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REVIEW: Annual Punk in Drublic Festival Storms Into Bell Bank Park (03-19-22)

March 23, 2022 Ryan Novak 1 Comment

Mesa, AZ — The annual Punk in Drublic Festival, held this past Saturday at Mesa’s brand new Bell Bank Park, is built around two things: craft beer and punk rock. This year’s lineup, anchored as always by festival founder Fat Mike’s band NOFX, also featured Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, The Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, Authority Zero, The Last Gang, The Venomous Pinks, and WinterHaven. It was a lineup that covered several generations of punk and just as many styles.

When the gates opened at 11 a.m., with WinterHaven not going on to open the festival until 1 p.m., the other opener took front stage and center: craft beer, and plenty of it. With breweries from all over Arizona giving out free samples to the 21+ crowd in the free Punk in Drublic souvenir sample cups, cans and kegs were emptied on a consistent basis from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

What makes a punk festival so different from other all-day festivals is that punks, regardless of era or style, are accepting of everyone who enters the sanctum of punk, as a place of brotherhood and sisterhood for all. Names are never needed, as the t-shirt you wore is enough to identify you. “Hey yo, Black Flag, try that Hazy IPA they got! It’s my favorite!” was shouted at me as I approached one of the many tents. The same guy followed up with me later to get my thoughts.

There’s an inspiring sense of community and fun, like we’re all on the same team, whether we’re toasting a craft brew or slamming into each other in a circle pit. If this day were a musical, it would almost be expected that at any moment the crowd would break out into a punk rock rendition of “Gaston,” sloshing frothy beers from those mini Punk in Drublic sampler cups to and fro in the spirit of a hardy sing-along.

WinterHaven

Opening the show was Flagstaff’s own Winterhaven. Made up of singer and rhythm guitarist Jack Hernandez, lead guitarist Brendan Goepfrich, bassist Colton Henderson, and drummer Nick Schira, they brought the right balance of humor and youthful energy to open the show. By their own admission, they have gotten onto the festival by getting in touch with Cameron Collins, who handles lining up the breweries for each stop (Fat Mike handles the bands) who dug what he heard and got them added to the lineup. Though the youngest band on the bill, they came out swinging like old pros.

The band wears its pop-punk influences on their sleeves like a badge of honor. Though you could hear the importance that bands like blink-182 and The Offspring had on their sound (and also some noticeable Ian MacKaye Fugazi-era basslines), there was nothing derivative about WinterHaven. As the opening chords of the first song hit, their music was a magnet pulling people away from beer and merch tents right to the front of the stage. In between songs, they joked with the crowd about Spider-Man and in a hilarious moment, Hernandez said that his mom asked him to remember to wear sunscreen before they went on that day, but he had immediately forgotten and asked that no one tells. (I’m sorry if she reads this and learns that way.)

The Venomous Pinks

It would seem Arizona was the perfect starting point for the festival, since three-fifths of the acts hail from State 48, with Mesa’s The Venomous Pinks playing second. Though the all-female outfit certainly has some Bikini Kill in their sound, they would not be out of place amongst the heaviest of hitters of early 80’s hardcore. The three-piece attack of Drea Doll on guitar and vocals, Gaby Kaos on bass and vocals, and Cassie Jalilie on drums sounded like the sister band to Bad Brains or Minor Threat, playing each song with a fast and furious intensity.

Their second song “Todos Unidos” had some Generator-era Bad Religion guitar and “oohs” and “aahs” on the backing vocals. Their new single “No Rules,” the first from their upcoming debut album Vita Mors from SBÄM Records, was a set highlight (the single is out on 03/24/2022 and the album is forthcoming). They closed out their nine-song set with “We Do It Better,” an absolutely righteous rager and the perfect anthem for the band. They were joined by The Last Gang’s lead singer Brenna Red for the final verse.

The Last Gang

The decidedly more political The Last Gang played next. The California quartet – Red on vocals and guitar, Ken Aquino on guitar, Sean Viele on bass, and Robert Wantland on drums – surprised the crowd throughout their set, as they used the punk rock template as a springboard for so many other styles. Their third song, “Gimme Action,” even opened with a surprising AC/DC-esque guitar riff.

Red admitted to listening to a lot of The Clash and some classic reggae and dub, including Toots And The Maytals and the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. This was no more evident than on “Noise Noise Noise,” the title track from their 2021 album, which had some very clear Clash London Calling-era dub influence. She is an incredible frontwoman, and the band plays loosely within the punk genre. If their nine-song set is any indication of even a snippet of what they are capable of, they are going to be a band to watch for many years to come.

Authority Zero

Rounding out the Arizona triad was Mesa’s Authority Zero. The skate punk legends came out guns blazing with lead singer Jason DeVore leading into the first song (or perhaps warning the crowd) with “Here we go!” He was immediately perched on top of amps (rocking one precariously forward before he hopped off of it) and bounced around the stage with each song. For a guy who’s been doing this since the mid-nineties, he didn’t show even a hint of slowing down.

Though DeVore’s vocals are rooted firmly in hardcore, Authority Zero includes reggae and some very noticeable Bad Religion rhythms in their music. The band’s new song “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free” from the album of the same name was a set highlight.

Mid-set, DeVore stopped to plug Punk Rock Saves Lives, an organization he supports whose work focuses on mental health, human rights, and equality. His passion for their work was clear in the set’s closer, “Lift One Up.”

It spoke to DeVore’s love for his audience and to the communal feeling so clear amongst the attendees since the gates opened: “So lift one up/To put one down/We’ll keep singing these old songs our whole lives through/It’s where we’re found/They’ve touched our hearts/They’ve saved our lives.” It was one of the best sing-alongs of the day.

Lagwagon

Considering their name was inspired by the band’s unreliable touring van, Lagwagon have been anything but unreliable, recording and touring since 1990. Before they began their set, an audience member complained to the soundman checking the microphones that it was “too loud.” In response, he received a hard laugh from the guy who said, “Don’t worry. Joey’s known for his soft vocals.” Indeed, the start of their set was like a bomb going off (leaving this writer wondering what the kids playing soccer just across the way from the festival at the rather vast Bell Bank Park complex were wondering).

With nine albums spread across their 30-year career, frontman Joey Cape joked, “All we have are old songs,” when an audience member requested they play something new after they played “Bombs Away” from their 1995 album Hoss. Regardless of his self-deprecating comment, the band with a lineup almost unchanged since they started, played each song with an ageless vigor. They dedicated “Surviving California” to all of their fallen comrades over the years, in the highlight of their set.

