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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Outlaw Order CD Release Party
Current mood:

savage
Category: Music

......................................

The night was humid, with as light calming breeze. The moon was full, illuminating the sky, painting the setting for a night in the quarter. Amid the dark empty streets approached the banter of cheering voices and horns of a jazz band blaring from Jackson Square. The Zulu floats all stood towering over the crowd, dancing. Mardi Gras beads and drinks could be seen from a mile away. Shuffling past the gathering we approached One Eyed Jacks, the site of tonight’s entertainment. Fans gathered outside the venue, talking while sipping beers and inhaling cigarette smoke. Everyone seemed to be in a great mood, calm but in lively spirit. With shirts supporting the scene and beyond intact, bands like Graveyard Rodeo, Arson Anthem, Black Flag, Burzum and many more were scattered through out the crowd proving once again the diversity that Outlaw Order and the other bands draw.

            Punks & metal heads alike lured inside the venue when opening band Face First hit the stage. Face First is a local favorite band, and after seeing there set, there isn’t a doubt in anyone’s eye as to why. There ferocity is captured when pummeling the audience with old school hardcore riffs and vocals, matched with heavy percussion.
The room became a who’s who in the Nola underground. Pepper Keenan showed up,and I raised my drink for a cheers with him. Following that I saw members of The Pallbearers in the pit stirring up chaos. Jimmy Bower was hanging out with fans and band members enjoying the punk rock that was being slammed out onstage. Even Phil Anselmo could be seen in the balcony above nodding his head in approval.

            Face First seemed to blend the stylings of Discharge, D.R.I., and early thrash metal. After the first set, I stepped back to the bar. One Eyed Jacks makes some of the best drinks in town,and the bartenders are always courteous and have smiles on there faces. Up next was Memphis shredder, Evil Army. This band has made quite a dent in the metal community in this past year; they work hard and it shows. Recently signed with Phil Anselmo’s Housecore Records, it’s only a matter of time until this best kept secret in the underground achieves international acclaim. Firing into Edge of Destruction,from there self titled release, Evil Army brings all of the elements we love of early thrash and make it there own. Rob Evil delivered every solo and lyrical grunt to perfection and the band is very tight live. Fans of early Metallica, Slayer,and Bathory will enjoy this band.
They are so young, and they can blow away a lot of other bands trying to imitate this particular style that they play. Fans going to see Nola’s own Down this year will get a chance to see Evil Army, as they are slated to be the tour’s opener. Be ready to head bang until it hurts!

            Finally, the main event... Outlaw Order took the stage with Joey Lacaze making most of the wise cracks for the evening, taunting the audience with his hatred for Guitar Hero and Rock Band.He blurted out obscenities as he stated that some kid is going to go home, upload their songs to rock band, and play the game, verses actually learning a real instrument. The band hammered out tracks from there new album, Dragging Down the Enforcer, on Seasons Mist, a French label who signed the band last year. As mentioned in my review of the Raise the Dead Festival, this band shows a lot of promise. They have endured criticism claiming that they sound too much like Eyehategod.But the band members play what they like, and don’t give a damn about what people think. Personally, I feel the members helped define and influence the style of New Orleans metal. So why shouldn’t that be represented in their other projects? This band offers the slow, toned down groves, as well as the hardcore element and grind. Brian Patton is amazing to watch live, as he has a stillness. He doesn’t even seem to watch himself on the frets; his fingers just move and make the notes happen. Mike Williams never stopped moving onstage and broke the mic stand a couple times,screaming “Fuck the NOPD” as a circle pit erupted on the floor of One Eyed Jacks. Pat Bruder (of Crowbar) was back on board for this show, and did an excellent job. Gary could be seen on the side of the stage rounding out the devastation.

            By the end of the set, people could be seen throwing change and dollar bills to the band as they shouted at us once again to “Give us money”. By the end of the show, everyone exchanged hand shakes, hugs, drinks and laughs. Then as quickly as the night began, it ended in the Louisiana fog. One quick drink at 13 in the Marigny, and I was off to Baton Rouge. On my mind, without a doubt, was one of the best shows I have been to.

I’m Ryan McKern,
For Neworleansmusicians.net

For more information on these bands and other events in the city please checkout:

www.nolaunderground. com
myspace.com/facefirstignorantassholes
myspace. com/evilarmy
myspace. com/outlaworder

11:32 PM

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Friday, January 09, 2009

For The Wait
Current mood:

thirsty
Category: Music

"For the Wait" is currently on tour. NewOrleansMusicians.net sat down with the band in late November to discuss their latest album, Separation.

