Metal Assault: Gig Reviews

By Lisa Burke

April 20th 2016, Complex, Glendale CA: Stoner rock and doom metal has really stepped up its popularity game in the last few years in the Los Angeles metal scene and now comes to us from all across the map. On Wednesday April 20th, 2016 or better known as 4/20, I visited Complex for headliners Demon Eye who were on tour with Disenchanter and the openers on this night were Sssssss! and Chainflower. One aspect I can always count on with seeing shows at the Complex is that the genres of all the bands in a night will fit together well, even if not all are to my personal tastes. This night was no exception and there were some great surprises along the way. Continue reading “Complex Celebrates Stoner Holiday With Demon Eye & Disenchanter”

By Lisa Burke

April 16th 2016, The Forum, Los Angeles CA: The pioneers and champions of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal Iron Maiden are out on their biggest tour yet, ‘The Book of Souls’ tour with Bruce Dickinson (a.k.a. the best thing to ever happen to Iron Maiden) flying the biggest airplane yet from show to show, Ed Force One. On Saturday April 16th 2016, I saw their latest tour at the Forum featuring openers The Raven Age. On these two Forum nights April 15th and 16th many were in attendance for both nights and got exactly the same set list but regardless if you are a true fan you may as well get all you can out of it. Continue reading “Iron Maiden Land In Los Angeles On Jet-Fueled ‘The Book Of Souls’ World Tour”

By Lisa Burke

April 14th 2016, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood CA: One of the most enjoyable aspects of seeing live bands and deepening my knowledge of the Los Angeles metal scene is the constant discovery of new bands that sometimes emerge out of other existing bands to form something unique. On Thursday April 14th 2016, I went to the Whisky-A-Go-Go primarily for the band Westfield Massacre. On this night, the headliners were Choleric and on stage prior to Westfield Massacre was a band called Bag Of Humans. There are definitely nights at the Whisky where I seriously have to scratch my head at the bizarre lineups and I know this usually happens in pay-to-play cases with early bands, however, sometimes it just is a strange combination of bands to play together. I suppose this night was not that strange but Westfield Massacre should have headlined in my opinion. Continue reading “Westfield Massacre Headlines The Whisky”

By Lisa Burke

April 12th 2016, Belasco Theater, Los Angeles CA: Just when you think you’ve been to every venue in Los Angeles, you end up at a show in a location you’ve never been to which was the case for me on April 12th 2016, when I visited The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles for the ‘Back To The USSA’ tour featuring two bands from England, The Darkness and RavenEye. Continue reading “Back To The USSA: The Darkness Perform At The Belasco In Los Angeles”

By Lisa Burke

April 9th 2016, The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas NV: To continue my weekend Las Vegas adventures on April 9th 2016 after seeing Guns N’ Roses the night before and contemplating trying to see them again, I actually ended up at the Generation Axe show at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino featuring five different uniquely stylized guitar gods. These five are among this generation’s top guitarists and featured Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abasi. Continue reading “‘Generation Axe’ Tour Visits Las Vegas”

By Lisa Burke

April 8th 2016, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas NV: Guns N’ Roses has always been one of those timeless bands for me that has shaped my childhood, refined my youth, and pointed me in the direction of where I am today. My first experience with them live was with Axl Rose, DJ Ashba, Richard Fortus and friends only a few years ago in Las Vegas at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino which I must say was a great show itself. This time on April 8th 2016 with the unlikely but completely real reunion of Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan on stage together again, I returned to Vegas to the brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas located just behind the New York, New York Hotel and Casino to see the first show in Las Vegas on the ‘Not In This Lifetime’ tour with a full two-and-a-half hour set list. Continue reading “Guns N’ Roses Bring ‘Not In This Lifetime’ Tour To Las Vegas”