Neon's Metal Madness - Live Reviews

There are no words that can describe Friday night other than FABULOUS! First off, Johnny Dee, Doro's drummer, was the sweetest to make it possible for me to get tickets to the event, photo pass, and that in turn allowed me on the tour bus to meet the woman herself, Doro! I'm here to tell you that she is sweeter than sweet. She is genuine and she loves her fans with all her heart! Nick Douglas, her bass player, is so awesome and such a sweet heart I enjoyed getting to meet him also. Joe and Luca were awesome as well. It was the best experience I've ever had. I've only waited for ten years to meet her. I told her that before we had our picture and she looked at me and said, "well let's make it a great photo then!" Just gracious and classy to a fault! She is real and true and she loves her music and her fans; we are her 'family' and she acknowledged that Friday night. She started the night off with Warlock favs like I Rule The Ruins, All We Are, East Meets West, Burning The Witches, and lots more. Then from her solo works as Doro they played Love Me In Black (one of my all time favs), Always Live To Win, and a lot more. I hope that if you did not get to see this show and if she comes back you will definitely make it your mission to get tickets and go! You won't be disappointed! Her back up band, Fatal Smile, from Sweden, totally came to rock and they did! They had the look, they really fed off the crowd and got them nice and pumped up for Doro. Great great band and they were very much the sweethearts also. Go look for their albums and give them a spin. You'll be an instant fan! Local bands, Splinter, Diesel, and Addnerim were the opening bands that got the night started. All in all it was the best night and so worth it! Long Live Heavy Metal!

I am so excited about this show I don't know where to begin! I have wanted to see and hear this band for so long now I almost couldn't believe it when I had the tickets in my hand! I know that if you are a true, life long Nightwish fan and have been with them since the beginning the break with Tarja was probably hard for you to take or not a surprise. I had only become familiar with them on the album ONCE. I totally dug her voice and I loved the music and lyrics. And when I read the open letter and did some reading I came to understand what happened. I know for Tuomas especially this was difficult, they went to school together. And as for the other members you could tell by reading the letter that Marco's heart was broken as well. This was not something that any of them took lightly or looked upon with great joy but it had to be done. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. The new singer, Anette Olzon, what can I say! She's got great personality and great chemistry with the band. And I saw her do something that I'm pretty sure that Tarja would not have done...she jumped down off the stage and shook everyone's hand and then crawled back up on stage! She loves her fans and went out of her way to show them so. The other members came down as well to greet the fans. They started the night off with BYE BYE BEAUTIFUL which was written to Tarja and the lyrics are very powerful. You can hear the pain and hurt and disappointment for the situation in them. And while they did play a lot of songs off the new cd THE DARK PASSION PLAY like Sahara, Bye Bye Beautiful, Amaranth, Whoever Brings the night, and Master Passion Greed, they also played a few off of ONCE like I Wish I had An Angel, Dark Chest of Wonders, Nemo, and they had John Two-Hawks come out and do Creek Mary's Blood. Definitely get all their albums, old and new, and get their DVD End of an Era their final show with Tarja at Hartwell Arena in Finland. You will not be disappointed. I am only hoping that they will see how much their music is loved by the people of the US and they will keep touring here! Thanks Anette, Emppu, Marco, Tuomas, and Jukka! What a fantastic show!

THC was a very fun band to watch! They definitely loved being up there on stage and the crowd was definitely into their sound and songs. It also proves that you can not judge a book by it's cover. Their singer had an awesome voice and I enjoyed their set very much. I would love to see these guys again!

Sometimes when a band goes through personnel changes it can either make or break the band and in the case of KOE it definitely made the band! With their new bass player KOE is back better than ever! I enjoy their energy and their musicianship! I also love being able to not tell you which band they sound like because they have their own, distinct sound and I found that very refreshing. So go check out KOE you won't be disappointed!

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ASKA has been rockin the metroplex since the 90's and I've been a huge fan for six years! I have seen the band go through personnel changes, personal crisis, and road blocks concerning the release of their fifth cd entitled Anzareth. I truly believe that everyone is going to be pleasantly impressed with this new cd because it shows that the guys are not afraid to think outside of the box! There is real quality to their sound, their musicianship, and their energy when they play a show. If you're a fan of ASKA then you know what I'm talking about, if you're not you need to catch a show and you will be an instant fan!

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July 8, 2006

Maiden Texxas at The Yucatan Beach Club

Webster's dictionary defines 'Tribute' as "a declaration, or other acknowledgment of gratitude, respect, or admiration" and this is what and who Maiden Texxas are. I saw them for the first time last night and all I can say is WOW! When I think of Iron Maiden I first think of major talent, precision, technicality, passion, and entertainment. This tribute band possesses all of these qualities. Anthony/vocals gives a performance second to none. I mean come on you've heard Bruce Dickinson, his voice is not easily copied but Anthony sure does a helluva job! Mike and Todd/guitars trade off technical lick after lick, melodic riffs, and just in-your-face shredding. Pat/bass is a great bass player. The thing I've always been impressed with Steve Harris is the way he plays the bass like a guitar and Pat is just as at home with his insturment and it shows through. Then last but not least by any means is Ron/drums. Great musicianship from this entire band. Unless you go to an Iron Maiden show it is very hard to hear all the songs they played in their 22 song set. They gave tribute to Power Slave, Wickerman, Flight of Icarus, Trooper, Die With Your Boots On, Children Of The Damned, Killers, Wrathchild, 2 Minutes To Midnight, Number Of The Beast, and many more. Please go and check out this exceptional band!