Note: For The Wait peforms live on January 16, 2009 in Baton Rouge at Clicks Billiard's (9pm) and in New Orleans at The Hangar on January 30, 2009 (8pm).

"We don't do what we do for popularity or recognition. We do this because it is who we are. The music we create is far greater than the individual."(from For the Wait's myspace page). This independent spirit is clearly reflected in their approach to creating music and is embodied in their most recent album 'Separation.'

NOM: So can you describe some of your early influences and how those shaped the development of your present album?

FTW: Our main influences include Tool and early Alice in Chains. But when we started with this record we left all of that at the door. We decided to be experimental without being too far out there. We wanted to strip ourselves of other songs that we had heard or that we had liked and just come into what was a natural sound for us."

NOM: What about the creative process of the band--how did your songs on this album develop?

FTW: "Anyone of us might start the creative process. It could be Fitz who might come in with a rip, or Justin might come in with a beat and I [Richard]might put a vocal on top of that, or it might be vice-versa all depending on the situation. Sometimes we would start off in the middle of the song and write from the middle to the end and then we write the beginning of it. We don't like to start naming parts [for a particular member to develop], everyone puts on what thinks should be in the song right there at that time.

NOM: How does this album differ from 'The Joy of Misfortune', your first album?

FTW: People are gonna hear a lot of change, a lot of growth in 'Separation.' We were really creative on [this album] and we just roll the dice on some the songs. We took some really loose concepts and started working with that-sometimes till 12, 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. There are songs where we didn't stress big changes [from our previous album] and others where we tried to do something we'd never done before. Before this album we weren't sure exactly what we were doing. You know, being a young band we just threw songs together [on our first album]. We didn't really make an album we just recorded songs and put them together. This time we went with a group concept, an album concept. We also stay as metaphoric as possible. A lot of stuff you can't listen to it [the first time] and go 'I know what he's talking about.' You have a listen to it a few times to get your own interpretation of what it means. And approaching our music that way wasn't easy at first but once we got into the groove of it, it turned out that everyone just stopped questioning it. And we ended up with ten songs that we all love.

NOM: What about plans for future records?

FTW: Our master plan is to change every record. We have to grow as artists and can't base what we do on people's reaction [to what we've done before].

NOM: Is there one song your pushing as a single right now?

FTW: Yea, "Transition"

NOM: How has being in New Orleans influenced your music?

FTW: Its created a kind of dirty, dark accent to our music.

NOM: How has being in New Orleans influenced your view of the music scene here?

FTW: Its kind of hard to get noticed with so much going on here. A big problem in this city is that you have a lot of bar owners but you don't necessarily have music people that want to bring in new music. You know, they want recognized figures that will draw crowds. Here, you are either a"metal" band or a "cover" band. There really isn't much in-between. And you know, its very surprising that B97 is also more willing to help out than local rock stations. Its like rock stations won't play our music but B97 will play it.

NOM: Is there any particular area of the U.S. that you want to put your mark on?

FTW: The midwest, Chicago

NOM: Where can people find out more about the band and hear some of the album?

FTW: We get a lot of hits on myspace (http://myspace.com/forthewait). We have music, a tour schedule, and ways for people to connect with the band.

Article written by Jeremy Kerr and beyondpolaroid.com

For Neworleansmusicians.net

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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Acid Head
Current mood:

electric
Category: Music

It's time to sit back and turn up the volume on another LP review.The opening track, Take No Shit, throws power chord riffs into a mid tempo grind, bringing me back to the days of early Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and The Cows. With the fuzz overdrive of the guitars muffled through tube amps, the vocals hit a low, rock fashion. I even heard a little Hetfield influence in the choppy notes, and scratchy and melodic verses.

The 2nd track, Bleed, definitely sounds like something from the Jar of Flies sessions. A beautifully recorded song, it's tight and shows true structure. This is the type of structure that would be suitable for mainstream. The vocals are much less forced on this track, and the singers find a great balance with the key of the song. To my surprise, a beautiful synth breakdown appears with filtersweeps, arpreggiated noise and samples, before going back into a well played ( and not over flashy) guitar solo. This seems to be the strong point in the band's sound; it is acoustic but heavy and everyone seems to be comfortable in their surroundings. And it brings out the talent of each member. You can tell they are feeding off of each others groove.

The third track, Peace, takes the sound in an entirely different direction from the previous sounds. The song jumps into a melancholy bass and guitar delay. It's almost as if Joy Division and The Cure teemed up with Corrosion of Conformity, and used intense psychedelic vocal effects. Next up was They Come From No Where. It's a dream like serenade, showcasing synth string sounds, the echo of a choir, guitar effects and a gallop of a rhythm. Everpresent, and Lead, are other examples of why I love this bands ability to write dark and atmospheric songs. They nail it each time, and do so sincerely.

