Keeping Tabs with Tab The Band

They got a little bit O’Country and a whole hell of a lot of Rock ‘N’ Roll.  It’s music deeply rooted in the bands who influenced them the most.  A young Rolling Stones with a new edge capturing the 1960’s british rock sound.  Heavy drums, griddy guitar licks and tantalizing harmonies Tab the Band is holding strong with their grass roots sound.  If you are an indie music connoisseur this band should be on your main menu of bands to watch for 2013.  “My brother and I came together in 2007.  We have never been in bands together.  He grew up on the west coast going to colleges out there and he would come into visit.  I started to get music we liked together and I would start to write songs and record demos including a few joke rap songs.  I knew these two guys for a while (Drummer and Bass) and they came into do a session.  We wrote a few songs and then decided to play our first show the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA.” Explains Brother Tony.

Tab the Band comprises Tony Perry on guitar, brother Adrian Perry rocks it out on Bass and Vocals.  Ben Tileston racks it up on the drums and Louie Jannetty sums up the band on guitar.  Their first performance at the Middle East has been the setting for some of the best bands to date including international sensations Mumford and Sons.  Tab the band brings a raw and high octane driven performance.  Very different from the low key persona they contain backstage.  Their music is catchy with sharp hooks and better yet triggers the mind of days long gone.  They are original and very unique to the music block and with only three albums completed to date they have a real opportunity to make something of their music career.  Tab is a collaboration between two brothers Tony and Adrian Perry.  The indie distributed group is currently touring throughout New England and recently supported Jane’s Addiction on the New England leg of their 2012 tour.  

“Eight months from our initial collaboration as a band we were invited to open for Stone Temple Pilots and later for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.  The band’s popularity is growing through word of mouth to people we know and online through the social networking outlets of Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Songify.  

Being an independent band is a toss up really.  The labels still have power in marketing and promotions for bands as well as booking bands into the bigger venues and on tours with big name acts.  Being an independent has its challenges and in order to succeed you have to put in more time, more energy, and more effort in order to make a name for yourself as a band.  Even getting on the radio has its challenges but having the internet has opened outlets and opportunities for young bands to be discovered and have more control on their direction.  We really are a self sustaining band at this point and each member has specific roles outside of the instruments we play.”  Brother Adrian states. 

Adrian’s background in law gives him a unique edge ahead of most bands who have to lawyer up for protection on rights and protection of their intellectual properties.  His ability to understand sync licensing and having control of the publishing and masters of the bands music is key when the band pursues music placement into film, TV and even in games.  The money incurred aids the young indie group to travel, to generate merchandise to sell at their shows, create the promos to share online with our fans.  Success in music placements and licensing include HBO’s Entourage, MLB 2K11 video game, MTV’s Jersey Shore, and great additional exposure with appearances TV and radio shows such as Little Steven’s Underground Garage on Sirius Radio and Matt Pinfield’s The Rock Show on 101.9 RXP in NYC.

Adrian gives insight to the indie lifestyle from the band’s perspective.  “The internet is the great equalizer to the label.  To cut through the label’s established reputation and presence is extremely difficult.  The relevance of the label is that the label can push a band through on the marketing front with their people and financial support. There are a number of bands that have been able to burst through without a label.  Even in our case with North Street Records the deal we have is strictly a distribution deal with our friend Chris Howerton.  The label is tied to The Orchard which is directly linked to iTunes and other online music providers.”  

Tony chimes in and adds to the conversation.  “Right now we are releasing free music recordings to connect with our fans.  They love free music and we want to give them that along with the best live performances we can bring to any stage.  Getting sync licensing for our music is key and helps us to create merch to sell at our shows and to help us record our music.  We even have one song in a video game for MLB.  I poke fun at that fact on stage but we want to get more placement opportunities.  We are releasing cover songs each month that we rerecord just to keep in touch with our fans and to release something to share for free with the fans as well and they are here tonight.  This is our second performance at Terminal 5 and our second night opening for Jane’s Addiction.  The fans have been awesome and the energy is on high octane and the fans are bringing the same energy to us.”

Having Joe Perry as their father is described as a double edge sword.  It definitely helps to have their music heard by certain people but the music still has to be good.  If their music didn’t have the professional value that it has they wouldn’t be opening for the groups that we are opening up for.  

“Perry Farrell heard our band play a few years ago and he connected us to the Lollapalooza Festival. We did well and I think our performance stuck in his mind when he was seeking an opening band for this year’s Jane’s Addiction tour on the East Coast.”  Tony reveals backstage before opening the night as the support act of the evening.  “This is a clear case that our reputation as music artists supersede our relationship to our father.  Honestly our father having the success he has had and continues to develop can almost be a curse for us when our music is being previewed.  Some people may be disinclined listen to our music or they will listen in a certain way to compare us to him.”

Not every show is club based.  Tab the Band has been involved greatly on the festival network.  “We’ve done Lollapalooza, Mountain Jam, SXSW, and CMJ among other live events.  Our involvement in music festivals is whatever we can get without an agent.  It’s like gaining a position in an opening slot to open for a band.  If we can get in front of the person who makes the consideration for festival slots each time we submit our music we would play every festival offered.  We just want to play, have fun, and connect with as many music fans as possible.  It’s the best way for a new band to gain exposure.  The music festivals are a feast for hungry music fans who desire new music and are tired of the garbage on the radio.  What can we get, the short answer is we’ve done a few but we want to play more.”