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July 7, 2006

Back In Black at Firewater Bar & Grill

I don't know any other way to say this but AWESOME! If you haven't seen this band yet you need to the next time they're in town. It was standing room only at this outside venune. The singer, Darren Caperna, does an awesome Bon Scott the first half of the show and then he switches gears and with a quick wardrobe change he's Brian Johnson! The boy's got rhythm ya'll! Then there's Mike Mroz (Angus) and here he comes out in the school boy uniform sporting a devil horned head band and complete with trotting across the stage he's Angus to the hilt! Oh did I mention that he showed the crowd his good side?! Yep, he mooned us! lol Then there's Jay Benzi on drums, Mike Wagner on guitar, and Taylor Smith on bass. I was so impressed by these guys you definitely need to go and see a Back In Black show.

July 7, 2006

Live Wire at Firewater Bar & Grill

I just love these guys! They take the whole Motley Crue gig seriously! The look, the sound, the attitude. Live Wire has what it takes to make you a MC fan all the way! They played Shout At The Devil, Home Sweet Home, Wild Side, Girls Girls Girls, Dr. Feelgood, Take It To The Top, Kick Start My Heart, Live Wire, and many more. Folks, their bass player is 16 years old and does a helluva Nikki Sixx! Go check out Live Wire and I promise you will have a great time.

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"Don't mean nothin' but a good time..." is the term that comes to mind when I go and see Poison Cherry! If you were a child of the 80's or just happen to dig music from that time then this is the band for you! They pull off the look, the songs, the attitude and it takes you back to yesteryear when the hardest decision you had to make was what to wear to school that day or was your hair big enough! Memebers of the band are Nikki Lixx on vocals and acoustic guitar, D.D. Semans on guitar/vocals, Thrash on guitar/vocals, Rikki Slamboara on bass guitar/vocals, and Jakk Wylde on drums. They played everything from Poison, Bon Jovi, KISS, White Snake, Winger, and more. Seriously if you just wanna go out and have a good time and sing a long with the songs this is the band to go see! They're fun, energetic, personable, and very friendly guys. They love to meet their fans and the public!
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"You wanted the best! You got the best!" That saying always comes to mind when I think of KISS and Destroyer fits the bill! The show was magnificent! The weather was perfect for an outside show and boy did the guys put one on! Gene was spittin' fire and blood, the fog machine was runnin, and the lights were spinnin! These guys have come so far from the first time I saw them at City Streets in Fort Worth for Battle of the Bands. Bob (Ace) is the consummate god player, Christopher (Paul) nails Paul Stanley to a 'T', Steve (Gene) well what's to say about him?! Gene's my favorite!, and then of course last but certainly not least was Scott (Peter) on drums who has only had five performances with the band and did an awesome "Beth". Congrats you guys on successfully pulling off one of the best Tribute bands I've ever seen!

I love the new line up for TYR! I am looking forward to seeing more shows with these guys! I was so excited to get to see Judas Rising again! I guess my favorite part of the night was when they did Turbo Lover and Judas Rising. Great job guys!

Well it had been too long since I'd been to see Fame 15! They sounded even better than I remembered. I love their funky, upbeat sound and it makes you wanna leave your seat and get up in front of the stage. The best part of their set was when they did cover tune Bathroom Wall by Faster Pussycat! Talk about being back in the day! Well what can I say about Live Wire?! Plenty! With the addition of Taylor Dennis as Nikki Sixx this is definitely a tribute band that you are gonna wanna see every chance you get! When I first got there I rounded the corner to see this figure in black, standing about 6'5" and I'm like "OMG! It's Nikki freakin Sixx!" He was exactly what this band was looking for. They played Home Sweet Home (awesome the whole crowd got up and sang along), Live Wire, To Young To Fall In Love, and lots more. My favorite part was when Vince had all the girls get up in front of the stage and sing along to Girls, Girls, Girls! What a treat! ASKA took the stage after that and rocked the rest of the night away and into the morning. It was so great getting to see everyone that I hadn't seen in forever! Love ya'll!

I'm so excited to see young musicians who enjoy doing what they do! This group is also starting to write their own material and it's awesome! "Alone" has a definite Iced Earth sound and is a very good song and then "Dark Winter" with it's Hammerfall inspired sound will have you bangin as well. They played lots of cover tunes that the crowd really enjoyed. These guys just excel with every show.

It had been about two years or so since I'd seen the guys from RivetHead. Lots of changes musically and personnel wise. With a new drummer and an added guitarist this is a show you will enjoy watching and jammin too! They played lots of new favorites as well as the old rockers. I've really missed hanging with these guys! Thanks for a fun night!

Got the opportunity to hear some really kick ass bands! It was the first show for Twenty3Fifty9 (which I was told is Naval time for one minute to midnight) and I gotta tell you I'm a big fan of this band! If you take a little Dream Theater, Savatage, Rush, and Nightwish you pretty much get this band. They had the crowd eating out of their hand by the second song! I'm definitely gonna catch these guys again! Second up was Love vs Hate. Fronted by female vocalist Jen X I was really into their sound and energy. I really enjoyed "Liar" and "Excuse Me". I would like to see these guys again also. Then Habitual, which needs no introduction, if you like in-your-face metal and rock n roll you will dig Habitual. Not only do they have some really good originals but they do awesome covers as well. Then last but certainly not least was Space Time Band. I hadn't seen these guys since the days of The Underworld. With new members, new songs, and just a renewed confidence they will punch you in the face with their raw sound. You can tell that Dream Theater is a big influence and they make that sound their own. All in all it was a fabulous night and I had a blast! Thanks you guys!

