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Three stellar heavy metal bands hailing from the late ’80s and ’90s proved they are three stellar heavy metal bands in 2010. Thursday, Aug. 26, at Tingley Coliseum proved to be a night of more than just memory-lane metal in the best possible way.
Testament took the stage with full force, delivering an awesome—albeit too short for this viewer’s tastes—set of straightforward, no-frills metal. Fans were right there chanting lyrics and appeasing Chuck Billy’s requests to divide and conquer during a game of “mosh more than that side.” Much to security’s dismay, the crowd was quite ambitious—yet good to one another. These boys deserve a spotlight on an upcoming tour for sure.
Megadeth was in awesome form, and that’s kudos coming from a lukewarm fan of their recorded material. Deciding to drop their volume a bit was a golden choice, as all lyrics were distinguishable and poignant, their message courtesy of Dave Mustaine. The band played a host of old and new material, including such crowd favorites as "Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying" and the radio hit "Symphony of Destruction." Many wardrobe and guitar changes later, and the audience seemed won over by these mega metal men.
That is until Slayer took center stage. There was no mistaking this was what this crowd came hungry for. The complete brutality of Slayer’s metal onslaught with it's punk overtones rattled this rodeo-and-cow arena to its very foundation. Tingley Coliseum still has the ability to host top-notch, big-name shows as much as the The Pavilion.
A wealth of songs came from albums Seasons in the Abyss and Reign in Blood. Guitarist Kerry King and company delivered one explosive, guitar-screaming song after another. Working the crowd into a frenzy was the name of the game, and played well it was. By the time "Angel of Death" rang out, Albuquerque was all ears and pit-loving leg stomps. This night was owned by Slayer, and members gave it their all right up until the house lights came up.
All three bands were a welcome reminder that in this age of downloads, backing tracks and glittery over-production, kick ass bands still keep kids and elders alike coming back for more.
Tonight, six New Mexico musicians join forces to create a showcase of solo work. See the indie blues of Alex Maryol, the performance poetry of Hakim Bellamy, the electro-folk of Todd Eric Lovato, the loop station beatboxing of Zack Freeman, the indie folk of Cali Soberanes and the singing/songwriting of Leah Black. The show happens at REVLIS (712 Central), and admission to the all-ages event is $5.
Austin horror garage trio Woven Bones makes a stop in Albuquerque tonight. The band will be performing a scary set at the Launchpad (618 Central SW). The show, which will be opened by Canyonlands, begins at 9 p.m. and admission is $7. Buy a ticket here or at the door. Read more about Woven Bones here.
“Slow Death” by The Flamin’ Groovies circa 1971. This video is not of the best quality (a theme in YouTube’s Flamin’ Groovies content), but you get the idea.
This week it was announced that Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan of The Flamin’ Groovies will be playing a special post-Ponderosa Stomp concert at One-Eyed Jacks in the French Quarter. If you’re unfamiliar with it, the Ponderosa Stomp is a (mind-blowingly amazing) two-day music festival, film festival and music history conference in New Orleans that celebrates unsung heroes of American blues, soul, garage, funk and rock and roll. Being that I saw Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan perform at last year’s fest, I attest that this is quality live music. The entire Stomp is—see this year’s line-up here.
Are you sick of mainstream music’s never-ending canon of Nickelback? I know I am. That’s why I’ve turned to Two Door Cinema Club, an Irish electro-pop that released its debut album this summer. Two of the three band members, Alex Trimble and Kevin Baird, met in cub scouts. The pair reunited in high school, and was joined by Sam Halliday (Kevin was trying to date all of Sam and Alex’s female friends). Since then, they have made music resembling that of Bloc Party, Band of Horses and Death Cab for Cutie. Their name comes from a mispronunciation of Tudor Cinema, a local movie theater in Bangor, Ireland. The Irish popsters hit the United States in October for a 2010 tour, playing in clubs around the country and making a stop at the Austin City Limits music festival on Oct. 9. Visit Two Door Cinema Club’s MySpace page to hear music or download the CD, Tourist History.