Lead spirals from Spanish classical to haunting rhythms found rarely in bands with the exception of Opeth. The vocals on Lead are full of reverb and sound warm over the guitar and orchestral sounds. And the vocalist captures a line that pulls the listener in, talking of life; lives running out. The song then displays a flute, or some sort of native American sounding wind instrument, for a solo. This may have been recorded with their synth, but sounds organic enough to go with the song's flow.

Virtual Demigod is a programmed drum number. The vocal octaves make their appearance again. The guitar tone changes into more of a Judas Priestguitar solos. The screams are perhaps less prominent then they should be to get the full feel of the nightmarish potential of the song. The ladder part of the CD seems to follow the post-electro experimental rock jam. As a first time listener, I feel the tracks mentioned above are my favorite and the direction I would love to see the band move into. Unfortunately, I could not find any web links for the band, so if anyone has them, send them our way so we may post.

-Cheers-

Written by Ryan McKern

for Neworleansmusicians.net

9:46 AM

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Monday, December 29, 2008

Free Agents Brass Band
Current mood:Brassy!
Category: Music

Neworleansmusicians.net caught up with band manager Terrance King, member of Under The Bridge Management Group, and got the inside scoop on the origin and direction of New Orleans' own Free Agents Brass Band. The band was actually the brain child of Ellis Joseph, the band leader, who founded the group back in September of '05. Joseph had evacuated to Atlanta during Hurricane Katrina, but still managed to maintain contact with several musicians in the area from New Orleans. Many people were calling him looking for gigs. "The people wanted to hear that sound. They were calling him looking for a band. He didn't have a band, but he knew he had several guys in the city that were looking for work. He put those guys together to make this gig and that gig. And he finally said… You know what, we need to start something", said King. Musicians that play for hire are commonly referred to as 'free agents'. So it was only fitting that he named the band Free Agents Brass Band. They continued playing gigs around Atlanta and eventually made it back to New Orleans by February '06.

Three of the original members went their own way, 5 original members stayed, and 4 new members came on board. A lot of these guys have played in Rebirth Brass Band, The Hot 8 Brass Band, Little Rascals Brass Band, and the Little Stooges Brass Band. So their sound is essentially a culmination of that brass band sound that only comes from New Orleans. How they got started, coupled with their aim to address local community issues, is why King feels the Free Agents Brass Band sets themselves apart from the rest. With song titles like "Stop The Violence" and "Made It Through That Water", the bands message definitely hits close to home.

With eight members and a manager, it's not easy living off of gigs alone. "We're not eating as much as we would like to, but we're grateful. You can catch us every Sunday at the Chocolate Bar, Friday 636 Restaurant in Gretna, we're still playing weddings and family reunions. But we're trying to take this thing world wide. This music is positive and you can't resist it", explained King. But the band still manages to expand their audience while playing for a cause. They recently performed in Brazil and will be performing at the Geneva Festival in Switzerland this year on April 23^rd. And the band was recently featured in "Trouble the Water", winner of several awards including best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival 2008. An interesting fact, the main character in the film, Kimberly Rivers Roberts, is actually a New Orleans native and fellow evacuee. You can see the trailer, find screenings, and even help take action at the link below.

The support is strong within the families of brass bands in New Orleans. "Just being in cahoots with other brass bands has given us a lot of work. We get work from Hot 8, and we get work from Rebirth. These guys are busy and this music is in demand. So we pay homage to these guys, they're like our big brothers. When they're over booked, they slide us gigs. We meet a lot of people just being in those circles". Keeping the money where it belongs, King turned to Piety Street Recording in the heart of New Orleans to complete their latest album, "Made It Through That Water". But since New Orleans lacks a major CD duplication company, he went with Oasis Disc Manufacturing with locations in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and New York. (Insert rant about how we need more music industry related businesses here!)

Currently, you can purchase Free Agents Brass Band CDs on their Myspace page, as well as at Louisiana Music Factory, Mushroom Records, Nothing But fire Records, Peaches Records, Record Check on Bayou Road, and at gigs. "We're looking for a big distribution deal. We'd love to get a national distribution deal though. If you read this article and that's your business, give me a call", added King. The band is eager to gain the interest and participation of the local community. They've obtained approval so that students can get college credits for music and management working with the band. And they are always looking for more street team members to distribute their t-shirts, stickers, and fliers. You can catch their music on 106.7, Q93, and WWOZ. Be sure and call the station to request songs currently in rotation like "Victory is Mine", and "Made it Through That Water". Those requests are what keep these bands on the air waves. And please take advantage of the links below. Special thanks goes out to T King for taking the time to meet with N.O.M.!

