By Andrew Bansal
July 22nd 2016, The Roxy, West Hollywood CA: Following the release of their breakthrough third full-length album and Nuclear Blast debut ‘You Will Never be One Of Us’ in June 2016, Oxnard, California power-violence powerhouse Nails announced a four-show California headline run with support acts Terrorizer LA, Nomads, Freedom and Lies, including a gig at the Roxy in West Hollywood last Friday July 22nd 2016. Nails’ Los Angeles area fans have seen the band perform in all kinds of dungeons, basements, bars, parking lots and unconventional venues of all varieties, and a few years years ago, most perhaps would not have imagined seeing them headline a Sunset Strip venue which was nearly if not completely sold out. The last time Nails played at this venue was opening for Pig Destroyer in 2015, and on this occasion it was their turn to shine in the spotlight. Fans were eager in excitement and anticipation for how the band’s newfound popularity would impact the fury of their live performance, and packed the Roxy to find out for themselves.
The stench of body odor was expectedly strong in this crowd, and I did my part towards contributing to the density of the air inside the Roxy by showing up to the gig having not taken a shower that day. Thanks to Friday traffic, I arrived too late to be able to catch the first band Lies, but based on common consensus, the San Francisco Bay Area d-beat hardcore punk band served as an apt opener for the show, and those that appreciate this musical style are encouraged to check them out. Next up, Detroit, Michigan straight edge hardcore punk group Freedom took the stage for a short set of mid-tempo jams that got the crowd to boogie. The Roxy was still filling in during this band’s set and most people watched the band instead of retreating to the bar or the smoking area, which indicated that Freedom were worthy of their spot in this lineup.
Next up, LA’s own punk quartet Nomads, no strangers to sharing the stage with bigger hardcore/punk bands coming through town, hit the stage and presented their brand of Motörhead-inspired punk. Besides the competent performance of the band, Nomads’ set was notable for its ultra-short 12-minute duration, and the fact that they took less than 10 minutes from the end of Freedom’ set to begin theirs. Nomads started 7 minutes before their scheduled set time and ended at 9:20 instead of 9:45 as listed. That’s punk in itself, as punk as the dude in the audience wearing a plaid shirt with an Iron Reagan back patch sewn on it. Nomads not only played a high-energy, to-the-point set that was right up the alley for this crowd, they also changed the entire meaning of the term ‘punk time’, and resulted in the show running well ahead of schedule.
Main support for this event was none other than the legendary LA grind veterans Terrorizer, reformed by vocalist Oscar Garcia in 2014 and performing under the name Terrorizer LA ever since. Because of Nomads’ extra-short set and quick turnaround, they had plenty of time to set up and they took advantage of it, even though the show was still running a few minutes early by the time they were done. They played a hefty 13-song, 50-minute set and delivered exactly what was expected of them, as plenty of longtime Terrorizer fans were seen in attendance for this one and loving every moment of it. Not saying much other than the song titles, Oscar Garcia kept things simple and precise, as did his band mates, and together, with bulldozing onslaughts like this, they continue to carry the legacy of the Terrorizer name in a justifiable manner.
Terrorizer LA set list:
01. After World Obliteration
02. Storm of Stress
03. Fear of Napalm
04. Human Prey
05. Corporation Pull-In
06. Condemned System
07. Resurrection
08. Enslaved by Propaganda
09. Injustice
10. Whirlwind Struggle
11. Infestation
12. Dead Shall Rise
13. World Downfall
And lastly at 10:55, Nails embarked upon their sonic obliteration of the Roxy. Legend has it that the last Nails show at the Roxy resulted in a blood-soaked floor as one unfortunate fan split his head open in the mosh pit and had to be carried out in an ambulance. This one wasn’t quite as off-the-chains, but still met expectations in terms of energy level and intensity, as frontman Todd Jones repeatedly urged the crowd to ‘slam!’ and largely succeeded in his attempts. Nails played a 16-song set comprising selections from all three albums, and fully replicated the vicious brutality of their newest LP ‘You Will Never Be One Of Us’ on stage. Besides the three core members of the band, guitarist Phil Sgrosso (Poison Headache, Wovenwar, ex As I Lay Dying) was effortlessly solid and has been a great addition to the Nails live lineup this year. The quartet was able to command the stage and take control of the audience, in a manner only Nails can. They may be on their way towards claiming their crown as the new kings of the Sunset Strip, but the violence in the live show is still very much prevalent, both on stage and in the crowd. Their next LA area adventure happens to be Ozzfest this coming September, and one can only look forward to what this band has in store for the future. On this night in West Hollywood, power violence ruled supreme.
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Nails set list:
01. God’s Cold Hands
02. You Will Never Be One of Us
03. Friend To All
04. Conform
05. Scum Will Rise
06. Violence Is Forever
07. Suffering Soul
08. Made to Make You Fall
09. Savage Intolerance
10. Wide Open Wound
11. Life Is a Death Sentence
12. Parasite
13. I Will Not Follow
14. In Pain
15. They Come Crawling Back
16. Unsilent Death