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Concert/Book/Movie Reviews

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Reviews


Overkill March 2020

Image of band flipping the bird

Overkill rolled into Phoenix on March 1st 2020 and though most of the band was under the weather they put on one hella kickass show the Crescent Ballroom is not soon gonna forget.

The second leg of the Wings over the US tour kicked off over a year since the newest album The Wings of War was released and the Jersey thrashers have Exhorder and Hydraform in support for this tour.
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Hydraform-A Denver based metal band that does not look the part, well the bass player does but you would pass the rest of the band on the street with nary a look. They had to deal with the VIP meet & greet interrupting their sound check in the smallish venue but were ready to play for the small opening set crowd that was half ignoring them. The guitar sounded a little thin which hurt the crunch crunch part of their songs but the rest of the band sounded well and was able to pull the small crowds attention away from their drinks. We picked up their cd and would definitely see them again.

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Exhorder-New Orleans based thrash, I was 2 songs into this set and really enjoying the heavy chords and thumping bass & drums when the singer surprised me. He mentioned this next song was from their very first tape from 1986! 1986! These guys were kicking ass and I had never heard of them. A buddy felt like he knew one of the songs from the early 90’s but admitted he never owned anything from them. They continued to pull kick ass song after song from their library and gained 4 new fans that night. I bought their new cd and had 3 members sign it. I never ran into the bass player. I later learned the band was a 5 piece but was only 4 members when we saw them and they shredded for being down a guitar player.

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Overkill-They hit the stage to Last Man standing, pounded right thorugh Electric Ratttlesnake & into Hello from the Gutter. The boot was placed squarely on the throats of the fans in attendance and the band just pushed it down harder. The band had mentioned they were all sick but they were here to shred and they delivered. Fan favorite Elimination followed and the Years of Decay was complete. New thrash classic Head of a Pin was next, then they bounced into the middle years of their discography with classics Necroshine, Under One and Bastard Nation. The jokes about Flotsam & Jetsam members past & present were funny as most of the crowd had to be aware they were in the house this night. They came a little more into the future with Mean Green Killing Machine and then went way back & blasted our ears with Feel the Fire. I was ecstatic when Ironbound started because I love the chorus and the line... All my friends are green and black was the inspiration to paint my 1966 Impala green with a black top the first time I heard it. Like a kickass fireworks show, you know when they start to speed up you are gettiing close to the end and Overkill thrashed the night with Coma, Rotten to the Core and we dont care what you say….FUCK YOU!!!! Tonight couldn’t get any better….And just like a late night pitchman would say...but wait there’s more! The Garden State..fuck yes this fun thrash anthem is so much better live then it is on the album. Then one last rebel rousing chorus of fuck you and the night was over. This show just proves that Overkill who has been putting out some of, if not the best thrash for the last 20+ years needs to be counted amongst the greats of the Big 4.
Horns Up Maniacs
JP

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Slayer

image of demon over a theater

Slayer The Repentless Killogy. What can i say?

The Overlords of Thrash have done it again. This is an enjoyable movie if you love Slayer(who doesn't?) love loud driving music(again who doesn't?) or extreme violence( so for the third time..who doesn't?) Money spent on the FX was well spent as the gore was in full force in this short movie.
The skull splitting and eye being knifed out of dudes skull were brutal and the audience loved it. the FX team even made the large intestines & heart look real as they were pulled from the hapless victims...who am I kidding? we loved to see the bad guys get killed in truly brutal and messy ways.
The use of the Slayer videos mixed with the large set fight scenes really worked well if you ignore the thin spot of the plot, i mean it is real thin..like you had the #2 combo from Taco Bell thin. Why was this guy so important to kill in the first place, I mean you could have saved a lot of time and you goons lifes if you just let him leave..but enough of that, sit back, drink a cold one..eat popcorn and if I may go off the tracks for a second here...I never knew popcorn and Slayer could be so great together...I wonder what else great combos I have been missing out on?
Anyways back to the important part..popcorn, a coldie and a comfy chair make for a great way to see a full Slayer concert on the big screen. If you didn't see it in the theater then shame to you and all your future generations...the only way to make up for this is to rent a large screen tv and surround system for a weekend, get all your buddies over & blast the carnage and music that is the Repentless Killogy so loud your neighbors get to enjoy it too.
...FUCKIN SLAYER!!!!!!!
Horns Up Maniacs
JP

