CHEMIKILL,
ATTAXE,
FOOSE (featuring
SPUDMONSTERS frontman
Don Foose) and
SOULLESS have been added to the
Auburn Records 25th Anniversary Concert, set to take place December 12, 2009 at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio. Also scheduled to perform are
DESTRUCTOR,
BREAKER,
SHOK PARIS,
MANIMALS,
WRETCH,
H.A.T.E. and
ALTERNATE REALITY (featuring
WCSB DJ
Bob Delchin).
Admission to the event is FREE. No advance tickets are needed. The doors open at 3:30 p.m. Cameras and video are permitted.
Auburn Records is an independent heavy metal label based in Cleveland, Ohio.
"I sent invitations out to all the bands and musicians I have worked with on the label over the years to perform at this special 25th anniversary concert", says
Auburn Records president
Bill Peters. "Bands like
JAG PANZER,
THE SPUDMONSTERS,
PURGATORY,
AFTERSHOK,
NIGHTCRAWLER,
REAL STEEL and even
Tim 'Ripper' Owens, to name a few. Everyone was very positive and supportive, responding back they would love to play. Unfortunately, some bands were not available due to prior commitments or travel obstacles. If everyone would have responded back with a yes, we would have had to make it a three-day festival!
"I did not realize there were so many artists I had worked with until actually sitting down and drawing up a list. 25 years is a very long time. The label has had an extensive history."
One of
Auburn's most popular bands and a personal favorite of
Peters', for example,
PURGATORY, is not able to perform due to a prior commitment of lead singer
Jeff Hatrix, who is also the lead vocalist in
MUSHROOMHEAD.
Hatrix states, "Due to circumstances beyond my control, I, along with
PURGATORY, cannot participate in this celebration of metal and friendship. Without
Bill and the camaraderie of bands like
DESTRUCTOR and others, I wouldn't be where I am today. Although I'll be in Columbus on tour with
MUSHROOMHEAD, I'll be in Cleveland with all of you in spirit!
Auburn for life!"
PURGATORY did reunite to perform at
Auburn's 20th Anniversary Concert in 2004.
Others, like
SPUDMONSTERS frontman
Don Foose, were available.
"Growing up in Cleveland I was introduced to the music scene through many of the bands on
Auburn Records," says
Foose. "
Bill Peters was very instrumental in putting Cleveland metal on the map. It's an honor to be part of the show celebrating the 25th anniversary of
Auburn Records."
FOOSE has just released its debut album,
"Sacrifice", and was featured on the cover of the November 18, 2009 issue of
Cleveland Scene magazine.
BLACK DEATH A.D. dropped off the bill and is retooling its lineup for a headlining performance to support the
BLACK DEATH reissue in early 2010.
The final running order and set times are as follows:
ALTERNATE REALITY: 4:00 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.
H.A.T.E.: 4:50 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
ATTAXE: 5:40 p.m. - 6:20 p.m.
CHEMIKILL: 6:30 p.m .- 7:10 p.m.
WRETCH: 7:20 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
FOOSE: 8:10 p.m. - 8:40 p.m.
MANIMALS: 8:55 p.m. - 9:35 p.m.
SHOK PARIS: 9:50 p.m. - 10:45 p.m.
BREAKER: 11:00 p.m. - 11:55 p.m.
DESTRUCTOR: 12:10 a.m. - 1:05 a.m.
SOULLESS: 1:15 a.m. - 1:55 a.m.
Germany's
Iron Ingo Stührenberg (
Metal-Rules.de) and
Chris E. (
Cellbound) will guest MC.
Metal-Rules.de and
The Exchange are co-sponsors.
Spectrum Sound will be doing a multi-track recording.
Fans are encouraged to bring cans of food to the concert. A donation will be made to charity to help those in need this holiday season from the Cleveland metal community.
The food drive is being sponsored by
WJCU 88.7 FM and
Auburn Records.
Peters hosts his long-running Friday night
"Metal On Metal" radio show on
WJCU.
Musical highlights include:
*
DESTRUCTOR's special first-time performance of the band's classic 1985
"Maximum Destruction" debut vinyl album in its entirety from start to finish.
* A
SHOK PARIS reunion, with the songwriting team of guitarist
Ken Erb and vocalist
Vic Hix taking the stage together for the first time since 2004's
Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen, Germany.
Auburn Records' very first release was
SHOK PARIS'
"Go For The Throat" album in 1984. They were
Auburn's first major label signing to the
I.R.S./
MCA label in 1986.
"I wanted to make this a free show for the fans so I am covering all the production costs and the bands are donating their time to perform," says
Peters. "I know it is crazy and quite expensive for me to be doing this in today's economy, but it is something I really wanted to do for the Cleveland metal fans.
"Cleveland has always had an excellent reputation in the heavy metal underground and I am proud to be part of it."
"
Auburn Records has always been a label for the fans, from the fans. I operate the label on a part-time basis, with a limited budget, out of my love for the music and run it more like a family than a business. I always try to look at the long-term forecast, as opposed to the short-term one that is sadly so prevalent in today's business environment. The dedicated and talented people around me are the ones that have helped keep the label going all these years and allowed me to overcome many obstacles and challenges."
"Some industry peers have said I am too generous with my bands but I am still here after 25 years so I must be doing something right! I've been working with the same group of bands, production people and recording engineers from when I first started the label back in 1984. That's unusual in this industry and a true testament to our Team Auburn concept and family bond. It's a unique and positive way to doing business."
Peters takes his
Auburn bands to Germany each year to perform at major festivals such as
Wacken Open Air,
Bang Your Head!!!,
Headbangers Open Air and
Keep It True. The label enjoys a very strong underground following in Europe, especially in Germany. This past summer,
Auburn presented a special 25th anniversary performance for their German fans at the sold-out
Headbangers Open Air festival. Following
LICK THE BLADE's set, members of
DESTRUCTOR and
BREAKER made a surprise appearance on stage to play some of their early classic songs.