{"id":17363,"date":"2017-08-11T12:43:08","date_gmt":"2017-08-11T19:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/?p=17363"},"modified":"2017-08-11T12:45:16","modified_gmt":"2017-08-11T19:45:16","slug":"seizures-and-chaos-dead-cross-plays-first-show-with-mike-patton-fronted-lineup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/metalassault.com\/gig_reviews\/2017\/08\/11\/seizures-and-chaos-dead-cross-plays-first-show-with-mike-patton-fronted-lineup\/","title":{"rendered":"Seizures and Chaos: Dead Cross plays First Show with Mike Patton fronted lineup"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Andrew Bansal<\/strong>
\n(photos by Matt Nielson)<\/em><\/p>\n

August 10th 2017, The Observatory Orange County, Santa Ana CA:\u00a0<\/strong>Dead Cross, the Los Angeles-based hardcore punk\/heavy metal group, started out in 2015 as a four-piece featuring Dave Lombardo on drums, two members of The Locust i.e. Justin Pearson on bass and Gabe Serbian on vocals, along with Michael Crain from Retox on guitar. The band booked their debut shows in 2015 even before they had any material ready, but were able to put together a short set of original songs for a run of Southern California shows in club venues such as The Roxy, Slidebar and Glass House. But in 2016, Mike Patton replaced Gabe Serbian as the vocalist while the rest of the lineup remained the same, the band signed to Patton’s label Ipecac, and was given a whole new lease of life. Dead Cross released their crushing self-titled debut LP on August 4th, and embarked on a North American headline tour, starting off with their debut show in this incarnation at The Observatory in Santa Ana last Thursday August 10th.<\/p>\n

The band Secret Chiefs 3 featuring Trey Spruance of Faith No More has been chosen as the support act for most of the shows on this tour, but this was one of the shows they were not on, and we were treated to two other opening acts instead, and got an exclusive show in that sense. When the likes of Patton and Lombardo are involved, you can expect the unexpected when it comes to opening bands, and sure enough, this show entertained the audience from start to finish.<\/p>\n

Doors opened at 7, and at around 8:15, stand-up comedian Neil Hamburger<\/a><\/strong> stepped onto the stage. He began by putting forth an endearing rendition of Heart’s ‘Crazy On You’ with Erik Paparazzi on acoustic guitar, and then laid into a hilarious stand-up set wherein he mocked and ridiculed a number of rock and metal celebrities and had the audience in splits, and the set had its fair share of gags and knock-knock jokes. Going to concerts is all about having a good time and what’s better than a great music-oriented comedy set as an opening act? Neil Hamburger closed with a cover of The Four Lads’ ‘Standing on the Corner’, soaked in a well-deserved applause and bid goodbye to the audience.<\/p>\n

Neil Hamburger photos:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n