He's Back!!!!!!!!!!!! That's right...George Call on vocals Saturday night. I think every jaw in the place was hanging open! No one expected it and I gotta tell you throat surgery or not he delivered a hell of a performance. I know it felt good to him to be behind the microphone and although he did pass some of the vocal duties off to Keith Knight and his brother Damon Call he still tackled some very vocally challenging songs like Neon Knights and Green Manalishi. I'm so thrilled I was there to see this come back of sorts and happy for the band and the fans. There are great things coming and for all the obstacles this group has faced they are stronger, tighter, and closer than ever.

I'm still trying to recover from being beat about the head from these three bands! It was
brutal! First off Rex Mundi's Paul Jr. just belted out vocals the likes of which I haven't heard in a long time! Sources close to the band said that sometimes you gotta swim through all the crap to find what was there all along! I have to agree! I am very excited to see RM back and better than ever! And since we're on the subject of bands changing my next comment is about WAJA...These guys went from a four piece and okay to a three piece and 'come and get this!'. They are so much tighter and more together than I've ever heard and they have fun but they get down to business kicking your butt with their tunes. I'm so excited for these guys and know that they are gonna do well with future endeavors! And last but not least A Jury of Robots. I've just been seeing these guys improve and get better with time. They're like a fine wine, the longer you let it sit and leave it alone and you take that first swallow it's gonna kick your ass! They have been hard at work in the studio and will have some excellent material, which they have been performing live, on a cd soon. Congrats to these three bands for swimming up stream and making it to the other side!

KISS Tribute Band, Destroyer! At City Streets in Fort Worth for 93.3 The Bone Battle of The Bands!

These guys really blew me away! Not only did they have the all very important look, full KISS make up and costume, but they had the sound! They Played Detroit Rock City, Dr. Love, Love Gun, Black Diamonds, and Cold Gin. I am looking forward to seeing these guys again because let's face it...you wanted the best you got the best! Keep Rockin Guys!

Red Leather played all the old school favs and I gotta tell you I love it! Bon Jovi, Billy Idol, Quiet Riot, Motely Crue, Van Halen, Winger, and more! If you get the chance to catch these guys...do it and be transported back in time when it didn't mean nothin but a good time!

Judas Rising blasted their way onto the stage next and I was very impressed and can not wait to see these guys again! They played Diamonds and Rust, Another Thing Comin, and all your Priest favs! Definitely go see these guys...you'll be glad you did!

If you take three awesome musicians throw in the love of music, thrilling the crowd, and a 'rock star' attitude you definitely get Revengence! Three friends from high school got together and decided that they wanted to form a band. This was their first show and if you were not there it is hard to describe how these guys had the crowd eating out of their hands! Taylor Dennis, front man and vocalist, just exuded 'Rock Star'! Kenny and Michael added that something extra special that just makes the band work. They played songs from Hammerfall-Blood Bound, Iced Earth-Dark Saga, AC/DC-TNT, Judas Priest-Breakin the Law, and the winner of the night was AC/DC- Big Balls! I really expect to see and hear more from these guys as they get more shows under their belt. Keep an ear out for Revengence! They're coming to a town near you!

First of all I would like to say thank you to my editor, Grady Smith and to Joann Holt, publicist for the Dallas Guitar Show for allowing me the opportunity to cover the performance at the Ernie Ball Stage. If you are familiar with local bands and local talent then you've undoubtedly heard of Spittin Jonah. One of the areas premiere heavy metal bands. The guitarist, and one of the founders of Spittin Jonah, Matt Eaton had an opportunity to put together some material for a solo cd which has been a dream of his for quite some time now and was able to present it to the masses for the first time at the 28th Dallas Guitar Show. Matt puts his heart and soul into his music and it comes across in his work with Spittin Jonah and in his solo works. Backing Matt up on stage were friends and fellow Spittin Jonah musicians Billy "The Ripper" Blax on acoustic guitar, James Young on bass, and Mike Rich on drums. I've seen these guys perform together many times and I've always been impressed with the musicianship and talent of this band. Now I know what you're thinking...an instrumental show? Don't knock it until you've tried it! The songs were excellent! Just the right blending of acoustic with electric guitar, the bass riffs with the drums and before you knew what was happening you were nodding your head to the beat, snapping your fingers, or tapping your feet. When the music started people were literally coming out of the building to come and see. People that were standing in front of other stages were actually turning to see where this amazing sound was eminating from. The crowd in front of the Ernie Ball stage was impressive but due to the heat most of the people stayed under the trees for shade. There were a few brave souls who stood in the direct sunlight for the entire set. The first three songs make you look around for the Trojan horse! Pillars of Hercules, Isle of the Witch, and Troy is Burning whisked you away with the melodic sounds of the acoustic combined with Matt's shredding guitar solos. It was very mezmerizing to watch his fingering technique. It just left you thinking "wow! look at that guy go!". The rest of the songs Great Dane Head, The Ocean Between Us, The Jonas Tucker Song (which I thoroughly enjoyed!), and Blues-i-fi-cation. They definitely left the crowd wanting more and I believe that they made some new fans that day. So, thank you Matt, Billy, Mike, and James for the wonderful music that you bring us to enjoy!
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Once again Muthalode and ASKA take the stage for a night of Heavy Metal, friends, and good times. Muthalode delivered once again a wonderful array of KISS songs and everyone enjoyed jammin along. Then ASKA took the stage and rocked the night. Happy Birthday again to George Call, Keith Knight, Jason Sweatt, and George Davey.