The Bouncing Souls

New Jersey’s favorite punk sons The Bouncing Souls showed that Lagwagon were not the only 30-year veterans who hadn’t lost a step. The pogoing punk icons brought their trademark lighthearted sound to the stage. Opening with the title-track from the 1999 album “Hopeless Romantic”, the band had the crowd bouncing in unison from the word go (not the song “Go,” because that was their fifth track).

Singer Greg Attonito was a consummate showman, playfully dancing around the stage during each song. The Bouncing Souls have always been a fun live band, and this day’s set was no different. Their song “That Song” was one of the highlights, with the audience singing along throughout. It felt like a fitting summation of the vibe for the day, with the lyrics: And in the end what have we learned? Are we just faces in the crowd? I died and was reborn again today. Hold fast to myself. Make these good feelings stay. On a pleasantly cool Arizona spring day, it felt like many of us were reborn in those moments of community.

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes

“We’re not a cover band,” declared lead singer Spike Slawson, “We are THE cover band!” For the uninitiated, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are like punk-rock karaoke. They are a supergroup, with a rotating cast of members including Slawson of Re-Volts and Swignin’ Utters, Joey Cape and Dave Raun from Lagwagon pulling double duty, Fat Mike, and CJ Ramone. They will cover any genre of music, with the songs poured through their unique filter.

Opening with “Different Drum,” written by the late Mike Nesmith of The Monkees and made famous by Linda Rondstadt, they followed it with “Sloop John B” and a three-song country superset of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” and John Denver’s “Country Roads,” with Fat Mike coming out to sing on the songs. With no set genre they will pull from, the set is full of surprises because every song is unexpected. Where else are you going to get Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” followed by CJ Ramone singing Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”? Only at a Me First and the Gimme Gimmes concert. They closed their night with a rousing rendition of Elton John’s “Rocket Man.”

NOFX

To close out the night was NOFX, fronted by Punk in Drublic founder Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett. Though their live album I Heard They Suck Live!! might set certain expectations for anyone who has never witnessed a NOFX concert, they make each show unique from any other they’ve played before.

Not to veer into politics, but it can be reasonably inferred by the t-shirts and buttons you see around the festival exactly what the political leanings are of a punk-rock crowd. Regardless, Fat Mike opened their set with “Greetings Republicans!” Throughout their set, he continued to playfully troll the crowd, from saying the only thing Arizona got right was doing away with daylight savings, to telling the crowd the only good thing to ever come out of the state was stand-up comic Doug Stanhope. Mike even attempted to call Stanhope from the stage, but the call went to voicemail.

Some songs were introduced but quickly abandoned. After claiming that drummer Smelly Sandin did not want to play “Liza and Louise,” they moved on to “I Love You More Than I Hate Me” instead. “We’ve only got 5 good songs,” Mike claimed at one point, “and we’ve been doing this for 38 years!” Following “Eat the Meek” and “Franco UnAmerican,” Mike called Arizona “the Alabama of the west.” They closed out their set with a one-two punch of “Don’t Call Me White” and “Kill All the White Man.”

Though the beer tents were all long gone at this point, everyone held tight to their Punk in Drublic beer sampler cups as they headed for the exit. Together or not, the punk community is always united, and maybe those cups will make their way out again on some random night, filled to the rim, and toasted high to the brothers and sisters, before turning the music up and slamming the beer down.

The 2022 Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival will continue on through the spring and summer with the following dates:

Saturday, March 26 –
San Diego, CA – Petco Park – Tickets
Sunday, March 27 – Ventura, CA –
Ventura Fairgrounds – Tickets
Saturday, May 7 –
Sacramento, CA – Heart Health Park at the Cal Expo – Tickets
Friday, July 8 –
Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion – Tickets
Saturday, July 9 –
Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Outdoors – Tickets

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Reviews

REVIEW: Flogging Molly’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Tour Marches Into Marquee Theater (3-15-22)

March 22, 2022 Ryan Novak 2 Comments

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PHOENIX — Before Flogging Molly’s concert at The Marquee Theater – with support from Vandoliers and Russkaja – even began, there was a vibe in the crowd different from anything seen the last time concerts were a normal occurrence, and it led to what made this show so special. You see, back in those waning, naïve days of January and February of 2020 – before our lives were collectively turned upside down, leaving us wondering if any semblance of normalcy would return, let alone gathering en masse to enjoy live music once again – we could see live shows whenever we wanted. Though we may not have realized it then, we took live music for granted.

No, the crowd on Tuesday night at the Marquee was buzzing with a noticeable sense of joy, community, and most of all, gratitude. Strangers happily chatted away with each other when the house lights were still on and an array of punk and classic rock was piped through the P.A. Conversations centered so much on “I was supposed to see… until…” and many specifically mentioned having tickets to see Flogging Molly in spring of 2020. No one was taking this moment for granted, because so much was survived to get to this point.

Vandoliers

Openers Vandoliers hail from Dallas, Texas and were described on the hype sticker on the vinyl pressing of their 2019 album Forever as sounding like a cross between Boston Irish punk legends Dropkick Murphys and Arizona’s own Calexico. With so many physical miles between Boston and Tucson and just as many musical style miles between the two as well, the description was intriguing. At the start of their set, the description immediately made sense. With a similar style of rhythm section, made up of bassist Mark Moncrieff and drummer Trey Alfaro, combined with guitar and aggressive vocals from Dustin Fleming, the Murphys-punk influence was evident. What made their sound so unique, though, was the addition of fiddler Travis Curry and multi-instrumentalist Cory Graves who combined to bring a southwest seasoning on top of the Irish punk brew.

Their seven-song set was fast and furious, punctuated with shout-along should-be classics like “Cigarettes in the Rain,” “Sixteen Years,” and “Troublemaker,” which should be the band’s anthem and the anthem for anyone who were told early on that they’d “be a problem” in life. They closed their set with a cover of Scottish rock duo The Proclaimers’ classic, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” recasting the early 90’s alternative sing-along smash as a rowdy West Texas bar band end-of-the–night, last-call rager. If there was a person in attendance not singing along throughout, they were not easily spotted amongst the packed crowd.

Russkaja

Austria’s Russkaja, self-described as “Russian Turbo Polka Metal,” played second. With a foundation of traditional Russian music, they layer it with a confluence of styles, ranging from punk to ska to metal to, yes, polka, all rolled into a wholly unique sound. Founding member and vocalist Georgij Makazaria leads the charge alongside bassist Dimitrij Miller, guitarist Engel Mayr, violinist Lea-Sophie Fischer, Mayr, potete player Hans-Georg Gutternigg, and drummer Mario Stübler, with each member contributing their own particular stitch to their vast tapestry of sound. Mayr’s guitar playing shifted effortlessly between ska and metal, not just across the entire set, but even within one song.

