Show Preview: The Red Hot Chili Peppers – at The Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – August 11 & 12, 2012
July 17, 2012
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band recognized by folks everywhere and across different genres, not always liked by some for varying reasons but respected by all. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been performing in the Los Angeles music scene for close to 30 years now and though the band has matured over the years artistically and in life they (more than most) welcome Los Angeles with open arms every time.
August 11th and 12th 2012, The Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles host the bands return after a short (2 week) trip across Eastern Europe then back on the road to Europe once again, the middle east and ending the year back in North America. The weekend set one month from now has (as you can imagine) sold out. The newly inducted members of the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame will be performing to a packed Staples Center arena crawling with fans of all ages and even some with their children in hand, Some old enough to remember the trials and heartache the band encountered along the way From dealing with the loss of early band mates and the struggles of heroin and drug abuse to the downfalls of fame and success. These obstacles and eventual triumphs have in a large way molded a very deep and eclectic catalog backed by many influences most notably their early Punk and funk sound. The Red Hot Chili Peppers music seems to resonate across all ages and walks of life, relatable to anyone who hears it. Although the days of tighty whitey’s, tube socks (and in some cases just tube socks) and unchecked energy and aggression are a thing of the past the band has grown and now posses a far more cherished quality, Experience.
Songs sung hundreds upon thousands of times in every corner of the world to crowds of all sizes still carry the same weight as the first time they were written, Performed with an intent and youthful seriousness that seems to have been lost on future generations of bands to follow. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have span the spectrum of pop culture being featured in everything from movies to cartoons over the years, From portraying bad ass vigilantes with a bitchin monster truck in the 1994 movie “The Chase” (also starring Charlie Sheen and the very boss Henry Rollins) to appearing and guest speaking on The Simpsons spawning the classic line still yelled at concerts today “We Want Chili Willy” made famous by notorious bar fly Barney Gumble. The Weekend set August 11th and 12th will stand as example once again, how determination and perseverance can overcome any obstacle in life and in music. Artists like the Red Hot Chili Peppers still represent to this day L.A, youth and the idea of love and questioning conformity, maybe not with white underwear and Mohawks anymore but the principals remain the same. Los Angeles will lovingly welcome them once again as she should.
-Gio Van Dam-
Big Wheel Staff Journalist
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Screeching Weasel – The Queers – and Toys That Kill – at The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
July 15, 2012
A collision of Pop Punk and Hardcore fans made their way to the Fonda Theatre last night for a raging performance by headliner Screeching Weasel along with legendary act The Queers and Toys That Kill.
A line formed outside of the venue just before 7 p.m., when doors were opened.
Rockers with sleeveless jackets, Mohawks and tattoos filtered through security and entered into a theater with immaculate architectural design. Just like many shows at The Fonda, classic art met Punk Rock with a stage set up for a furious show and the surreal painting of bodies interlaced with musical instruments on the walls.
The curtains were drawn as Toys That Kill took the stage with much anticipation from the crowd. The San Pedro-based Punk rock band formed from previous group F.Y.P. that split in 1999. They have toured Japan, Europe and numerous cities in the U.S. bringing their own flavor to new and diehard fans of their previous band. The member’s Pop-Punk leanings secured the attention of the audience. With its enormous potential, Toys That Kill will undoubtedly continue to perform with musical mastery and make the bill as a must-see.
After each performance the curtains would close and the crowd would dissipate for a momentary intermission that allowed enough time to grab a beer from the bar. Merchandise tables were set up in the entryway of the theater where fans were gathered and had the chance to meet some of the band members after their sets would conclude. The down-to-Earth element of Punk shows seem to work in the favor of fans as often times band members walk among the crowd as if to say, “There’s no difference between the two of us.” That sentiment makes the culture a safe-haven for all of the rebels and outcasts of society – the people that want to lose themselves and bash the night away in a mosh-pit; sweat pouring from their bodies.