I just can't tell you how impressed I am with Edge of Chaos! Even though they are in search of a vocalist, Steele Lane is doing double duty as bass player and vocalist at the moment. In my opinion they could definitely stay a three piece because what they have works. The talent in this group is amazing. Richard Tull- guitar player virtuoso just absolutely shredded his axe to pieces! The talent this man possess is breath-taking! Then there's Crit Fowler on drums. He's so tight, so sharp, and it sounds so clean in conjunction with bass player Steele Lane. They've definitely made a fan out of me and I'm so excited to see what comes next for these guys!
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This was a very exciting evening! It was two of my very good friends' birthdays, Becca and Tanya, and I got to see some really awesome groups do what they do best! It had been a couple of years since I'd seen Steve Blaze and the guys from NLE but they did not disappoint! They've had some personnel changes since the last time I saw them and the line up is perfect! Blaze as always shredding his guitar and giving great performance, Eric Morris wild man on the bass! Just loved watching him play. Richard Kendrick was rhythm guitar, backing vocals, and keyboards. He and Blaze worked really well together. and then last but not least on skins Rob Hovey. They played Day of Silver Sun and Cradle by the Sea (my fav off Day Of Silver Sun album) to name a few. Again really love this line up. It works and it works well!

What else can I say about TYR that hasn't already been said? I just love watching these guys perform! And with new front man, Landon Uys, at the helm they can only get better and better. They played cover tunes such Flight of Icarus by Iron Maiden and Man In The Box by Alice In Chains and then originals like Play The Game, Scary Man, and Illusion. Awesome performance.

Jay Shannon Project! Wow what a super group! Jay Shannon (guitar) from Ground, Sean Hall (vocals) from A Jury of Robots, Brad Maroney (bass) from Scatterbranch, Jason Allen on drums, and Robby Welch on guitar. I've told these guys that they really do need to do this again! They played Blind in Texas (W.A.S.P.), Bad Girls (Jay instrumental), Fascination St. (The Cure), My Generator (Sean and Jay original), Pressure (Billy Joel), Corndoggin' (Jay instrumental), and Tush (ZZ Top). Each one of the guys said the same thing after their set...they had FUN! Do it again, guys! Do it again!

Hot damn what a night for heavy metal! First up...TYR is back ya'll!!! I'm telling you it was so awesome to see and hear the guys from TYR! With new front man Landon Uys, formerly of Gashly Crumb, TYR was rockin' the crowd and had the people screaming for more. They played originals like Illusion, Play the Game, and Scary Man and then they played cover tunes such as Flight Of Icarus-Iron Maiden, Highway Star-Deep Purple, Another Thing Comin'-Judas Priest, and many others. This was Landon's first gig with only three practices under his belt and the more experience and practices he gets they are going to be an unstoppable force in local music. I'm so excited about this group being back! Keep rockin it!

I was so glad that I got to stay for an entire set of Phantom X! These guys are finishing up their cd and it's going to be available real soon. They played Black Sabbath songs, neon knights, Children of the sea
Heaven and Hell then Dio holy diver, last in line, and
rainbow in the dark, then Rainbow songs Long live rock n roll, kill the king, and
Man on the silver mountain and lots of originals (Metal Warrior and Enchanted), and they even through in an OMEN song (Thousand Year Reign) for good measure! I enjoyed watching these guys perform. I'm looking forward to more wonderful things from this group.

To start the night off was a band called Sixth Wind. This was my first time to see these guys but I really enjoyed their performance. They have a definite AC/DC influence and I detected a little Disturbed thrown in there. I would definitely like to see these guys again. Then my buds from Temper! It's been an insanely amount of time since I've seen these guys. They've added a new rhythm guitar player and along with new singer, AZ, Temper sounds as solid as I've ever heard them! What can you say about the guys in Habitual? They rock!!! I never get tired of hearing Brian's vocals and of course Johnny Fyg, guitar player extraordinaire! Adding bass player, Mark, and drummer, Jeff, Habitual will rock your socks off! A JURY OF ROBOTS!!! Never get tired of going and seeing these guys perform. With the addition of Mikkee on drums the sound is SIK!!! Thomas and Mikkee together bring that something extra special that really solidifies the Robots! And last but certainly not least Phantom X...with Kevin Goocher (Omen) on vocals, Russell Contreras (TYR) on guitar, Glenn Malicki (Strangers and TYR), and Danny White (ASKA) on drums this is the areas super group! Check em out!

If you took a glass and mixed in Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robert Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and BB King...Jake Crawford is who you'd get! I tell you, I feel like I was apart of history! This is a young Stevie Ray Vaughn! Keep your eyes and ears out for this guy!

I gotta tell you it had been a while since I'd seen these three bands and it was a great show! I want to give my friend, Sean Hall, a big 'you go boy!' for puttin down his guitar and being the kick ass front man I knew he was! It was like seeing Jim Morrison back on stage! If you haven't had a chance to see this yet make their next show. The boys from RivetHead and WAJA did not disappoint either. I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to get to know people like these guys!