Free Agents Brass Band

www.myspace.com/freeagentsbrassband

The Bridge Management Group

Terrance King, managing member

freeagentsbrassband@yahoo.com

504-812-7322

www.myspace.com/thebridgemanagementgroup

Trouble the Water

www.troublethewaterfilm.com

Rebirth Brass Band

www.myspace.com/rebirthbrassband

Da Truth Brass Band,

www.myspace.com/datruthbrassband1

The Hot 8 Brass Band

www.myspace.com/hot8brassband

Soul Rebels Brass Band

www.myspace.com/soulrebelsbrassband

Piety Recording Studios

www.pietystreet.com/

Oasis CD Duplicators

www.oasisCD.com

Written by: David Trahan for Neworleansmusicians.net

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Friday, December 19, 2008

ohGr
Category: Music

...........................

   This October marked the release of Devils In My Details, 
the new solo album by Skinny Puppy front man and co-creator Ohgr. 
This release follows the 2003 Industrial Grind stomping album 
Sunnypsyop, which I feel had a influence on the direction 
of Skinny Puppy's 2004 album and come back tour. This album 
is intriguing and a bit of a departure from the theatrical 
madman's previous efforts. The album treads into familiar 
ground with the opening snare drum fire track Shhh, but then 
pulls the listener further and deeper into the dark magnetic 
vibrations of Ohgr's macabre poetry as it progresses.

.. ..

Do not expect another dance goth masterpiece. This album 
stands on its own with many synth distorted manipulations, 
perhaps in respect to Otto Von Shirach, who seemed to have a 
influence on Skinny Puppy as a supporting act on the last two 
tours.

.. ..

Demented time signatures and hallow samples, as found in 
Feelin Chicken, offer just a glimpse into the layering of sounds 
and circus dementia in Whitevan, which begs the question of 
how will this be presented to us live? Fans familiar with 
Puppy's theatrical horror spectacles and projected light frenzy, 
will read reviews of this tour saying the live show holds true to 
Oghr's previous concerts and offers an individual artistic glare of deviance.

.. ..

As always, ....New Orleans.... can not wait to see what’s now in 
store for us on Ohgr's latest creation of sinister mindscapes. Be 
there ready to scream, dance and lose yourself!

Article
by: Ryan McKern for Neworleansmusicians.net

Photographs
by: Alas Vera for Neworleansmusicians.net

myspace.com/veraellen1

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

People On The Side
Current mood:

crunk
Category: Music

People On The Side

Album Review: People on the Side

Opening track, Ready, offers strong electro build ups reminiscent of punk synth dance legends The Faint. Then an attack of guitar rhythms puncture the beat and the singer delivers a quiet but luring verse, while the chorus builds back into a rock stomp. All of this is equipped with a shouting style somewhere between Slipknot and Mr. Bungle's distortion.

The band's delivery of kilter bridges and samples in between the song structure does hold the attention of the listener at all times. After my first initial reaction of the song, it took me into a more untagged direction; a la Dog Fashion Disco meets Prog metal.

The second track, Undone, layers a head banging beat very well, mixed with filter sweeps. It seems the band has the potential to draw fans of bands like System Of A Down or Faith No More. But they could also appeal to a more dance oriented rock crowd who might seek after sounds of KMFDM & Mindless Self Indulgence.

The one thing this band lacks is not its talent to tear down, but rather add more emotion and substance to the melodic and down tempo verses of the albums core. But the singer does a great job juggling the aggression and tone. The album is definitely a solid first release. And more importantly, their concept is original to the New Orleans and Louisiana scene.

Mary dig dirt, the 3rd track on this album, delivered a funk fueled rock jam,
but lacked the metallic spasms that were so addictive in the opening tracks.
This band is tight, and does show a obvious connection between the musicians. As a point of constructive criticism, I would advise the band to focus on there strongest asset, which is the mathcore time signature heaviness and keyboard interject.

The melodic points are intriguing but seem to not possess as much soul as when the band is in the fire and hashing out pure metal obscure bliss.