The Queers put on a lively performance and were undoubtedly a crowd favorite. Fists raised into the air as they ripped through tracks like “Fuck the World”, “Like a Parasite", and cover The Angry Samoans' "My Old Mans A Fatso". The crowd was singing (or yelling) along to “I Only Drink Bud” with a cup in their hands. Lead vocalist Joe King a.k.a. Joe Queer announced that they would have a couple of special guests, Rikki Styxx of Alice Bag who played drums for Punk Rock Girl and then later Richie Ramone of The Ramones for a couple songs.
The Queers strummed through three tracks with Richie and played songs like “Sheena is a Punk Rocker” and the surf-Punk tune “Rockaway Beach.” Richie proved that he still had the magic touch after all these years. Pounding away with precision, his beats were solid and created a surreal experience for fans of The Ramones.
The Queers instrumental contributions were fast-paced and as in-your-face as it gets with simple chords progressions that said it all. A fan was wearing a leather jacket that had The Ramones and The Beach Boys embroidered in bold text on the back. The combination of the two would describe The Queers sound accurately; its sing-a-long, Punk Rock ‘n’ roll.
Enjoy this video overview of the show you missed
Chicago’s Screeching Weasel was next on stage and by this time the crowd was warmed up and ready for their performance. Formed in 1986 the band has endured line-up changes and break-ups, but they have weathered the worst and survived. Ben Foster, who’s stage name is Ben Weasel, has been there from the beginning.
Foster was the founding member of the band which came about after he went to a Ramones concert. Their Ramones influence was apparent along with Pop-oriented lyricism that was present throughout. Their set was relentless and charged with energy. They spat out songs like "Ding Bat", “Hey Suburbia” and “My Right” as the audience flooded to the front to get the best view.
With all of the aggression let loose Sunday night, there was a slight danger for those situated around the edges of the general admission floor space. It’s a risk that you take and after being slammed into and drenched in beer (while wearing my brand new t-shirt) a lesson was learned. Surprisingly, there were quite a few females in attendance that made us proud by braving it with the boys and throwing themselves into a mix of flailing arms and muscular torsos. Toward the end of their set the band walked offstage unannounced, but everyone knew what was next.
People were stomping rapidly on the floor as they demanded an encore. The audience chanted “weasel, weasel, weasel” in unison. The band acknowledged this and played an encore that last well-over 15 minutes.
The end had come to another Punk Rock celebration, but it will surely not be the last for Screeching Weasel.
More photos of the show can be seen HERE
-Breanna Fields-
Big Wheel Contributor
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The Stitched Lips – Apparitions – and The Black Mambas – at the Bleed For Rock N Roll House Party – Los Angeles, CA
July 14, 2012
Last weekend LA was buzzing with tons of things to do. X played at The Hollywood Park, many rode the Metro to catch Berlin actually perform The Metro, The Objex made their presence known at The Redwood, The Queers joined Screeching Weasel at The Fonda, Moby performed at The Annenburg for the "Who Shot Rock & Roll" exhibit,
people blazed to Ziggy Marley at the Hollywood Bowl, and that was just a few in huge list of shows to choose from. For many in the LA area, deciding what to do with their weekend became an overwhelming 1st world problem.
I had no doubt what my Saturday would consist of as soon as I received a Facebook invite to the "Bleed For Rock N Roll" party that would be taking place in the Bell Gardens neighborhood of Los Angeles. The Stitched Lips would be headlining a special one time gig after a full year hiatus, that would unfortunately be their last show for a while (considering singer Ricky Guzman is being stationed in Japan for the next 3 years with the U.S. Navy). Donations were being given in return for their never released 5 song EP "Bleed For Rock N Roll", that they recorded at The Laundry Room Recording Studio back in 2010. This off the radar, DIY house party would be packed with great talent including performances by Apparitions, and The Black Mambas as well.
Being that this was an "invite only" party, there was decent vibe as you made your way into the lot that housed a couple hundred of the band's closest friends and family members. The Black Mambas played first, getting the crowd revved with their up tempo Punk infused 50’s Rock N Roll sound.
Front-man Michael Price never disappoints as his spastic, energetic stage performance is met with unrefined, raw vocals and complimented with a stellar group of young musicians backing him up. (Eric Martinez, just so happens to be the bass player for The Stitched Lips as well). Amongst many songs, they played "Jumpin' Judy", "Baby I'll Give It To You", and my personal favorite and undoubtedly the most Punk tune they have, "Charlie(are you living fast?)".