Tab the Band can be heard over a number of internet outlets conveniently on your iPhone, iPad, or other smart-ish device.  “We are on spotify and everything digital such as Pandora.  We are expanding ourselves through social networking in all areas and constantly seeking new homes to place our music into.  We’ve even promoted ourselves through bandcamp.  Our sites are set on completing our latest music video and we are finding our popularity is coming through as we approach the finishing touches.  The video will be another big launch for us to connect with our fans and to dig ourselves deeper into the music industry.”

Tab the Band took control quickly grabbing the attention and focus of a very tough New York crowd.  Their performance turned out to be enormous for the concert goers cramed into Terminal 5 that evening. “I don’t know who these guys are but DAMN I dig their sound.  I usually don’t show up for an “opening act” but these guys were great.  I’d like to see them again on their own.”  Exclaimed Sean from Jersey City, NJ.  Kristen, a student at Emerson College in Boston attended the Jane’s Addiction show and testified to the talent that opened the night.  “I have been following Tab the Band for a over a year now and caught them in Boston before this show.  They have great stage presence and they just seem to have fun.  I miss that about bands.  The members interact with each other and that connection gets lost when the bands get more popular and members come and go.  You lose the core and the band is never the same.  Tab seems solid and I hope they stick it out.”

Tab the Band music is readily available on iTunes for sale.  Pitch in and help support indie music.  Visit their facebook page for all the latest news and touring updates.  Download their music freely and often while helping them continue their climb up the indie music charts.

Mumfords The Word

Joe Dunne is the owner of McGann’s Irish Pub and Grill located on a fairly quiet side street a block away from the Boston Garden.  On the front of the restaurant Mumford and Sons written in chalk and baiting Mumford Mummies to enter his restaurant for some fine dining this side of Boston.  McGann’s Irish Pub’s spirited lasses lure you in through the double doors of #197 Portland Street with a warm welcome and a freshly poured cider from the tap.  The mouth watering menu fills the room with infectious scents of perfectly cooked hot buffalo wings and the juiciest burger with a side of extra crispy peasant fries.  The patrons fill up all available space and the music exposes you to the top Irish and English music artists of today and yesterday.  U2, Thin Lizzy, and even a side of Cranberries.  Nothing was more refreshing than hearing Mumford and Sons while edging closer to the US concert tour kick off happening less than one black away.  

“I’m from Dublin and I heard about Mumford and Sons in Dublin about five years ago and before they got big they came to Boston and played their first show at a venue called the Middle East.  There were about 300 people at the show mainly Irish and English.  That’s when I first got to see them.  Then they came back about six months later and exploded with “Little Lion Man” I think.  That show was at the House of Blues which is around 2,500 capacity. Now they are playing across the street and I because am such a fan of their’s I wanted to share and acknowledge their talent by welcoming in their fans to my restaurant for some fine food and fine people.”  Joe hasn’t had any direct connection with the lads of London but tonight Glass Note Music’s Chris Scully was scheduled to drop by for a well earned pint on the house.

“I’m most excited to hear the new album live.  My favorite band is Arcade Fire and Mumford reminds me of Arcade Fire but with a banjo.  I can’t believe how big Country music has become and even more so how popular Mumford and Sons are in the US.  So many people are just fed up with the bubble gum music like Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears.  Mumford and Sons is a breath of fresh air.”  Joe continued to cook up his house specialties of fine traditional Irish delicacies.  Fish and Chips, New England Clam Chowder, and Ground Beef gravy covered Shepard’s Pie all surrounded on a tray of Guinness Stout sent out piping hop and ready to be ravaged.

Outside the venue the snow started falling and Finn was bunched together with some friends trying to keep warm while waiting to enter the general admission entrance.  “Beatles Who?” he asked one blatantly sarcastic with scented breath.  The lads of Liverpool have been nudged out by today’s youth and replaced by the tremendous tenacity and sound of Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane.  The four folking rock stars have been marking history while making wave after wave across the big pond.  The band is young and they are on their way to a long successful road as a band with two sensational albums that have added to the British Invasion part two.  

Mumford and Sons kicked off this 2013 US tour to a sold out crowd of over 17,000 adoring fans followed by another sold out show in Brooklyn, New York the following night.  The band is now in New York City for a nine day lay over before continuing on their tour in support of their most recent album, "Babel."  This group is the real McCoy and their live performance was as perfect as their album recordings.  The energy and exuberance omitted from their instruments and voice has taken something timeless and made it new again.  Marcus Mumford stole the stage with his raspy voice.  This multi-instrumentalist current day Cockney jack-of-all-trades could turn out to be his own one man band.  Mumford, Marshall, Lovett, and Dwane pull together to drive this on peak bound express train to an enlightening level of sound along with the tightest harmonies and instrumental precision.  

A canopy of large strands of lights hung loosely above the audience like a fish net with stars cascading down to the stage.  The visuals are not flashy and anything more than what was present would have only taken away from the purity of the Mumford experience.  “I have never been to a show like this.  I feel such a positive synergy from the fans and the band.  It’s like a weird connection between the music and the fans around me.  I see a lot of shows but this one is not your ordinary show.  It has substance.  It’s fun, and it leaves you wanting more.  A second or even a fourth encore would have been welcomed by this fan.”  said Jennifer, 39 from White Plains, NY who also bussed out from New York City to catch the show.  “I have been listening to “Babel” and “Sighs No More” on repeat on my iPod since the summer.  The music ages gracefully and doesn’t get old.  You just have a natural tendency of wishing for more.”  

