch related versus an actual show with characters. I think Aqua Teen is great because it is always as weird as it wants to be. When I finish an episode, that’s it, very rarely do I ever go back and watch it when it's on TV. Maybe if there was a movie, it might be a different story, but I feel that the when the show is completed, that is the way I want it to be like.
MCB: As a music fan, what were you influences when you were growing up?
BS: When I was younger, I always loved Queen. It was big, epic and bombastic rock. It was always filled with drama and immediacy and pulled me off. I was always a big Who fan as well, but got into the thrash stuff like Metallica and shredders like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. I even got into movie score music from John Williams (“Star Wars,” “Raiders Of the Lost Ark,” etc) and rock operas like “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
MCB: Has it been difficult to translate the characters to a live setting?
BS: When putting something like this together, the only thing that is difficult is getting the time and money to make it right. With something like this, you have to be comfortable about the vision for the show. We have a large screen of the band, with the four guys in the band playing below it. Our drummer has a click-set, which matches the actions and scenes of the characters with the songs. We’re scoring a movie, more or less. I would rather try to do it this way than try to have a real human version of Dethklok out there. If we did that, it would just be embarrassing for me. Doing it the way we have done it, it has been really satisfying and the guys in the band are great to play with.
MCB: Will there be any new unreleased material during the shows?
BS: All the songs in concert will be from The Dethalbum. I’ve written tons of new songs, but between the tour and the second season running right now, it's been tough to get back into the studio to do it. I am going to have to block off some time in the near future to record the new songs for the next season or another album.
MCB: On the show, the economy around Dethklok has the 12th highest GDP in the world, right below Belgium. When you see the band cracking the Top 10?
BS: (laughs) Probably after their next record. Right now on the season, the band is trying to record an album underwater. If that’s huge, I can see them going to number 10.
MCB: What should people not familiar with the show expect if they come to the live show?
BS: True metalheads will love it, there’s enough death metal for them. But if someone’s never been to a metal show, there is a energy unmatched with any other type of music. Plus, there’s a lot of comedy thrown in with the music during the set as well. And there’s always a curiosity factor thrown in there as well, but in the end it's not all about metal, it's about comedy and most can relate to that.
Don't miss Brendon Small and the animated guys in Dethklok on The Deth Tour this summer. For dates and tickets checkout Ticketmaster.com. The second season of Metalocalypse is currently running on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block, check local listings. Additional dates can be found at MySpace.com/dethklok.
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Original Columns
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Written by Bohb Blair
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Friday, 27 June 2008 |
 It is rare that I share a story about someone else, but this one could not be ignored. It happened to my friend, or perhaps my friend happened to it… his name is John Louse. This is my recap of how he relayed it to me:
Voicemail #1 from John Louse: "Dude, call me I need to talk to you."
Voicemail #2 from JL: "Call me as soon as you can, we have things to discuss."
Voicemail #3 from JL: "Dude, I have a serious situation to discuss with you."
Phone Call from Bohb Blair: Hey, sorry it took me so long to get back to you, what’s up?
JL: Dude, I am dealing with a situation here. I had a run-in with a police ocifer (dialect note: JL pronounces the word ‘Officer’ as ‘Ocifer’ for some reason. I have always assumed it was a posturing of disrespect to the role of the police as JL has issues with government mandated authority figures.) BB: Oh no… what happened?
JL: I was standing in my yard the other day and a police car pulled up and the cop asked me to come over to his window. Of course I refused as I was on private property and was not legally bound to leave my private property without a warrant. I know my rights.
BB: Ummm, yeah…
JL: So the cop demands my name and address and to see photo ID. I gave him my name and address, my address being the very property I was standing on, and told him I had no photo ID on me. Which was true. This is the mistake I made, because in actuality I did not have to provide him with my address, only my name.
BB: OK…
JL: Then he tells me that if I do not have photo ID that I need to come stand in front of his car for video identification. Of course I again refuse citing my previously stated knowledge that I do not have to leave my private property without a warrant. Also, I know that I am intoxicated and that if I leave my private property then he COULD arrest me for public intoxication, so this was a very strategic move on my part.