Article by: Ryan McKern for Neworleansmusicians.net

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Gulfcoast Hardcore Fest

Neworleansmusicians.net recently got a chance to sit with Seth from Light's Bane Booking. We learned about the state of the hardcore scene in NOLA, and about his next festival. The Gulfcoast Hardcore Fest will be happening at Dragon's Den on November 29^th at 2pm. Tickets are only three dollars and, at the time of this interview, fifteen bands were confirmed to play! Seth has booked dozens of bands over the years, and has strived to make sure that they get paid and fans get the most for their money. "I try to avoid venues that want a cut of the door because they're usually unfair. And the more money you charge at the door for independent unknown bands, the less people have to spend on band merchandise, food, or drinks." In speaking with Seth, one could easily pick up on his passion for the music scene.

He spoke of lasting friendships built around music, and packed houses that encourage people to get to know one another. Small venues have never been something that Seth has shied away from in the past. "Being so tightly packed together is what makes punk shows, punk shows. You want to be up close to the bands that you like. You want to be up close to the speakers so that you can really hear the noise that's ripping your ears to shreds. You want to be close to the people you know and like because you want to dance with them. You want to mosh together, or shout lyrics together". Light's Bane is known for creating intimate, intense atmospheres that cater to the local scene. Seth feels the music that comes from Louisiana, no matter the genre, contains a sound unique to this area. And it is because of this inimitable quality that musicians, promoters, and fans have stuck together through the hardest. "Even after Katrina, when there was basically nothing happening anywhere around here, there were gutted out house shows with generators happening at least weekly. There were people contacting people from out of town, planning, because some band members weren't coming back. Afterward, there were a lot of really rocky starts and early ends. But since then, so much has just changed and adapted to re-establish the south as a solid music community."

Seth knew there was not much money to be made booking hard core bands. But complimentary to his love of this music was his knowledge of the scene. "In fact, hard core, punk, and metal shows do the absolute worst for the venues' profit margins. And the people that come don't necessarily drink alcohol, they don't necessarily get floored like some college kids might in a group outing. These are people that go to shows all the time and are constantly putting their money into the music community. And their pockets are spread thin, but they're consistent." Clearly, fans don't go unnoticed by Light's Bane Booking, and many could be considered as friends. Oddly enough, fickle crowds have been an obstacle for Seth, as well as any promoter. A show last month on a Tuesday might pack the house, while a Wednesday or Thursday show next month may draw few. But through the years, Light's Bane Booking has stood fast, drawing inspiration from crowds and handfuls alike. As a fan, Seth can tell you how he feels about small shows. "Some of the best shows I've been to have been in peoples' kitchens, or living rooms, and there's no space at all. There's hardly space to stand in the rooms. Most people get stuck in the kitchens or in the backyards and hallways. And most people are ok with it because there's something really awesome going on that they're a part of, regardless of how uncomfortable it is."

He still maintains that the more popular, more commercialized punk shows lack a certain quality that has nothing to do with the size of the crowd. The interaction of the band with the fans, and the dedication of those fans, is what makes or breaks a show. "They are people that come to every show; own every shirt the band's put out, own the 7 inches, the demos, the CD-Rs, the cassette tapes, the twelve inches, fliers, patches, stickers, and buttons and everything they can get their hands on. Some of us that have been able to keep the old stuff cherish these things more than maybe the latest Green Day CD that comes out." Light's Bane Booking is not a commercial venture. It is not in this business to make money. After all these years, he's just now posting an e-mail address. Light's Bane Booking is a group of fans that are in the streets, and at shows, sticking together. This is the truest representation of the phrase "support your local music scene". And with a three dollar cover for fifteen plus bands, you can't help but support their efforts. Listed below are links to some, if not all, of the bands playing on the 29^th. Also listed are some of the contributors to this show, and the hard core scene in general. So check out the bands, show love as a fan, and come mosh with the best of your local indie hard core speaker slayers!

~~BANDS~~BANDS~~BANDS~~BANDS~~BANDS~~

A Hanging (La)                                                          Idiot Icon (FL)
Myspace.com/ahanging                                             Myspace.com/esndpunk

We Need To Talk (La)                                             Legion (AL)
Myspace.com/wntt                                                  Myspace.com/legionbham

Justin Bailey (La)                                                     Severe Discomfort (AL)
Myspace.com/justinbailey                              Myspace.com/severediscomfort

We Are The Living (La)                                          Bloated Carcass (AL)
Myspace.com/theliving                                      Myspace.com/bloatedcarcass

Party Time (La)                                                       Werewolf Casey (MS)
Myspace.com/partytimepricks                           Myspace.com/werewolfcasey

Reclaim Life (La)                                                             Mordechai (MS)
Myspace.com/toreclaimlife                             Myspace.com/mordechaisound

Hangtime (La)                                                      A Fist Full Of Fingers (MS)
Myspace.com/hangtimehc                                           Myspace.com/affof

The Fun Boys
Myspace.com/thefunboyshc

Below are the links for people that have had a hand in this show, and in the local hard core scene.