In under six minutes Brooklyn not only sold out the second show, Brooklynites raised their mighty voices in one roar as the lights turned down at the Barclay Stadium for another sold out show on the second night of this tour.  “Folk Rock in Brooklyn?  What’s next Gluten Free Italian food?  Brooklyn’s going to the pigeons.”  Perfectly spoken from this local poet.  “I won’t lie.  I dig their music.  It’s different.  I mean it’s an old sound made new again with a banjo.  I never listened to banjo music but this is really good.  Banjo and rock?  Fuggeddaboudid!”  Joey walked away with a beer in one hand and his 1980‘s acid wash jeans with the cut off sleeved t-shit exposing a superman logo on his left shoulder.  Brooklyn’s show was filled with a lineage of families from grandparents with their grandkids, young lovers of all kinds, and Joey.

Mumford & Sons fill the interests and hearts of all kinds of music fans.  They prove you don’t have to be a cowboy to enjoy Country or a metal head to enjoy Megadeth.  Mumford & Sons make liking something different something cool.  With all the music artists and groups available this group has climbed to the top and moved a world in shift of consciousness.  The US has no other option but to hear their songs mixed with the likes of Rhianna, Kesha, Justin Bieber and LMFAO.

Mumford and Sons continue their US tour on February 12th back in Brooklyn to the lucky many who were able to purchase tickets prior to selling out again.  They are supported throughout the tour by award winning Singer/Songwriter Ben Howard.  His music compliments Mumford and Sons perfectly with an array of acoustic pieces.  Howard’s adolescent love songs get you thinking.  It’s more of a melodic rootsy folk music with perceptibly darker lyrics gently playing on acoustically to softer topics.  Music fans were also treated to the sounds of The Felice Brothers from Upstate New York who opened both nights with equally impressive folk rock music.  As the US continues its downward spiral in the world of music rest assure music has finally taken a turn for the best and Mumford is the word.

SIDE BAR PLEASE!  This is the opinionated section of this article.  My perspective all due respect to you the reader.

On a side note and for your reading enjoyment this is what Mumford and Sons revealed to me in their existence as a band.  It’s seemingly eerie when comparing the music of today to that of the music history of yesterday.  The Supremes break up and Diana Ross goes solo, so did Beyonce when she parted ways from Destiny’s Child.  Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons go splitsville and Frankie Valli continued on to write some of his best music in his own spotlight much like Justin Timberlake continuing his success away from his former boy band NSYNC.  Little Richard shock the the US with his flamboyant over the edge performances now mirrored by Marilyn Manson and even Lady Gaga.  1950’s America’s music movement transformed from Earth rattling and deeply defining contributions to music history to an empty calorie package of extra sugary Bubble Gum Pop music.  

Chubbie Checkers, The Brady Bunch, Fats Domino, Gary Glitter, The Osmonds all became short term novelty fads that we can glance back on with such TV shows as VH1‘s “Where are They Now."  The music industry forgot to hold the value of music to its best regards and thus ushering in a levee breaking leak for such groups as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and other bands who became part of the British Invasion.  This was America’s second wake up call since the famous ride of Paul Revere shouting “The British are coming!  The British are coming!”  Except the British are here, again.  Adele, Coldplay, The Darkness, Underworld, One Direction to name a few.

We pulled in our reigns and regrouped.  We brought value back to our singer/songwriters.  Folk music spoke to the souls of the world seeking relief from the Vietnam War.  Sound familiar yet?  America stood up and answered back screaming “We’re not going to take it, any more.”  From the late 60‘s of the hippie movement to the sizzling experimental trials of the 70‘s, America grew in popularity producing some of the biggest and most iconic names in music history.  

We were told to not shoot until we saw the whites of their eyes and when our guitars shot out we fired back with Janis Joplin, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Chic, Madonna, Prince, Fourplay, Whitney Houston, Run DMC, Bon Jovi, Soundgarden, Mary J Blidge, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Motley Crue, and even Weird Al.  The names go on and on and so does the longevity each and every music artist who thrived during this music peak.  

The US became innovative and explorative with newly invented sounds and genres such as New Wave, Rap, Hip-Hop and Grunge.  The US was on top of the charts in every genre and there was no stopping this train, until Quad City, and I’m sure others before them, derailed our locomotive clean off the tracks.  “Woo Woo C’Mon N’ Ride It.”  

Pop took over and fused the genres together.  Siouxsie and The Banhees relocted just behind Paul Simon on the CD shelf of your local music shop along with Nine Inch Nails just behind Neyo.  Seriously?  Alternative Rock fused with Rap, Country Music mashed up with R&B collaborations, and even Swing Music came back with a little Lindy Hop of a time.  Yeup, the 1950’s came back and the music trend in America today is almost as valuable as the US dollar and that ain’t sayin’ much, folks.  Somehow, someway America lost its creative edge and what was growing started to wilt and fade to the greed of the fatcats.  It’s the price one pays each time attaches with a price tag.

Music inflated by excessive revenue dollars for temporary quick buck ponzi scheme like promotional campaigns.  Merchandise such as ring tones, reality show placement, schwag, and any other sensationalistic means, but there are some names bringing music back to America such as John Legend, Bruno Mars, and Taylor Swift and other veteran and young music artists still writing their best music to date.  Maybe the British and irish have it right.  Sing about unity and not separation.  Write more songs to get together and not for breaking up.  Promote more songs of being happy and less of being jaded.  In the meantime, welcome back to the second British Invasion brought to you tonight by the most amazing awe inspiring music by the new Kings of England, Mumford and Sons.