The highlight of their hard-charging set, though, was not even music, but a somber moment midway when Makazaria and Miller stood together and spoke to the crowd not as musicians but as citizens of two countries. Makazaria is Russian and Miller is Ukrainian and together they condemned the war and called for peace and love.

“The people of Russia and Ukraine have to fight against each other, and it is terrible. This is the politics that is destroying peace. We condemn this fucking war. We are against this war! Instead of battle stations, we bring some music equipment and make a festival. We will not give the world a chance to destroy our music!”

It was as powerful, if not more so, than any note played or any lyric sung, and it underscored a theme, intentional or not, that was playing throughout the evening: through disease and war and a score of so many other horrible things plaguing our world now and in the future, we are all very lucky to be together sharing a space and letting live music nourish our souls.

Flogging Molly

What was once an annual tradition, Flogging Molly’s St. Patrick’s Day Tour, like so many other tours, was put on hold, going on a two-year hiatus, save for a St. Patrick’s Day show done via Zoom for fans last year. While their concerts are always a must-see event, they performed with a renewed vigor. Opening the show with “Drunken Lullabies,” from their 2001 album of the same name, there was an extra punch to every note and every lyric.

Hitting some old favorites early in the set, that theme noticed so early in the night amongst the crowd chatter re-emerged as frontman Dave King touched on the feelings so many of us had surviving the past two years, with the emotional struggles and low-low points before launching into “The Worst Day Since Yesterday” from 2000’s Swagger, which immediately took on a new feel. They followed it with their first new song of the night, written during those early scary and confusing days, called “These Times Have Got Me Drinking,” which given the crowd’s reaction to it, will easily stand beside so many of the band’s greatest.

Flogging Molly have always been a tight band, both on their albums and performing live, but each member was in top form throughout the night. King regularly shouted out members of the band between songs. With such an incredible group of musicians holding down each song, it allows King to be so many things throughout the show: singer, showman, dancer, and all-around master of ceremonies. A lesser band would not be able to afford such freedom to the frontman, but Bridget Regan (violin, tin whistle, and King’s wife of almost 15 years), Dennis Casey (guitar), Matt Hensley (accordion), Nathen Maxwell (bass), Spencer Swain (mandolin, banjo, and guitar), and Mike Alonso (drums) are all so accomplished that it gives King a wide lane in which to play. One minute, he’ll be bantering with fans, and the next, he’ll have his pant legs pulled up, as he dances around the stage, sometimes doing an impromptu jig and others doing a one-man chorus line.

This is what makes a Flogging Molly concert so special: it never feels overly-rehearsed but instead gives each show an impromptu feel, like each moment is special for that night’s audience exclusively. These moments accompanied a run through a great many classics, including a particularly rousing run through “If I Ever Leave this World Alive.” They left the stage after “Seven Deadly Sins” from 2004’s Within a Mile of Home that felt like it was a well-rehearsed rendition between the band and the entire crowd who sang along and mimicked each one of King’s movements.

Returning for an encore, they finished the set with “Tobacco Island,” also from Within a Mile of Home. That was not, however, how they closed the show. While it has become the norm for many bands to have a walk-out song (Vandoliers came out to The Vandals’ “Urban Struggle,” Russkaja played an anti-war message set to a dark, ominous beat as they walked out, and Flogging Molly themselves used The Who’s “Baba O’Riley,” paired with the acapella intro to their own “The Wrong Company”), but very few bands have a walk-off song. While most shows end with a good night, band walk off, and the house lights coming on as music is piped over the P.A., Flogging Molly played “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s The Life of Brian.

While not as well-known to the audience, save for this journalist and others within his particular age range, the lyrics, even to fresh ears, served to punctuate the night’s theme: “If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten, and that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.” As the song played out, the group stood together, joined by various members of Vandoliers and Russkaja in kick lines, as King handed out set lists to the younger fans (there were many older fans in attendance with their children), and playfully blew kisses to the audience before everyone at last left the stage with the song’s fading notes and those awkward feelings of 2020 despair dissipating. Nights like this remind us to never again take live music for granted, because it’s one of our true blessings, and that alone should hopefully keep us all on the bright side of life.

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Flogging Molly Setlist 3-15-22

“Drunken Lullabies”
“The Hand of John L. Sullivan”
“Swagger”
“Selfish Man”
“The Worst Day Since Yesterday”
“These Times Have Got Me Drinking” (new song)
“Life in a Tenement Square”
“A Song of Liberty”
“Float”
“Black Friday Rule” (with extended guitar solo)
“Croppy Boy” (new song)
“Devil’s Dance Floor”
“Crushed (Hostile Nations)” / “We Will Rock You” (Dedicated to people of Ukraine)
“If I Ever Leave This World Alive”
“Salty Dog”
“What’s Left of the Flag”
“The Seven Deadly Sins”

Encore:
“Tobacco Island”

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Jimmy Eat World & Dashboard Confessional Take Rock Underground at The Caverns (3-12-22)

March 20, 2022 Nate Wert Leave a comment

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Pelham, TN — If you were to ask any emo fan who spent their formative years in the early 2000s, “Which bands would make up the tour lineup of your dreams?”, you would get a plethora of answers with combinations that sound much like the When We Were Young Festival happening this fall. But, more than likely, two bands’ names would pop up in nearly every combination provided: Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional.

These bands, who have provided the soundtrack to the lives of countless individuals over their 20+ years of existence, have accomplished much over the years. However, there is one achievement they were missing until this year: hitting the road together on a tour. This “oversight” was rectified when these two powerhouse bands joined forces, and asked Sydney Sprague to open for them on the tour dubbed “Surviving the Truth,” which is a mash-up of Surviving, Jimmy Eat World’s 2019 album, and Dashboard Confessional’s newest album All The Truth I Can Tell, released on February 25th of this year.

