You always return to the music that first motivated you in your youth. This is where music/art is completely objective – No comparisons or competitions will ever make you feel any differently. Sure you may come to realize in adulthood certain realities, but it does nothing to revision or compromise your experience – This is how I feel about the genre of Thrash Metal. It will always belong to ME, because like any generation that claims ownership to a movement you had to be there at the beginning and thankfully as a young person I was for the beginning, peak and amazing sustaining power of all things Thrash.
This month I got to see some of the very best .
Testament/Exodus – April 8th – House of Blues – Dallas, TX
To know anything about Thrash Metal you know that essentially its the evolution of British Heavy Metal in its faster, Americanized form, brought to you by some unforgettable pioneers largely from California. Thanks to a series of different music business tactics a hierarchy began to form that soon became unofficiallly known as the Big Four of Thrash which would be Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax (from NYC).
Justified, undeserved or whatever depending on who you talk to, this is set in stone as law – but equally accepted as the gospel is that if their were an official
The Next Four of Thrash, every list would include Testament & Exodus (both from the Bay Area).
Exodus
It’s impossible (for me) to write about Exodus without recalling the night at age 14 my older sister dropped off my childhood friend Steve & I in Fair Park to see Exodus (w/ Anthrax) for the Headbanger’s Ball Tour. Easily one of the most transformative evenings of my life & still one of my fave memories.
I’ve seen Exodus a few more times over the years, most recently just last year (w/ Slayer) as they really have roared back with a great new LP Blood In Blood Out.
On that tour they were reduced to a very short set playing to impatient Slayer fans – This time they got to play a full set and they killed.
Setlist –
Black 13
Blood In, Blood Out
Iconoclasm
Children of a Worthless God
A Lesson in Violence
Salt the Wound
The Last Act of Defiance
Blacklist
Bonded by Blood
War Is My Shepherd
The Toxic Waltz
Strike of the Beast
Testament
As much of a thrash fan I am and how much I wore out their early records from 1987-1989 I still didn’t manage to see Testament in concert until 2005. They didn’t come to Texas alot, that combined with my own touring schedule made me think I was never going to see them live. I managed to only see them one more time in 2011 (also with Anthrax) and while they were good both times and each show was enjoyable, this really felt like I was seeing them for the first time. Not to be Mr. I Only Wanna Hear Oldies, but on this special tour they were only playing songs from their first three LPs AND with FULL arena rock style production that was FREAKING AWESOME –
With the three core members of the band still intact who wrote & played on those LPs they came out guns’ a blazin and didn’t let up, not once – It was incredible & positively inspiring to see these guys playing like they were still in their 20s and put on what (so far) has to be the show of the year IMO.
A little tidbit for ya, any fan of this band couldn’t remotely imagine it not being led by charismatic lead singer, the irresistable Chuck Billy, however before they recorded their first LP in 1987, the three previous years, the above mentioned Steve Souza was their singer, a staple of the incestious nature of any burdgeoning regional scene with both bands being from the Bay Area (along with Metallica and as most know Kirk Hammett was the original guitarist for Exodus).
Setlist –
Over the Wall
The Haunting
Burnt Offerings
Raging Waters
The Preacher
Do or Die
First Strike Is Deadly
A Day of Reckoning
Apocalyptic City
Eerie Inhabitants
The New Order
Trial by Fire
Into the Pit
Alone in the Dark
C.O.T.L.O.D.
Encore:
Practice What You Preach
Disciples of the Watch
To make the evening even more special was my hetero-lifemate Chris was able to join me who was there right along with me at the height of the Thrash Metal 80s and together we would obsess over those records endlessly during summers that seemed to go on forever. This was also his FIRST Testament show and though he probably (like me) just expected a fun night of nostalgia with an old friend, we both had no idea that this was gonna be the double-barrel blast it turned out to be.
Joining us was my friend of over 20 years Mike D, Keith and his awesome daughter Alex –
The gang (left)
I didn’t mean to be exploitive but this woman was so striking and
fearless I had to get a picture with her (right).