The DJ, The Vampire, The Beast.

Looking for a night of wholesome family fun?  A place where your family can experience the beauty of culture, big city entertainment attended by manicured urbanites dressed to the nines?  The you definitely went to the wrong venue because DJ Starscream, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie rolled into New York City in a hell bent fury focused on one main goal to showcase the ultimate shock rock showcase yet to be seen through any unified collaboration on stage.  

Bryan Sacred of Roanoke, Virginia traveled over 460 miles (8 hours) to attend tonight’s show.  “I’m here to support all three acts.  I remember my first cassette tape when he first came out and I had never heard music like that before and I have been a fan of Zombie’s ever since.  Then a friend of mine turned me onto Manson and I became a fan immediately.”  His excitement to see Manson and Zombie together exceeded his expectations and he anticipated a Hell on Earth performance from all three music artists on this night.  “It’s gonna be good music.  Just good family entertainment.”  This said if you are a member of the Addams Family or The Munsters.  India Sacred added, “Well I’ve seen Rob Zombie before on his Halloween Hootenanny with Alice Cooper and this  will be my second time seeing him tonight.  I really want to see Marilyn Manson and that is my main reason for being here tonight.”

When you think of concert duos of legendary reputation and impact you may remember Elton John and Billy Joel’s Face 2 Face Tours, you may even remember The Three Tenors (Plácido Domingo and José Carreras and the Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti), The Lollapalooza Tours, or the recent “Big Four” tour with Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeath, and Slayer.  When you think of an axis of evil and terror you think of Saddam Hussein or Kim Jong Il, and then there is Manson and Zombie known on this tour as the Twins of Evil.  The two traded the raw music concert experience in for the most theatrical staging comprised of busted skulls, giant sized dancing demons, and massive monitors and lighting which showed off exhibit of creativity performed on stage.

Nicole and John Stelmach traveled from Long Island.  They were both equally interested to see Zombie and Manson and the staging and artistic performance from both.  “Their music genres are close in sound and taste.  As Halloween approaches the concert becomes more of a destination event to experience.  They both have this horror Sci-fi thing about them.  They were talking about this tour for a long time and they both are phenomenal performers and they are going to bring that on stage visually, in an auditory way and everything will match up right.”  This show will set the bar for live concerts this year and the dichotomy of the music fans carries the tour forward and sustains the longevity of the artists on this tour.  Bringing Zombie and Manson will create a crossover between fans and to do it near Halloween makes it even better.  “Watching a spectacle on top of experiencing sensational music live is all I could ever hope.”

This was a night of debauchery, of macabre melodies, of ritualistic damnation for those in need of a dirty, naughty, sadomasochistic experimentation into sexuality initiated by a 21st century spaceman whose head gear illuminated in green and red lights.  Bleeding images of dismembered bodies quenched the thirst of the frenzied concert goers.  Blood pumping in the veins of fans, intense anticipation ramped up as the lights went down, and the long starved music fans feasted on this over due meal of metal music.  DJ Starscream (A.K.A Ratboy of the Grammy Award winning group Slipknot) burst the levy walls of sound with a maelstrom drowning the Hammerstein Ballroom guests with intense industrial metal beats much the like of Skinny Puppy, a scrape of Nitzer Ebb, and a hint of Revolting Cocks (RevCo).  His participation on this tour came at the unforeseen illness of Jonathan Davis of Korn who was planning to travel on under his new solo music project of DJ tracks under his new stage name J Devil.  DJ Starscream jumped on the tour with out hesitation and shed light on his journey in music.

“I used to listen to Skinny Puppy a lot and other industrial stuff a lot.  My music has elements of Punk Rock, Revolting Cocks, and my family is from England so I also got much of my influence and music exposure to the Dj’ing music, pop, punk, and the music from over there.  Growing up a DJ my family would send me records from England that you couldn’t find in the record shops and I would get the music before anyone else.  I just grew up with music around me because it’s where my family comes from.  When you spend your childhood living between England and the States you get exposed to a lot of cool shit.”

DJ Starscream is a new solo act on the radar to Zombie and Manson whose exposure of DJ stems from his role with Slipknot.  “I don’t know Zombie really well and I don’t know Manson very well and I’m getting to talk to them a little more on this tour.  It was cool to asked to do the tour prior to actually knowing either one.  I mean we’ve done shows together before but it’s not like we are best friends, but no that I’m on this tour I get to come a little closer with both of them.  It’s huge for me to be on this tour.  It’s Manson, Zombie and me.  Three veterans in the business grinding our instruments together on one stage for one night.”  and the fan response has been great during the limited view DJ Starscream is even able to see them through his fogged up mask.  “I have the mask on and everything and it fogs up easily in there.  So, most of the time I can only see the equipment right in front of me, but, yeah, the response from the fans have been huge.” 