I first heard this band, The Saints, Friday night at The Thunderhorse Saloon and liked them so much I went back Saturday night for some more, to take pixs, and do a review. These guys were awesome! If you love cover bands and you like to hear your favorite tunes and hear them done well, this is the band for you. Everyone in the band sings, except the guitar player, John, or Smiley as they call him sometimes. And well if you play as well as he does you really don't need to sing! I was so impressed with the diversity of their set list. Every thing from Jimi Hendrix-Led Zepplin era all the way to Candlebox-Wallflowers-Creed era. And they make it sound good ya'll. I guess I would have to say that my favorites are Mama-Ozzy Ozbourne, Little Wing-Jimi Hendrix-Love Me Two Times-The Doors, and Rock Candy-Montrose. Just a partial set list is: Leave Your Hat On-Joe Cocker, Crossfire-Stevie Ray Vaughn, Snortin' Whiskey-Pat Travers, Sweet Emotion-Aerosmith, Last In Line-Ronnie James Dio, My Sacrifice-Cree, and Shine-Candlebox. The band members are: Tom Hoover-Bass and lead vocalist, Nick Nichols-lead vocalist, John 'Smiley' Swanner-lead guitar, Jim Spurlock-Keyboard and backing vocalist, and Brian Capener-Drums and backing vocalist. Their web site is www.saintsband.net. They are very local so you need to check out their calendar and make it to the next show. They will be playing for a Toy Drive sponsored by The Thunderhorse Saloon in December. Check out the saloon's web site at www.thunderhorsesaloon.com.

Last night I was invited to a 'Meet N Greet' and Division One in Arlington, Texas for the Rock 4 Xmas show to raise money for children at Christmas time. I gotta tell ya it was exciting! I got to meet Randy Jackson-Zebra, Chris Slade-AC/DC, Ira Black-Vicious Rumors, Joey Molland-Bad Finger, and Terry llous-XYZ. Not only did we get to meet these guys we got to have pictures with them, talk to them, and get their autographs. Nicer, sweeter guys you will not find! When it came time for these awesome musicians to take the stage it was worth the wait. Randy Jackson did some great acoustic Zebra songs "Tell Me What You Want" and "Take Your Fingers From My Hair". Joey Molland and Chris Slade didn't loose a beat or a shred and I was so impressed with Terry Llous when he opened his mouth! The guy has a set of pipes! He played a very stirring emotional song in memory of his recently deceased father and told the crowd that the Rock 4 Xmas was near and dear to his heart mainly because he remembers being very poor growing up as a child and not having a lot especially at Christmas so he wanted to make sure that as many kids got the help they needed for this time of year. I would in conclusion like to thank my best friend, Andrea, for inviting me and to Tina with 93.3 The Bone who was a gracious hostess and worked her butt off the entire night making sure everyone and everything was taken care of. It's a great thing you guys are doing so thank you from the fans!

Long time no see! It had been at least two months since I'd seen AJOR and Rex Mundi but I got to hang out with these guys and it was a great night. I also got to check out a couple of new bands: one called Fubahr. They are awesome ya'll. They have a cd out called Ghosts from my past. Check them out at www.fubahr.com. And the other band is Minor Joe check them out at www.minorjoe.com It was great to see Sean Hall of AJOR get up there with Rex Mundi to sing a Sabbath song and he and Manny raised it to the roof! *note* both of these bands plus several others were involved in a North Texas Food Bank function (8th) at The Lone Star Country Club and although I didn't get to attend I did drop by and received word that the place was standing room only and that they raised some good money and food for a good cause.

The Yellow and Black attack is back!!! That's right after twelve years Stryper has regrouped and started touring again. This is also to promote their new cd simply called 7. When I first got to The Ridglea Theater, Fort Worth, Texas, the line of people went all the way around the building and into the parking lot. The place was packed and filled to capacity and all in anticipation of seeing one of the premier Christian rock bands of the eighties. Stryper brought along a very young Christian group from Phoenix, AZ called Sky Harbor. The band consists of Garth Bostic (19)-vocals, songwriter, and guitarist, Willie Bostic (18)-Bassist, Steve Houser (18)-backing vocals and guitar, and Jonathan Russo (18)-Drums. I have to admit these guys were good. They got the crowd good and ready for Stryper by performing some awesome stage antics. Bass player Willie enjoyed swinging his bass around his neck and along with Steve they would get up on the huge speakers and jump off. I was very impressed by this young group and wish them much success on their tour. About 45 minutes after SH left the stage Stryper went on and the crowd went wild. I could not believe how larger than life these guys looked! Michael still hit those high notes with ease, Robert pulled out his collection of hats, Oz wowed the crowd with awesome guitar, Tim banged out on bass, and Brent added that something extra on keyboards. They started out the evening with a pre-recording of Michael singing The Battle Hymn of The Republic and then played favs like Soldiers Under Command, In God We Trust, Rock The People (by request from the fans), Honestly, Free, Always There For You, Loud 'N' Clear, The Way, The Sing a Long Song, You Won't Be Lonely, Reach Out (they hadn't played this song since 1985), Caught In The Middle, and the first of three encores Abyss/To Hell With The Devil, and a couple of new ones off the new cd, and many more. I have to say that this was my first time to see Stryper and I regret not seeing them before. If you are one of the many that fall into the category of 'not seen' don't deny yourself the experience and opportunity. Go see them and be blessed!

If you like the sounds of Guns n Roses, Faster Pussycat, and just rockin' eighties tunes you will dig Fame 15. This band is made up of two former musicians from Tyr and they rocked out! I will definitely be going to see this band again.

Next up Muthalode! A great KISS cover band. This three-piece band can kick out a KISS tune with ease and they played one of my favorite Saxon tunes Wheels Of Steel and it was awesome!