Apparitions were up next. They had a surfy So Cal Punk vibe that captivated your senses throughout out their set leaving you wanting more. With members of "Dirty Eyes" it was no surprise that these guys kicked ass!
The night wore on with no sign of the police as The Stitched Lips started preparing for their set. Guzman fittingly sported a white sailor hat and pants with a Vibrators T-shirt. The crowd was visibly drunker and it was clear that the moment everyone had gathered for was upon us.
The Stitched Lips wasted no time getting into their groove. The crowd responded by moving in closer as friends interlocked arms started to dance and eventually form a small pit in front of the stage(which was really just a drive way). Energy was high as they covered Iggy and The Stooges' "Sick Of You" . They Also performed original material such as "Outta The Way", "Reaper's Laugh", and "Runnin' Outta Luck".
The Stitched Lips performance was reminiscent of the late 70's bridge between Classic Rock and the early Punk sound that bands like The Misfits, Iggy Pop, and The Ramones paved the way with. However with that being said, they made it their own and maintained a refreshing originality.
Around 11:45 as The Stitched Lips were nearing the end of the set with their song and title of their EP "Bleed For Rock N Roll" when the ghetto birds started flying over head. Just before the last chord of the song, the cops showed up to shut it down.
No one seemed too concerned with the LAPD presence as the home owner announced through the mic that it was time to go and started ushering people to the exits. The crowd cleared, revealing broken glass, beer cans, and cigarettes butts all over the pavement. The party was a success with no fights or arrests and all three bands were able to power through their entire sets with out interruption.
It's a shame we won't be seeing more of The Stitched Lips in the near future. However until then we still have plenty of opportunities for great shows coming up with The Black Mambas and Apparitions. Not to mention all who were lucky enough to make it to the party will have the memories from that night to hold onto forever.
The Black Mambas will be playing the Juke Joint in Anaheim on Friday July 27th. If you haven't had a chance to check them out, do yourself a favor and see what all the hypes about.
More photos of the show can be seen HERE
-J.Moncrief-
Big Wheel Journalist
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The Objex with Lightin Woodcock and the Bad Motherfuckers – at The Redwood – Los Angeles, Ca
July 13, 2012
Lightnin’ Woodcock (and the Bad Mother Fuckers) are marketed as Punk rockers with the blues. I am sure there are those out there who are skeptical of how one can merge the raw and abrupt tones of Punk music with something as soulful as a blues ballad. In fact, I am one of those people.
To me, the band is much more rock plays the blues with a punk minded and mannered front man. There were less power chords and more Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar solos. Although I’m much more of a fast paced punk music kind of lady, Woodcock grabbed and held my attention as he flawlessly played a guitar solo with his tongue during a song entitled “Ride My Face To Chicago”. You could literally watch the women in the crowded bar swoon. There is no denying Lightnin’ Woodcock’s musical talent and verbal wit. Even though they started their set with my skepticism, they won me over in the end.
If the headliners of the night, The Objex, are Punk Rock then what the fuck have we been doing with ourselves Los Angeles? We’re seriously lagging. It has been years since I have seen a front woman (or man for that matter) with the dynamism, the power, the ability to entrance that crowd that Felony Melony has.
Sporting a foot tall multi-colored mohawk and a pair of the best tits the greater LA area has seen, she spun and kicked her way across the small Redwood stage and into the audience. She got in the faces of everyone in the first three rows, smeared red lipstick all over her face, and made out with at least two crowd members.
Musically, The Objex evoke that death Punk sound patented by Turbo Negro. Mixed with Melony’s snarling yet feminine voice, they are undeniable. In fact, songs like “Lethal Lips”, “Social Disease”, and “RSVP” are downright catchy. And Big Wheel’s own Jessica Moncrief even got the song “Squeeze” dedicated to her. When the set ended, you could almost feel the energy of such an amazing show vanish as the lights came up. Once you’ve witnessed them live, it is no surprise that The Objex won the Vegas Rocks award for Best Punk Rock Band in 2010.