BB: Sounds wise…
JL: Yeah. So, this cop is getting visibly annoyed. I know you haven’t seen my place, but I have a fence around the yard that is about waist high.
BB: OK…
JL: So this cop, he starts RUNNING towards me! Now Bohb, I don’t know what his intentions were. I’m not sure if he was planning on attacking me, if he was going to jump on me, if he was just trying to cover ground quickly or maybe he was going to jump the fence. But, the next thing I know the cop is on the ground. I swear Bohb, I didn’t touch him.
BB: Oh no…
JL: I think maybe he tripped over a root
BB: Oh no…
JL: So now the cop is really mad and he is yelling at me and telling me I have to come over to his squad car and I have to provide ID. I told him again that I was NOT going to leave my private property and that I had no photo ID to provide. That I had given him my name and address and that was all he would receive without a warrant.
BB: Oh no…
JL: So this cop, he’s getting really mad now and he continues to yell at me as he goes back to his squad car.
BB: OK…
JL: So, he’s gone for a while and then he comes back
BB: And?
JL: Bohb, you won’t believe it. This cop, he gave me a CITATION for having a BONFIRE in a RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD! (in total disbelief)
BB: Ummmm, John? Did you have a bonfire going in your yard?
JL: Yeah
BB: What were you burning?
JL: My mail.
BB: What? (Incredulous) John, did you have a shirt on at this time?
JL: No.
BB: Do you still have that huge beard and unkempt hair?
(ed. note: Some may call this particular style of unkempt hair a mullet.)
JL: Yes.
BB: So, you are trying to tell me that you were burning your mail in a bonfire in the yard of your residential neighborhood and that a cop came by, probably because he got a call from a concerned neighbor, where he encountered a shirtless crazy looking man who refuses to show ID and is completely uncooperative?!
JL: I was completely within my rights. I was using the fire to cook food, which is legal. I checked.
BB: John, you are insane.
JL: I was doing nothing illegal
Note: John Louse is now pursuing this in court. Rather than pay the $75 fine he is risking 90 days in jail and a $750 fine to have this heard by a jury of his ‘peers’. If they can find any.
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Movies Opening June 27th, 2008 |
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Buzz Features
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Written by MCB Staff
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Wednesday, 25 June 2008 |
WALL•E: What if mankind had to leave Earth, and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? Academy Award®-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo”) and the inventive storytellers and technical geniuses at Pixar Animation Studios (“The Incredibles,” “Cars,” “Ratatouille”) transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named WALL•E. After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL•E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet’s future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most exciting and imaginative comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen.Joining WALL•E on his fantastic journey across a universe of never-before-imagined visions of the future, is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots. Filled with surprises, action, humor and heart, WALL•E was written and directed by Andrew Stanton, produced by Jim Morris, co-produced by Lindsey Collins and features original and innovative sound design by Academy Award®-winner Ben Burtt (“Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”). (DISNEY/PIXAR) Rated G.
WANTED: Based upon Mark Millar’s explosive graphic novel series and helmed by stunning visualist director Timur Bekmambetov—creator of the most successful Russian film franchise in history, the Night Watch series—Wanted tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. In 2008, the world will be introduced to a hero for a new generation: Wesley Gibson. 25-year-old Wes (James McAvoy) was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. His boss chewed him out hourly, his girlfriend ignored him routinely and his life plodded on interminably. Everyone was certain this disengaged slacker would amount to nothing. There was little else for Wes to do but wile away the days and die in his slow, clock-punching rut. Until he met a woman named Fox (Angelina Jolie). After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad’s death by unlocking his dormant powers. As she teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, Wes discovers this team lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: carry out the death orders given by fate itself. With wickedly brilliant tutors—including the Fraternity’s enigmatic leader, Sloan (Morgan Freeman)—Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye. And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny. (UNIVERSAL PICTURES) Rated R.