ASKA played to a pretty wild bunch but they did not disappoint. Hopefully they will be getting the new cd out soon!

The night started off with great company and a great dinner at Nuevo-Leon, on Lower Greenville next to the Arcadia Theatre. After great conversation, beer, and margaritas we headed over to Poor David's Pub for the much anticiapted network show of Rik Emmett. The place had about 200 people in it. We were fairly close to the front and after introductions to some of Rik's staff and people that set up the network show, Pam and Bob, the show was about to begin. Out walked Rik Emmett, dressed to the nines and very excited about being there. Rik played some Triumph songs like Lay It On The Line, Magic Power (these being done with acoustic guitar), he played some off of his Good Faith album, and then talked about the musical he is going to be in called Frankenstein. In between songs we got an indepth look into who Rik Emmett really is; a father, a husband, a musician, and an artist. We heard stories about his children, his days on the road, what it's like to be doing what he wants to do and that's to play intimate gatherings like this one. His sense of humor kept us all laughing and when we weren't laughing at his jokes we were silenced by the sheer awesomeness of his talent. I have seen musicians play acoustic pieces and sets but to play them with the passion and energy and to have them sound the way they did is pure genius. How do you know if it's a good song or not? When you can play an acoustic version and it sounds just as good if not better than the original rock version. In closing this man that has had a musical career that has spanned over 20 years I think it's safe to say that Rik Emmett will always have a place here in Texas to play.

It had been since June that I had seen the guys in Ground and I gotta tell you it was great to be jammin' with them again! We laughed and talked about old times and then it was time to rock! They played favs like Swallow and Long Way Home. After the show we hung out with the guys for some more fun until we got kicked out at 2:15 am!!! It was good to see old friends there and to meet new ones. Brad (Scatterbranch) great to see ya again! Thanks again to the guys of Ground for a fun filled night!

This was my first time to see LOR and I would love to see them again. I loved their vocalist! Great melody and the whole band rocked. If anyone knows how I can get a hold of them please send me an email so I can contact them. Thanks!

It had been a while since I'd seen TYR but it was good to see and hang out with them again. It was also a birthday celebration for a long time fan by the name of Lori...Happy B-day again Lori! Standing in at vocalist was long time band friend and musician Eric M. Dailey (Deja Vu and 51%) and it had been a while since I had seen Eric perform. Despite the fact that he was battling a cold that night I thought the band's performance was up to par and I enjoyed it very much.

What a fantastic show! When DV8 took the stage I knew that I was gonna be impressed! The bass player David is 14, The guitar player and vocalist Cash is 13, and their drummer John is 12!! I really enjoyed the energy, style, and excitement of this band. It didn't matter the age of the crowd everyone was rockin' with DV8! I was glad once again to see my friends from AJOR and RivetHead. Both bands put on great shows with lots of energy and heavy hitting riffs! And as always the fans enjoyed what they got!

What is the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the words �Road Trip�? Good music, good times, good friends, and lots of time to talk on the road! I had the best time traveling with A Jury of Robots this past weekend to Tulsa. They played at a place called The Cave (owned by LGM�s Lance Lutz brother Ty). The owner of the club and his wife were very friendly and accommodating. They really took care of us and I would like to say �thanks� to them for that. There were a couple of local bands that started off the night and then it was time for The Robots to hit the stage. Armed with some awesome stage graphics the band was ready to rock. They played Godzillas, These Are My Brothers, and Your Number Your Name. The band just put the finishing touches on a four-song demo cd that they were able to make available to people in Tulsa. By the time it�s all said and done the group will have about a ten-song cd that will be available for purchase. I was very excited to see that the people were into AJOR and definitely dug the message and the songs. I was very fortunate to have been able to do an interview with their vocalist and guitarist Sean Hall back in April of this year. Sean is a fantastic musician and a great friend and I�m very proud that he calls me friend as well. The other members of the band are JD-lead guitarist, Kevin-drummer, and Thomas-bassist. These guys and their families are also my friends and they are a lot of fun to hang out with. The members of the band have quite a few years of musical experience under their belts and through this thing that we call life it brought these four guys together and we have one of the areas best bands. They have a raw edginess to their music and lots of attitude, which comes across in their live performances. I have often said that if you took a blender and threw in some AC/DC, Metallica, and attitude you will get A Jury of Robots!

J. Gilligan's was once again packed as the crowd awaited ASKA to take the stage. Starting the show off with Leather, then Judas Priest cover tune Green Manalishi, Lethal Injection, Black Sabbath cover tune Neon Nights (hell yeah), and Grim Reaper cover tune See You In Hell. I had a good time and it was great to see all my friends that I hadn't seen in a while. Wanna say 'hey' to Bob of Muthalode!

The guys in WAJA came ready to rock! I am pleased to say that they had a full house this night at Graffiti's and everyone was up and in front of the stage supporting their band! I would like to say 'hey' to some guys from A Jury of Robots and Rex Mundi. They came out and supported their friends and local musicians. WAJA sounded very tight and awesome as they played fan favs like Thank You and Rush cover tune Tom Sawyer. Eric, Greg, Scott, and Aaron I wish you guys the best and much continued success and thanks for being such awesome friends!