Fortunately, they also added another new experience and scheduled two back-to-back nights of shows in The Caverns – a unique venue near an area known as TAG – a place where Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia all converge. Being about an hour away from every major city, a bit of travel is required to get to the venue – through a tiny town where the livestock that disinterestedly watch you drive by likely outnumber the human residents, down Charlie Roberts Road until you reach the end, and find yourself facing a black building with a massive painting of a Big Mouth Cave Salamander named Sally painted on the side of it. This is not the end of the journey, however, as you must now walk down a sloping path into the mouth of a cavern, and then step through enormous wooden doors where the words “Welcome to The Caverns where the Great Spirit brings all people together through music” are carved, using the Sequoyah script of the Cherokee. It is here your journey ends and the adventure begins…

Sydney Sprague

Sydney Sprague – an Arizona based musician who first started writing and playing at 11 and performing at 14 – would be first onstage. Before the band kicked off the show with “i refuse to die” – the first track of 2021’s maybe i will see you at the end of the world – she gave the audience the first of many puns of the night: “If you haven’t heard of us, that’s ok. we’re pretty…underground.” As the crowd chuckled, she deadpanned: “it gets worse.”

This could not have been further from the truth, as Sprague and her band – comprised of Chuck Morriss III (keyboard, bass), Larry Gast III (guitar), Sebastien Deramat (guitar), and Tom Fitzgibbon (drums) – are all exceptionally gifted musicians and artists who bring an enormous amount of energy that complements her laid back nature. Sprague has a quick, dry wit and the ability to capture the audience’s attention and form a bond that both her and the crowd feed off of as the set goes on.

While some may compare her vocal timbre to Michelle Branch or Taylor Swift, and it should be noted these are fair and valid comparisons, it would be a mistake to attempt to shove Sprague’s sound into a box and slap a label on it. Her vocals and sound defy conventional expectations, she writes songs that are relatable, and her performances are simple and straightforward – leaving the audience wanting more in the future. Her 8-song set included most of the tracks on her debut album, which had the paradoxical effect of leaving the audience both wishing for a bit more, and yet satisfied with what we were able to witness from this budding star.

Between sets, one of the quirks of the cavern became quite obvious: it had the audacity to form without giving a backstage for the bands and their crews to work with. There is no easy access to move the equipment on and off, nor to unload and then load everything back into the waiting vehicles outside. This unusual set-up meant the audience was able to watch the pre-show rituals of the bands and view what the hard-working (and often underappreciated or forgotten) crews do with the equipment they hastily move off and onto the stage.

Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional was up next, with Chris Carrabba singing “The Brilliant Dance” with an acoustic guitar while the rest of the band stood just off stage. As he finished, they joined him, and a jovial Carrabba asked the audience if anyone had been in attendance last night. There were surprisingly few affirmative replies. Carrabba then asked, “Is anyone here tonight?” and as the cheers faded, he exclaimed, “Me too!” as the first notes of “The Good Fight” started to play. At the end of the song, he asked the audience to give a round of applause for Sprague and her band, and then caught himself cussing when he spotted a kid at the front of the crowd. Asking the young fan if he had ever been to a show in The Caverns, he stated with a huge grin, “I’ve only been to one other show here, and it was last night!”

Carrabba – joined onstage by Armon Jay (guitar), Scott Schoenbeck (bass), Abigail Kelly (back-up vocals), Chris Kamrada (drums), Dane Poppin (keyboard, guitar) – mixed the nostalgic hits like “Stolen” and “Vindicated” with “The Better Of Me,” the only song from All The Truth I Can Tell. Through it all, Carrabba radiated joy and excitement, possibly because he was playing inside of a cave, but also because, as he noted multiple times, it was just so good to be back together with everyone again. Carrabba is just under two years removed from a motorcycle accident that nearly ended his career, and to be back on stage after all he has endured during his recovery must feel like a miracle he celebrates nightly on this tour with 1,500 or so of his closest friends. His energy radiated out across the audience, many of whom sang along with him during the 17-song set.

Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World took the stage during the opening notes of “Futures,” the title track from their 2004 album. It only takes a few verses of watching frontman Jim Adkins pour everything he has out in front of the enchanted audience while drummer Zach Lind, guitarist Tom Linton and bassist Rick Burch effortlessly provide the canvas on which each song is painted anew on each night.

This is the magic of Jimmy Eat World and perhaps the secret of their longevity: their ability to take the songs that helped emo kids grow into slightly less emo adults and make the nostalgic magic that you feel hearing “Sweetness” on the radio disappear during a live show, and make it feel like you’re hearing and experiencing the songs for the first time. Other favorites like “Pain,” “Hear You Me,” “23,” and “Lucky Denver Mint” were included in the set list as well.

Halfway through the show, Adkins switched over to an acoustic guitar to play “555” – a song that has not only inspired a comic book, but also a near-cult-like following among some fans, including a small Facebook group dedicated to posting solely about 555 found in daily lives. Adkins, like Sprague and Carrabba, expressed awe and disbelief that they were playing in a cave, and then threw in a joke about telling a distant relative that he was in an underground rock band. If there were any surprises from the night, it would be that the bands didn’t end up making more bad cave and rock puns.

The level of exertion that Jimmy Eat World puts into each show can evoke the image of a fighter who has gone 10 rounds with their opponent, leaving the ring glistening and triumphant. As Jimmy Eat World closed the show with their most well-known hit “The Middle,” towels awaited them just off-stage. The song generated the the perfect energy to end the incredible evening… the best way to end the adventure at the bucket-list worthy venue, and to send those lucky enough to bear witness a once-in-a-lifetime show on a journey through the improbably cold pre-spring night to wherever their roads may carry them.

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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Reviews

The Atomic Punks Bring David Lee Roth Era Hits to The Marquee (2-25-22)

March 18, 2022 Kara Blakemore 1 Comment

Tempe, AZ — The return of The Atomic Punks, a Van Halen endorsed Los Angeles tribute band, was a highly anticipated one. Originally scheduled for February 11 at the Marquee Theatre, the date was pushed back to February 25 due to ongoing COVID-19 issues. Clearly, the delay wasn’t a “setback”, as the band brought an evening of high energy rock. The Atomic Punks had a trio of solid opening acts bringing the 1980’s vibe back to Mill Avenue.

Kill ‘Em All

Kill ‘Em All, led by Kevin Hughes on vocals, opened their set with “Creeping Death”, and the high‐speed riffs continued with “The Four Horsemen” and “Master of Puppets”. The band has been performing since 2014, but Kevin Hughes is the only original member.

New lead guitarist Bobby Alexander impressed on his leads from his Dean Dimebag Dean From Hell CFH Electric Guitar and the crowd was fist‐pumping. Randy Omdahl’s solid double bass drums were hard‐hitting and paired with Ted Smith’s bass guitar and energetic hair flips, this solid opener was the perfect pick to open this show.

Black Mountain Project

Cave Creek’s local band Black Mountain Project showcased a fun, pop‐meets‐ grunge sound. Formed in 2018, their bio page states the name of the band “originates from our childhood hometown near Black Mountain in Cave Creek”.