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Artist Spotlight - Mindless Self Indulgence |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Art Michalski
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Friday, 20 June 2008 |
On June 21st Mindless Self Indulgence plays Harpo’s in Detroit.
Well, after the eccentric electronic rock band released their fourth album, If, late in April, most fans weren’t expecting the album to make as big of a splash as it did on the Billboard Album Charts. To most fans’ delight, If, debuted at #27 on the charts in the first week.
After a decade of touring with everyone from System of A Down to Insane Clown Posse; this could be seen as a pinnacle of this band's long career. But actually, If carries on the flag for their intriguing and off the wall music. And may be an even more unusual twist of fortunate luck for the band, their first single off the record Never Wanted to Dance, reached the top of Billboard’s Hot Dance Singles. This sort of spot is usually reserved for either world renowned DJ’s or pop acts; not for a band with a lead singer named Jimmy Urine.
Urine’s frantic, yet poppy lyrics provide the backbone for the new album, on songs like “Issues” and the highly humorous “Get It Up.” With the latter of the two songs, I think you can figure on where the lyrical content of the song is going and ends up being the highlight of If.
MSI has had the luxury of a very rabid fanbase that has stuck with them all these years. With highly generous doses of the band on MySpace and YouTube, it really shouldn’t be much of a surprise the new album did so well. The band is currently touring behind the record and be on the road through June 28th. This will include a massive hometown show in New York on the 27th with groups like Combichrist opening up for them.
Until then, watch the group “Get It Up” at maybe the only place that could contain their brand of shock and humor in Detroit, Harpo’s.
Tickets are $20 and are available at Ticketmaster.com. Additional dates can be found at mindlessselfindulgence.com | | No comments for this item |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Art Michalski
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Thursday, 19 June 2008 |
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If you’re checking out a band’s likes and dislikes; most guys can related to what Ganon wrote as their likes on their MySpace page: Alcohol and Video Games. Well, by listening to the Southeast Michigan band’s new EP “As Above, So Below”- the band kicks out some experimental rock that goes perfect with the aforementioned activites.
Following up the band’s debut “In the Dead Of Sleep”, the new EP is five songs of crushing and thunderous guitarists that leans in a metal direction at times, but also develops into something more melodic at times as well. With songs like “Descend From The Wind” and “Until First Light”, the band kicks out their prog-rock more in the vein of Neurosis and Isis versus the straight pummeling of MeShuggah. There is a definite Scott Kelly (Neurosis) influence in lead singer Kenneth McNabb’s lyrics, whose vocals don’t try to overpower the riffs, courtesy of Greg Heaney and Ryan Toohey.
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Art's Picks June 17th- 21st |
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Original Columns
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Written by Art Michalski
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Wednesday, 18 June 2008 |
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June 17th
The Famine with Demon Hunter St. Andrew’s Hall
Dallas based band the Famine has something in common with headliner Demon Hunter- they are both bands out on their first national tours. Due to the day job commitments of Demon Hunter, they are finally getting time off to get cross the country. As for The Famine, they are hopping on their first national tour, behind the release of their debut record “The Raven and the Reaping”, which came out May 27th.
The band’s blistering brand of metal owes a bit to their Southern roots. Lead singer Ryan McCaddon says the some of the bands’ material sounds like “Suffocation (long time death metal band) covering Pantera”. The band’s riffs, courtesy of guitarist Andy Godwin sounds does in fact take elements of the latter band mentioned. The tracks on the record, such as “The South Will Rise” and “Scar The Earth” have a groove to them much like Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell did, and transition with each other better than a lot of metal records out there today. | | No comments for this item |
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Festival Preview - Summer Slaughter Tour |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Alex Therrian
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Monday, 09 June 2008 |
During last year’s
inaugural run of the Summer Slaughter Tour, the lineup was a death
metal purist’s dream, with German band Necrophagist headlining
the bill to plenty of rabid fans who needed the heaviest and most
wild stuff metal had to offer. With the Sounds of the Underground
tour on hold and some of these bands’ usual second stage slot
on OzzFest non-existent this year, the Summer Slaughter Tour has now
positioned itself as the premier death metal festival for the States.
