{"id":14163,"date":"2017-01-10T01:02:33","date_gmt":"2017-01-10T09:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/?p=14163"},"modified":"2017-01-10T01:03:22","modified_gmt":"2017-01-10T09:03:22","slug":"grind-punk-doom-second-edition-of-show-your-scars-fest-sells-out-the-regent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/2017\/01\/10\/grind-punk-doom-second-edition-of-show-your-scars-fest-sells-out-the-regent\/","title":{"rendered":"Grind, Punk & Doom: Second Edition of ‘Show Your Scars’ Fest Sells Out The Regent"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review by Andrew Bansal, photos by Jay Valena<\/strong><\/p>\n

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January 7th 2017, The Regent, Los Angeles CA:\u00a0<\/strong>Following its successful inaugural edition in 2016, the Show Your Scars fest returned to the Regent in downtown Los Angeles in 2017, boasting an irresistible lineup for underground heavy music lovers in the LA area. Brujeria, The Casualties and Pinata Protest started their US tour with this event, and were joined by local and regional heavy-hitters Repulsion, Exhumed, Nausea and others, for this nine-band, single-stage festival, christened “Dia De Los Metaleros”. The event\u00a0was sold out in advance, and ticket holders gathered early in the afternoon in anticipation of a long debaucherous day of live music.<\/p>\n

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Destroyed in Seconds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Doors opened at 3 PM, and an hour later, LA band Destroyed in Seconds<\/a><\/strong> provided the ideal start to the show with their blend of hardcore punk, thrash metal and d-beat. Comprising a lineup with members of bands such as Witchaven, Phobia, Eat The Living and Temple Of Dagon, Destroyed In Seconds are not newbies by any means, and were the right choice to begin proceedings here. They played a 20-minute set during which the Regent was filling in as more and more people walked in through the doors, and D.I.S. set the tone for the epic day of heavy music in store for attendees.<\/p>\n

Despite being a predominantly grindcore-oriented festival, the beauty of this edition of Show Your Scars was definitely in its diversity, and the stark contrast from one band to the next, a pattern that would be kept intact throughout the evening.<\/p>\n

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Taarkus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Destroyed in Seconds’ high-octane set, it was time to bask in some psychedelic doom metal, courtesy of fast-rising LA quintet\u00a0Taarkus<\/a><\/strong>. Even though they were the complete opposite of grindcore, they garnered a surprisingly positive response overall, which only proves the sheer quality of their musicianship. The power of great music, regardless of genre, is undeniable, and this band possesses it in plenty, and perhaps they also stood out because of being the only band at this show that employs the usage of\u00a0flute and organ. Besides stellar original tunes such as ‘At Midnight’ and ‘Stones’, Taarkus also played a cover of Candlemass’ ‘Solitude’ to round out their set perfectly. Major credit goes to the folks behind the festival for picking Taarkus on this lineup, because if one LA band deserves playing on stages of this size and shows of this magnitude, it’s Taarkus.<\/p>\n

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Nausea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next up, LA grindcore veterans Nausea<\/a><\/strong> took the stage for a 30-minute set, and by this time the venue was more densely populated than it was for the earlier bands. Nausea is a very recognizable and well-respected name in the LA underground music circles and they have\u00a0influenced several bands around here, but in all honesty, they did not make a significant contribution to this festival with their own set. I have nothing personal against any of this band’s members and I mean no disrespect when I say this, but with a very monotonous set through which the band carried absolutely zero stage presence and zero energy, Nausea’s performance\u00a0was by far the most uninteresting of this entire fest, and couldn’t end soon enough.<\/p>\n

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Ides Of Gemini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The fest continued in its contrasting flow between grind and doom, as Destroyed in Seconds, Taarkus and Nausea were followed by Ides Of Gemini<\/a><\/strong>. This LA-based atmospheric, psychedelic doom metal group, which converted from a trio to a four-piece in 2016, put their best foot forward and held the audience in captivity, as their combination of ethereal vocals and dark, heavy instrumental layers resonated powerfully through\u00a0the room. Unlike the punk\/grindcore bands that dominated this fest, Ides Of Gemini indulgence in audience interaction was little to none, nor did they need it, because they said so much with the music alone.<\/p>\n

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Pinata Protest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the Ides of Gemini set, the vibe was about to change completely, as the first of the touring bands, the San Antonio-based “Tex-Mex punk” outfit Pinata Protest<\/a><\/strong> took the stage in front of a now completely packed Regent. While Nausea were the band with the least energy on stage, Pinata Protest certainly took the honors for being the most energetic, and led by their accordion-playing singer, they created quite the festive atmosphere with their tunes. They are clearly\u00a0the ideal opening act for a tour featuring Brujeria and The Casualties, as they have the punk element but also appeal instantly to the Spanish-speaking demographic. A large majority of this crowd, whether or not they were familiar with the band, found themselves entertained by what Pinata Protest had to offer.<\/p>\n