Tony Chavez on vocals was perfectly described by someone in the venue as “Layne Staley sings Steve Perry”. They performed their single “On My Mind” and dedicated it to drummer Billy Joe Thomas’s wife, who was celebrating her birthday that evening. The band includes lead guitarist Trent Joiner and Devin McMillion on bass guitar. Based on their unique sound and strong presence on streaming platforms like Spotify and iTunes, we’ll be looking forward to hearing more from them.

Generation HEX

Starting their set with “Perfect Strangers” by Deep Purple was Generation HEX, a group of local musicians from various bands who combined to form a local powerhouse cover band. Vocalist Paige Mills covered songs, like Dio’s “Rainbow in the Dark” and Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”, with the vocal range and skill these classic songs warrant.

Norm House on keyboards is a familiar face in the local music scene, as are Eric Parker on drums, and back-up vocalist Michael Morris on bass guitar. Lead guitarist J Mark Perales never disappoints. He may be familiar as the former guitarist of the now‐defunct Desert Plains (Judas Priest tribute) but now shares his energy and talent with Generation HEX.

The Atomic Punks

Formed in 1994, The Atomic Punks’ bio boasts that the band was “Voted ‘Best Tribute Band’ by LA’s ‘Rock City News’ three years in a row”, and after a couple hours of David Lee Roth era Van Halen songs one can easily agree. Opening with their namesake jam “Atomic Punk”, the high‐kicking, blonde coiffed lead vocalist Brian Gellar personified the first Van Halen lead singer both visually and with the familiar rasp of his voice. His microphone stand spinning and laced leather pants rounded out the look we remember from the earlier Van Halen videos.

Current lead guitarist Lance Turner has big shoes to fill as Eddie Van Halen and didn’t hesitate to blow us all away with his Eddie‐esque leads. Dressed in the familiar patchwork leather pants and red kerchief around his neck, he handily dealt us strong covers of Van Halen classics from his EVH signature guitar. Joe Lester, on bass guitar as Michael Anthony, grabbed attention particularly on “Mean Streets” while drummer Scott Patterson handed us double‐bass power on “Hot for Teacher”.

The Atomic Punks have been around for 28 years for a reason: They’re damn good. According to The Atomic Punks’ website, Michael Anthony was quoted as saying, “I feel like I am back in 1982 performing with the old band!”, and has even joined The Atomic Punks on stage at the House of Blues in Hollywood – playing 9 Van Halen Classics for fans. David Lee Roth mentioned them in his 1997 autobiography “Crazy from the Heat”, boasting that the band is “The best tribute to Van Halen ever!”

Eddie Van Halen may no longer be with us, but his footprint in the music industry is eternal in the hearts of his fans, and we thank The Atomic Punks for taking us back in time to our memories of Van Halen we hold so dear.

Photo Gallery

Photography: Kara Blakemore

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Kill Em All
| Black Mountain Project
| Generation HEX | The Atomic Punks

The Atomic Punks, Generation Hex, Black Mountain Project, & Kill ‘Em All – Marquee Theatre 2-25-22

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Photography © Electric Eye Photo AZ
All Rights Reserved

The Atomic Punks online:

Adrenaline PR, Festivals, Films, Kataklizmic Design, News, Tours

CHERRY BOMBS Explode on This Summer’s Music Festival Circuit, Announce UK Dates with COREY TAYLOR

March 15, 2022 Brianne Dunn Leave a comment

We have waited nearly two years for real touring and festivals to commence … wait no more!! Cherry Bombs bring an exciting and entirely new way to experience rock and roll music. You won’t believe your eyes watching their daredevil acts, feminine power, fearless and dynamic performances featuring dance, fire, aerial, grinding, stilt walking, and so much more.

Alicia Taylor shares, “We are beyond thrilled to be invited to perform at Louder Than Life and Aftershock in 2022! It feels incredible to be accepted alongside the incredible bands that are on the bill and solidifies that there IS a place for us in the world of rock and metal. We are carving out our own unique path and are eternally grateful to those like Danny Wimmer and team for seeing something in us.”

Corey Taylor adds, “Everybody has their favorite tours. I have been very fortunate to have been a part of so many over the years. To not only be able to tour with my wife, but also to know that they are putting on an amazing show as well, I can maybe think of a handful of people who can say that. Get ready for a rad time!”

Cherry Bombs tour dates for Fall 2022:

Sept 22-25, 2022 – LouderThanLife Festival, Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Expo Center – Louisville, KY – Tickets
Oct 6-9, 2022 – Aftershock Festival, Discovery Park – Sacramento, CA – Tickets
Oct 17, 2022 – London Palladium – London, UK – Tickets
Oct 19, 2022 – Bonus Arena – Hull, UK – Tickets
Oct 24, 2022 – Swansea Arena – Swansea, UK – Tickets

Girl Gang

Tune in now:
Girl Gang Season 4 – premiered March 9th on YouTube.
Follow the Cherry Bombs, one of the first groups to tour during the pandemic. Watch here how they face the obstacles and achieve success!

Alicia Taylor explains “When Corey Taylor and I started putting together our tour during 2021, we were one of the first acts in our genre to accomplish this during the pandemic. We wanted to do it right, by reducing as many risks as possible- to not only prove to ourselves, but to our industry, that perhaps there is a way to adapt and make shows happen. We covered as many bases as possible: temperature checks, consistent testing on the road, reduced capacity at shows, requiring masks, we stayed in a bubble- we really wanted to make this tour a success. Girl Gang 4 is all about that tour, and the process behind making it happen.”

2019 saw the premiere of the YouTube docu-series titled, “Girl Gang”, which pulled the curtain back to reveal what it takes to put on such a unique show. The series has been met with overwhelmingly positive reception for its raw storytelling and willingness of the performers to show vulnerability. Episodes focus on the inner-workings of Cherry Bombs, including the adventures, challenges, and triumphs they experience.

Like many in the industry, the pandemic of 2020 forced Cherry Bombs to cancel their tour. However, they adapted quickly, and filmed their headlining show, Macabarét – a story of karma wrapped in temptation, action, and danger around every corner. This “eyegasm” of a movie was streamed worldwide and met with rave reviews, cementing it to become an annual event every October.