Scott Ian I’m The Man Book Signing – May 26th – Half-Price Books – Dallas,TX
The tales of Thrash continue (literally & litarary) with Scott Ian (from the aforementioned Big Four of Thrash members Anthrax).
In town a night early on their tour with Volbeat to promote his autobiography I’m The Man with a signing and Q&A.
Thank to my long association with the Anthrax organization & being a student of Metal I already knew most of the stories he told (though I’ve yet to read the book, but really looking forward to when I get the chance to) to a very appreciative crowd of about 75 die-hard fans.
It was a fun but unusual night for me, as a huge storm hit the city & I had to excuse myself after to take a meeting that would lead to me being the MC for a black tie gala benefiting a local pet rescue agency & having dinner with their honorary chairperson actress Morgan Fairchild.
The randomness continued as trips to Half-Price books usually result in absurd impulse buys, but none more ridiculous than me walking out with autobiographies from notorious Rock N Roll/Baseball groupies Bobby Brown & ??? and a He-Man record from my childhood haha.
Volbeat/Anthrax – May 27th – Verizon Theater – Dallas, TX
Another weird entry into my experiences with Anthrax (as well as the continuing unfortunate times at this venue) –
My old buddy Ryan & I who I’ve seen very little in the last few years were greatly looking forward to having a long overdue reunion and celebrating that with our old friends Anthrax as well as Ryan has become a committed Volbeat fan in his absence and was looking forward to converting me as well.
We arrive at my least favorite venue in Dallas (& maybe one of my least faves in the world) to yet another round of their overpriced parking & incompetent staff that seem to be getting more rude with each visit. Arrive at Will Call to find my stuff not there & Anthrax already on stage. I made a series of panicked calls to Aaron & Heidi (Anthrax Tour Manager/Publicist) until Mitch (Asst. Tour Mgr) came out to get us and walked us in where we had already missed over half of their set.
We did manage to hear Sorror Irrumator Hymn 1, their contribution to the Game of Thrones soundtrack and In the End, their tribute to fallen Metal icons, Ronnie James Dio & local legend Dimebag Darrel from Pantera. Sadly just a week later, Tour Manager/Soundman Aaron was found dead in his hotel room. Weird, dark times.
Setlist –
Caught in a Mosh
Got the Time (Joe Jackson cover)
Madhouse
I Am the Law
Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t
Soror Irrumator Hymn 1
In the End
Antisocial (Trust cover)
Indians
Ryan was going absolutely ape shit for Volbeat – I had only heard a few songs, & liked what I heard and was looking forward to seeing them live.
I was equally intrigued that a Danish metal band stage production was an homage to Doc Holiday’s American outlaw south.
They were way better than I expected them to be and had that riff-meister-general quality that Scott Ian of Anthrax has.
Humbling moment for sure for Anthrax providing support to a group they clearly influenced whose lineup features Rob Caggiano, one of the seemingly dozens of guitarists that have passed through Anthrax filling the slot “classic lineup” member Dan Spitz vacated 20 years ago.
Volbeat singer/leader Michael Poulsen has the perfect stage presence and is a born metal singer/frontman. He did this really cool thing where he spotted a young child in the audience and wasn’t satisfied just giving her a free t-shirt, but instead crowd surfed to hand deliver it to her. Super likeable guy and great show by a powerful band.
Setlist –
Hallelujah Goat
A New Day
Dead but Rising
Lola Montez
Danny & Lucy (11 pm)
Sad Man’s Tongue
Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood
The Human Instrument
The Garden’s Tale
Heaven nor Hell / A Warrior’s Call
Doc Holliday
The Mirror and the Ripper
The Hangman’s Body Count
16 Dollars
Encore:
Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza
The Lonesome Rider
Fallen
(Unknown)(New Song)
Still Counting
Always great catching Metal shows with my old pal –
Photos –
Roy Turner