Light's Bane Booking                                                  Carson Slovak
Myspace.com/lightsbanebooking                                Myspace.com/Century

Russel Moran                                                                 Bryan Funck
Evolve.adesso@yahoo.com                                        flyerstorm@yahoo.com

Matt Fogherty
Myspace.com/Sisera

~ ~ ~ Publications ~ ~ ~

Six Ten Split

Magazine covering a lot of underground N.O. ska, punk, metal, jazz, etc.

Found at Big Top off of St. Charles

Paranoize- magazine containing interviews with local bands, reviews of various extreme genres, show listing, etc. Check out paranoizenola.com

Article by Dopamine for Neworleansmusicians.net

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Raise The Dead III

This year marked the 3rd installment of the successful New Orleans
hardcore/ metal Raise The Dead Fest. Founded in 2007 by
members of Nolaunderground.com, the group forum contributors posted entries of bands that they used to love to go see before Katrina at the VFW Hall on Franklin. This is the same venue which hosted many legendary shows from Nola Hardcore founders such as Graveyard Rodeo, Exhorder, Shell Shock and Crawlspace. Nolaunderground.com is the encyclopedia guide to New Orleans' underground music past and present. It features bios, media clips, concert calendars, and information on up and coming bands.

The past two Raise The Dead Festivals focused around the reunions of legendary bands who help found the Nola sound as it is known in the metal communities around the world. January featured the bands Floodgate and Skab. The festival also benefited the NOMHRF which raised money for instruments to be given to artists who lost their creative tools in the hurricane. The RTD II featured Graveyard Rodeo whose original line-up had not performed in 10 years. Also giving fans in the Lake Charles La. a punk hardcore onslaught was Choke, who hasn't performed in 17 years. But on top the third installment of RTD.

This night brought a whole new line up to the stage, featuring side projects and showing the versatile nature of the scene. Opening tonight's madness was Pain Tribe, New Orleans' sunken circus.
Pain Tribe also brought there visual terror to the RTD fest last year,
drawing in the cultural phenomenon with suspension, chain pulling, and pulsing industrial noise. The atmosphere was set for the dark theatrics in store. The first musical performance of the evening was the New Orleans instrumental rock trio Hostile Apostle. This was a musical collaboration featuring members of Soilent Green, Hawg Jaw and Rustler.
Matt Williams fired off the first drum roll into this monstrous rock jam session. Scott Crochet hit heavy low bass notes to compliment the progressive guitar styling of Justin Giardina. Keeping a rattling doom tempo feel, the band played a strong set. While most were drawn into the sounds, others waited it out in the bar and outside the
venue until the next group hit the stage.

Ritual Killer is New Orleans' black metal, or as they may say "an
experiment in musical terrorism". Which ever label you may give them,
Ritual Killer is a reminder to those who feel the extreme music has all but lost its blasphemy and creative fires. In 1999, drummer Zak Nolan gave recorded drum tracks to Sammy Duet. The unholy seed was planted and in 2004, rehearsals began with the addition of vocalist Jordan Barlow and bassist James Harvey. The rhythms were unloaded like gunshots as the guitar hammered through the guttural screams. Ritual Killer is a band reminiscent to the early 90's black metal scene, with brutality serving as its ambiance.

As I cleared myself from the front of the stage, I noticed that the Howlin' Wolf was a full house, consisting of fans and other local musicians such as Quintron, Ben Falgoust (Goatwhore, Soilent Green) and Pat Bruders (Crowbar). Everyone was drinking beer, cutting up, and having a great time.

Next up was Flesh Parade, the misfits of Cajun grindcore mayhem. Singer Scott Leger, guitarist Rene Perez, drummer Todd Capiton and bassist
Julien Fried were welcomed by cheers and applause as they arose from an ear splitting distorted rapture of high pitch screams and shredding guitar. The pit erupted into a circle of thrash induced chaos, elbows and fists scraped flesh and concrete as the momentum of the band never let down. At one point in the set, a man in the crowd shouted "none of us deserve to see this band, not even the band themselves!" Flesh Parade is in the studio now recording a new album which is tentatively
due out in January 2009.