About Cherry Bombs:

Cutting their teeth in the world of motorcycle rallies, they soon climbed the ranks of live entertainment by being the first group of its kind to bag a national tour with Buckcherry and Black Stone Cherry in 2016. Since then, Cherry Bombs have appeared in performances and tours nationally and internationally (Stone Sour/Steel Panther, Corey Taylor, KNOTFEST Mexico, ForceFest Mexico, KNOTFEST Colombia), on television (AEW), and in numerous music videos (Corey Taylor, 21 Savage, Fozzy, Moonshine Bandits).

Cherry Bombs online:

Kataklizmic Design, News, Speakeasy PR, Tours

Flogging Molly & The Interrupters Announce Co-Headlining Summer Tour

March 15, 2022 Brianne Dunn Leave a comment

Los Angeles – Flogging Molly and The Interrupters have announced a Summer co-headlining tour, kicking off on June 7 in Indianapolis, with Tiger Army and The Skints supporting on all dates. Tickets will be available here and here on Friday, March 18 at 10 AM local time.

Dave King, Flogging Molly singer/guitar player, says of the tour: “We’re excited to share the news of our upcoming tour with the one and only, The Interrupters. We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone, and having a great time together. Let’s have some fun in the sun!” While The Interrupters rejoice the return of live music, “We are stoked to announce our Summer Tour with the legendary Flogging Molly, Tiger Army and The Skints! We can’t wait to sing together, dance together and celebrate live music with everyone! See you all very soon!”

Despite COVID touring setbacks throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021, The Interrupters kept fans engaged with a live album release and an inspired cover of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” which went on to be featured in season 2 of the Netflix Original series The Umbrella Academy. As touring resumed in late 2021, the group embarked on one of the year’s largest rock n’ roll tours supporting Green Day, Weezer and Fall Out Boy on the Hella Mega Tour.

Flogging Molly, who recently released their soon-to-be-classic single “These Times Have Got Me Drinking” via Rise Records, celebrate the return of their free, outdoor annual St. Patrick’s Day festival this Thursday at the Hollywood Palladium. Having livestreamed the 2021 event, the band mix the best of both worlds for 2022, with the concert being broadcast worldwide via a simultaneous livestream (tickets: Floggingmolly.veeps.com). Flogging Molly set sail on March 28, helming the sold-out Salty Dog Cruise, which also includes performances from the Descendents, Frank Turner, Agent Orange and more.

Flogging Molly & The Interrupters tour dates:

June 7 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
June 8 – Cincinnati, OH – The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park
June 10 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
June 11 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
June 12 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre
June 14 – St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Music Park
June 15 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
June 17 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
June 18 – Detroit, MI – Meadow Brook
June 19 – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion
June 21 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
June 22 – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem
June 24 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage at the Mann
June 25 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!
June 26 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
June 28 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl
June 30 – New York, NY – Pier 17
July 1 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
July 2 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark
July 3 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summerstage
September 9 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom Outdoors
September 10 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater
September 11 – Salt Lake City, UT – Complex Outdoors – The Lot
September 13 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
September 14 – Boise, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
September 16 – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
September 17 – Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater
September 21 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheatre

About Flogging Molly:

Flogging Molly is Dave King (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bodhran), Bridget Regan (violin, tin whistle, vocals), Dennis Casey (guitar, vocals), Matt Hensley (accordion, concertina, vocals), Nathen Maxwell (bass guitar, vocals), Spencer Swain (mandolin, banjo, guitar, vocals), and Mike Alonso (drums, percussion). Starting out as the house band for Molly Malone’s in Los Angeles and building a loyal following through endless touring, Flogging Molly has become a staple in the punk scene over the past 20 years, kicking off with their raucous debut album, Swagger, and continuing through their five additional studio releases. With numerous late-night television appearances under their belt, a sold out Salty Dog Cruise through the Caribbean, and a yearly St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Los Angeles, the band is currently working on their Rise Records’ debut, which they previewed with “These Times Have Got Me Drinking” earlier this month. Flogging Molly recently reissued Swagger with exclusive tracks, an Irish traditional set, a 60-minute video feature, and exclusive merch in a collectible box set.

About The Interrupters:

Formed in 2011, The Interrupters came together when the Bivona brothers—guitarist Kevin Bivona, bassist Justin Bivona, drummer Jesse Bivona—found themselves on various bills with Aimee in 2009. Upon bonding over musical tastes, the four formed The Interrupters and delivered their self-titled debut in 2014. The Interrupters have shared stages with bands such as Rancid, blink-182, Green Day, Bad Religion, and many other stalwarts of the punk scene solidifying the band’s status as a dynamic force on the stage. The band is currently putting the finishing touches on their fourth full-length with Hellcat/Epitaph Records.

Flogging Molly online:

Featured photo (top) by Katie Hovland

Adrenaline PR, News, Tours

ORGY Announce Partial Postponement of Revival Tour

February 18, 2022 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

The Orgy tour is partially postponed. The band regrets to inform fans that, due to circumstances beyond their control with their bus, they must postpone some of their upcoming Revival Tour.

Remaining ORGY Revival Tour dates are:

3.19 – Las Vegas, NV – The Usual Place with Death Valley High and Cosmic Killjoy – Tickets
3.20 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock with Death Valley High and Cosmic Killjoy – Tickets
4.03 – Parsippany, NJ – Dark Side of the Con Tickets
4.21 – Reno, NV – Peavine Taphouse Eats & Beats with Oh! The Horror, Death Valley High and Cosmic Killjoy Tickets
4.22 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post with Oh! The Horror, Death Valley High and Cosmic Killjoy Tickets
4.23 – Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone Berkeley with Oh! The Horror, Death Valley High and Cosmic Killjoy Tickets
4.24 – West Hollywood, CA – The Rainbow – 50th Anniversary w/ Steel Panther, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Orgy and more – Free Show!

Read the original tour announcement & more about ORGY here.

ORGY Online:

Debuts, Performances, Speakeasy PR, Tracks

Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle) Makes Solo Debut at #Happens Las Vegas; “Poison Flowers” Single Arrives March 4

February 16, 2022 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

Los Angeles – Billy Howerdel, the critically-acclaimed songwriter and multi-instrumentalist behind A Perfect Circle, makes his highly-anticipated solo debut with a Feb. 23 performance at #Happens Las Vegas.

The outing gives fans their first taste of the Howerdel’s forthcoming, as-of-yet unannounced album, with the collection’s first single, “Poison Flowers” (pre-save here), slated for a March 4 release via Alchemy Recordings/BMG.

A teaser for “Poison Flowers” can be viewed above and here

“This new album was birthed while on tour with A Perfect Circle. A weird blend of confidence, vulnerability and mortality urgently compelled me to write a letter of sorts in the form of an album,” explains Howerdel. Joining Howerdel for the live outing are Josh Freese (Just Google Him), Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails), Kaela Sinclair (M83), and Kevin Maher (Fake Shark).