The second edition of
the Summer Slaughter Tour features probably the biggest band on the
rise in the death metal scene, the Black Dahlia Murder. Us Detroiters
can be real proud of these local guys, as they have broke into the
upper regions of the Billboard Albums Chart with their latest album, Nocturnal. The album, filled with pounding drums and
riffs on tracks like “What A Horrible Night to Have A Curse,”
debuted last October at #70 on the album charts (a feat almost
unheard of in this genre).
The entertaining and
often wild on stage antics of lead singer Trevor Strnad, plus the
band’s evolving and far improved production value has helped
the band rise up the ranks and plans on delivering the quintessential
set of the evening. Long time Montreal band
Kataklsym backs up BDM, with the band out supporting their new
record, Prevail .The band prides themselves on
consistently tight riffs and the lineup of their band. Another import
on the bill this year is Polish band Vader. They were one of the
first bands on the scene and are celebrating their 25th
year of existence with a best-of compilation, XXV.
One of the early bands
from Tennessee, White Chapel, has started to gain a hardcore
following and proved that they could hang with bigger bands in metal
when they opened for Darkest Hour earlier this year.
Other bands on the bill
include Cryptospy, The Faceless, Despised Icon, Born Of Osiris and
Aborted.
The tour, sponsored by
Sumerian Records, starts right here in Detroit on June 20th
at the Majestic Theatre and runs through July 28th in
Chicago. So, if you are in the mood for break neck beats and mosh
pits that most wouldn’t dare to approach, the Summer Slaughter
Tour will live up to its name.
The Summer Slaughter
Tour begins in Detroit on Friday, June 20th. Tickets are
$20 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com.
Additional dates can be found at
www.myspace.com/summerslaughtertour.
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Interview w/ Zak Vargas of Elysia |
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Music Buzz
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Written by Art Michalski
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
Sacramento based Elysia is going to be one busy band this summer. They will be out on road all summer as they prepares
to release their new album, Lion Of Judas. The band will headline the “Ferret
Young Guns” throughout June and then head on the road with
hardcore growing juggernauts Full Blown Chaos later in the summer. As lead singer Zak
Vargas was enjoying some downtime before the tour started, yours
truly had to go and bother him. Here is what we learned about Elysia:
About recording part of
their album in the former witch hunting town of Salem, MA: “I
think the album planned on sounding a lot like it did before going to
Salem. We spent a week during this past winter there recording, and
the cold and snow helped the music. But there were already depressing
and dark elements to the record, so it was just kind of concidential
how it came out.”
On the band’s
shift in influences: “I used a lot of older metalcore parts
that came from bands like Coalesce and early Converge records. But
there are more modern influences in there as well.”
On the band’s
updated lineup: “It’s felt pretty good so far with the
lineup, we have probably toured the most with this new lineup. I
think it’s the tightest group that has ever played in this
band. Our new bass player used to play in a band with our drummer,
and when we lost our last bass player, the drummer wanted to play in
a band with him again”.
On issues with faith on
the new record: “A lot of our older material attacked more
social issues. The new record deals more with personal issues with
myself. The song “Lion of Judas” deals with my loss or
questioning my faith in things and its something that I haven’t
really tackled in the past.”
On silencing early
critics of their music: “We’ve definitely silenced those
people who thought our lyrics seemed misogynist. For the new record,
we wrote two songs about the issues with sexism. We are writing songs
about how we really feel and we feel that the early stuff is
completely irrelevant now. Things I wrote years ago do not share the
same beliefs I have now.”
Elysia will be
headlining the “Ferret Young Guns” tour, coming to the
Magic Stick on Monday, June 16th. Tickets are available
through www.ticketmaster.com.
Additional dates can be found at www.myspace.com/elysia.
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