8tracks, an internet radio site wherein users upload songs from their libraries making playlists that contain at least eight tracks, isn’t new. It’s just that I rediscovered it this weekend, created an account and made some mixes. Here’s my latest: Songs I listen to at the office. This website is particularly excellent when bored of your own music library, and in the mood to expose yourself to something new.
Foster’s and koalas shouldn’t be the only things we enjoy about Australia. This summer, the Australian indie band Operator Please released its second full- length album, Gloves. Few bands stay together after their high school “Battle of the Bands” contest, much less enjoy Top 40 status. But that’s just what happened to Operator Please, who came together at Elanora State High School in Queensland. The band started out as four teenagers aiming simply to deliver a performance that would guarantee them high school glory, but after they won the contest, they realized they might be on to something. Though the band is not well known here in the U.S., the single “Just A Song About Ping-Pong” debuted at #15 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart in 2007. OP songs keep listeners interested, as its two albums offer a combination of energetic beats and clever reflections: “So what are we to do when everybody’s got a soft spot for liquor and accessories?” croons lead singer Amandah Wilkinson in the song “Rocking Horse.” Check out the band’s first album, Yes Yes Vindictive (released 2008), then go on to Gloves.
My favorite songs: “Two For My Seconds” and “Leave it Alone”
• Film screening for the 48 Hour Film Project, in which 40 filmmaking teams had two days to create a completed film. Screening at the KiMo Theatre, 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 a screening, $17 for two separate screenings or $30 for all four screenings. Film Editor Devin D. O’Leary’s tells you more.
• Concert in Santa Fe featuring blues acts Reverend Beat-Man and Delaney Davidson at 9 p.m. Little Wing (at The Candyman Strings & Things, 851 St. Michael's Drive, Santa Fe). $5 admission. Check out the flyer.
• Doug Lawrence Quartet performs as part of the New Mexico Jazz Festival. At 7:30, Outpost Performance Space, Featuring NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Cobb. Tickets: $25 to $30. Read the article and scan the festival schedule.
• Etran Finatawa, a band from Niger, plays at the Santa Fe Brewing Company (35 Fire Place, Santa Fe), 7:30 p.m. Songs are sung in the band members’ native languages: Tamashek and Fulfulde. Tickets: $17 advance (ticketssantafe.org, 505-988-1234), $20 at the door. How does that work, exactly? Read the music article.
• Weekly hoola hooping class at The Rhythm Dance Lounge (4821 Central NE) from 6:30-7:30 p.m. $10 per class. Reservations recommended. Arts Editor Patritica Sauthoff tells you how.
This Saturday head to the Tingley Coliseum for a FREE concert, Voces Unidas por America. The event is sponsored by LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), which is in town this week for a national convention. According to LULAC President Rosa Rosales, the concert is meant to solidify the strength of the Latino community and take a stand against Arizona’s SB 1070 and HB 2281. The show features Latin artists Pee Wee, Cristian Castro and Ozomatli.
From L.A., Ozomatli is well known for melding genres. The songs are a spicy blend of merengue, salsa and hip-hop beats. What you may not have known is that members’ creativity and political lyrics have earned them a place as U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. “Our world standing has deteriorated,” says Ulises Bella on the Ozomatli website. “I’m totally willing and wanting to give a different image of America than America has given over the last five years.”
The concert is free, but entrance requires tickets. Pick yours up at the Northeast Expo Hall at the Albuquerque Convention Center. All-ages.
These days, country music, which was long ago swallowed into the homogenizing pop culture machine, is like any other element of entertainment media: It lacks decorum, glorifies wealth and is geared toward the basest concerns of the masses. The only thing that distinguishes it is a Southern accent and that boot in your ass. Once upon a time, though, country music had its own identity, one that was far from the artless, soulless corporate goo oozing out of your radios and televisions. It was proud, pastoral, working class and sometimes a little rowdy. Long associated with that kind of country (and the right wing), these days the legendary Merle Haggard seems a bit pained by the country's corrosion. A few years ago, the Okie from Muskogee, who is now in his 70s wrote and sang, "What happened, does anybody know? / What happened, where did America go? / Everything Wal-Mart all the time / No more mom and pop five and dimes." See Haggard, poet of the common man, shun artifice down in Mescalero tonight.
C.C. California [9/2/10 10:35 AM]