#Happens is an organically driven, rock and alternative new music experience that brings together artists, radio programmers, label executives, and streaming experts over a three day conference that encourages thought-provoking conversations and dynamic performances against the colorful backdrop of downtown Las Vegas. Howerdel’s performance is part of the opening night party, which is open to the public, with tickets available here.

Billy Howerdel has perhaps one of rock music’s most well-rounded and interesting resumes. Growing up in West Milford, New Jersey, he spent hours listening to WLIR emanating out of Long Island, New York. Lying in bed, he would scribble down playlists and then scout out the records he loved in stores, among them The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, Dead Kennedys, and Elvis Costello. However, it was the experience of seeing Pink Floyd at Giants Stadium that triggered his lust for finding a way to work in the music industry.

Howerdel initially racked up experience in stage lighting, working for almost any band or theater production that would ask, while at the same time devoting the rest of his free time to practicing guitar. A few years of work led to a chance meeting with Fishbone, a move west and quickly becoming a sought-after road and studio tech, working with David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails, and oh yeah, being roommates with Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. It was that friendship that birthed the multi-platinum alternative rock supergroup, A Perfect Circle.

Billy Howerdel Online:

News, Speakeasy PR, Tours

Puscifer Announces Summer Tour; First U.S. Dates Since 2016

February 15, 2022 Brianne Dunn Leave a comment

Jerome, AZ – Puscifer bring their unique theater-meets-concert experience to stages nationwide this summer as the Arizona-born outfit featuring Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Carina Round tour in support of their highly-regarded 2020 album, Existential Reckoning (Alchemy Recordings/Puscifer Entertainment/BMG).

The dates, which kick off June 9 at The Smith Center in Las Vegas, include the group’s largest scale performances to date with shows slated for Los Angeles’ venerable Greek Theatre (site of Keenan’s one-time-only Cinquanta mini festival), Brooklyn’s movie palace-turned-concert-hall Kings Theater and the state-of-the-art Mission Ballroom in Denver.

Watch the tour announcement here:

Agent Dick Merkin Issues Live Report

Over the years, Puscifer tours have traversed the Arizona desert, explored the barn dances of the American South, and tapped into the technicolor world of the Lucha libre. With Existential Reckoning the Pusciverse expanded into the cosmos. A taste of the live outing was hinted at with the ground-breaking and bedazzling “Existential Reckoning: Live at Arcosanti” livestream event. An on-demand/VOD version of the concert film and its accompanying soundtrack were released in November 2021, with physical versions of the soundtrack and film (vinyl and VHS) available via retailers on Feb. 25 here.

Puscifer TV is the online repository for all things Puscifer including the aforementioned “Existential Reckoning: Live at Arcosanti,” as well as “Billy D and The Hall of Feathered Serpents Featuring Money $hot by Puscifer,” “What Is… Puscifer,” and “A Curmudgeon’s Guide to Divine Collisions and Pythagorean Oenology.”

Existential Reckoning tour dates:

June 9 Las Vegas, NV The Smith Center – Reynolds Hall
June 11 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Federal Theatre
June 12 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre
June 14 Albuquerque, NM Kiva Auditorium
June 15 Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall
June 16 Dallas, TX McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
June 19 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
June 21 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre
June 22 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
June 24 Philadelphia, PA The Metropolitan Opera House
June 25 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theatre
June 26 Wallingford, CT Toyota Oakdale Theatre
June 28 Boston, MA House of Blues
June 29 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
July 1 Rochester Hills, MI Meadow Brook Amphitheatre (Pavilion)
July 2 Chicago, IL The Chicago Theatre
July 3 St. Paul, MN Palace Theatre
July 5 Omaha, NE The Admiral
July 6 Denver, CO The Mission Ballroom
July 7 Salt Lake City, UT Eccles Theater – Delta Performance Hall
July 9 Portland, OR The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
July 10 Seattle, WA McCaw Hall

Tickets are on-sale this Friday at 10 am local time with VIP package details to be made available in the coming days. Moodie Black open on all headlining dates.

About Puscifer

Born somewhere in the Arizona desert, Puscifer is an electro-rock band, multimedia experience, traveling circus, and alien abduction survivors. The group’s catalog consists of four full-length studio albums: “V” is for Vagina [2007], Conditions of My Parole [2011], Money Shot [2015], and Existential Reckoning (2020) — in addition to a series of EPs and remixes.

Beyond the core trio of Maynard James Keenan [vocals], Mat Mitchell [guitar, production], and Carina Round [vocals, songwriting], the group’s ever-evolving ecosystem encompasses Greg Edwards (bass, guitar, keys), Gunnar Olsen (drums), as well as a cast of characters such as Billy D and his wife Hildy Berger, Major Douche, Special Agent Dick Merkin, and many more. Meanwhile, the moniker’s origins can be traced to a 1995 episode of the HBO classic Mr. Show where Keenan first used the name “Puscifer.”

In addition to tallying tens of millions of streams and views, they’ve piqued the curiosity of the press. Entertainment Weekly christened them, “Exceptionally groovy,” and Revolver fittingly described them as “indescribable.” Renowned for an immersive live show, the group’s performances blur the lines between concert and theater, traversing the dusty American Southwest with Billy D and Hildy or the sweaty squared circle with Luchadores.

They’ve brought their unique live experience to life everywhere from Coachella to Bonnaroo. On their 2020 debut for Alchemy Recordings/Puscifer Entertainment/BMG entitled Existential Reckoning, Puscifer track Billy D back to the desert and, just maybe, uncover the truth about aliens once and for all.

Puscifer Online:

Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn

Adrenaline PR, News, Tours

Goth Rockers ORGY Announce Revival Tour with Special Guests September Mourning, Oh! The Horror, Death Valley High and Black Satellite

February 11, 2022 Katherine Amy Vega 1 Comment

ORGY announces Revival Tour, starting March 19 in Las Vegas. Founding member, vocalist Jay Gordon affirms “So excited to hit stages all over America at last! ORGY will be playing with some really cool artists. We are excited to come and show people how fucking happy we are that the world is experiencing live music again!! ORGY will be playing some new material that we are so excited to bring to the masses. We put a lot of heart and soul into these tracks and people will see that in our performances as well.”

With new members joining and combining their respective talents building a new and improved band, this transformation reestablishes ORGY in the hard rock and metal scene.

UPDATE: This tour has been partially postponed. see REMAINING dates here.