These crowds arriving by the droves to the 2012 Twins of Evil Tour, and they are arriving to be pounded, thrilled, and frightened by the on stage theatrics as well as the commonality and a cross obsession of monster meets sexual fantasy penetrating deeply into the bodies of these loyal and dedicated metal heads.  It’s a diverse spectrum of phantom faces, vampire smiles, and zombie stares and then there is DJ Starscream.  Zombie is an out of the box type thinker free of boundaries and formulating this show strategically combines a cross mix of music and music fans together in one theater.  Behind the curtain reality kicks in and past tours with such stature ended early due to egotistic revenge and misunderstandings leading to bad blood of the bands sharing the stage of that tour.  “Behind the scenes the relationships grow and turn into other things.  There are a lot of cool things happening on this tour.  It was shaky at first but now everyone is like hugging and everybody’s friendly and supportive.  The quality of production, too, from Manson and Zombie are amazing and they are both pulling out all the stops on this tour.”

DJ Starscream (A.K.A. Ratboy) took center stage without so much of a formal introduction from Eddie Truck or Comedian Jim Florentine.  The parade of skull masked men sandwiched DJ Starscream to his lit console.  His cockpit of turn tables surrounded by LED lighting and a 52” flat screen television displayed taunting images of horror movie scenes with a serial killers decapitating his victims and using the heads like a bowling ball.  The metal on metal sounds bled transitioned into a massive body thumping bass beat.  DJ Starscream bounced from left to right behind his killing booth swapping in and out pieces of vinyl wax records in a wondrous motion of old school DJ’ing.  “I’m bringing the whole DJ Starscream outfit with all the lights and electronics involved in it.  I’m Dj’ing a different kind of set then I am normally known to bring with Slipknot in which he is executing sound manipulation and not holding down the beat to the songs.  “I’m going solo on this tour and wearing all this stuff, so, I have to pay attention the entire time and also to see and focus on everything else and hold down the beat the entire time.  It’s a jump being able to run around loosely doing sound escapes with a mesh of sounds like I am doing full time, all the time.  Sometimes I can’t see the equipment and have to DJ blind which fortunately I’m good enough to do that.”

Fear and intimidation.  Two words that never crossed DJ Starscream on this tour.  His confidence supersedes his fears and doubts whether he is performing at a venue of  3,000 people or a stadium of 20,000 people.  He feeds off the energy omitted by the fans.  “The majority of these venues are full by the time I go on.  So, to me, that shit tells me people want to get there early enough to see me go on knowing they will have to wait between a hour and a half or up to almost two hours to catch Manson and Zombie.  They are actually filling up the stadium to see what I am doing, too.  To me that’s hug, you know?”

DJ Starscream displays massive motion through his visual presentation utilizing his chop chop blender of a DJ console.  His professional ability to unify nineties industrial with nu-metal and electronic music welds his reputation as a DJ high above the bolted construction he mixes his vinyl from.  The set ended as deafening as it began with shrieking screams of metal on metal, heart thumping thuds, and scratches.  He took his final bow off to the side of his console.  An extended remote tangled off to the side in his metal grips.  The roar of approval from the crowd was evidence enough.  DJ Starscream brought his game with him to Hammerstein Ballroom.

A second wave of hysteria ignited the room with red lights highlighting shadowed silhouettes roving across the stage with instruments strapped to their backs and sides.  The black shroud in front of the stage fell to the floor revealing a phantasmic scene of music artists dressed in their gory best.  Thunderous bass hits and guitar rips cackled the room calling for the master of ceremonies to join them on stage.  From the shadows a dark shadow approached breaking through the cloud bursts of the fog machines.  The action appeared nothing short of a good old fashioned cemetery scene from The Omen.  Step by step the man who has been compared to the likes of such animated characters as Jack the Pumpkin King from Walt Disney’s “A Nightmare Before Christmas” crept through the darkened catacomb from center stage finally making his way to the front of the stage with his face hidden behind a terrorizing mask.

Recent health concerns have put Manson into a tough spot according to news across fan blogs, news feeds and public forums, but is not slowing down.  The tenacious momentum is on over drive on this tour and Manson’s recent bought with Scoliosis proves evident with his recent weight gain.  His biggest gain isn’t in his belt size.  His fans drown him with a gales of roof raising applause screaming his name out as he takes to the stage each night.  Manson has a fire in his heart unlike any artist on the circuit.  He has proven himself as today’s greatest shock rocker and will go down in history as the man who conquered a world of religious men of ego.  He delivery may not be the most appropriate but his message is clear and defined.  

Manson muscles through each song delivering a night full of trick and treats and achieving more respect and greater success as an artist from new fans and veteran fans alike.  He shows no signs of fatigue or apathy in his physical condition, and he is in no way shape or form slowing down.  He made that ultra clear with his opening song “Hey Cruel World” followed by “Disposable Teens” and The Love Song.”  Manson’s playlist celebrates a long career created by striking poignant messages to bring awareness to taboo subjects society still turns a blind eye to.  Something Manson has projected in his costumes and body art.  Yet, behind the make-up, under the Papal Camauro, behind the blackened goggles is today’s greatest theatrical thespian who has faced his biggest challenges and diversity in order to express his messages through his freedom to speech.  “Mobscene,” “Dope Show,” “Rock Is Dead,” and his two classic covers of “Sweet Dreams,” by the Eurythmics and “Personal Jesus” by “Depeche Mode” rounded the song selection.