Who are Spittin� Jonah? They are Louder Than Hell!!! The Christian, Bible-based metal band from Lewisville, Texas has no qualms about their beliefs and what they are about and when they play they will certainly rock the Hell out of you! When you attend a Spittin� Jonah show you will be pleasantly surprised at what you hear and the quality of the workmanship and what they bring to the masses. You will find no preaching, no judgment, and no arrogance on the part of this band. They simply live their lives according to what they believe, walk the walk and talk the talk. You will find melody, good strong lyrical content that will provoke you to think, ear busting guitar by Matt Eaton, raw powerful vocals by Billy �The Ripper�, and bringing this band together James Young on bass, and Mike Rich on drums. You will also find something in this band that is missing these days in a lot of bands: friendship! They hang around and talk with people before their shows and after and they stay and support the bands before and after they play. These guys are the real deal folks! Nicer guys you will not find! Make sure you check out their web site and get your hands on a copy of Louder Than Hell.

Formed in 1996 this Dallas-FW based band hit the scene like a bat out of hell! They bring you ass-kicking original songs with melodic rhythms, and great song lyrics. Their guitarist Russell Contreras has many great musical influences such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Dokken, and Dio, which can be heard in their lyrics, rhythms, melodies, and music. The band has had several local musical accomplishments and has opened for national acts such as Firehouse, Skid Row, Lillian Axe, Samantha 7, Union, Omen, and Faster Pussy Cat. And they were also voted Best Unmodern Rock Band of 2000. The members of TYR are: Russell Contreras-guitar, Johnny South-vocalist, Glenn Malicki-bass, Rick Fulton-keyboards, and Wayne Stokley-drums. I have had the honor to see this band perform a number of times and can honestly say that I�ve never been disappointed in one of their performances. They even played, at my begging and insistence, my birthday three years ago at The Lone Star Country Club in Coppell, Texas. Be sure to check out their web site for their cd Illusion. It will definitely rock you!

Menace To Sobriety 3 at The Red Blood Club in Deep Ellum

Starting off the nights festivities was A Jury of Robots. I always enjoy coming and seeing these guys play, Make sure you keep checking their web site www.ajuryofrobots.com for their new cd Subsonic Godlike Devils. It's gonna be awesome ya'll!

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Next up was Mineral Wells based band Levity. They had the look and the sound that I love. Hair flyin, crunchy guitars, great vocals, and pounding drums and bass. I would definitely recommend catching these guys the next time that they're in town. Check out their web site for more info at www.levityweb.com

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Bringing this night together was the boys from WAJA! Just a great bunch of guys. I have really dug getting to know these guys and hang with them on several occasions. Check out their site at www.wajamusic.com

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This was a cool night to hang out, listen to great music, throw down some brewskies, and have a great time. Like to say 'thank you' to The Red Blood Club for their hospitality!

After two long months off it was great to see and hear ASKA. They played one of the new songs off their much anticipated and up coming cd's called Legion. If this one song is any indication of the quality of the new cd the fans will be in for a treat. I would also like to say 'thanks' to the guys for playing my absolute favorite song Heaven and Hell/Neon Nights.

This was my second time to see Muthalode and I must say I was disappointed in the turn out and support of these guys. The boys from ASKA and a few patrons are the only ones that went up to the stage to encourage these musicians. They played some awesome KISS tunes which is always #1 in my book.

I was so very glad to see my good friends in Gashlycrumb again after such a long time! It was great to see them in action again and doing what they do so well and what I always enjoy when I see them live, a great performance! Knowing that I'm such a fan of Jim Morrison they played Five To One and Landon (Vocalist) really does the song justice! They also played the great Iron Maiden tune Hallowed Be Thy Name, among other songs. Great to see ya'll again! Don't make us wait so long next time!

It was also good to see my new friends from Earful again. They gave an energetic performance and they exude raw, young energy that the people seem to dig. Keep up the good work guys!

This was my first time to see the band LaME and even though it's not really the kind of music I'm into they brought a crowd full of people that were. Their stage presence and motivation they put into their show was addicting. The people really seemed to enjoy their performance. Much continued success to the guys in LaME!

This was a very cool night for me! Okay I know this is going to sound corny but I was star-struck! This was the first time I�d seen a �big star� like David Lee Roth up close and that personal. It was to say the least a great opportunity for me and I had a blast. David Lee Roth is the consummate front man! He still had the moves and the voice. And let me tell ya he didn�t let his age stop him from hitting on the hot babes in the front row! Since this is a family program I�ll refrain from the Kellogg�s Corn Flakes lines he was handing out but the lady enjoyed it quite a bit. He then proceeded to ask her if she�d like a drink with him. Of course she said yes. Well Mr. Roth shakes up his bottle of Jack Daniels like an impudent rapscallion and drenches her and me! I smelled like I�d taken a bath in a whiskey bottle! But I got some great pictures! I was not disappointed in the music they chose to play either. It truly was like being at a Van Halen show without Van Halen! He wasn�t above making digs towards the other guys from VH that they had died in a fiery bus crash and he was all that was left. I can�t really say that I blame him for being the least bit bitter but the coin does have two sides. They played favorites like Eruption, Runnin With The Devil, Hot For Teacher, Mean Street, And The Cradle Will Rock, Unchained, Just A Gigolo, You Really Got Me, and California Girls (Beach Boys). I guess no matter what happens people will always be fans of David Lee Roth. The place was almost completely full. I would also like to mention how wonderful the staff was and Mr. Roth�s PR person Lane was a big help to me also.

