Psycho Las Vegas 2017: Live At the Hard Rock Hotel And Casino, Las Vegas


Before you sink your teeth into this, let me make a quick disclaimer for those of you looking for a standard review. This ain’t it. If you want to read, ad nauseam, about each band that played, who was good, who wasn’t, what songs they played or how many bands are “female fronted,” have female members or where any of these bands are from I can guarantee you a quick internet search will get you your fix somewhere. If you are looking for someone to tell you what any of the bands sound like, look like or act like then here is a novel idea, buy their music, go to a show and form an opinion for yourself. No offense intended to anyone writing something like that or looking for that kind of thing but you won’t find it here because I don’t feel like writing something everyone else has or will. (Offense intended to anyone still finding some ridiculous need to write or read about bands being “female fronted.” Fuck off.)

Oh, also there will be naughty words.Continue reading


Maryland Deathfest 2017 Part II, Baltimore, Maryland


Hitting the halfway point of Maryland Deathfest is usually a milestone that no one really notices and those who do will actually not speak of it. No one wants to think the weekend is going to end nor that the end is already halfway here. Instead, hangovers are nursed, more questionable food is consumed, and everyone marches back to Rams Head Live and Baltimore Soundstage for another day of partying. Fortunately for myself and my party of friends, we know how to party but dodge the hangovers. So, we made sure to be on time for Soundstage opening up with the first band playing slightly before four in the afternoon. That included polishing off a bottle of vodka left behind by the previous renters of the Air BnB. Thank you to those unnamed heroes! Continue reading


Vans Warped Tour 2017: Phoenix, Arizona


Hawthone Heights, by Originate Designs Photography

The Vans Warped Tour. Twenty-Three years of a traveling road show that showcases a plethora of bands. Some people thumb their nose up as it being full of emo wannabes or full of bands no one has heard before. But those people ignore the fact that this is an institution. Twenty-three successive years of promoting hundreds of bands on a full summer tour. It’s pretty much the longest most successful American festival; it rivals the festivals in Europe. Continue reading


River City Rockfest – AT & T Center, San Antonio, TX


A blazing hot day in the Texas sun could not dampen the enthusiasm for the Bud Light sponsorded River City Rockfest, in late May. The fans came out heat or no heat to heat to the AT & T Center in San Antonio to rock out. Keeping hydrated and covered was priority number one, but the fun was was never out of of sight. Twenty-two bands played on 4 stages throughout the day and 27,950 fans attneded – the largest crowd in the five-year history of the fest. Continue reading


Blackest Of The Black Festival – Silverado, California


As the earth shook and the ground parted, so did the gates to another world open, spewing forth demons of the Blackest of the Black. Bands, fans, vendors and the occasional celebrity descended upon Oak Canyon Park—a quaint little camping spot nestled in the hills of Silverado, California—for the Blackest of the Black Festival. This gathering of the depraved and debauched was the brainchild of none other than Jersey native and trailblazer of horror punk and doom-goth-metal, Glenn Danzig. Opening day of the festival coincided with the release of Danzig’s new album, Black Laden Crown (Nuclear Blast Records), his follow-up to 2015’s Skeletons. Continue reading


Maryland Deathfest 2017: Part I – Baltimore Maryland


Memorial Day weekend in the United States is a time to remember our veterans who have served in the country’s military and most will commemorate such an occasion with cookouts. In Baltimore, Maryland, the partying starts a few days before the weekend but the celebration is about extreme music. This weekend is known to the fans as simply, MDF, or in full, Maryland Deathfest. Doom metal, black metal, grindcore, punk, and of course, death metal, take over multiple venues in the Inner Harbor area of the city all weekend long as the streets run black with hideous, graphic band t-shirts. For me, this is my sophomore year of the festival and could not be more excited to return.Continue reading


New England Metal And Hardcore Festival 19, At The Worcester Palladium


The long running New England Metal And Hardcore Festival held its 19th annual event recently and the lineup was excellent. As usual, fans came from all of New England and even further reaches of musicdom to hangout and rock at the grand old lady of music venues in Massachusetts, The Worcester Palladium in Worcester, MA. Hillarie Jason covered the festival once again for Ghost Cult and shot the awesome pictures for this piece! Continue reading


Welcome To Rockville 2017: Metropolitan Park


Under the sweltering Florida sun, some of the nation’s hottest rock bands graced Jacksonville’s Metropolitan Park. Welcome To Rockville was back for its last year at these grounds, and attendees lined around the block to get in. Featuring budding acts I Prevail, The Charm the Fury, and my new favorite Starset. Continue reading


98KUPD’s BRUFEST: At Fear Farm Festival Grounds in Phoenix


The Offspring, by Isabel Uzcategui

Billed as rocking fun in the Arizona sun, 98KUPD’s BRUFEST presents Sabroso: Craft Beer, Taco & Music Festival powered by Gringo Bandito took place last month at Fear Farm Festival Grounds in Phoenix. Brew Ha Ha Productions and premier music festival production company Synergy Global Entertainment (SGE) partnered with long-running 98KUPD’s UFest for the spiritual successor to that legendary party-vibe, spring festival. With great bands, tacos, Luche Libre wrestling, and of course craft beer tastings. A good time was had by all. A killer lineup of bands led the music action, including The Offspring, Pennywise, Atreyu, All That Remains, Hell or Highwater, and Through Fire. Isabel Uzcategui (Originate Designs/IPO Radio) covered the fest for Ghost Cult. Continue reading


Musink 2017: Live At OC Fairgrounds And Convention Center


 

Travis Barker and his hooligans descended once again upon Orange County for the tenth annual Musink Festival. Held at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California, Musink hosted a slew of talented tattooers, rad rods, delicious food, thirst-quenching beer (Always got to have beer, right?), and awesome music.Continue reading