Read reviews of the other four bands’ sets and check out more photos of all bands on Page 2<\/em><\/p>\n

If you like what you\u2019ve read, make a donation<\/a> of any amount and help keep Metal Assault running full time!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Exhumed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Starting their 30-minute set at 8 PM was the band perhaps most metalheads were waiting for, Northern California death metal\/grindcore group Exhumed<\/a><\/strong>. The Matt Harvey-fronted outfit enjoys a tremendous fan-following in the LA area and for good reason, as\u00a0LA has most never experienced\u00a0a bad Exhumed show. With the brutal, deadly precision of the musicians in the band and the theatrics that typify any Exhumed live performance, the band was at the peak of their powers and lived up to the big occasion with a\u00a0fantastic set. They played a variety of tunes even within this short duration,\u00a0going all the way back to their very first album, and instigated the fastest, most violent mosh pits of the evening. There is no denying that the three bands that followed them justifed their billing, but\u00a0Exhumed’s LA fans would undoubtedly have loved\u00a0to see them get a higher slot\u00a0and play a longer set here, and will eagerly await the band’s return to these parts.<\/p>\n

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The Casualties<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was down to the final three bands, and by this time, the Regent was so packed and crowded that the security staff deemed it necessary to stop allowing people to exit and re-enter the venue. Some folks had clearly not paced themselves smartly enough, and as evident from the scenes in the men’s room, couldn’t hold their liquor. This state of affairs set the scene perfectly for the next band, New York street punk\/hardcore punk quartet The Casualties<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Believe it or not, this band has been reviewed and interviewed several times on this website before, as in the recent past they’ve often found\u00a0themselves on metal tours, and on lineups with bands like GWAR and Toxic Holocaust. The average attendee here for the likes of Brujeria, Repulsion and Exhumed may have wondered where and how The Casualties would fit in, but they absolutely did, and put on a really stellar show which was an apt representation of the stature and reputation they’ve accrued since their 1990 inception. Singer Jorge Herrera bathed himself in beer and fronted the show excellently, while guitarist Jake Kolatis, bassist\u00a0Rick Lopez and drummer\u00a0Marc Eggers all did a mighty fine job as well. The tightness and precision in their performance was undeniable, and playing a set full of their best songs as well as a Ramones cover, The Casualties once again showed why they should be every metalhead’s favorite street punk band.<\/p>\n

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Repulsion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The main support slot was graced by none other than LA legends Repulsion<\/a><\/strong>. With guitarist Matt Olivo being one of the men behind putting this event together, Repulsion is the only band to have been part of both editions of Show Your Scars and they should very well be on every subsequent edition too, because it makes perfect sense for them to make this their only hometown show every year. They played a 40-minute set on this occasion which was just about ideal, and justifiably enough, they were many attendees’ favorite band of this lineup. The longstanding duo of Matt Olivo and vocalist\/bassist Scott Carlson, along with drummer Chris Moore, put forth a truly crushing performance, and this was nothing short of grind at its very best. They played a good chunk of their own tunes and also a cover of Venom’s ‘Schizo’, as the crowd loved every moment of it and moshed their skulls out. Repulsion ruled supreme, and\u00a0quite fittingly, were the best band of this festival.<\/p>\n

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Brujeria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lastly, the stage was clear for headliners Brujeria<\/a><\/strong> to deliver the goods with their brand of deathgrind. It had been a long, exhausting day so far with eight bands having already played, so as expected, many bodies and minds were tired to the point of surrender, and in\u00a0most cases, wallets were also drained.\u00a0But the hour-long Brujeria set was not short on action, as the room was still almost completely packed and attendees, the Spanish-speaking metalheads and grindcore\/hardcore punk fans in particular, were\u00a0having a blast, provoked and energized by what the band played and said on stage. Brujeria have maintained a sizable fanbase over the years, even through periods of inactivity, and now that they’re back as a fully active band with their first new album in no less than 16 years, their fans have come out in large numbers, as evident from this turnout. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they sell out every show on this tour, and they definitely put on a show that deserves as much.<\/p>\n

Overall, the second annual Show Your Scars fest was an overwhelming success for all involved, and treated LA concertgoers to a wildly diverse and flawlessly powerful lineup of great bands, most of whom gave it their all on stage. Here’s hoping for this glorious congregation of extreme music to bring many more such events in future years.<\/p>\n

Check out the remaining dates of Brujeria’s tour with The Casualties and Pinata Protest on our Bands On Tour<\/a> page.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you like what you\u2019ve read, make a donation<\/a> of any amount and help keep Metal Assault running full time!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

More photos:<\/strong><\/p>\n