Manson has battled his inner demons and still faces personal challenges that he will have to face and overcome.  He continues to march forward stronger than ever much to the dismay of those who fear his presence and who wish to shut him down.  Yet those who have challenged him vanish as quick as they appear.  Today, Manson still stands as a memorial reminder that old world thinking needs a shift of consciousness. His dark fantasies may be not be kosher to the norm but the fans reaching out from in front of the stage love him world wide.  The falsified accusations circulating among the anointed scripture readers will eventually become ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Greatness comes in threes.  Lights, Cameras, ACTION!  Another drop screen entrance and a new scene choreographed by the director of terror himself.  Rob Zombie.  His wing men Piggy D (Formally of Dope and Murderdolls) on bass, former Manson guitarist John 5, and Ginger Fish (Manson and  Murderdolls) on drums raised the volume and the heat in the creepy eerie fog under a velvety blanket of deep blue lighting.  Through the fog the Zombie slipped into view from the shadows of backstage.  The thick fog lifted by the thrashing waves of Rob Zombie’s massive grappling “Jesus Frankenstein” arms tricked out with even more monster sized hands and claws.

The music set off like a discharged grenade of music with the greatest hits Zombie ever produced including “Superbeast,” “Meet the Creeper,” and “Living Dead Girl.”  There was even a special appearance on stage by the world’s favorite resident from Hell.  Satan himself who was foiled and beaten back to his berth below by an insanely outrageous John 5 guitar solo.  This battle of wits between John 5 and Satan out shined that of Ralph Maccio vs’ Steve Vai in the movie “Crossroads.”  John 5 is a truly gifted guitarist and his guitar abilities add to the tremendous overflow of talent that Zombie brings out of his on stage band. 

The White Zombie classics, “More Human Than Human” and “Thunder Kiss” mapped out a retrospective timeline for Zombie fans and the songs continued to pour out from the throttled energy displayed on stage.  Zombie, revs up energy trading licks and places with his wingmen.  Jumping and racing across the stage from the forward platforms to skeletal rib caged stairways in what appeared to mimic a metal speed game of musical chairs.  Rob Zombie’s talent has transformed from a lead singer of a self titled band into a megastar from his smash hit albums, endless credits as an award winning musician, producer, and now film direction.  His past films have become cult hits including House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects.  His first love maybe arguable to fans and his motivation may just be the little blonde bombshell Rob Zombie calls his killer half.  Sheri Moon is Zombie’s living dead girl with an amazing talent for acting.  This beautiful vixen will love you and slice you with her killer smile at the same time while holding you still beating heart on a rusty fork.  This present day Medusa will lock you in with her stare for a lifetime of cinematic horror so frightening and thrilling you can’t help but watch and yearn for her lustful cinematic presence.  It’s a raw talent and something among many characteristics this Munster-like power couple share between each other.

Zombie’s obsession with the 1950’s horror classics and cult films created his vision in which he expanded on in massive capacity musically.  Zombie is an ever evolving artist who knows no boundaries.  He isn’t afraid to take a risk and his successes are monumental to any artistic community in the truest sense of the word.  As he continues on the 2012 Twins of Evil Tour he develops new avenues for his epic resume of music and films including his upcoming film starring Sheri Moon “Lords of Salem” which Zombie promotes with a movie trailer on stage to the audience.  Zombie is a current day Hitchcock with a flare for creating the most vivid infectious metal music illuminated by fun house like staging and performances.  

This hearse of a locomotive is traveling at full speed to a city near you before it jumps the tracks and heads over seas.  Meet the creeper with your pussy liquor because mars needs women while school’s out and this is your chance to be face to face with both superbeast and dragula.  It is rare you can get a such a glimpse into a show of this magnitude.  It is even more rare when it includes three super acts all for one admission price.  There is plenty of swag to collect and a the memories that will haunt you forever.  Sweet dreams, school’s out, and be take witness to that which is about to rock the world.

Safety Suit Foots The Bill!

Dave Garofalo @ Hammerstein Ballroom NYC 5/1/12

Sometimes an opening band outshines and connects harder with an audience than the headliner and here is such a case where the element of surprise left the audience breathless beckoning for more music.  Safety Suit is now supporting the Daughtry 2012 “Break The Spell” tour concerts.  Safety Suit is the all American rock band you need watch out for as the up and coming music group for 2012 and on.  Safety Suit formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma now and now records in Nashville, Tennessee where they recently relocated their home base to.  The band is rapidly growing more famous by the show and raising eyebrows, as well as the performance bar for concert experiences.  

Their story begins in 2004 when the boys first formed under the name “Crew” and went through a minor trial and error period testing its original core members; Doug Brown (Vocals/Guitar/Dancer), Tate Cunningham (Drums), and Jeremey Henshaw (Bass Guitar/Vocals) on fusing their vision into sound.  Later that year the band approached, positioned, presented, listened to, and ended their guitarist discovery inviting Dave Garofalo to join them to cement the sound, energy and life now known as Safety Suit.

  

Doug Brown @ Hammerstein Ballroom NYC 5/1/12

Producer, Greg Archilla produced the band’s first four song EP called “Stay” leading to the band’s first real taste of success as a group.  Safety Suit was shortly offered a major deal designed by the Universal Music Group.  The band was set free to ravage a nation in need of music with substance and they were well prepared to make that happen.  Archilla would once again jump on board to produce the 2007 release of “Life Left to Go” which was received with great satisfying acceptance and appreciation by the Billboard Top “Heatseekers” chart.  