A raunchy joke and a mic stand thrown to the ground by Mike Williams, must have indicated that Outlaw Order were getting ready to deliver their audio assault to the audience with their metal brand of political corruption. In support of their November release, Dragging Down The Enforcer, New Orleans' Outlaw Order wasted no time getting the floor into a frenzy. Mike Williams vocal onslaught was as aggressive as his onstage antics. Band members Brian Patton (Soilent Green, Eyehategod) Gary Mader (Hawg Jaw, EHG), Joey Lacaze (EHG), and Jeff (Spickle) played to perfection on this performance, being one of few the city has seen of this band. Mike went on to jokingly say "You all are in awe of how fucking great this band is, aren't you?." The front of the stage quickly became a receptacle for broken glass and flying cups of alcohol, as the band members thrashed and moved dodging incoming beer bottles. Outlaw Order has also been dubbed, in pure comedic fashion, as
EyehateJimmy. The band members formed this group while drummer Jimmy Bower chose a different path fulfilling drum duties with Swamp Rock legends Down. Outlaw Order shows traces of southern hardcore blues riffs that are familiar in works like Take As Needed For Pain and Dopesick, but the band goes beyond there roots and sheds light on other influences. Brian Patton could be heard playing intricate solos over the double bass beats that put the songs into a Cro-mags or Discharge type of area. These musicians showed, in full force, their ability to play and love the music they create. Every snarl bellowed through the Howlin' Wolf as the band went into attack mode. As the house
lights went up, we all checked each other for bloody wounds. Musicians in all bands, as well as the many fans who came out this night, shook hands, hugged and raised a toast to the performers. Fans of the hardcore elite, as well as doom, grind, swamp and black metal were
all raising the flags high at a night that truly captured the intensity and complexity of some of the greatest in the underground.

For more information on these bands, including Mp3's, Tour Dates &
Bio's
Please follow the links below.

http://www.nolaunderground.com/
http://www.myspace.com/atonepaintribe
http://www.myspace.com/hostile_apostle
http://www.ritualkiller.com/
http://www.myspace.com/fleshparade
http://www.myspace.com/outlaworder

Article by: Ryan McKern for Neworleansmusicians.net

Photographs by: Alas Vera for Neworleansmusicians.net

myspace.com/veraellen1

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Friday, November 07, 2008

VooDoo Festival, part 1 of 2

Voodoo Fest, the tenth ritual 10/24/08

The Tenth Ritual proves the voodoo spell is still pure and loud in the
Crescent City. With multiple stages of music accompanied by bands ranging from jazz, to hip hop, to noise pop, to rock, Voodoo Fest is a diverse music experience with something for everyone. Located in City Park under a vast array of weeping willow trees, clear skies, yard long daiquiris and a sea of music fans, I was painted into the portrait of this audio indulgent gumbo.

After a brief security check point at the gates, I rushed into the Bingo tent to check out the Zydepunks. It was announced onstage by the MC as "the best zydeco punk band on the planet." The Zydepunks draw a large crowd and have built a reputation not only in the local underground, but also in the national & international eye. They have
shared the stage with Los Angeles pub crawlers Flogging Molly & ska sensations Citizen Fish. The 'Punks also kept busy touring the
United States, Europe, and Belgium prisons within the last 3 years. The crowded Bingo tent irrupted into a Cajun dance hall, as members Denise (violin, vocals), Juan (Accordion, fiddle, Vocals), Joe (drums, vocals), Scott (Bass, Vocals) and Eve (Accordion, Melodica, Vocals) charged the stage. In support of their October 21st release, Finisteree, the Zydepunks showcased their world to the festival audience. Irish stomps and folk intensity delivered with songs of evacuation, Slavic melodies and zydeco slam covered in 3 languages.

I pulled myself from the pit and headed over to the NooMoon
stages, which happened to be my favorite spot of the entire festival.
NooMoon's experience, Land of NOD, is an artistic venture which brings
painters, poets, writers, dancers, musicians and performers of the underground direct in front without a warning. In the background of these two stages, art displayed draped over fences, glass welders, costumed mystics and gypsy dancing can be found. This is a community brought forward by the love of the craft, bringing together the Marigny/ Bywater, Jackson Square, and the surrounding neighborhoods that make New Orleans such a beautiful place of which to be a part. And let's not forget they brought the best in out of town acts to New Orleans too.

On the second stage that afternoon, in your face, and throwing politically correct rock out the window was Mad Mike and his band.
Mad Mike, "the hippie bum" as he is dubbed, has a quote on his
Myspace page and it goes as follows: "He's a post-punk pre-apocalyptic
slacker Buddha!" I can not think of a better way to sum up this persona. I first got my taste of the mad one at Checkpoint Charlie's one quiet Monday night having beers. This venue was the first to book my own band when I moved to New Orleans. A few songs that stood out were the ones where he poked fun of "animal relations", and a song dedicated to his sexual desires of Mrs. Bush. Mad Mike kept the crowd nodding and laughing, re-assuring all of us how fun expression is. And what the hell, its just music! Mike ended his set with his classic motif, "I love the devil" and screamed "vote Obama" to the sun bathed crowd.

