Metal Assault: Gig Reviews

By Andrew Bansal

June 14th 2014, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood CA: American heavy metal flag bearers Unearth are currently celebrating the 10th anniversary of their 2004 sophomore release ‘The Oncoming Storm’ by playing it in its entirety on a North American headline tour with support acts Texas In July, Cruel Hand and Armed For Apocalypse completing the touring package. This is the only tour where Unearth are playing the whole album, and for many longtime fans of the band in Los Angeles, as well as for those who’d never seen the band live before, last night’s gig at the Whisky promised to provide a great evening. Continue reading “Unearth Brings ‘The Oncoming Storm’ 10th Anniversary Tour To The Whisky”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal
[Video by Matt Nielson] 

June 13th 2014, El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles CA: Chicago-based instrumental rock quartet Pelican released their fifth studio album ‘Forever Becoming’ in late 2013 via Southern Lord Recordings. Their first release after a four-year gap, it’s an album that brought forth a darker sound and marked a new chapter in the band’s career with a major lineup change, as Dallas Thomas replaced original guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec to become a full-time member. Pelican set flight on a short US West Coast run with support act Tombs on June 12th in San Diego, and along with local opening act Mustard Gas And Roses, the touring party visited the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles last night. Continue reading “Pelican, Tombs & Mustard Gas And Roses Perform At The El Rey”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

June 12th 2014, The Satellite, Los Angeles CA: Taking a break from their ongoing creation of new material for the next full-length release, San Francisco’s all-destroying duo Black Cobra embarked on an extensive North American headline tour in Los Angeles last night with a gig at the Satellite, with Los Angeles-based bands Wizard Rifle and Occult Wisdom as the support acts. One of the fiercest two-piece groups going around, Black Cobra is a band I hadn’t seen for more than three years since their devastating performance at the Power Of The Riff festival at the Echoplex not too far from this place, and with no new music from them during this period either, I needed a reminder of the awesomeness of Black Cobra, and I certainly got it last night. Continue reading “Black Cobra, Wizard Rifle & Occult Wisdom Play At The Satellite”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

June 12th 2014, Amoeba Music, Hollywood CA: Primarily known as a member of rock groups Red Sparowes and Marriages, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Emma Ruth Rundle has started her own solo career, and released her debut album ‘Some Heavy Ocean’ via Sargent House on May 20th. While she prepares to embark on a run of US dates in support of King Buzzo, who played a fantastic LA show himself the night before at the Echo (check out my coverage of that show here), Emma Ruth Rundle did a short 30-minute free in-store performance at Amoeba Music in the heart of Hollywood yesterday evening. Having witnessed her musical talents in Marriages a couple of times in the recent past, I was looking forward to seeing how she handles herself as a solo performer. Continue reading “Emma Ruth Rundle Plays In-Store Gig At Amoeba Hollywood”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

June 11th 2014, The Echo, Los Angeles CA: On the strength of a prolific career spanning over three decades, Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne has gone solo, and acoustic, under the moniker King Buzzo. Buzz made his live performance debut at a Scion-sponsored show at the Satellite in February and did a short US run in March, along with an appearance at the Scion Rock Fest in Pomona in May, as a buildup to the release of the King Buzzo debut album ‘This Machine Kills Artists’, which was released on June 3rd by Ipecac Recordings. And now, he has embarked on an extensive US run to play these new tunes and an assortment of Melvins covers and other goodies. He visited the Echo last night on the second night of this tour, and held the audience captive with a truly fantastic performance. Continue reading “King Buzzo Rocks The Echo With Solo Acoustic Set”

By Andrew Bansal

June 7th 2014, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood CA: Following the release of their latest album ‘Up The Dosage’, a righteous slab of foot-stomping rock ‘n roll that has brought them back into top gear after a five-year gap, Atlanta, Georgia-based four-piece group Nashville Pussy embarked on a US headline run two weeks ago and made their way to Los Angeles to bring their brand of dirty sleaze rock to West Hollywood’s Whisky-A-Go-Go, with touring support acts The Yawpers and CATL, along with a local openers Madamn Hollywood and Moxy & The Influence. Continue reading “Nashville Pussy Headlines The Whisky”