Fast forward to Sunday April 29, 2012 where Dave Garofalo sits across from the tour bus parked in front of the Palace Theater. “We have been working at this moment for over eight years now and we are finally seeing the impact that our band is making in music.  We really didn’t know what to expect of what effect and impact our music would have until our songs were placed on television.  Now we’re here in Albany, New York sharing the stage with Daughtry and supporting his tour and celebrating our latest album release "These Times."  An album think tank collaborative with members from Espionage who just help to produce the block buster "Hey Soul Sister" with Train.  Garofalo took in the moment and thought back to the group’s first television placement.  “TV placement is an amazing opportunity for any artist or group and it is still a crucial element for music artists just starting out.  The connections we made with new fans just in those placements were huge.  I still can’t believe this is really happening sometimes and I sometimes think I will wake up late for work to sell one of these.” Garofalo says smiling and holding up his new white iPhone 4S.  Safety Suit has been heating up ever since those placements and there has been no sign of a cold spell during their last two performances.

Doug Brown @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

The sold out Palace Theater filled quickly and the attendees sat as the lights went out.  Safety Suit’s set was all that separated the Daughtry fans now from seeing Daughtry live.  Cunningham walked out first in the shadow of blue light drawing attention with a twirling drumstick.  Garofalo runs out directly on a mission to hit his stage mark at center when a spotlight freezes him instantly in place.  Hunched over his guitar Garofalo repeatedly plays a three note guitar drone like an all out alert to brace yourself for something big that’s coming.  The Daughtry fans sat heeding this guitar alert and with a brilliant flash from the stage the audience exhaled wide eyed and mouths open as Brown and Henshaw blasted out jumping out from the stage wings.  Safety Suit opened the set like a violent storm of sound ravaging the Palace Theater audience whose delayed reaction appeared like a mass collection seeing the coming of the rapture.  The fever of excitement was spread instantly and the uproar of the audience was drowned out by the intoxicating sound of Safety Suit whose magnetic attraction with the audience moved all from observers to fans.

Tate Cunningham @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

By the time Brown reached the mic he appeared possessed by the holy ghost of music.  His wide eye jaw dropping delivery penetrated the the soul and you can't but accept the thrust of his vocal power.   Brown has a natural approach to delivering the best performance on vocals which was equally supported by the band members.  It’s his God given talent that is infectious enough to make the unbeliever a believer.  Safety Suit is the support act headliners fear and want to have at the same time because they are that good.  The members of Safety Suit each add their love and passion for making music constructed as one light, one sound, one musical movement.  Their synergy wraps around every seat in the house creating intermediary reciprocity kindred between music fans alike.

  

The set continued onward and Safety Suit nailed every song perfectly.  The energy pouring out from their songs such as "Never Stop", "These Times", and "Get Around This" reflect the challenges and tribulation a band faces under the rule of a dismantled music industry, but all roads lead to a promise land and Safety Suit knows that first hand with their most monumental performance to date.  This time that moment was revealed at The Hammerstein Ballroom Tuesday night in New York City where Safety Suit was showcased.  Brown delivered a rendition of Jeff Buckely’s “Hallelujah” which sent chills of enlightenment to all who attended.  "I have no idea who this band is or where they came from, but WOW.  I'm...wow...what can I say.  I'm a loss for words." explains David M. from Somers, NY.  " I can’t remember when I ever liked a support band this much or even cared to know who they are, but I am left amazed at the set I just heard. " David came to the show with his wife to see Daughtry and walked away a new fan of Safety Suit.  "I'm really happy I came and I will follow Safety Suit to see when I can see them next."

Jeremy Henshaw @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

Another Sarah J of South Florida said, "Every moment of this show kept me in suspense waiting on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next." she describes in her experience of Safety Suit’s set.  "There was not one single dull moment while they were on stage and when the lead singer (Doug Brown) found me in the crowd he grabbed my camera and took it on stage.  I was screaming in excitement as he took picture after picture of his bad mates and then one with me." Sarah speaking of Doug Brown's wild side to give his fans the ultimate experience of being living part of the show.

In Albany Doug climbed on top of the seats with a helmet cam strapped to his head and at Hammerstein he took a ride ride upon the shoulders of Daughtry's tour manager who carried the young singer around the general admission floor.  Safety Suit sends is a living example that when you unleash your inner child light illuminates from within you.  The band’s love and passion to play is evident and they continue to impress the music world on all levels.  Safety Suit revitalizes the music performance experience with exhilarated enthusiasm and they are worth more than the price of their admission.

Dave Garofalo @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

They will continue to tour as a support to Daughtry's "Break the Spell Tour."  You may even choose to follow current music purchasing trends by visiting Tunes to download your own copy of Safety Suit’s "These Times" onto your PC and mobile devices just like Emma Y. of Long Island did before leaving the venue.  "The line was too long and I'm downloading the tracks right now on my iPhone.  I love that I can discover new music live and walk away with their songs downloaded before I even leave the show.  I never did that before tonight and I was so impressed with Safety Suit that I needed to hear their music again." Emma says rushing for her train at Penn Station.  "I'm not sure when I will have the same impressions of a band to be this motivated to buy music on the spot.  Safety Suit..Wow."

Wow is the word of the day when describing Safety Suit and the fans will have to wait for what comes next from this group on the rise and with continued support, guidance, and solid efforts by the Safety Suit team this bands future could send this band on a journey of incredible success and a rich history to measure up to.  If these two shows testify to what is up next for the young group then be prepared because the best is yet to come.