Catch the next Lightnin’ Woodcock show at Bloomfest LA on July 21st. The Objex are back in Vegas for now. But keep your eyes open for them. They are not a band to be missed.
More photos of the show can be seen HERE
-Kendra Sheetz-
Big Wheel Contributor
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X – at Hollywood Park – Inglewood, CA
July 13, 2012
In a perfect world more shows (especially outdoor gigs) would be like last nights X concert that took place at the massively sized Hollywood Park race track. For starters it occurred after the sun went to sleep for the night, thus the weather being absolutely perfect; we all know night time is the right time. If things weren’t already looking up, tickets were only $10.00 before 8:30 pm which is one hell of a deal, this is way affordable!
Plus at what other Punk shows are you given the opportunity to win big (or lose) money on horse races just before a band takes stage? Probably not any others, which once again places Los Angeles at the forefront of cities to live and catch live music, what a culturally unique city, in oh so many ways..
As previously mentioned X took the stage directly after the last race of the night to a crowd of at least 5,000 fans (maybe slightly more) who packed the north lawn area. The scene resembled something out of a Woodstock documentary, beyond huge! It was then that the foursome kicked right into Your Phones Off the Hook, But You’re Not, a classic off their debut album. It only took a few verses into their set before massive circle pits opened up throughout the crowd. Unfortunately there was a fight up front during the second song of the night; Sex and Dying in High Society, though sanity quickly resumed after the band demanded the aggro bunch to put their petty bullshit aside.
As previously mentioned X took the stage directly after the last race of the night to a crowd of at least 5,000 fans (maybe slightly more) who packed the north lawn area. The scene resembled something out of a Woodstock documentary, beyond huge! It was then that the foursome kicked right into Your Phones Off the Hook, But You’re Not, a classic off their debut album. It only took a few verses into their set before massive circle pits opened up throughout the crowd. Unfortunately there was a fight up front during the second song of the night; Sex and Dying in High Society, though sanity quickly resumed after the band demanded the aggro bunch to put their petty bullshit
X then return for an encore and own the stage as the masses devour every last note the band has for the loyal late night crowd. They close up their set with Devil Doll and close out the summer concert series at Hollywood Park like the champions they are. The crowd made up of both first generation LA punks and young new comers scatter into the parking lot leaving the show with a sense of real enjoyment that comes after such moving music in a live format, it’s power and X sparks the electricity in a way of their own.
The show was one for the ages as its probably the largest X headline show to take place in a long time and an unforgettable one at that, if you were there then you know what we mean, if you weren’t, well now you know.
Set list: Your Phones Off the Hook But You’re Not - Sex and Dying in High Society - Some Other Time - White Girl - Breathless - In This House That I Call Home - The World’s a Mess, It’s In My Kiss - Los Angeles - Beyond and Back - We’re Desperate - The Unheard Music - The Hungry Wolf - Year 1 - The Once Never Twice - The New World - Sugar light - True Love - Who You Know - Nausea - Motel Room In My Bed - Johnny Hit and Run Paulene - Soul Kitchen - I’m Coming Over - Poor Girl - Because I Do - Devil Doll.
-Louie Bones-
Big Wheel Staff Journalist
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Merrell Fankhauser’s Tiki Lounge Set Vol 1 & 2
July 12, 2012
Surf rock legend Merrell Fankhauser is one hell of a guitarist and if you ever doubted that you will now think otherwise after having viewed any of his new DVD releases brought to you by Gonzo Multimedia. In these releases we see Merrell Fankhausers TV show performances of years prior along with interviews that range from over forty years ago to present time.
There is even an episode dedicated to UFO’s and the infamous Area 51 base in the Nevada desert.
I may not know much about surf rock, but I certainly respect where it came from and where it’s going and I owe a bit of that to the word of Merrell Fankhauser and this set of DVD’s that have opened my eyes to his works as well as his contemporaries here on the Tiki Lounge set.
If you are into this brand of rock, then surfs up because you will definitely love this release.
-Louie Bones-
Big Wheel Staff Journalist
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