Tour dates & ticket links below

Jay Gordon further states, “This Covid shit is crazy too so we are taking extra care of our minds and bodies so that the energy level is at the highest and that will show when you see our performances. We ask that everyone coming to the shows is responsible enough to mask up and test before seeing any live entertainment globally and to respect the health of others as well as the artist’s that you are coming to see. Everyone needs to take precautions to help fight this awful Corona virus every step of the way. Test frequently for everyone’s sake! See u soon!!“

About ORGY:

ORGY spawned from the late 1990’s Goth music scene with their incredible remake of New Order’s “Blue Monday.” Upon release the track sold over one million copies and has sold more than20 million copies to date. In late 2005, after the release of Punk Statik Paranoia via D1 Music and Associates, their independent DVD TRANS GLOBAL SPECTACLE via D1 Music /DLC Records, and a promotional tour, the band went on a hiatus to work on their side projects.

In 2011, after seven years of demand from fans for new music and a tour, founding member Jay Gordon (vocals) decided it was time to kick things back up and begin recording and touring again in support of ORGY’s fans. Jay found himself with the task of finding new members. First, Jay selected North Carolina native and guitarist Carlton Bost to join the ranks of ORGY. Carlton is known for his previous synth guitar work in art-rock band Deadsy, as well as for being the current guitar player for classic synth band Berlin. Other bands Carlton has been a member of, or played for, include The Dreaming, Lunarclick, 16 Volt, Tim Skold, and his own solo project Shades of Scar. Additionally, he works as a producer, writer, and re-mixer for various other artists.

ORGY Bassist, studio musician and live session performer Nic Speck came to Los Angeles via upstate New York and Miami, FL. Multi-talented Guitarist / Bass player Creighton Emrick, formerly with Vegas in Space and a host of rock bands in LA and Ohio joined the band. Creighton adds another layer of unique synth guitar sounds and melodies to ORGY‘s music.

Newest member, Hungarian born drummer Marton Veress, joined in 2019, just in time for the Pretty in Kink Tour. Formerly of Hungary’s leading metal band Pokolgép, Marton received a merit scholarship to the world famous Drummers Collective in New York City and formed Armageddon. A few years later, Marton took his backpack without knowing anyone, he moved to LA. He soon met Jake Pitts from Black Veil Brides and his wife Inna and joined their band, Aelonia.

After several years of releasing earworm singles to the masses, ORGY has proven their long-lasting potency with a refreshed line-up and sound. The modern incarnation of ORGY has been transformed and sees the band poised to re-establish themselves in the EDM, industrial and hard rock scenes. Make no mistake about it, the ORGY brand is not going away anytime soon. As long as the fans demand new music and tours, the band is ready, willing and able to fill their request.

In 2020, ORGY released a video for “Spells,” a track mixed by Eric Racy and mastered by Howie Weinberg. This newer sound for ORGY has great lyrics, melodies, and guitars.

ORGY – Revival Tour

UPDATE: This tour has been partially postponed. see REMAINING dates here.

With special guests September Mourning, Death Valley High, Black Satellite

3.19 – Las Vegas, NV – The Usual Place (no September Mourning) Tickets
3.20 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock (no September Mourning) Tickets
3.23 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live Tickets
3.24 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar Tickets
3.25 – Fort Worth, TX – Ridglea Theater Tickets
3.27 – Sauget, IL – Pop’s Concert Venue Tickets
3.28 – Fort Wayne, IN – Pierre’s Tickets
3.30 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works Tickets
3.31 – Reading, PA – Reverb Tickets
4.01 – New Bedford, MA – The Vault Tickets
4.02 – Syracuse, NY – The Lost Horizon Tickets
4.03 – Parsippany, NJ – Dark Side of the Con (with September Mourning only) Tickets
4.05 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance Tickets
4.06 – Pittsburgh, PA – Crafthouse Tickets

With special guests Oh! The Horror, Death Valley High, Black Satellite

4.08 – Akron, OH – Empire Concert Club Tickets
4.09 – Janesville, WI – The Back Bar Tickets
4.10 – Westland, MI – The Token Lounge Tickets
4.12 – Joliet, IL – The Forge Tickets
4.13 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre Tickets
4.15 – Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios Tickets
4.16 – Denver, CO – The Venue Tickets
4.17 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater Tickets
4.19 – Salt Lake City, UT – Liquid Joes Tickets
4.21 – Reno, NV – Virginia Street Brewhouse Tickets
4.22 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post Tickets
4.23 – Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone Berkeley Tickets
4.24 – West Hollywood, CA – The Rainbow – 50th Anniversary w/Steel Panther, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Orgy – Free Show!

ORGY is:

Jay Gordon – Vocals
Carlton Bost – Guitar/Vocals
Nic Speck – Bass/Vocals
Creighton Emrick – Guitar/Vocals
Marton Veress – Drums

WinterHaven

The Venomous Pinks

The Last Gang

Authority Zero

Lagwagon

The Bouncing Souls

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes

NOFX

The 2022 Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival will continue on through the spring and summer with the following dates:

Photo Galleries

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Punk in Drublic – Bell Bank Park 3-19-22

Punk In Drublic online:

Vandoliers

Russkaja

Flogging Molly

Photo Galleries

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Flogging Molly, Russkaja, & Vandoliers – Marquee Theatre 3-15-22

Flogging Molly Setlist 3-15-22

Sydney Sprague

Dashboard Confessional

Jimmy Eat World

Photo Galleries

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Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Sydney Sprague – The Caverns 3-12-22

Kill ‘Em All

Black Mountain Project

Generation HEX

The Atomic Punks

Photo Gallery

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The Atomic Punks, Generation Hex, Black Mountain Project, & Kill ‘Em All – Marquee Theatre 2-25-22

The Atomic Punks online:

Cherry Bombs tour dates for Fall 2022:

Girl Gang

About Cherry Bombs:

Cherry Bombs online:

Flogging Molly & The Interrupters tour dates:

About Flogging Molly:

About The Interrupters:

Flogging Molly online:

Remaining ORGY Revival Tour dates are:

Read the original tour announcement & more about ORGY here.

ORGY Online:

Billy Howerdel Online:

Watch the tour announcement here:

Existential Reckoning tour dates:

About Puscifer

Puscifer Online:

About ORGY:

ORGY – Revival Tour

With special guests September Mourning, Death Valley High, Black Satellite

With special guests Oh! The Horror, Death Valley High, Black Satellite

ORGY is:

ORGY Online:

News & Reviews from the Fiery Mosh Pits of Arizona