Archive for Chicago

Review: Stolen Babies @ Chicago House of Blues 1/28/2014

Posted in All Metal, Artist Watch, New Music, News, Photos, Reviews, Shows with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 7, 2014 by Randy

Circulating on rock radio right now is a very intriguing band that goes by the name of Stolen Babies. Their sound is very reminiscent of early Industrial Metal, mixed with a strong Shock Rock influence. Sprinkle a little accordion in there, maybe some 55 gallon drum, then choose either a guitar or bass (never both at the same time), and wa-lah.

Stolen Babies are currently embarked on tour with two power house bands in rock (Stone Sour and Pop Evil), and most dates on this tour have been sold out. We were fortunate to cover the Chicago House of Blues stop, and honestly, we were mind blown. They are the opener for this tour, and with only 3 bands on the bill, they had ample time to melt faces. From the first note, to the last riff, they managed to strangle hold the crowd. Regardless if they’ve never been heard, their arsenal of songs is a crowd mover…exploding with an instant pit, full of elbows and crowd surfers.

The band consists of Dominique Lenore Persi (vocals), Rani Sharone (bassist and guitarist) and Gil Sharone on drums. One interesting thing about the band and their sound is Dominique…and she isn’t just a vocalist. On certain songs she beats away at that 55 gallon barrel hanging from what appears to be an engine hoist, giving a slight percussion that you’d expect to hear in bands like Slipknot and Mushroom Head. But, there’s more: the unique sound doesn’t stop there because she also plays an accordion… YES, AN ACCORDION! This throws a completely different aspect into this band’s sound that has already separated them from traditional rock/metal bands. To say the least, these guys are a true experimental rock band and have certainly found their niche in an industry constantly looking for new sounds.

-Pop Evil highlights included Leigh Kakat coming out and climbing on the crowd to sing
-Stone Sour’s Corey Taylor played Alice in Chains’ “Nutshell” solo, and also the first 2/3 of “Through Glass” before the band erupted
-Within each set, there were some sound issues

Only a few more dates remain on this tour…check them out below. If you aren’t able to make it to a show, definitely get on your computer and check out Stolen Babis online and hear their fascinating sound for yourself.

-Randy Hall and Logan Rendulic © The Rock Tribune, 2014

Feb 6  Thu   Anaheim, CA
Feb 8  Sat     Las Vegas, NV
Feb 9  Sun    Tempe, AZ
Feb 11 Tue   El Paso, TX
Feb 13 Thu  Dallas, TX
Feb 14 Fri    Houston, TX
Feb 15 Sat   San Antonio, TX

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Stolen Babies

Stolen Babies, a set by logan.rocktribune on Flickr.

 

VICTORY RECORDS Top 10 Videos Of 2013 [Video]

Posted in All Metal, Artist Watch, New Music, News, Releases, Videos with tags , , , , , , , on December 19, 2013 by Randy

http://www.victoryrecords.com

Heritage Hunter Tour Review: Live from Pittsburgh

Posted in All Metal, News, Reviews with tags , , , , , , , , on April 23, 2012 by Randy

When the Heritage Hunter Tour kicked off on April 4th, Mastodon and Opeth knew that pulling off 29 shows in 38 days was going to be a grueling ride.  With most of the North American tour consisting of stops in the United States, it also includes two different stints in Canada.  Both bands are veterans of the game, making them quite capable of pulling off an unforgettable experience for fans of all ages…any tour…large or small.

Of the two headlining acts, Opeth opened the Pittsburgh show with some of the most technical progressive metal heard around the world.  Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, these guys are one of the best at what they do and seeing it live makes you appreciate their work even more.  With tracks like Window Pane and Deliverance, they certainly have the tunes to keep a house on their feet for an entire hour plus set.  From start to finish they pour out everything they have and leave it all on the stage, leaving the entire crowd begging for more by night’s end.  Opeth is certainly a must see for any American metal head…but watch closely, because an elaborate North American tour isn’t something that occurs all that often.

With Mastodon headlining, the show would be one to remember.  Ripping through cuts Sleeping Giants and Spectrelight, they kept the crowd’s attention for the entire night like an ADHD gamer playing the latest HALO.  Granted there was some disconnect with the fans, the band was strictly business on stage.  The entire set was treated like it was their last, showcasing their passion and energy.  It was a display of pure American sludge/progressive metal, that everyone who’s ever listened to metal can appreciate and enjoy.  Bottom line, Heritage Hunter Tour is a must see.

www.opeth.com

www.mastodonrocks.com

Logan Rendulic/Randy Hall of The Rock Tribune

 

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS :::: Chicago, IL December 9th – 10th

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on November 10, 2011 by Randy

Melbourne, FL –  Florida based non-profit To Write Love on Her Arms will be holding its MOVE Community Conference in Chicago, IL from December 9th-10th. MOVE Community Conference is a two-day in-depth, engaging workshop held in an effort to begin conversations about issues that are often left in the dark (depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide).

The goal of the conference is to battle stigma and shame with honesty and compassion. Licensed professional counselors lead a discussion in exploration of what is behind these struggles, what drives them, what recovery looks like, and how people can make a difference.

MOVE is for people looking for a way to engage others in conversations about topics that are serious issues in our society. The conference stems from the idea that uniting resources helps connect people from places of pain to places of hope and healing. MOVE is for teachers, students, mentors, parents, friends, pastors and professionals — whether they are new to these topics entirely or have worked in a clinical setting for years.

MOVE Community Conferences began in 2009 as a way of equipping people to engage in a healthy dialogue about the topics TWLOHA deals with on a daily basis: depression, anxiety, addiction, self-injury, suicide, brokenness, hope and community. Since TWLOHA’s inception in 2006, they have functioned as a bridge to those hurting online, alone and unsure of where to go for help. The conferences are a continuation of the conversations held online, at events, and during TWLOHA’s speaking engagements.

For more information and an application regarding MOVE Chicago, please email move@twloha.com.

Applications are due by November 28th.

For more information on MOVE, please go to: www.twloha.com/move/move-conference/

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