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If you missed last night's show you really missed a treat! The premier KISS tribute band Destroyer was at The Underworld promoting the sale of the new KISS Alive IV cd called Symphony. Besides being in full make up and costumes I was really impressed with the way these guys had the moves and the sound down to a 'T'! It was the next best thing to being at a KISS show. This is what I remember of the set list: Beth, Love Gun, Rock N Roll All Nite, Lick It Up, Calling Dr. Love, Do You Love Me, Cold Gin, Detroit Rock City, Black Diamond, God of Thunder, and Strutter as the encore. Awesome show guys! Also had some of the areas great local bands at the show! Kevin White (Temper), Sean Hall (A Jury of Robots), Steve (RivetHead), and Daryl Norton, Keith Knight, and Danny White (ASKA). Great to see you guys!

Skid Row came ready to kick ass! With new vocalist Johnny Solinger (Solinger), Dave �Snake� Sabo and Scotti Hill on guitars, Phil Varone on drums, and Rachel Bolan on bass they played most of my favorite songs and played them well. Although I must admit I missed the sexy grinding voice of Sebastian Bach new vocalist Solinger did a great job on the songs. The fact that he�s a Texas boy didn�t hurt either! Despite the heat the place was packed and everyone was having a good time. The new Skid Row cd, ThickSkin, is slated to be released on August 5^th of 2003. They gave the audience a taste of the new cd by playing a new song off it called New Generation. The fact that Solinger mentioned the new cd several times tells me that they are wanting as much support as they can get so go buy it! They played Monkey Business, Youth Gone Wild, 18 & Life, I Remember You, Slave To The Grind, and Psycho Therapy.

Up next was Vince Neil. After seeing Motley Crue, the original line-up it was hard for me. It was like being at a Motley concert and that�s not a bad thing considering I�m a big fan of The Crue! And after reading their biography called The Dirt the fact that these guys are still being able to get up and rock and roll says a lot. Vince still sounded like Vince. They played one song from his Exposed cd, which I don�t think very many people, knew the song but it was okay. Here�s the MC song list that they played: Shout At The Devil, Girls Girls Girls, Wild Side, Live Wire, Dr. Feelgood, and Looks That Kill. I guess I should just keep holding my breath for a reunion tour?

The real show of the night was Poison. And as always they don�t disappoint on their show, their songs, the type of commitment that they give to the fans, and presentation. They had an awesome pyro show. It was all timed perfectly and the show went off without a hitch. The most moving part of the show was when Brett Michaels sang I Won�t Forget You to his friend Dave Williams of Drowning Pool. Later on in the show they brought up Vinnie Paul (Pantera) and CJ from Drowning Pool and did a KISS cover tune Rock N Roll All Nite. Lots of confetti rained down on the crowd and of course everyone broke out their lighters on great songs like Every Rose Has It�s Thorn. They rocked the entire night with songs like Talk Dirty To Me, Nothin� But A Good Time, Fallen Angel, and Ride The Wind. CC DeVille also played I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine off of their Power To The People album. I definitely will be going back to see Poison anytime they come to Dallas again.

Well I had a double treat last night when I got to see WAJA and Rex Mundi again. I would like to thank the guys in each band for their kind words and their support of what I�m trying to do for the local scene. Would also like to say thank you to Phil in Rex Mundi for the shirt that I was able to wear last night to the show. The shows were awesome, great crowd was there, and everyone was looking forward to a great time, great music, and hanging out with friends. A Jury of Robots was in the house and there were lots of body shots going on and everyone was having a good time. I was really looking forward to the headlining act of the night Near Life Experience. I had seen this band the first time back in early May of this year and just recently had the opportunity to interview their front man/vocalist/lead guitarist Steve Blaze. Blaze is also in the band Lillian Axe and several other projects as well. This is a very busy man and he had no problems taking the time to sit down and do an interview with me.The NLE new cd is called Day Of Silver Sun and it rocks. Blaze put heart and soul and all the effort someone could put into what they love and together with the rest of the band they make the cd something that reaches you, touches you, makes you rock out, and makes you think. (click on the band name below for the pixs)

Wow what a night out at T&A Rockz! First of all to those that were familiar with The Sawmill this is now T&A Rockz. I had the privilege of meeting the owner last night and besides being very nice he was very interested in what I thought about the club, honestly. Okay here goes�despite the fact its way out in bfe I like the club. It�s got a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and a GREAT soundman!!! Even though it was loud it was not so loud that you couldn�t talk to the person next to you. I thought the line up of bands was just the right element for a great night of partying. And I must say I enjoyed the coaster fight towards the end of Rex Mundi�s set! Okay on to the night�s festivities!

First up was WAJA! I had been emailing their vocalist Eric and we were discussing how important it is that when you go out there and play that you are having fun and that your fans are having fun. Because let�s face it folks if you�re not having fun they�re not gonna have fun and what�s the point after that? I really enjoyed this band. The guys were sweethearts! Oh I know I said they were sweet but it�s the truth! They played an awesome version of Tom Sawyer (Rush) and a really cool song by the name of Thank You. I am definitely looking forward to seeing them again tonight at The Underworld!

Second my favorite band, A Jury of Robots. I have had the opportunity to see these guys multiple times, interview their singer/guitar player Sean Hall, and hang out with them before and after shows. These guys are a lot of fun and they know how to bring it home. Last night was the best set I have seen these guys perform. The played well over an hour and I just couldn�t get over the power and passion of the set. My fav song this time around was These Are My Brothers. They rocked it to the top! And they played another AJOR original Burning Up Both Sides. They are also currently working on their new cd entitled Subsonic Godlike Devils. It's gonna be awesome ya'll! These guys can expect me at their shows anytime with all the support, friendship, and whatever else they need from me! Right On Cats!