Two Year Spell Broken: 3 Nights of Daughtry

Daughtry @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

Daughtry continues the 2012 tour at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino where a full house beat all odds incited by “Renegade,” a raw driven track recorded on the band’s third album release "Break The Spell". Any hesitation on whether or not this TV created rock star runner up could return after a two year hiatus was quickly snuffed out when Chris took center stage amidst the ignited audience.  Daughtry sang “Don’t you wanna feel like a rebel? Renegade on the run? Real live wire in the cross fire riding shotgun.”  Daughtry has made no deals with any Devil and he not sold his soul.  He just boldly challenges his doubters to call his success what they want with his own open invitation to feel out of control in their own unique ways singing “Here we go!” Here we go in deed, and with a wall of thunderous sound pushing the fans back the show kicked off illuminating hands reaching high and fans jumping out of their seats in a strident pace that even Bon Jovi would nod their approval to.

Daughtry @ Hammerstein NYC 5/1/12

Daughtry’s success from his days on American Idol continue to skyrocket upwards towards new levels of stardom.  His reception by fans is a seed grown from Chris’s ability to write a wide spectrum of people across an even wider generation gap.  It’s Chris’s dexterity and competence which keeps his potentiality as a promising music artist with a long career ahead possible. His family friendly shows draw people from all walks of life and they come simply because they connect to Daughtry and love his music.  That connection is cemented through Daughtry’s real life stories written in his songs about the daily struggles and curve balls that the harsh reality of everyday life can hurl.  Daughtry’s ability to remain openly honest with his music gives the audience what they seek, Hope in a world that appears to be falling apart at the seams.

Daughtry @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

The 2012 “Break The Spell” tour play list highlights the 2011 album release over two hour showcase.  Titles include “Spaceship”, “Outta My Head” and “Louder and Louder” as well as some previous hits such as “September” and “Over You” and two surprise toss in’s covers by Tom Petty and Billy Idol.  Chris connects with his audiences no matter where he plays with his stories and music.  One such story Daughtry told on Sunday’s stop at Albany’s Palace Theater spoke about Daughtry’s latest single “4 AM”.  “This is a track written for the 2012 Esquire Song Writer Contest which I took part in along with some incredible artists and it wasn’t contest really.  Chis said referring to his recent participation in the Esquire Song Writer contest.  Daughtry explained, “I was given the challenge along with the other music artists to write a song based on three words given to me by Esquire and the words they chose were “Pacific Standard Time”.  I don’t know anything about Pacific Standard Time and because I don’t live in that time zone I wasn’t sure what to write or how to even explain what is a Pacific Standard Time is anyway?”  Chris soloed his new track with his acoustic six string in an emotionally inspiring premiere.  The song about a boy missing his girlfriend separated by the distance of many time zones and the sadness of being apart was an instant hit for fans and proceeds from the sale of this track will benefit charity.

Daughtry Live @ Palace Theater Albany, NY 4/29/12

Each show is a milestone in Chris’s young evolving music career.  Dreams are meant to be broken and it wasn't so long ago when Chris was playing unknown bars with his prior bands.  He is a living example that forgotten dreams can surface at any time when great persistence and hard work prevail beyond uncertainty.  The proof is in the story where a young 26 year old Daughtry walks into a New York City office with nothing more than an acoustic guitar strapped to his side for the biggest showcase of his entire life.  A showcase with the Godfather of Jive Records, Clive Davis.  Chris's impersonation of Davis sounded like something out of The Sopranos, but the audience got the point and heard as close of a rendition on that fateful day of “Home”.  

Daughtry Hammerstein NYC 5/1/12

Tuesday night, Photos of family and yesterdays gone by projected on a massive screen were all the frills needed to dress the stage at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.  Once again fans warmly received Daughtry and his band were received with blaring shrills and deafening applause.  New York City was popping as Chris jumped from the stage to have some one on one time with his fans in the front row.  The playlist remained the same and had some fans who been following the group hoping to hear more Daughtry tracks such as Jennifer F, of Hartsdale, New York who spent the last week driving the last leg of the New England shows at MGM Grand, Palace Theater, and the Hammerstein Ballroom. “I want to know what a girl needs to do to get a little Tennessee and less Rebel Yell?” She says referencing song selections.  “I’m a huge Bon Jovi fan and it was in 2005 when I turned on American Idol and heard Chris singing "Wanted Dead Or Alive".  I was hooked and wanted to see more.”  Jennifer went on to showcase her new found love of Daughtry with her own personal stories which includes listening to all three Daughtry albums over and over again for almost a week straight just so she could sing with the Chris and his band.  “They remind me so much of Bon Jovi from even with the start of this show which reminds of how the Circle Tour opened (Bon Jovi’s 2010-2011 tour) and now Daughtry has a Keyboardist.  I really want to see what Daughtry does next to step away from the Bon Jovi image and to define his own.”

Josh Steely Rips Solo @ MGM Foxwoods 4/28/12

Daughtry’s 2012 “Break The Spell” tour continues to heat up as the scheduling for more dates build throughout the summer of this US tour.  He will be accompanied by Safety Suit who are equally fantastic and deserving of their own review which will come shortly and are officially on “band on the rise” list, but here it’s all about Daughtry.  Chris continues to defy the law of American Idol runner ups and winners by succeeding past the lack of faith some skeptics still may have of him.  The confidence gained from these three shows and with the shows to come are enough to provide certainty and assurance that he is not going anywhere any time soon thanks to the endowment that is created by his music.  If these three shows have any foreshadow of what is to come from Daughtry then get ready to put your AC on turbo mode because the Daughtry will be heating up at a show near you making this summer the hottest enough on record and like that Chris closed his sizzling performance in New York City show out with three of his own little words.  “It’s Not Over.”