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Neurosis Quakes The Regency In San Francisco

Review by Avinash Mittur, photos by Raymond Ahner

December 29th 2013, The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco CA: 2013 has been a landmark year for the Bay Area heavy metal live show. This year, the place has seen an astounding number of one-of-a-kind events in just about every style of the music. The likes of Orchid, Brocas Helm, Death Angel and Exodus leveled their venues with special hometown shows, while touring acts like Bolt Thrower and Clutch played houses packed wall-to-wall with rabid and enthusiastic fans. That being said, 2013 ended with an experience that music enthusiasts can always count on being incredible: a local show from the godfathers of the Bay Area underground heavy metal, Neurosis. Thanks to an outstanding bill, an exceptional audience and awe-inspiring performances, this night made for one of the finest metal concerts of the year and a perfect demonstration of just how great Bay Area heavy metal can potentially be. Continue reading “Neurosis Quakes The Regency In San Francisco”

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Cobra Venom, Legal Tender & Others Play At Skinny’s Lounge On ‘Metal Monday’

By Andrew Bansal

December 30th 2013, Skinny’s Lounge, North Hollywood CA: After a successful event in November, the monthly ‘Metal Monday’ returned to Skinny’s Lounge in North Hollywood last night. Presented by Lara Gladstone, this show featured Cobra Venom, Legal Tender, Nothing Sacred, Fracture and Inheritor, yet another diverse lineup of metal bands that promised to lighten up every attendee’s Monday night. I enjoyed the vibe of this venue on my previous visit here last month, and with the prospect of two great local bands Legal Tender and Cobra Venom taking the stage along with three other potentially good bands to look forward to, in addition of course to the venue being easily accessible from the Hollywood area via the Los Angeles Metro Red Line, there was absolutely no reason for me to not attend this show. Continue reading “Cobra Venom, Legal Tender & Others Play At Skinny’s Lounge On ‘Metal Monday’”

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Exodus Plays Long-Awaited Hometown Headline Show At Slim’s

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

December 20th 2013, Slim’s, San Francisco CA: After a period of inactivity due to reasons well-documented, San Francisco Bay Area thrash legends Exodus are finally ready to get back on the proverbial horse. They’ll soon be working on the follow-up to the 2010 release ‘Atrocity Exhibit B: The Human Condition’, and following completion of this next album they plan to resume touring activities. They signaled the start of this next phase with a hometown headline show at Slim’s last night, their first headline gig in San Francisco after a long three-year period. Naturally, the gig was built up as a very eagerly awaited event for all local thrash fans, and was completely sold out in advance. Exodus had put on some tremendous live performances in the not-so-distant past back when they were touring in support of albums like ‘Exhibit A’, ‘Let There Be Blood’ and ‘Exhibit B’ both as headliners and opening act, and last night it was time for the band to remind attendees of the sheer power their live show typically possesses. Continue reading “Exodus Plays Long-Awaited Hometown Headline Show At Slim’s”

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Megadeth Perform At Grove Of Anaheim

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

December 17th 2013, City National Grove Of Anaheim, Anaheim CA: Following the release of their latest album ‘Super Collider’, heavy metal giants Megadeth have been on a typically busy touring run, and are now about to bring the curtains down on yet another prolific year, with the home stretch of the ‘Super Collider’ US headline tour along with support acts Fear Factory and Nonpoint. A long queue of people started wrapping around the Grove, and despite concerns surrounding the ticket prices, a good turnout was expected. Doors opened at 7 PM. A few nonsensical Christian protestors attempted to sabotage the peaceful entry of the fans by yelling slogans through loudspeakers, but the venue’s security staff drove them away before they could cause any further trouble and all ticket holders calmly entered the Grove’s premises. Continue reading “Megadeth Perform At Grove Of Anaheim”

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Megadeth Play Rarities At ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Mini-Concert

By Andrew Bansal

December 16th 2013, Hollywood CA: Making a slight diversion from their ongoing North American headline tour, heavy metal titans Megadeth made an appearance on the late night television show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ with a mini-concert last evening on the outdoor parking lot stage of the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, with two songs filmed for broadcast and two played just for the audience gathered here. The last time Megadeth played this show, it was on Halloween night in 2011 and they surprised everyone by performing in full costume. The queue of fans that had arrived here to see their favorite band started forming long, long before the scheduled show time of 7 PM, and it remained to be seen whether Megadeth would pull off something special on this occasion as well. Continue reading “Megadeth Play Rarities At ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Mini-Concert”

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Allegaeon Headlines The Roxy

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

December 14th 2013, The Roxy, West Hollywood CA: Based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, technical death metal band Allegaeon have been around since 2008 and after self-releasing their debut EP in the same year, they got signed to Metal Blade Records and have put out two full-length studio albums since then. Now, they’re working on the follow-up to their 2012 release ‘Formshifter’, and in the lead-up to that whole process, they began a North American headline tour in Denver CO on November 30th and as part of the final stretch of this run, they visited the Roxy in West Hollywood last night. I saw them a little over two-and-a-half years ago when they played the House of Blues, I remember them putting on an impressive show back then, but somehow I lost track of their progress since then and wasn’t quite sure what was in store at this particular gig. Nonetheless, I decided to check it out and ventured to the Roxy on what appeared to be an unusually quiet Saturday evening on the Sunset Strip. Continue reading “Allegaeon Headlines The Roxy”