Flea

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An evening with Flea, the boisterous funky ass rhythm section of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

I was not aware he had written an autobiography when I saw the ad for the event scroll by on a social media feed. The day before I had seen that Geddy Lee of Rush was in town for a book signing but I would not be able to attend due to family plans. These two bass players are polar opposites in style but I highly respect both.
Pondering the event, I had plans to attend Slayer the Repentless Killogy the day before Flea's event and knew by the timing that my fiance would not be able to attend with me. I prefer not to go to events solo, I like the comfort that a partner in crime provides. Faced with the prospect of going alone I mentioned the event to my fiance as we lay in bed. Simply put, she said I should go, it would be good for your blog and then promptly fell asleep. Back to pondering I went, not falling asleep for another 45 minutes.
The next morning, my decision was made, she was right and I must go. Purchasing the ticket I was surprised to see that I could get a second ticket for basically free, so I bought a copy of his book, Acid for the Children, my 2 tickets and thought about how the spirit world(insert whatever term you prefer to use, God/Karma/Fate etc) was removing roadblocks in my way for me to attend this event. Now I just need to find someone to give the extra ticket too. Two days later & we are on our way to Slayer the Repentless Killogy and I ask my young nephew in the back seat, do you know who Flea is?
You mean the bass player? That dude is bad.
I asked, would you like to go see him talk about his book tomorrow night? Heck yeah I would, that would be so cool to get to see him.
Again the spirit world worked it's magic for me & I had a partner in crime for this event.
The night arrives & we are in the Orpheum Theater awaiting Flea to show. The theater is about a quarter full and I am surprised by the eclectic mix of people present. There are real young to rather old and a nice mix of in between. Men in suits, women in dresses and a few of us in concert shirts.
Out comes Flea in t-shirt, jeans and a baseball hat that gives the impression it is a last second decision to wear & the audience comes to their feet to applaud him.
The opening question by the mediator seems not to well thought out & Flea gives a long winding answer, the mediator then asks about his childhood, Flea mentions he was just planning on reading that chapter of his book but since you ask. He begins to speak about his life growing up and his emotions and depth of feeling drags you into the past with him. His real father, his wild ass mother(his words) and his step-father that gives young Michael Balzary his first introduction to music is a journey of fear,wonder and excitement.
We move through his young years listening to jazz fusion players in his step-fathers' bands to his hearing rock and roll for the first time as he lays on a friend's floor, Zeppelin, Hendrix, etc and once again his life is changed due to music.
Flea portrayed the normal teenage angst that we all go through as the serious driving edge for him. We arrive at the day he that would again change his life for the better or maybe it was just change for change's sake. Sitting in a car with his best friend while it rains & I think he said he was smoking a joint (I may be wrong on that) and his friend turns to him and says the lines that would change his life & perhaps the lives of all his fans forever. I want you to come be the bass player in my band.
Flea begins to cry as he tells us this story, and I get the emotion he is trying to get across to us. Flea sniffles and smiles and tells us the part that changed him forever..He felt seen for the first time in his life. Someone wanted him and had enough belief in him to ask him to do something he had never done before in his life. Flea pauses momentarily, smiles at the crowd and states..so I ran out the next day and bought my first bass and have been beating on one ever since.
This evening has forever changed Michael Balzary, the mighty Flea in my eyes forever. He is no longer just a super funky whiteboy with a sock on his cock. He is so well read, he could probably best a literature professor in a quiz show. His love of books allows him to time travel and through his journey in literature and music he has found his voice.
Horns Up Maniacs
JP

Metalheads & Maniacs
2020