Next on the main NooMoon stage was "The White Bitch", a reputable and
sometimes solo electro R&B rock band. This day, however, he was accompanied by his band of New Orleans bohemians, including the notorious Ray Bong, delivering ambient noise twisted through filters and knobs. The songs ranged in influence from such artists as Dinosaur Jr, and Shudder To Think, with very strong Prince overtones.
High pitched vocal ranges and R&B grooves, with Sonic Youth chunky guitar solos drenched in feedback and delayed effects, really sounded good. Also added to the group's potent mojo was a Moog synth from which the singer would ferociously attack bass lines. The group led the voyage on the sexy dance excursion while taking moments to dive into psychedelic jam sessions. The group is currently supporting their new album Prey Drive.

Ray Bong's set, the Psychedelic Guru & President of the United States
of Bonnaroo, noise toy guitar techno, and onstage whip-it inhalation,
marked with Hunter S. Thompson's spoken word imagery, seemed all to appropriate for Voodoo Fest and at the same time managed to puzzle a few on lookers in the process.

Next in line this afternoon was one of my favorite bands of the entire
festival, the one and only Hurray For The Riff Raff. Formed in the summer of 2007, they could be described as an eruption of arrangement, profound and unbound, like a Waltz through the darkness of a humid bayou dream. D.i.y. folk with the beautifully played accordion, banjo, upright bass & auto harp, were, to quote the tenth ritual, "the perfect soundtrack to your southern gothic romance, a junebug serenade." This was my first experience in seeing this band play live, and one that I will never forget, along with the fans who camped out in front, dressed in Fedora hats, tattered suit jackets, and cabernet striped stockings. The only disappointment was the technical difficulties by the sound board creating a lack of volume. But the inspired danced on!

I took some time after this set to see the art of Kelly Israel.
Those who have ventured down Decatur and Frenchman may be familiar with the beautifully decorated 1981 Cadillac Hearse, displayed under the haunting trees of city park, with the mosaic mediums and skulls wound in a morbidly enticing delight.

I ventured off the beaten path to the Bingo Parlor, where the screeches of a Theremin rang from the circus tent. The Marshal amps screamed distorted harmonies from a black and white flying V guitar. Greeted by face paint, trapeze, destruction, and terror, this could only be
the creepy stage antics of The New Orleans Bingo Show! This multimedia
experience displayed old black and white film, clowns, circus acts, bingo games, and its ringmaster, Clint Maedgen's soaring vocals.
The crowd was loving the darkness of this twisted sideshow spectacle.
For those who are seekers of thrill and life's oddities of art, I encourage all to check out this jazz organ sinister musical.

As the sun began to set over the horizon, I made my way back to NooMoon. Acoustic blues performer, My GraveYard Jaw, took to the stage, showing attitude is still personality in this solo gritty folk universe. Stix Duh Clown, a.k.a My GraveYard Jaw, made his start in a true pioneer's story of heartache, travel, and wisdom. In the beginning, as a clown for The End of the World Circus, and later acting as a clown for the New Orleans Bingo Show, Stix begun writing music and performing these songs in his train hopping days. He strummed passionate southern ensembles, keeping the rhythm with a suitcase bass drum, and adding accents to the beat while the other foot hit a tambourine. Mr. Clown had a CD release party at the infamous Saint bar in Nola's uptown area. Located on 961 St. Mary street, and once owned by Sean Yseult (White Zombie, Rock City Morgue), the Saint is now under new management with Defend New Orleans founder Jac at the helm. It remains a local hot spot for the Louisiana music scene. The first day showcased many great acts, but unfortunately I could not witness them all. I made my way with our photographer to see the Colorado act Devotchka. There will be more to come on this thrilling event, with Saturday's debauchery.

Please follow the links below for more information on these bands and events including tour dates and mp3's.
www.zydepunks.com
www.myspace.com/madmikethehippiebum
www.myspace.com/thecreamywhitebitch
myspace. com/raybong
www.myspace.com/hurrayfortheriffraff
www.theneworleansbingoshow.com
www.myspace.com/stixduhclown ( my graveyard jaw)
www.noomoonlandofnod.com

Article by: Ryan McKern for Neworleansmusicians.net

Photographs by: Alas Vera for Neworleansmusicians.net

myspace.com/veraellen1

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